Colorado joined Oregon on Jan. 1 by becoming one of the first American states to regulate psilocybin mushroom therapy for mental health purposes. This development has brought demand for people certified to oversee therapy sessions with it.
A group of 51 Colorado citizens recently graduated from a state-regulated psychedelic therapist program run by Portland-based InnerTrek. Some of the graduates, like Lisa Snyder, have now used that experience to become fully certified by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (CDRA) and legally take care of people who choose to undergo psilocybin treatment in clinical settings.
“I’m happy to share that I’ve obtained a new certification: A Natural Medicine Facilitator License from the CDRA!” Snyder said on LinkedIn last week. She currently serves as InnerTrek’s marketing director.
InnerTrek is licensed by the Oregon Health Authority to provide training and has now expanded its reach into Colorado with the new legislation. It was founded by Tom Eckert and his late wife Sheri Eckert, who were instrumental in pushing for psilocybin legalization in Oregon back in November of 2020.
“Our program offers 150+ hours of core training, including in-person intensives near Boulder, CO, and Portland, OR, engaging online classes, and 40 hours of supervised practicum,” InnerTrek described in a social media post.
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Colorado prepares to expand its psychedelic therapy repertoire
Proposition 122, which was passed in late 2022 and came into force in the new year, has also decriminalized the possession of other psychedelic substances in the state.
In addition to psilocybin fungi, cultivation and usage of certain entheogenic plants is no longer a crime. Colorado plans to start experimenting with plant-based psychoactive drugs like ayahuasca, iboga and San Pedro for therapeutic purposes next year.
Peyote will remain prohibited due to its slow growth rate and sacred cultural significance among certain Indigenous groups.
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