Three phases. One program.
Everything you need to license.
Most programs sell you didactic training and point you elsewhere for practicum and consultation. We don't. All three DORA-required components are available through this program — including an on-site practicum at our licensed Colorado healing center.
Didactic Instruction
150 hours across all 14 required DORA curriculum topics, delivered over 9 months through our hybrid model. Three in-person intensive weekends in Colorado plus live online instruction and asynchronous content.
- 3 in-person weekend intensives (~25 hrs each)
- Live Zoom instruction between intensives
- Remote-only track available
- IFS-based clinical framework throughout
- Competency-gated progression to practicum
Practicum Intensive
40 hours of supervised hands-on facilitation at our licensed healing center in Colorado — not outsourced, not at a partner site. Real clients, real sessions, real supervision. This is what most programs can't offer.
- 4-day in-person intensive at Healing Center #000-48
- Personal administration session (Day 1)
- Supervised individual facilitation (Day 2)
- Group facilitation under supervision (Day 3)
- Observation and assisting (Day 4)
- Real clients at discounted rate when available
Post-Practicum Consultation
50 hours of required consultation with a licensed Clinical Facilitator while you practice under your Training License. Group cohort consultation plus individual sessions. Virtual, in-person, or hybrid.
- 35 hours group consultation (up to 10 per group)
- 15 hours individual consultation
- Led by Michael P. Biggans, CF
- Case review, ethics, scope of practice
- Completes over 6 months post-practicum
- Virtual, in-person, or hybrid options
Why this matters: To apply for a Colorado Natural Medicine Facilitator license, you must complete 150 hours of DORA-approved training, 40 hours of supervised practicum, and 50 hours of post-practicum consultation. Many programs provide the 150 hours and then leave you to find practicum and consultation on your own — often at significant additional cost, delay, and uncertainty. The Psychedelic Therapy Training Den is designed so you never have to make those arrangements yourself. One program, one director, one licensed healing center, one pathway to licensure.
All 14 required topics.
150 hours. One cohesive framework.
Our curriculum covers all 14 required topic areas of 4 CCR 755-1 Rule 4.1(F)(1), built around an IFS-based clinical framework and taught by licensed faculty. Every hour is mapped to a DORA requirement — nothing is filler.
Facilitator Best Practices
Personal bias, scope of practice, current research literacy
Ethics & Colorado Natural Medicine Rules
Code of ethics, 4 CCR 755-1 full regulatory walkthrough
Relational Boundaries & Physical Touch
Boundary-holding, Touch Contract development and practice
Physical and Mental Health
Therapeutic presence, contraindications, adverse reactions, trauma
Drug Effects & Interactions
Pharmacology, mechanism of action, contraindications matrix
Introduction to Trauma-Informed Care
Polyvagal theory, window of tolerance, trauma-informed communication
Introduction to Suicide Risk
C-SSRS assessment, safety planning, emergency referral protocols
Indigenous, Social & Cultural Considerations
Indigenous traditions, drug policy history, racial justice, equity
Screening
Mandated screening form, clinical suitability assessment, referral
Preparation
Informed consent, intake, inner guidance frameworks, safety planning
Administration
Dosing, in-session facilitation, challenging presentations, session completion
Integration
IFS integration, embodied practice, integration circles, scope of practice
Group Facilitation
Group dynamics, co-facilitation, group session management and integration
Facilitator Development & Self-Care
Self-care ethics, countertransference, preparation practices, sustainability
Hybrid learning built for
working adults.
Three modalities, one coherent program. Whether you're local to the Denver-Aurora area or joining remotely from anywhere in Colorado or beyond, the program works around your life.
In-Person Intensives
Three weekend intensives (~25 hours each, ~75 total) at the Psychedelic Therapy Training Den Healing Center. These are where the experiential work happens — role-plays, Touch Contract workshops, group facilitation practice, and all observed competency assessments.
- Friday evening through Sunday afternoon
- Distributed across the 9-month program
- All summative role-play assessments in person
- Small-group, high-contact instruction
Live Online Instruction
Live Zoom sessions for didactic content, case discussions, ethics reasoning workshops, and regulatory instruction between intensives. Real-time instructor and peer engagement — not passive watching.
- Evening and weekend scheduling options
- Case discussions, ethics workshops, Q&A
- Exceeds DORA's 50% synchronous requirement
- Recorded for student review within 48 hrs
Asynchronous Content
Pre-recorded lectures covering foundational didactic content — pharmacology, regulatory walkthroughs, clinical recognition material — so live session time is devoted to discussion and application, not information transfer.
- Complete on your schedule before each live session
- Comprehension assessments after each module
- Pharmacology, regulations, clinical foundations
- ~27 hours across the program
Practicum at a licensed
Colorado healing center.
This is where most programs fall short. The Psychedelic Therapy Training Den operates an active licensed healing center. Your practicum happens there — not at a partner you've never met, not in Oregon, not TBD. Real sessions. Real supervision. Real facility.
Practicum I — Experiential & Observational
20 hours · Weekend 1Your Personal Administration Session
Facilitated by licensed faculty. Direct first-person experience of the altered-state territory you'll be guiding others through.
Integration + Structured Observation
Your integration session, then observation of preparation and/or administration sessions with supervised faculty.
Synchronous Pre/Post Sessions
Preparation and debrief via synchronous audio-visual. Counts toward DORA's flexible hour allowance.
Practicum II — Clinical Application
20 hours · Weekend 2 (~6 weeks later)Co-Facilitate an Individual Session
Under direct supervision: full preparation, administration, and same-day integration for a real client or cohort peer.
Co-Facilitate a Group Session
Apply your group facilitation competencies in a live group administration session under direct faculty supervision.
Supervision, Debrief & Evaluation
Structured faculty feedback, case review, competency evaluation, and transition to consultation phase.
When available, practicum students co-facilitate sessions with real clients who receive services at a significantly discounted rate, with full informed consent disclosing the student's Training License status. When real clients are not scheduled, cohort peers fill participant roles in structured scenarios that meet all DORA Rule 4.1(G) requirements. Our licensed healing center (License No. 000-48) provides the physical, legal, and supervisory infrastructure — no additional arrangements required from students.
The only program that delivers
all three licensing requirements.
Colorado requires 150 hours of approved training, a 40-hour practicum, and 50 hours of post-practicum consultation to become a licensed Natural Medicine Facilitator. Here's how programs compare on what actually matters for your license.
| What matters for your license | PTTD ★ | Naropa NCPS | Changa Institute | Elemental Psychedelics | InnerTrek |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DORA-approved 150-hr curriculum | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 40-hr practicum included in program | ✓ On-site | ◑ Separate, TBD | ◑ Separate add-on | ◑ Separate add-on | ◑ Separate, Longmont |
| Practicum at program's own licensed facility | ✓ Healing Center #000-48 | ✗ | ✗ Partner centers | ✗ | ✗ |
| 50-hr consultation offered by program | ✓ Group + individual | ◑ In development | ◑ Available, separate fee | ◑ Limited availability | ✗ |
| All 3 licensing components in one program | ✓ Only program | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Director is active Clinical Facilitator (CF) | ✓ JD, MS, LPC, CF | ◑ ND director | ✗ | ◑ CSU professor | ✗ |
| In-person intensive weekends on Colorado soil | ✓ Aurora, CO | ◑ Primarily online | ◑ Primarily online | ✓ In-person focus | ◑ Hybrid, Longmont |
| IFS-based clinical framework throughout | ✓ Primary framework | ◑ Contemplative | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Cohort size ≤ 14 students | ✓ Max 14 | ✗ Larger cohorts | ✗ Larger cohorts | ✓ Boutique | ◑ Varies |
| CE credits for licensed CO facilitators | ✓ Available | ◑ Limited | ◑ Some LPC PDAs | ◑ Limited | ✗ |
| Estimated total cost for all 3 phases | ~$12,000–13,000 | $12,000–15,000+ (3 programs) | $9,000–12,000+ (add-ons) | $10,000–14,000+ (add-ons) | $10,000–14,000+ (add-ons) |
Why the bundled model matters
When programs separate the three licensing phases, students face a hidden burden: researching and vetting separate practicum sites, negotiating consultation arrangements, and managing multiple program relationships — often at significant additional cost and months of delay. The PTTD program is designed so that once you're enrolled, your path to licensure is clear, scheduled, and supervised by the same director who taught your curriculum. That continuity of care — knowing the facilitator who supervised your practicum also designed the curriculum you learned — produces better facilitators. It's also simply a more honest way to run a program.
Taught by practicing
licensed facilitators.
Every faculty member holds an active Colorado Natural Medicine license. This isn't a program run by academics who study psychedelics — it's taught by practitioners who facilitate them.
Michael P. Biggans
Michael is a licensed attorney, licensed professional counselor, and Colorado Natural Medicine Clinical Facilitator who operates the program's affiliated healing center. He teaches all 14 DORA curriculum topics with a clinical framework grounded in Internal Family Systems (IFS), ACT, and trauma-informed care. His primary text, The Psychedelic Self, is the program's foundational clinical resource. His background spans law, psychotherapy, and natural medicine facilitation — giving this program a depth of regulatory fluency, clinical skill, and direct facilitation experience found nowhere else in one instructor.
Brian Stanton
Brian is a professional actor, playwright, and the founder of Psychetheatrics — a pioneering practice that bridges theatre methodology, psychodrama, and psychedelic-assisted healing. He presented this work at the University of Exeter Psychedelic Studies program (January 2025) and has co-facilitated ceremonial retreats combining altered states, ensemble practice, and emotional expression. Brian leads the Group Facilitation curriculum and co-instructs embodied practice in Topics C, H, L, and N — bringing theatrical ensemble intelligence to the development of the facilitator's presence, co-facilitation skills, and integration practice.
Anna Desmarais
Anna brings licensed nursing expertise and holistic wellness training to the program's clinical content. As a Board-Certified Holistic and Wellness Nurse Coach, she supports the physical and mental health curriculum and provides clinical co-supervision during the practicum intensive. Her nursing background provides essential clinical grounding for the adverse event, contraindication, and physical health content — complementing the program's psychotherapeutic and facilitation expertise with real-world medical knowledge.
50 hours of consultation
while you practice.
Colorado requires 50 hours of post-practicum consultation before you can apply for full licensure. We provide it — through the same director who designed the curriculum and supervised your practicum. You're not starting over with a new consultant.
Group Consultation
Biweekly group consultation with your cohort — the people who trained with you, who know the same curriculum, who are encountering the same early-practice challenges. Up to 10 Training Licensees per group. Virtual, in-person, or hybrid.
- Biweekly sessions (~90 minutes each) over 6 months
- Anonymized case review and ethical navigation
- Scope of practice and clinical skill development
- Ongoing self-care assessment and peer support
- Facilitated by Michael P. Biggans, CF
Individual Consultation
One-on-one consultation with Michael P. Biggans, JD, MS, LPC, Clinical Facilitator. Personalized clinical support, complex case review, and career guidance as you navigate your first facilitation practice.
- Scheduled across the 6-month consultation period
- Complex or sensitive case consultation
- Clinical skill refinement and feedback
- Career advisement for new practitioners
- Virtual, phone, or in-person at healing center
Consultation counts toward your license: DORA requires that the 50 consultation hours be conducted by a licensed Facilitator with facilitation experience. Michael P. Biggans meets this requirement as an active Colorado Clinical Facilitator. All consultation hours are documented, and completion is verified in writing for your licensure application. The consultation phase is designed to complete within 6 months following practicum — keeping your total time from enrollment to license under 18 months in most cases.
Already licensed?
CE credits for Colorado facilitators.
Colorado requires 20 hours of CE annually for Natural Medicine Facilitators, including 5 hours of ethics education. The Psychedelic Therapy Training Den offers CE-qualifying programming for licensed practitioners — and expanding to serve facilitators in other emerging-regulation states.
Ethics CE for Colorado Facilitators
Colorado-specific ethics content for licensed Facilitators and Clinical Facilitators. Satisfies the annual 5-hour ethics CE requirement under 4 CCR 755-1 Rule 5.4. Topics include boundary maintenance, regulatory updates, case-based ethics reasoning, and emerging practice standards.
5 hrs Ethics CEAdvanced Clinical Topics CE
Modules on trauma-informed care, suicide risk, complex facilitation scenarios, IFS in psychedelic contexts, and group facilitation. Designed for licensed facilitators seeking to deepen clinical competency beyond initial training requirements.
Up to 15 hrs CEMulti-State & Emerging Regulation CE
Psychedelic therapy is expanding beyond Colorado and Oregon. CE modules addressing regulatory frameworks in emerging states, cross-state practice considerations, and national field developments for practitioners working across state lines.
Coming 2026Annual Research Update
A structured annual CE module reviewing the current state of psilocybin and natural medicine research — designed to satisfy the facilitation best practices CE requirement and keep practitioners fluent with the evolving evidence base without requiring them to track the literature themselves.
1–2 hrs CE AnnuallyPeer Consultation Groups
DORA permits up to 3 CE hours per license period from peer consultation group participation. The PTTD alumni consultation network provides structured peer consultation groups for graduates — satisfying both the professional support need and the CE credit opportunity simultaneously.
Up to 3 hrs CEFuture Substances Update
Colorado's Advisory Board may recommend adding DMT, ibogaine, and mescaline to the regulated program. When these are added, licensed facilitators will need to understand the new substances. The PTTD program will provide targeted CE modules covering pharmacology, facilitation differences, and regulatory updates for each new substance.
Coming When Approvedcovered exactly — no filler
taught by licensed faculty
through one program
for hands-on practicum
What students ask
before they apply.
Questions about the program, licensing, and what to expect.
Do I need a clinical background to enroll?
No. Colorado law permits individuals with a high school diploma (or equivalent) to become licensed Natural Medicine Facilitators. You do not need a clinical license. The program is designed for both clinical professionals pursuing Clinical Facilitator licensure and non-clinical individuals pursuing standard Facilitator licensure. The curriculum does not dilute clinical expectations for non-clinical students.
What does the DORA application process look like after I complete the program?
After completing all three phases, you apply to DORA for a Facilitator or Clinical Facilitator license through the Division of Professions and Occupations online portal. You'll need your certificate of completion from this program, evidence of Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, and payment of DORA's application fee. The program director provides written documentation of your program completion, practicum hours, and consultation hours.
Can I complete the program if I don't live in Colorado?
Yes, with caveats. The 150-hour didactic phase is available in a fully remote track through live online and asynchronous formats. However, the practicum (Phase 2) is required in-person at the healing center in Colorado, and the DORA license covers Colorado practice. If you're pursuing out-of-state practice, you'll need to verify your state's specific requirements — we offer programming relevant to emerging regulatory states and can advise on multi-state pathways.
What is IFS and why is it the program's primary framework?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based psychotherapy model developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz that understands the mind as composed of multiple "parts" — sub-personalities that protect us — organized around a core Self. It maps exceptionally well to psychedelic-assisted work because altered states naturally surface exactly the kind of parts-based material that IFS is designed to work with. The program's primary text, The Psychedelic Self by Michael P. Biggans, is an IFS-based psychedelic therapy framework.
Is my personal medicine experience in the practicum required?
The practicum includes a personal administration session as part of the four-day intensive. This provides direct first-person experience of the altered-state territory you'll be guiding participants through — a core competency that cannot be developed through observation alone. Students with medical or psychological concerns about the personal administration day are encouraged to discuss this with the Program Director during the enrollment process.
What is the total cost of the program?
The estimated total program cost is $12,000–$13,000, covering all three phases: Phase 1 didactic instruction (~$5,500–$6,000), Phase 2 practicum (~$2,500–$3,000, excluding the natural medicine cost which is paid separately), and Phase 3 consultation (~$3,000–$4,000). Final pricing is confirmed at enrollment. Payment plan options are available — contact us to discuss.
How does your program compare in price to others?
Our total cost for all three licensing phases is competitive with or lower than the combined cost of obtaining these phases separately through different programs. Naropa, Changa, Elemental, and InnerTrek all charge separately for practicum and consultation — which can add $4,000–$6,000 above their base tuition. The bundled PTTD model typically saves students $2,000–$5,000 while eliminating the coordination burden entirely.
Do you offer CE credits for licensed Colorado facilitators?
Yes. The program offers continuing education programming for licensed Natural Medicine Facilitators, including ethics CE that satisfies Colorado's annual 5-hour ethics requirement. CE modules are available as standalone enrollment — you don't need to complete the full training program to access CE content. See the CE section above for details on available modules and upcoming offerings.
Your path to licensure
starts here.
Join a cohort of 4–14 students training under Colorado's most clinically credentialed, fully bundled Natural Medicine Facilitator Training Program. All three licensing requirements. One director. One licensed healing center. One clear path.
Cohorts of 4–14 students · 1–2 cohorts per year · Remote-only track available · DORA-Approved Program
