Practitioner Certification Program

COURSE INFORMATION

Overall Course Structure Features:

Theory

  • Six Modules of Online Course Work
  • Six 2-hour Lectures (both LIVE and pre-recorded) from Industry Experts
  • Pre-recorded Lectures with Paul F. Austin, the founder of Third Wave and The Psychedelic Coaching Institute
  • Two LIVE Q&A Sessions with Paul F. Austin
  • Bi-weekly 2-hour LIVE Integration Sessions facilitated by trained experts with a small group of your cohort members (not recorded)

Intensive

  • Eight Days in Costa-Rica at Brave Earth Center

Practicum

  • 50-Hour practicum
  • A continuation of tri-weekly 2-hour lectures (both LIVE and pre-recorded) from Industry Experts
  • A continuation of tri-weekly 2-hour LIVE Integration Sessions facilitated by trained experts with a small group of your cohort members (not recorded)
  • Five 2-hour LIVE Interactive Workshops breaking down the Key Elements of a Psychedelic Experience (recorded)

Course Timeline & Important Dates (PCP8)

Your key dates for the upcoming program are outlined below. As the program start date nears, all students will have the chance to vote for their first and second pod time choices. There are additional activities on off-days, so please note those special occasions marked with an asterisk. Please note that dates and times are tentative and subject to change.

Here are the key dates for your upcoming program:

2024

Oct 16th: Orientation (9am-11am PT/ 12pm-2pm ET / 17:00-19:00 BT)

Oct 23: First Guest Lecture (9am-11am PT/ 12pm-2pm ET / 17:00-19:00 BT)

Oct 30th: First Integration Session during selected pod time

  • 9am-11am PT/ 12pm-2pm ET
  • 11am – 1pm PT / 2pm – 4pm ET
  • 4pm – 6pm PT / 7pm – 9pm ET

*Thursday, Nov 14th: Q&A with Paul (9am – 10:30am PT / 12pm – 1:30pm ET)

*Saturday, November 23rd: Virtual Breathwork Ceremony (10am – 12pm PT / 1pm – 3pm ET)

*Thursday, Dec 12th: Q&A with Paul (9am – 10:30am PT / 12pm – 1:30pm ET)

2025

Jan 15th, 2025: Last day of theoretical training

Jan 22nd: Intensive Preparation Call (9am – 11am PT / 12pm – 2pm ET)

*February 8-15th: In-Person Intensive @ Reunion, Playa Pan de Azúcar, Liberia area, Costa Rica**

Feb 24th: Post-Intensive Integration Call (9am – 11am PT / 12pm – 2pm ET)

Feb. 26th: First day of Practicum Period

March 5th: First Practicum Workshop (9am – 11am PT / 12pm – 2pm ET)

March 12th: First Practicum Period Integration Session

  •  9am-11am PT/ 12pm-2pm ET
  • 11am – 1pm PT / 2pm – 4pm ET
  • 4pm – 6pm PT / 7pm – 9pm ET

*Saturday, June 8th: Virtual Breathwork Ceremony (10am – 12pm PT / 1pm – 3pm ET)

July 11th: Final Assessments Due

July 11 – 18th: Assessment Period

July 23rd: Graduation

**See the Intensive Information section further down on the page.

Communication

You will communicate with your cohort members and facilitators throughout the course using a private Practitioner Certification Program group in the Third Wave Community app (in Mighty Networks). You will receive an invite to join on Orientation day!

It’s a private online community that’s great for asking questions, connecting with your fellow trainees and coach facilitators, and sharing your proud moments and personal wins.

If you’d like to join the larger community of people on the Third Wave app before your program begins, click here.

Module Overview:

Module 1 – Where We’ve Been & Where We’re Going: A Framework for the Third Wave of Psychedelics

  • Course overview and setting the stage
  • A short history of psychedelic use
  • The Third Wave of psychedelics

…………………………………………………

Module 2 – Safety, Ethics, and Integrity: A Sacred Trust

  • Ethical boundaries and creating safe spaces
  • A trauma-informed approach
  • Ethical sourcing and Indigenous reciprocity

……………………………………………………

Module 3 – Working With Medicines: Differences, Uses, Dosages, and Risks

  • Different medicines for different purposes
  • Dosing, consumption guides, and supplementation
  • Psychedelics and neuroplasticity

……………………………………………………

Module 4 – Qualified Guidance: Types of Psychedelic Coaching

  • Coaching vs. facilitation
  • Facilitator competencies
  • Working with coaching clients
  • Integration coaching

……………………………………………………

Module 5 – Outcomes of Psychedelic Work: From Healing to Personal Transformation

  • Purpose, flow, and creativity
  • Optimal well-being
  • Reimagining leadership

……………………………………………………

Module 6 – From Theory to Practice: Building Your Business

  • Forms to set up
  • Client tracking
  • Marketing support
  • Boosting enrollment in your practitioner program

……………………………………………………

Costa Rica Intensive

  • Connect with your classmates and pod facilitators in person
  • Hands-on workshops in Client Assessment and Ceremony Preparation
  • Sacred Ceremony Experience
  • Integration Circle

……………………………………………………

Practicum Lesson 1 – Assessment

  • Discovery Calls
  • Assessing Client Readiness
  • Assessment Workshop

……………………………………………………

Practicum Lesson 2 – Preparation

  • The Role of Intuition While Preparing for Ceremony
  • Preparation Workshop

……………………………………………………

Practicum Lesson 3 – Holding Space

  • Transference and Boundary Setting
  • Holding Space Workshop

……………………………………………………

Practicum Lesson 4 – Integrating Ceremony

  • Protocols and Strategies for Integration
  • Integration Workshop

……………………………………………………

Practicum Lesson 5 – Microdosing Coaching

  • Choosing a Protocol, Refining Dosage
  • Microdosing Workshop

……………………………………………………

Practicum Lesson 6 – Accessibility and Representation

  • Sacred Justice and Equity

……………………………………………………

Intensive Information (PCP8)

Intensive Dates

February 8 – 15th

We recommend planning to arrive one day before the intensive starts and leave one day after it ends, to ensure a relaxed travel experience. You must book and pay for your flight and any accommodation before and after the intensive.

Intensive Venue

Reunion Costa Rica Plant Medicine Center, Playa Pan de Azúcar (Sugar Beach) on the Northern Pacific Coast of Guanacaste.

Flight Information

Fly in and out of LIR – Liberia International Airport.

If you are flying in on Feb 8th, please be sure to arrive at LIR no later than 12:00 pm CT so you can catch the shuttle to Reunion. If you plan to fly out on Feb 15th, please do not book a departing flight before 4:00 pm CT so we have time to get you back to the airport.

We strongly recommend you give yourself ample time before and after the intensive to ensure a relaxed travel experience. You must book and pay for your flight and any accommodation before and after the intensive.

Shuttle Service

The shuttle to Reunion will depart the Hilton Garden Inn Guanacaste Liberia International Airport at 2:00 pm CT on February 8thOctober 5th, and will return to the Hilton Garden Inn Guanacaste Liberia International Airport at 12:00 pm CT on Feb 15thOctober 12th.

Individuals must organize and pay for their own transportation if complimentary shuttle is missed.

Activities

We have activities planned that may include special preparation. We will send an outline of intensive activities and a packing list before the intensive date.

Personal Accommodation

All rooms are located just steps from the Pacific Ocean and the warm sands of Playa Pan de Azúcar (Sugar Beach). Your room features two Queen-sized beds, a porch with outdoor seating, and an ensuite bathroom with a shower. All rooms will be randomly assigned and will be shared with other students.

Safety and Confidentiality

Due to the nature of the medicine ceremony, we require a signed Waiver of Liability, Health Intake Form, and Non-Disclosure Agreement before the intensive. You must complete these forms before the course starts even if you do not plan on working with medicine.

Supplemental Reading

In addition to the course materials, the following readings will be assigned as part of specific modules throughout the course.

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Graduation Requirements & Directory Eligibility

Course Completion

To graduate successfully from the Program, Participants must:

  • Review all course materials and complete 100% of homework assignments.
  • Review all classes, with live attendance required for 80% of them.
  • Attend 80% of the bi-weekly Pod Integration Sessions live.
  • Experiential Component:
    1. Participate in an At-Home Breakthrough Experience. Attending both the preparation and integration calls.
    2. Attend the in-person intensive and participate in all required sessions or exercises. All intensive attendees will be expected to read and comply with the retreat venue’s House Rules. Violating the rules may result in the attendee being charged reasonable damages or, if extreme violations occur, attendee may be removed from the retreat premises and/or removed from the program with no tuition refund. If for any reason you are unable to attend and cancel within 60 days of the intensive dates, you will have to reschedule and attend an intensive within a one year period from your original intensive date. A fee of $1500 (subject to change) will also be applied at the time of rebooking your intensive.
  • Complete the required practice coaching hours.
  • Submit and pass the final assessment: a 45-60 minute recorded coaching call.
  • Uphold the Psychedelic Coaching Institute Ethics Pledge.
Directory Eligibility

Participants will be expected to demonstrate consistent ethical and professional integrity. Only those graduates who demonstrate a full understanding of all course materials, receive passing marks from their facilitators on assignments, possess an appropriate level of coaching skills as determined by their facilitators, and demonstrate ongoing support for their fellow course participants will be invited to be listed on the Psychedelic Coaching Institute Directory as either verified or fully-vetted Coaches. Invited graduates will receive six-months of premium Vetted status for their listings, at no charge, after which they will have the choice of keeping a free, verified listing, or retaining the extra features of their Vetted status, for only $49/month.