CPD27 Compassion-Focused Psychedelic Therapy: Clinical Supervision Skills & Training

(Aligned with RANZCP competencies and PACFA CPD standards)

1. Regulatory and Professional Context

• Describe the current Australian regulatory framework for MDMA and psilocybin, including TGA rescheduling, Authorised Prescriber pathways and governance requirements.
• Identify relevant RANZCP guidance, documentation standards and medico-legal responsibilities in PAT/PAP.

2. Psychedelic Science and Evidence Base

• Summarise mechanisms of action of MDMA and psilocybin and how these interact with psychotherapy.
• Critically review the evidence for MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD and psilocybin-assisted therapy for treatment-resistant depression, including limitations and uncertainties.

3. Screening, Risk Stratification and Safety

• Apply advanced screening and risk-stratification principles, including indications, contraindications and exclusion criteria (for example psychosis, mania, unstable medical illness or substance use).
• Plan comprehensive pre-treatment assessment, informed consent (including boundaries and physical touch), monitoring and outcome measurement.
• Outline procedures for identifying and managing psychological or medical emergencies and criteria for ceasing treatment or referring on.

4. Ethics, Cultural Safety and Diversity

• Analyse ethical issues specific to PAT/PAP, including power dynamics, boundaries, consent, dual roles and therapist self-disclosure.
• Apply culturally safe practice principles when working with diverse populations, consistent with PACFA expectations for diversity, equity and inclusion.

5. Therapist Core Competencies and Compassion-Focused Practice

• Demonstrate core therapist skills, including compassionate stance, attuned presence, non-reactivity, metacognitive awareness and capacity to hold intense affect.
• Use reflective practice to explore counter-transference, bias and therapist vulnerability.

6. Preparation, Dosing Support and Integration Work

• Conduct preparation sessions that build therapeutic alliance, clarify intentions and strengthen psychological resources.
• Describe therapeutic tasks during dosing sessions, including maintaining safety, supporting non-directive exploration and responding to challenging experiences.
• Structure integration sessions that promote meaning-making, behavioural change and ongoing recovery.

7. Managing Complex Presentations and Special Populations

• Identify and respond to complexities such as dissociation, transference reactions, suicidality and protracted integration challenges.
• Apply appropriate considerations for special populations (older adults, medical comorbidities, pregnancy, substance use) and identify when PAT/PAP is not appropriate.

8. Complementary and Somatic Practices (Within Scope)

• Evaluate how breathwork, grounding, somatic awareness, music, mindfulness, compassion-focused therapy, ecotherapy, internal family systems (IFS), trauma-informed somatic therapies, EMDR and creative therapies can support preparation and integration within scope and local protocols.

9. Supervised Skills Practice and Ongoing Professional Development

• Participate in supervised experiential exercises such as role plays, dyads and case-formulation activities.
• Develop a plan for continuing professional development, supervision and peer review in psychedelic-assisted therapy consistent with RANZCP expectations.

This course counts towards 28 hours of category A CPD.

Psychedelic-assisted therapy is still a relatively new and emerging field, and many factors must be considered before pursuing this type of treatment. Patients should only undergo psychedelic-assisted therapy under the guidance of a trained and licensed medical professional in a controlled and medically supervised environment. Overall, while the use of psychedelic substances in therapy is still a controversial and evolving field, the promising results of recent research suggest that they may offer new and effective treatment options for patients struggling with mental health conditions. Please note that BIYOME does not endorse using psychedelic medicine without professional guidance and support.

Participation in psychedelic medicine work in the legal community context with MDMA and Psilocybin is always dependent upon TGA and HREC protocol approvals and legislation requirements.

BIYOME’s Specialty Intensive Teacher Training can be undertaken as Continuing Professional Development (CPD) with Yoga Australia. Please contact us for more information.

Should you wish to complete the 200hrs Registered Psychedelic-Assisted Therapist Training Course, ask us more.

Should you wish to complete a full yoga certification (150 hours – 650 hours), please view this Specialty Intensive Training as an elective within our full course offerings. Details are available here.

Compliance and Safety Statement

Psychedelic-assisted therapy requires strict adherence to TGA, RANZCP and HREC guidelines. Participation in this training does not permit prescribing, administering or independently facilitating psychedelic medicine. BIYOME promotes legal, ethical and medically supervised practice only.