Our Team
We are a group of healthcare professionals, patients, and advocates who are dedicated to making psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy available to Canadians suffering from end-of-life distress.
Board of Directors
Founder & Chair of Board
Registered Clinical Counsellor (BC)
Registered Psychologist (NWT)
Dr. Tobin received his doctorate from University of Washington in 1983, specializing in philosophy of psychology. He has been in private practice psychotherapy for 35 years, specializing in the treatment of anxiety, depression and emotional trauma. He taught clinical skills for 25 years at University of Victoria, where he was Adjunct Assistant Professor and a member of the Graduate Faculty. He worked under contract with Health Canada for 20 years providing psychological services to First Nations communities in the Victoria area. He is interested in the interface between psychology and spirituality, and the role that altered states of consciousness play in enhancing clinical processes.
Emma is an attending psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Ontario, and a lecturer at the University of Toronto. Her specialty is in women’s mental health and the treatment of developmental trauma, sexual trauma, and complex PTSD. She has extensive training in multiple modalities of psychotherapy and has worked clinically with ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.
Emma works with MAPS as the Qualified Investigator of the Montreal site of the Phase 3 study examining MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. She is working with a team in Toronto developing a study combining Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) with MDMA for PTSD. She also practices and studies Kundalini yoga and mindfulness meditation. She has a growing interest in serving those who are dying.
Sean practices emergency medicine and psychotherapy. His psychotherapy practice includes Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and ketamine assisted psychotherapy. Dr. O’Sullivan certified in Holotropic BreathworkTM in 1990, and practised that modality for several decades.
Sean, together with his wife Donna Rosenthal, was involved in the efforts to legalize the Santo Daime religion in Canada. Dr. O’Sullivan is presently working with Bruce Tobin, PhD and his team to move psilocybin towards legal status for appropriate patients, focusing initially on patients with existential end of life distress.
Pauline is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and Certified Focusing-Oriented Therapist in private practice in Nanaimo, BC, specializing in trauma work, couples therapy, and cross-cultural issues. She received her Master of Arts in Integral Counseling Psychology in 2007 from California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. In 2014, Pauline co-founded the Psychedelic Psychotherapy Forum, which evolved to become Canada’s premiere conference facilitating dialogue and shared learnings about psychedelic-assisted therapies, offering CE credits to health practitioners including psychologists, clinical counsellors, psychotherapists, nurses, and family physicians.
Operations
Executive Director
Spencer was first introduced to healing psychological trauma with altered states of consciousness and therapeutic psychedelics from reading the work of Terrence McKenna, Rick Strassman, and Carl Jung and believes that these methods need to be treated seriously by governments and institutions. Spencer believes that responsible drug policy requires effective organization and leadership and is dedicated to bringing together the experts and advocates, to facilitate change that results in increased access to compassionate care, harm reduction, and treatment options for those in need. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy is a reasonable treatment option for palliative patients in end-of-life distress and is where we need to begin
Director of Communication
Holly Bennett is a communications specialist based in Toronto, Canada. She has over 8 years of experience in the Canadian cannabis industry including marketing, communications, and patient education. Holly holds a special interest in bioethics and drug policy and is passionate about mental health, harm reduction, and compassionate patient care. She is dedicated to helping change public perception and policy regarding psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy and emerging mental health treatment options.
Research & Evaluation Liaison
András Lénárt works at the British Columbia Ministry of Health on physician compensation policy, with previous roles in pharmaceutical policy and regulation. In the past, he contributed to advancing patient engagement in HIV research at the McGill University Health Centre Research Institute, and advocated for evidence-based drug policy reform as a Director of Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy. He believes integrating psychedelics into the healthcare system is one of the most impactful improvements that can be realized for enhancing mental health and well-being in Canada. He holds a B.A.&Sc. and M.Sc. from McGill University.
Web Developer
Adam Farquharson is a web developer based in Victoria, British Columbia.
In 2018 he started to build websites for local businesses and organizations on Vancouver Island as well as the mainland.
Adam is excited to be part of Therapsil and to help share their vision of Psilocybin Therapy for Canadians in End-of-Life Distress.
Media Strategist
Peg Peters is the Executive Director of Run for Water, a charity that empowers women with access to clean water and education in Ethiopia. He also Is passionate about telling stories through his film company Falling Frogs Media. We need to show how psychedelics are used. To see the people who are benefiting from psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and the wonderful researchers, therapists, doctors and healers that are bringing psychedelics into the 21st century.
Tara Portelli was first introduced to psychedelic healing for Mental Health, through the work of Paul Staments and the studies conducted by Harvard and John Hopkins Universities. After working in Emergency Services for 9 years, she sees the need for a change in our current Mental Health Care system. She feels that there is an obvious gap between the population that is affected by Mental Health and the resources that are available to these individuals. This work is very important to Tara, as an effective treatment option, bridging that gap and helping those who are suffering.
TheraPsil Patient Intake Coordinator
Julia gained her Masters in Neuroscience from the University of Bristol, UK, where she first was introduced to the benefits of therapeutic psychedelics in treating psychological trauma. Since graduating, she has undertaken research into Alzheimer’s disease, concussion and traumatic brain trauma, as well as working for the Whistler Adaptive Sports program, helping those with physical and cognitive disabilities. It was during her time spent in industry that Julia became increasingly aware of patient’s psychological distress surrounding their illnesses, especially in those who are facing end of life.
Now based in Victoria, British Columbia, Julia believes that scientists have a responsibility to educate the public on recent advances and discoveries and raise attention towards brain health and mental health. Now being part of the team at TheraPsil, she hopes to spread awareness of the positive impact psilocybin psychotherapy can have and help those who are in end of life distress.
Clinical Advisors
Psychotherapist
Registered Clinical Counsellor
Mr. Kerr received his M.A. in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University, and became a Registered Clinical Counsellor in 2012. With an early background in teaching, rehabilitation and employment counseling, Mr. Kerr has been in private practice in Victoria since 2012, specializing in treatment of depression, anxiety, trauma, family dynamics and family-of-origin issues, addiction, and stage-of-life changes.
Medical Director
Medical Director. Dr. Hayden Rubensohn received his MD in 2012 from the University of Calgary. He studied in psychiatry for another two years before completing a specialization in internal medicine, and he is currently completing a specialization in his area of primary interest: palliative care. Hayden’s clinical experience in palliative care extends back to 2012 and is augmented by experience in internal medicine, critical care medicine, geriatric medicine, psychiatry, and psychiatric oncology. He has received special training in issues relating to medical assistance in dying. Dr. Rubensohn completed training in psychedelic psychotherapy from the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Science (MAPS) and participated for four years as a co-therapist in the Vancouver MAPS-funded Phase II clinical trials investigating MDMA-assisted psychotherapy as a treatment for PTSD. He remains a clinical investigator for the ongoing phase 3 trials.
Medical Intake Specialist Physician
Dr. Stogryn completed her Medical Doctorate in 2005 and postgraduate training in Family Medicine with a specialized focus in Aboriginal Health in 2007, at the University of British Columbia. She has practiced as a family physician for the last 10 years, primarily in rural and remote First Nations communities on the west coast of BC. She currently practices in the Victoria area, and maintains a strong focus in the treatment of mental health issues, addictions, and chronic disease complicated by complex trauma. She holds a Clinical Instructor position at the University of British Columbia.
Psychological Intake Specialist
Registered Psychologist (BC # 01824)
Registered Psychologist (BC) Dr. Miners completed his doctorate in clinical psychology at Concordia University in 2007. He was trained within the scientist-practitioner model, served in multiple roles (teaching assistant, lecturer), conducted research on mindfulness, and co-authored a book chapter. He has maintained a private practice in psychotherapy and assessment since 2004, working with organizations, schools, children, families, and adults. He has trained in the treatment of complex trauma among First Nations, and worked as co-therapist and sub-investigator in a Health Canada approved, randomized controlled Phase 2 study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment-resistant Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Vancouver, BC.
Mark is a community-based psychiatrist with a special interest in long-term psychotherapy, complex PTSD, dissociative disorders, and couples therapy. He trained in Imago Relationship therapy, EMDR, and Holotropic Breathwork™, and more recently completed Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) training at the Orenda Institute, and has also trained with Dr. Phil Wolfson.
Since 2018, along with his life-partner Susan McBride, he has been treating patients with treatment-resistant depression using ketamine. Dr. Cornfield has a special interest in ketamine as an empathogen and facilitator of other therapeutic techniques such as Imago couples therapy and EMDR. Most recently Mark and Susan have been offering a three-day KAP Learning Experience to physicians and psychotherapists.
Susan worked as an emergency room Registered Nurse dealing with physical and emotional crises. After graduating with a B.A. in Psychology, she worked at a children’s mental health agency assisting parents to deal with physical, emotional and psychological crises with their children.
An interest in spirituality led her to complete a Masters in Theological Studies in Counselling. Since 2002, she has been in private practice using Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Gestalt therapy, EMDR, and Imago Relationship therapy. Together with her partner, psychiatrist Mark Cornfield, she has been facilitating monthly Imago weekend workshops for couples.
Susan certified with GTT as a Holotropic Breathwork™ facilitator and has been facilitating monthly Holotropic workshops since 2005.
Susan trained at the Orenda Institute and with Dr. Phil Wolfson in Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy. Since 2018, Susan and Mark have been using Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy with individual clients. They have also facilitated group sessions with couples using ketamine and Imago therapy. Most recently, they have been facilitating Ketamine Learning Experiences for psychotherapists and physicians.
Donna graduated with a degree in Sociology from the University of Toronto, and completed three years of graduate studies in Sociology and Religion at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. She worked for fifteen years at the Chedoke-McMaster Child & Family Centre with multigenerational, multi-problem families.
Donna was certified in Holotropic BreathworkTM & Transpersonal Psychology by Stan & Christina Grof in 1990. She led Holotropic Breathwork Workshops for fifteen years, and taught courses in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. For many years, Donna, together with her husband Sean O'Sullivan, was involved in efforts to legalize the Santo Daime religion in Canada. She currently offers ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and other in-depth individual and group therapies.
Neil is a psychiatrist in Kelowna, British Columbia and is Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He is the Year 3 Director (the clinical year) of the Southern Medical Program of UBC in Kelowna. Dr. Hanon has been teaching medical students, Psychiatry residents, and Family Practise residents clinically and didactically since 1996. Dr. Hanon also does inpatient work at Kelowna General Hospital, and outpatient work at Outreach Urban Health (an Interior Health operated, primary care clinic where he works with homeless, street entrenched people often struggling with addictions and other mental health challenges), and at his private practise. In 2018 he was awarded the Clinical Faculty Award for excellence in clinical teaching by the Faculty of Medicine at UBC.
Dr. Hanon has a research interest in legally sanctioned trials with ketamine, MDMA, and psilocybin for the treatment of complicated grief, treatment resistant depression, and severe addictions. Dr. Hanon got involved in Holotropic Breathwork first as a participant to help with his grief after the death of his 17 year old son, then continued on to become certified as a Holotropic Breathwork facilitator in 2015. Dr. Hanon was fortunate to have Dr. Ralph Metzner as his teacher and mentor from 2015 until Ralph’s death in 2019. Since 2015 Dr. Hanon has been facilitating Holotropic Breathwork groups.