Our Team
We are a group of healthcare professionals, patients, and advocates who are dedicated to
making psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy available to Canadians in medical need.
Board of Directors
Founder & Chair of Board
Registered Clinical Counsellor (BC)
Ethics Committee Member
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.
CEO
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
Yasmeen is passionate about human connection, workplace wellness, fitness, and human potential optimization. She is the Co-Founder of Nature of Work, a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, a Pain BC Certified Coach, and a personal trainer in multiple disciplines. Yasmeen enjoys spending her time in nature, exploring the human psyche, and is committed to human betterment and healing.
Yasmeen's healing journey began when she was able to clear the trauma she had been holding onto from childhood after a psychedelic journey and knows firsthand the profound impact these substances can have on people's lives. Yasmeen holds a Bachelor of Science with a major in Psychology and a minor in Applied Ethics, a CTI Coaching designation, and has also volunteered at the Canadian Cancer Society as the Event Chair and Health Promotion and Fundraising volunteer for 5 years.
Steve Rio is Co-Founder of Enfold, along with his wife Austin. Enfold offers elevated, safe, and sacred retreats in BC, Canada. His life’s work is focused on raising consciousness, improving sensemaking, and helping individuals and society realize our full potential.
Beyond his work with Enfold, Steve sits on the board of Grateful Living and TheraPsil, is an advisor to Numinus, Holos Global, and Nikean Foundation, and mentors dozens of young entrepreneurs through multiple organizations.
Ethics Committee Member
Dr Ingrid Pacey MBBS, FRCP(C) is a retired psychiatrist whose work in private practice for nearly 50 years became focussed on working with women trauma survivors, PTSD and complex PTSD, most often from early sexual abuse. She has worked with many modalities of psychotherapy including long-term psychotherapy, EMDR, bioenergetics, art therapy, group therapy.
She began working with expanded states of consciousness after training with Dr Stan Grof and Christina Grof 1987-1990 in Holotropic Breathwork. She ran Holotropic Breathwork groups for the next 15 years and saw the benefits of adding this dimension to trauma therapy.
Starting in 2009 she was instrumental in bringing the MAPS research trial into MDMA assisted psychotherapy for PTSD to Vancouver . This phase 2 study ran from 2013-2016, showing positive outcomes.
She joined TheraPsil in 2021 as a trainer, first training therapists in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy and in 2024 started MDMA-assisted psychotherapy training. She mentors and supervises therapists in this work.
She is a member of Grof Legacy Training and teaches about Holotropic Breathwork in her trainings with TheraPsil.
Operations
John is an ardent supporter of drug policy reform and believes the growing acceptance of psychedelics and psychedelic therapy marks a paradigm shift in healthcare.
John was aware of the healing powers of psilocybin and other psychedelics but was truly blown away by a personal story from a patient in 2021.
Since then, John has focused on doing whatever possible to support the legalization of psychedelic therapy and to change public perception towards it.
He is honoured and privileged to support TheraPsil’s patients alongside such a professional and dedicated team.
Rhonda has spent the last 20 years of her accounting career across various industries including social impact, software, finance, and music. She currently is the Director of Finance at Briteweb, a strategy, digital, and branding agency amplifying the impact of global changemakers and is TheraPsil's Financial Consultant.
Rhonda is proud of being Tsimshian First Nations - her band is Metlakatla, BC. When she’s not crunching numbers, you can find Rhonda giving big, warm hugs to everyone, volunteering at animal shelters, and cuddling her dog, Koda, who she brings to work every day.
Rhonda has first-hand experienced the healing power of psychedelics and is grateful to work with TheraPsil as they work to make legal psilocybin therapy a reality for Canadians in medical need.
Kamaya is a clinical research professional passionate about bridging gaps between community health concerns and innovative research. Following completion of her MSc Neuroscience thesis where she investigated the molecular impacts of stress on emotive behaviour, Kamaya established a strong connection with clinical research.
Stemming from her graduate research and lived experiences, neuropsychiatric health and wellness motivate Kamaya’s research goals. She is particularly inspired by clinical investigations that incorporate factors historically neglected by academic research (eg., Sex, Gender, Race/Ethnicity, Socioeconomic status). An ardent advocate for accessibility of care and therapeutics, she is ecstatic to be managing such meaningful research.
Suzanne is a trained co-sitter in both psilocybin-assisted and MDMA-assisted therapy and is passionate about expanding compassionate access to psychedelic-assisted therapies while helping bridge the gap between individuals in need and emerging treatment options.
After studying Law at university, he became aware of the injustice and inadequacy of the laws that govern drug policy in the UK. He has worked for multiple charities and Not-for-profit organizations in this field, including Release, The Beckley Foundation, The Students for Sensible Drug Policy and Talking Drugs.
He is interested in the therapeutic use of psychedelics, harm reduction, and the dissemination of accurate information relating to psychoactive substances.
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.
Clinical Advisors
Jagpaul is an Clinical Instructor and former Assistant Professor at UBC Faculty of Pharmacy and practices as a Clinical Pharmacist in both HIV/Infectious Diseases and Mental Health/Addictions with over a decade of experience in Cannabinoid Medicine and Psychedelic Harm Reduction. Her work has spanned from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, BC’s rural communities and beyond into international humanitarian and medical aid via WHO, UN, MSF and other NGO’s.
In addition to her pharmacy practice on the DTES she is a volunteer street medic, providing harm reduction and overdose response services. She is passionate about traditional healing modalities + wellness practices as she is an Ayurvedic Practitioner and a vocal advocate for drug policy reform to include equal access to psychedelics. She has been delving into consciousness and the human experience for many years and has a strong desire to provide assistance to patients struggling with end of life distress. Jagpaul spends any free time immersed in nature or leading academic journal clubs on psychedelics!
Ethics Committee Member
Dr. Houman Farzin is a staff physician at the palliative care and family medicine departments of the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal. He is a lecturer at McGill University medical school, where he earned his medical degree and completed his residency training.
He has a broad range of clinical skills and has spent many years working in remote communities across North America, including the Arctic Circle. He is passionate about the health and wellbeing of the indigenous and immigrant populations and hopes to expand access to care in these communities.
More recently he has been focusing on the applied sciences of psychedelic-assisted therapies for mental health, life-threatening illness, and end-of-life care. He holds an M.Sc. in Nutrition from Columbia University and a B.A. in Molecular & Cell Biology from the University of California Berkeley. He is also trained in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy.
Dr. Farzin is the Montreal site physician for the Phase 3 clinical trial of the MDMA-assisted therapy sponsored by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and has also completed the MDMA therapist training program. In his spare time, he enjoys nature, makes music, and performs as a disc jockey.
Dr. Duncan Grady’s professional experience includes 14 years providing post secondary education and 25 years of psychotherapy in addictions, trauma, death and dying. He has a Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology and a Doctorate of Divinity focused on Creation Spirituality. He is an elder of the Circle of Indigenous Nations Society, West Kootenays, BC. He currently co-leads retreats, works with communities impacted by lateral violence, drug overdose and traumatic death and provides training and consultation using western and non-western approaches to health, well-being, spirituality, trauma, dying and death.
Rohini Kanniganti MD, MSPH, HMDC, is a Board Certified Family Physician. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry at Penn State University, then completed a Masters of Science in Public Health with a focus in Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she also received her Medical degree. She studied Ayurvedic medicine in India, and thereafter, dedicated to Rural Health and Integrative Medicine, she completed her residency in Family Medicine at the East Tennessee State University. She initially served as an Integrative Family Physician and House Call Physician, and for the last 10 years as a Hospice and Palliative Care Physician. She completed a fellowship in Integrative Psychiatry, the Ketamine Provider Certification and the Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Program through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute in Boulder, CO.
She currently serves at the Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care in NC.
She serves at the Integrative Psychiatry Center’s Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy Clinic, and is Faculty at the Integrative Psychiatry Institute’s Integrative Psychiatry Fellowship and is Lead Physician for the Ketamine Experiential Program at the Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Program at the Integrative Psychiatry Institute.
She loves to teach from the attuned heart, with reverence for the inner movement toward wholeness in all beings. She honors context and community within healing process. She brings together science and the sacred, and has been focusing recently on psychedelic assisted therapies for life limiting illness and end of life care. She lives in Boulder, CO, finding joy in playfulness, creativity and nature. Her mantra is, “No Matter What, Thank you”.
Ethics Committee Member
Hi, I’m Dave and I am passionate about helping individuals and organizations experience greater levels of health. I love to teach, consult and coach managers in leading employees to maximize their potential. I am grounded in current research and am committed to promoting an evidence-based, best practices approach in whatever arena I’m working.
I hold 2 graduate degrees in counseling psychology and have over 30 years experience in the mental health field including working with hundreds of companies in multiple industries. My expertise and certifications include: Psychological health and safety, Trauma and PTSD, Management coaching, Mental Health First Aid, Mental health HR/LR, Respect in the Workplace, Substance Abuse in the workplace. On a personal level, I am married to Adele and have two grown sons; I love to golf and am an avid consumer and critic of modern film.
J. Ashley T. Booth, LCSW, MS, is an innovative Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a pioneer in the field of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. With a background in environmental science, she transitioned into the realm of mental health in 2015, driven by a passion for the therapeutic, spiritual, and shamanic uses of psychedelics. She founded the Southern California psychedelic society, the Aware Project, and co-founded InnerSpace Integration, producing and hosting over 90 educational events on psychedelics.
Booth has facilitated psycho-spiritual retreats at Crossroads Treatment Center in Mexico, supporting attendees through ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT experiences. She served as the study coordinator and later as a co-investigator for the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)-sponsored clinical trial of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD.
Additionally, she is trained in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy with Compass and has consulted with Beckley Psytech on their 5-MeO-DMT therapy manual.Currently, Booth offers ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in Los Angeles and serves as a trainer and consultant, promoting the ethical facilitation of psychedelic therapy. Her vision is rooted in the belief that the mindful reintegration of psychedelics into Western society fosters collective healing and a kinder world. For more information, visit www.ashleybooth.net
After receiving a degree in Psychology and Criminology at the University of Ottawa, Rich started his career working as a mental health and addictions crisis worker for 13 years in Kingston, Ontario. Seeing the limitations of the current system, he sought out other modalities to support deeper healing and became a Registered Psychotherapist. He trained in ketamine assisted therapy, cannabis-assisted psychedelic therapy, Sensorimotor psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems therapy, psilocybin therapy, and somatic and relational psychedelic therapy with 3MMC. He supports others in preparation and integration as well as group and individual medicine journeys. Since 2019, he has been a mentor with Students for Sensible Drug Policy's Pipeline Mentorship program.
Rich is passionate about psychedelic advocacy, education, and harm reduction. He started the Kingston Psychedelic Society 8 years ago to bring people together and reduce the stigma around psychedelics and create a safe space to discuss alternative healing modalities. In 2022, he co-created a community-focused centre called Neuma, which supports group psychedelic work and education. He has spoken globally on topics such as psychedelics, spirituality, shadow work, and PTSD. Rich has a daughter and a loving partner who keep him humble. His ongoing commitment to cultural humility, self work, and equity are what continue to inspire him to be a better human doing this important work.
Dr. Valorie Masuda is a palliative care physician and Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at UBC. She graduated from UBC in 1986 with BSc in honours pharmacology and in graduated in 1990 as a Medical Doctor. She worked in the Haida Gwaii and then in the Yukon for 8 years, followed by working in emergency medicine in Cowichan Valley for 14 years. She completed her residency in palliative care and certification as a general practitioner in oncology in 2014 and then worked in the Cowichan Valley in community palliative care for 6 years. Dr. Masuda is also a part-time farmer working towards sustainable, humane, local food production and enjoys spending time with her family as well as participating in two local orchestras both as a vocalist and playing the viola.
Kylea Taylor is a California licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFC #34901) who has been thinking, writing, and teaching about ethics for almost three decades. She developed InnerEthics®, a self-reflective, self-compassionate approach to relational ethics that includes a set of awareness tools useful in heightening a therapist's ethical alertness in the therapeutic container.
Kylea teaches the Inner Ethics® model in psychedelic psychotherapy trainings. Kylea started studying with Stanislav Grof, M.D. and Christina Grof in 1984 and was certified by them as a Holotropic Breathwork® practitioner in 1990. She worked with Stanislav Grof and Tav Sparks as a Senior Trainer in the Grof Transpersonal Training throughout the 1990s, facilitating and observing 1000s of extra-ordinary state of consciousness sessions. She worked for nine years in a residential substance abuse recovery program where she managed a women’s program and facilitated Holotropic Breathwork®.
Kylea is the author of The Ethics of Caring: Finding Right Relationship with Clients, The Breathwork Experience, Considering Holotropic Breathwork®, and is the editor of Exploring Holotropic Breathwork®. InnerEthics.com/
Maria Paula Almiron is a native Argentinean, she qualified as a psychologist from Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR) and completed professional equivalences in the United Kingdom, obtaining her license as a clinical and a forensic psychologist through the British Psychological Society. She is currently a registered practitioner with the Healthcare Professions Council (UK) and is in the final stages of registration with the College of Psychologists of Ontario.
Maria’s work in expanded states of consciousness grew out of exposure to the eastern practices of silence, prayer and pilgrimage, her own relationship with visionary plants in Central/South America, and formal training gathered in Western academic contexts. In collaboration with several projects across formal and informal channels, Maria is in active service of the psychedelic community, promoting harm reduction in recreational settings, facilitating integration for individuals with adverse experiences, contributing to clinical research, advocating for safe and legal end-of-life access and providing psilocybin assisted therapy for Health Canada approved cases.
Maria is a certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy Facilitator through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute (IPI), a MAPS-trained MDMA-assisted psychotherapist for the treatment of PTSD and a Therapsil-trained psilocybin-assisted psychotherapist for the treatment of end-of-life anxiety. She works with MAPS as a protocol-adherence rater in MDMA trials for PTSD, is the co-founder of the Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy Program at the Cognitive Behavioural Center of Niagara and a Clinical Suitability Assessor with Heroic Hearts Canada.
www.maps.org
www.heroicheartsproject.ca
Deborah “Deb” Thorne, DMSc, MS, PA-C, , Med. Acup, C-IPP, C-PAT
Dr. Deb Thorne is a Doctor of Medical Science, board-certified Physician Associate, integrative medicine practitioner, educator, and healthcare leader with more than 30 years of experience in health and wellness. Her diverse career has encompassed emergency and trauma medicine, women’s health, plant medicines, movement therapy, massage and acupuncture, mental health, and psychedelic-assisted therapies.
Her path in medicine and healing began with community and Indigenous-centered wellness work in Canada and evolved to include emergency and trauma medicine in the United States, along with medical service in Central America. These experiences ultimately led her to establish Medicina del Sol Integrative Healthcare and the Sol Medicine Project, also known as Sol Tryp, a nonprofit dedicated to education, research, advocacy, community engagement, and equitable access to psychedelic medicine and healing.
Through her leadership with Sol Tryp, Dr. Thorne has been actively involved in advocacy for psychedelic medicine in New Mexico, including support for Senate Bill 219 and the development of the state’s Medical Psilocybin Program.
Committed to learning beyond conventional medical training, Dr. Thorne pursued extensive postgraduate education in emergency medicine, integrative and structural medical acupuncture, integrative psychiatry, and psychedelic-assisted therapies. Her psychedelic medicine training has included ketamine, MDMA, and psilocybin, as well as in-person psilocybin-assisted therapy training with TheraPsil Canada.
Today, Deb brings together the science and clinical rigor of modern medicine with a whole-person, integrative, and natural approach to health and healing. She is particularly passionate about helping women navigate midlife, menopause, emotional healing, and major life transitions—supporting them in rediscovering their vitality, resilience, confidence, and sense of purpose.
Central to Deb’s life and work is her longstanding connection with Indigenous communities and traditions. She remains close to her indigenous family, community and traditions that she has been given and holds this knowledge with great reverence, respect and honor.
At the heart of Dr. Thorne’s work is a simple belief: our later chapters can become some of our most powerful—and transformation is possible at any age.
Dr. Jean-François Stephan is a family physician with expertise in both general medicine and psychotherapy. He has a strong interest in addressing psychological and emotional trauma, which he views as the underlying cause of many mental health conditions.
Dr. Stephan recognizes the transformative potential of psilocybin-assisted therapy as a complement to traditional treatments. Aware of both its promise and risks, he advocates for its thoughtful, respectful integration into care.
He led efforts to secure public health coverage for psilocybin-assisted therapy in Quebec and remains committed to advancing its responsible use in modern medicine to improve access to effective tools for psychological healing.
I am a Psychologist in private practice in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. My work is grounded in a deep respect for the resilience of the human spirit and our innate capacity for healing, growth, and transformation.
I specialize in working with first responders, military personnel, veterans, and Indigenous communities, with a particular focus on trauma, attachment trauma, and the lasting impact of adverse life experiences. As an experiential and relational therapist, I have advanced training in Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP),
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Relational Somatic Therapy, and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy, including psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine-assisted approaches.
Through relational and experiential therapies, I support individuals in navigating the impact of trauma, healing attachment wounds, and moving beyond entrenched patterns that no longer serve them. My approach is compassionate, body-aware, and deeply attuned to the therapeutic relationship. I help clients access, process, and transform the emotions, beliefs, and memories that often lie beneath the surface of symptoms, creating opportunities for greater self-understanding, connection, and healing.
Whether working with developmental and attachment trauma, post-traumatic stress, or present-day life challenges, I strive to create a therapeutic space that fosters authenticity, emotional integration, and meaningful change. My work is collaborative and responsive, grounded in the belief that healing occurs within safe, attuned relationships
and that each person holds an inherent capacity for growth and transformation.
In addition to my clinical practice, I am passionate about supporting the development of ethical, relationally grounded psychedelic practitioners through training, mentorship, and professional education.
You can find me at https://www.covecentre.ca/
Carla is a psychotherapist based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, after working for much of her career in Alberta. She is deeply connected to the transformative power of psychedelics. With a Master of Counselling degree and currently pursuing a doctorate, she specializes in grief, trauma, and addiction therapy. Carla is trained in psychedelic-assisted therapy through both ATMA and TheraPsil and is thrilled to be part of the TheraPsil team, advancing the frontier of psychedelic medicine.
Carla's psychedelic journeys have been instrumental in her healing, allowing her to process deep-seated trauma and infusing her practice with empathy and insight. She is a proud mother of three grown children and a devoted grandmother. She is passionate about outdoor activities such as kayaking, hiking, camping, and spending time near the ocean.
Carla's holistic approach to therapy reflects her dedication to personal growth, love for nature, and belief in psychedelics' healing potential. She is grateful to be able to do this work, fostering resilience and well-being for long-term healing and personal growth.
Advisors
David Wood is a lawyer, patent agent and partner practicing from the Calgary office of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Canada’s largest national law firm. David is Co-Chair of BLG’s Cannabis Industry Focus Group, and practices intellectual property, regulatory and commercial law. His practice is specific to the Canadian cannabis industry, and to research and commercialization of psychedelics, entheogens and entactogens. David’s individual practice is an effective blend of regulatory, intellectual property and commercial legal advice for the cannabis industry and the global psychedelics sector. He has significant experience organizing and managing teams of his colleagues at BLG to advise clients in the cannabis industry and the global psychedelics sector. David was recognized in the 14th edition (2019) of Best Lawyers in the cannabis category for his work in the regulated cannabis industry.
David has experience advising federal licence holders and applicants under the Cannabis Regulations, federal licence holders and applicants under Part J of the Food and Drug Regulations (restricted drugs), technology companies, and other domestic and foreign participants in the Canadian cannabis industry and the global psychedelics sector. David has advised pharmaceutical companies, a national pharmacy chain, a natural health products company, manufacturing companies, software companies, clinics, food companies, assisted living facilities and others on many aspects of Canadian medical and adult use cannabis regulation. David has advised technology companies focused on cultivation, extraction, formulation, biosynthesis, hardware and other aspects of the cannabis industry. David has advised pharmaceutical companies, a contract manufacturer, technology companies, hospitality companies, investment banks and other entities in relation to the global psychedelics sector.
David holds a PhD in biochemistry. His graduate-level education in structural biochemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, plant biochemistry, and natural products chemistry provides a strong technical background for advising clients in the Canadian cannabis industry, and clients positioning for commercialization of psychedelics, entheogens and entactogens, in relation to both intellectual property and regulatory law.
Nicholas is an Ottawa-based human rights lawyer practicing primarily administrative law, which is the law related to government decisions and inaction. He assists healthcare practitioners in preparing Special Access Program requests and s. 56(1) requests for psilocybin. He has also brought numerous applications for judicial review in Federal Court to challenge delays and refusals encountered by those seeking medical access to psilocybin.
Committees
We are grateful to have several committees that shape and drive the organization, including the following:
Training Committee, Treatment Committee, and Ethics Committee
TheraPsil is a nonprofit organization committed to providing clinical excellence and maintaining the integrity of its treatment and training protocols. As such, the organization expects all members to adhere to its policies on clinical excellence and professional conduct.
The Ethics Committee is responsible for addressing any transgressions related to TheraPsil’s training program that violates the organization's policies. This includes instances of professional misconduct, breaches of confidentiality, or other violations of the organization's clinical protocols.
TheraPsil’s team operates as visitors in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, the unceded homelands of the Lək̓ʷəŋən peoples, represented by the Songhees, Esquimalt and W̱SÁNEĆ Nations. Our team also works from unceded səl̓ilwətaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsleil-Waututh) Territory in North Vancouver, BC and unceded Anishinabewaki & Haudenosaunee Territories in Toronto, ON. To identify the unceded Traditional Territory you are a guest on, visit Native-Land.ca.
As a team composed of mostly settlers, we acknowledge, with peace and respect, that we are visitors and guests on this land. We also acknowledge that the substances we advocate for, in a western-medical context, psilocybin mushrooms, have been used for thousands of years by Indigenous communities across the globe for healing and ceremonial purposes. The modern psychedelic-therapy movement would not exist without Indigenous knowledge keepers who are the original custodians of these medicines.