Our faculty bring together clinical depth, contemplative practice and research integrity. Each person contributes a distinct lens to the program, held within a shared commitment to ethical, evidence-informed training.
Co-Founder & Director of Anam Cara · Program Director & Lead Facilitator · Founder of Signs of Life Psychology
Dr. Alana (Lani) Roy
AMAPP Chair
Dr. Lani Roy is a psychologist, social worker, and therapist at the forefront of integrative mental healthcare and psychedelic harm reduction. She is Co-Director of Anam Cara, Chair and Founding Board Member of the Australian Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Practitioners (AMAPP), Director of The Signs of Life Psychology, and Associate Research Fellow at Swinburne University. Lani brings 15 years of experience in mental health, suicide prevention, trauma and family violence to her work. She specialises in harm reduction for psychedelics, sexual abuse and complex trauma — working with Ayahuasca, vegetalista and Ashaninka dieta lineages, as well as engaging in ketamine and cannabis-assisted psychotherapy. Her commitment extends to participating in clinical trials and volunteering with DanceWize to support drug education at festivals, all while striving to build an ethical, skilled and compassionate psychedelic ecosystem.
Psychology & social work
Co-Founder & Director of Anam Cara · Program Director & Lead Facilitator · Psychedelic Medicine Integration Coach
Melissa Warner
Mindfulness Meditation Teacher
Melissa Warner is a multidisciplinary researcher, educator, technologist and artist working at the intersection of neuroscience, contemplative science, extended reality and psychedelic therapy. As a Research Fellow at Swinburne University and The Intangible Realities Laboratory, her research explores how altered states — psychedelics, meditation and virtual reality — can foster wisdom and well-being. As Secretary of the research charity PRISM she has supported Australia's first clinical trials of psilocybin and MDMA, and as Director of Cyberdelic Nexus and PATHS XR she creates immersive VR experiences designed to inspire contemplative insight. A meditation teacher at Signs of Life Psychology, Melissa also contributes to psychedelic-assisted therapy training programs in Australia, designing and teaching short and extended programs informed by ethical clinical practice and harm reduction.
Contemplative neuroscience
Lead Clinical Advisor · Honorary Clinical Fellow, ANU · Principal Investigator, ANU Medical School
Dr. Llew Lewis
Psychiatrist
Dr Llew Lewis is Honorary Clinical Fellow at the Australian National University and Principal Investigator on a randomised controlled trial of psilocybin in treatment-resistant depression with the ANU Medical School. He has over 27 years' experience as a psychiatrist across public health teams in the UK, South Africa and Australia, beginning his medical career in trauma and acute settings in South African townships during periods of civil unrest. He spent 12 years as a frontline psychiatrist in rural, acute and crisis teams on psychiatric intensive care and forensic wards, and has held positions of Director of Clinical Services in Canberra and Clinical Director in the UK NHS. He is currently the psychiatric lead in the Canberra Hospital crisis team and was awarded the UK Royal College of Psychiatrists' Adult Psychiatry Team of the Year Award, 2014.
Psychiatry
Provisional Psychologist
Jean-Luc Alder
Master of Psychology (Clinical) student
Jean-Luc is a provisional psychologist and Master of Psychology (Clinical) student at ISN Psychology. He has a strong foundation in psychology, philosophy and bioethics, and a deep interest in the theoretical and practical aspects of psychedelic therapies and contemplative practices. His current research — begun during his Honours year at Monash University — investigates how different meditation techniques practised within a virtual nature setting influence an individual's sense of connectedness to nature. He focuses on construct validity and specificity to clarify how distinct facets of metacognition can enhance connection to self, others and environment. Beyond study and research, Jean-Luc volunteers with Lifeline and Griefline and coaches with the McGuire Programme.
Psychology & bioethics
Registered Psychologist · Coach · Master's in Transpersonal Psychology
Gianna Manzini
Organisational Development Consultant
Gianna is a Registered Psychologist with postgraduate education in Transpersonal Psychology and Transformative Coaching from Sofia University (previously the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology). Her professional experience spans occupational health and rehabilitation, organisational development and wellbeing, and psychedelic consultancy. She combines this diverse background to deliver business excellence with heart, taking a psycho-spiritual approach that helps individuals and organisations connect with and express their authentic purpose and mission.
Transpersonal psychology
Cannabis & Functional Medicine Expert · Authorised Cannabis Prescriber · President of the ANZCCP
Dr. Orit Holtzman
Lead Cannabis Prescriber & Integrative Medicine Lecturer
Dr Orit Holtzman (MBBS, PhD) is co-founder and director of Leura Wellness and co-founder and president of the Australian and New Zealand College of Cannabinoid Practitioners (ANZCCP) — one of Australia's most experienced cannabinoid medicine practitioners and educators. She holds a bachelor of science in biology and psychology from the University of Tel Aviv (summa cum laude), a PhD in neuroscience from UNSW and an MBBS from Sydney Medical School. After working in the public hospital system she became passionate about medicinal cannabis as a therapeutic agent, began prescribing in 2019, and has since treated over 1,000 patients under her care. She teaches doctors about medicinal cannabis and the endocannabinoid system and lives in the Blue Mountains, NSW.
Anthony Olsen is a Melbourne-based psychotherapist and Holotropic Breathwork practitioner, incorporating transpersonal perspectives within a relational model. He first experienced Holotropic Breathwork in 1997 with the Reverend Alf Foote — one of Australia's pioneering practitioners and part of the key month-long workshops at Esalen in the 1980s when Stan Grof began forming the set and setting for the modality. Anthony worked closely with Alf Foote for years exploring the power and potential of Holotropic Breathwork, which eventually led him into the Grof Transpersonal Training certification program, completed in 2013.
Holotropic Breathwork
Clinical Psychotherapist · Clinical Supervisor
Lana Sciberras
Lecturer
Lana is a Clinical Psychotherapist trained in Gestalt Therapy and Process-oriented Psychology, mindfulness and compassion therapies. She has worked in private practice for over 20 years and in psychiatry, facilitating inpatient and outpatient groups, and specialises in addiction, having consulted to a private residential rehab for 15 years. Lana is an accredited facilitator and trainer of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy groups. She is part of Monash University's Clinical Psychedelic Lab, trained in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy by MAPS, and is currently a therapist on the MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy trial for severe PTSD. She has also trained in Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression and is part of the 3PAP Trial at Swinburne University. She has been a clinical supervisor for over a decade, including for the Trauma and ICU teams at The Alfred Hospital.
Gestalt & process work
Consciousness Research & Psychedelic Studies · Founding Director, Australian Centre for Consciousness Studies · Lecturer at Monash University
Alex De Foe
Associate Editor, Journal of Psychedelic Studies
Alex De Foe is a Melbourne-based writer, educator and counsellor focused on transcendent states of human consciousness. He holds a Master's of Counselling and a PhD in experimental psychology from Monash University. His foundational work was on transpersonal development, especially out-of-body experience and dualism states of mind. He is presently working on projects centred on spiritual neurodiversity and developmental/evolutionary models of consciousness, including with the Emergent Phenomenology Research Consortium. He has published over 30 papers spanning social neuroscience (e.g. Jung's archetypal approach), developmental neuro-anthropology and consciousness (psi and spectral models of human potential), and supervises honours, masters and PhD student projects at Monash.
Consciousness studies
Psychedelic Medicine Specialist · General Practitioner · GP Supervisor
Dr. Anthony Helman
Psychedelic Psychotherapist
After graduating from the University of Adelaide, Dr. Helman went on to further study, obtaining Master's degrees in both clinical nutrition and psychiatry. He has also pursued his interest in various aspects of holistic and complementary medicine, including naturopathy and acupuncture. He has worked as a senior GP educator with the RACGP and is passionate about teaching general practitioners in training. Alongside his work as GP, practice principal and supervisor, Dr. Helman is a certified addictions GP and methadone prescriber, and a psychedelic psychotherapist for various psychedelic trials, including at Monash, Swinburne and Australian National Universities.
Ella is an Accredited Counsellor / Psychotherapist, Clinical Sexologist and EMDR Therapist and Supervisor who has supported hundreds of individuals and couples over the last 10 years. She specialises in relationship counselling, sex therapy, EMDR and Internal Family Systems. Ella offers individual and couple counselling for a range of client concerns — in person in Cairns, Far North Queensland, or via Zoom. She is passionate about supporting individuals and couples to thrive, offering guidance for more fulfilling relationships and sex lives, as well as deeper therapy for those who want to move through life with a sense of lightness and ease.
Co-Founder & Director of ACER Integration (ACER as an elective)
Dr Rosalind Watts is a clinical psychologist, a mother, and a nature lover. Her work as Clinical Lead for Imperial College London's psilocybin trial has made her one of the most prominent voices in psychedelic research. She has been named one of the 50 Most Influential People in Psychedelics and one of the top 16 Women Shaping the Future of Psychedelics. Her focus is on integration, harm-reduction and inclusion — building tools and structures to foster connectedness after psychedelic experiences, drawing inspiration from nature. She co-founded the UK's first psychedelic integration group and in 2022 launched ACER (Accept, Connect, Embody, Restore) Integration, a global online integration community where participants follow a 13-month process to connect more deeply to self, others and nature.
Mickey's dedication to training yoga teachers is rooted in a lifelong commitment to the practice and exploration of yoga. Having begun his initial 900-hour teacher training in 2006, he has since immersed himself in further trainings and certifications. Prior to formal training he spent eight transformative years in Thailand, complemented by travels to India where he studied in the Iyengar and Sivananda lineages. Since completing his training, Mickey has embraced a career in full-time yoga instruction in some of Melbourne's premier studios and has dedicated recent years to nurturing the next generation of teachers. His classes blend physical challenge, anatomical insight and spiritual inspiration, infused with lightness, humour and joy — with a deepening interest in Tantric and Advaita Vedanta philosophies.
Yoga instruction
Herbalism & Somatic Therapy
Lily of the Herbs
Herbalist, Bodyworker & Educator
Lily of the Herbs employs a keen sense of intuition and softness of touch in her work as a herbalist, bodyworker and educator. She is committed to helping people lead a life more connected to the natural world and facilitates training on touch, movement and the use of plants. Lily practises Zenthai Shiatsu — a fluid mix of Thai massage, zen shiatsu and osteopathic technique — that is remedial and deeply rejuvenating for the nervous, digestive and reproductive systems. She also offers womb hara sessions, a combination of abdominal massage and herbal steaming. Lily holds a Bachelor of Health Science majoring in Western Herbal Medicine and completed the nine-month Zenthai Shiatsu practitioner training. She co-facilitates Cultivating Ecosystems of Support: Herbalism for Psychedelic Preparation, Integration and Self-Care.
Western herbal medicine
Retreat Facilitator
Neil Markey
Co-founder & CEO of Beckley Retreats
Neil is passionate about sharing the science-backed benefits of psychedelics alongside contemplative practices that support holistic well-being. At Beckley Retreats he is dedicated to building a business that operates with integrity, both internally and across the communities it touches. A Captain in the US Army Special Operations 2nd Ranger Battalion, Neil was deployed once to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan. As an MBA/MIA masters student at Columbia University he suffered from depression and PTSD, which led him to alternative wellbeing practices and marked the start of a profound healing journey with mindfulness and psychedelics. Prior to Beckley Retreats he was Chief Growth Officer for a $450M private equity portfolio company and a consultant at McKinsey & Co, where he also co-led the internal mindfulness program.
Retreat facilitation
Psychotherapist · Philosopher · Speaker
Dr. Tra'ill Dowie
Lecturer
Dr Tra'ill Dowie is a philosopher, academic, psychotherapist, minister of religion and martial artist. He is an associate professor of psychotherapy and holds dual PhDs in Philosophy and psychiatry. Tra'ill is a research fellow at La Trobe University in Philosophy, an Advisor to the Australian Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Practitioners, and has trained with MAPS. He was formerly a co-developer and teacher in the certificate of psychedelic-assisted therapy at Mind Medicine. Tra'ill has formally studied psychodynamic, existential, integrative, transpersonal and constructivist approaches to therapy, with 25 years of experience across private practice and organisations. He began his career in eco-psychotherapy and wilderness therapy with complex presentations, and has worked across in-patient and outpatient settings focused on complex trauma. He is deeply interested in technologies of mind and state alteration — from Eastern meditative practices to traditional shamanic techniques and their appearance in psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy
Tainui Seer · Nature-Based Art Therapy Practitioner · Student of Clinical Transpersonal Art Therapy
Abikgail
Transpersonal Development Workshop Facilitator
As a culturally informed and trauma-integrated practitioner with over 20 years' experience navigating altered states of consciousness, working with Te Taiao (the natural living world) and within the realm of the transpersonal, Abikgail takes an integrative and holistic approach to supporting individuals seeking understanding, growth and healing. She provides artistic opportunities for exploration of personal journey, cultural identity and spirituality. She is also a First Responder to Natural Disaster, running Nature-Based Art Therapy group workshops to facilitate post-traumatic growth for people of all ages directly impacted by disaster. Her clinical training in transpersonal therapy is based upon the shamanic model, offering healing by creating pathways into the world of both individuals and groups, and she works within the TV and film industry as talent, offering Te Taiao retreats for other space holders and facilitators.
Transpersonal art therapy
Join the next cohort.
Applications for the October 2026 CPACT cohort are open. We speak with every applicant to ensure the program is the right fit.
