Led by Michael Applegate, ATR, LCPC, a disabled U.S. Navy veteran and art therapist, this 2.5-hour workshop is designed specifically to support veterans and their caregivers through education, creativity, and community connection.

Sun, Jan 18, 2026 2-4:30 pm in Chicago.

Rooted in both lived experience and clinical expertise, Michael will guide participants through an informative and expressive exploration of psychedelic-assisted therapy and its role in the healing process for veterans navigating trauma, transition, and personal growth.

An intimate art-making gathering designed specifically for therapists, facilitators, and healers to creatively explore intentions for the year ahead.

When: Sunday, January 18th, 2026
Doors open at 1:30 PM | Program runs 2:00-4:00 PM

Where: Journey Clinical Headquarters
80 5th Ave, New York, NY 10003

Carlos Rodriguez-Perez

We Need to Talk About Psychedelics 7-9 pm ET

The field of psychedelics is expanding rapidly in the United States. The use of ketamine for the treatment of depression has become a common off-label indication, supported by some insurance companies. Currently, there are several trials exploring the therapeutic potential of psilocybin for the treatment of depression, PTSD and addictions. Models for Psychedelic-Assisted-Psychotherapy (PAP) are being developed for the facilitation of these interventions. Creative Arts Therapists are well positioned to not only support the development of this field, but also to lead the way in which the experience can be facilitated and integrated. Creative Arts Therapists have developed a robust body of knowledge on how to assist clients in processing trauma and life experiences. The embodied nature of the creative arts therapies practices can bring into this field a wealth of knowledge. In this presentation, we aim to review what psychedelics are and which ones are currently being used in the USA. Reviewing some of the current research trials and their target therapeutic impacts, we will seek to explore the skill set and knowledge bases that creative arts therapists can bring into this field. Of importance would also be to understand the opportunities for Creative Arts Therapists to uplift and challenge notions of access and equity as it relates to use of psychedelics as treatment modality.

Eligible for 2.0 Clock/Credit Hours: NBCC, ATCB, SWNYS, NY LMHC, NY LCAT, NY LMFT

Art Therapists Charmaine Husum and Roberta Shoemaker-Beal explore the shadow side of psychedelic-assisted therapy, addressing risks, ethical dilemmas, and commercialization. It highlights art therapy’s role in integrating psychedelic experiences, fostering emotional processing, and supporting trauma-informed care. Participants will gain practical strategies for client safety, ethical practices, and honoring Indigenous knowledge in psychedelic healing.

Join Psychedelic Art Therapists Rebecca Wilkinson and Alyssa Gursky as they present the unique benefits, risks, and ethical complexities that do not emerge in traditional therapy. This paper explores managing those complexities and ways that art therapy can help mitigate their impact, as well as ethical considerations in training non-art therapists to use art in this work. Eligible for 1 CEU in Ethics.

Join Psychedelic Art therapy Emily Segal for a 90-minute workshop explores response art’s role in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP). Through didactic instruction and experiential art-making, participants will learn how response art helps clients process ineffable psychedelic experiences, specifically within the context of KAP. A partnered activity combining breath work, guided imagery, and response art will support this learning.

Come join Psychedelic Art Therapists at the American Art Therapy Conference in Portland, Oct 8-11, 2025.

Ketamine Art Therapy: Expanding Arts-Based Research Through Self-Reflexivity

Oct 10, 2025 2 -2:50 PT

Expansion of art therapy begins with the expansion of the self. This presentation highlights applications and uses of arts-based autoethnography, examining the clinical value of integrative art therapy in a ketamine-assisted research study. Ketamine art therapy and a transdisciplinary perspective are discussed in this presentation.

Art therapists Rebecca Wilkinson, Alyssa Gursky, Lesley Burke, Caterina Bragagnolo, and Kaitlin Maud share their experiences combining art therapy with psychedelic work. Hear seasoned, mid-level, early career perspectives on the personal, professional, and ethical challenges/opportunities that arise in navigating the complex legal, cultural, and clinical landscape of psychedelics as art therapy practitioners.

Come gather with others interested in exploring the role of art and creativity in psychedelic experiences at our gathering on Thursday, June 19, 2025 at 4 pm. This gathering is designed for practitioners working with non-ordinary states of consciousness who integrate — or wish to integrate — creative practice into their work.