About Us - For a New Culture of Consciousness
We aim to destigmatize the public discourse around psychedelics and open new paths for therapeutic, creative, and spiritual development.
Our Mission
The Psychedelia Foundation is committed to the scientific, cultural, and social exploration of psychedelic substances. Our goal is to promote education, training, research, and responsible use of psychedelics in Germany.
We believe that a differentiated and well-founded discourse about these substances is essential to understand and meaningfully utilize their potential for individual and societal development.
The Board of the Psychedelia Foundation - Expertise from Science, Culture, and Business
The Psychedelia Foundation was established by leading experts from science, business, and culture who are committed to a holistic approach to psychedelic culture.
Markus Berger
Author · Ethnopharmacologist
Dan Becker
Founder · Entrepreneur
Sergio Pérez R.
Physician · ScientistAdjunct Professor at the University of Ottawa in the Master's program for Psychedelics and Consciousness. Specialist in Anesthesiology, Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine with many years of experience in acute care and pain therapy. Head of the Emergency Department and Senior Physician at the Clinic for Acute and Emergency Medicine at the University Hospital Neuruppin (UKRB).
As co-founder of the first clinic for psychedelic medicine in Germany, he is a leading expert in psychedelic therapy and its integration into modern medical and psychotherapeutic concepts. In addition to his clinical work, he is involved in teaching, research, and public education about psychedelics. He gives international lectures, conducts workshops, and acts as a consultant for pharmaceutical companies, clinic developments, and scientific projects.
Markus Berger
Author · EthnopharmacologistCultural creator within the psychoactive movement, ethnopharmacologist, and private drug researcher. Among other things, Berger discovered the psychotropic properties of the orchid genus Dendrobium, which is now popular in psychonautics.
Markus Berger is a writer and author of nearly 40 books on ethnobotany, drug and intoxication studies, including Volume 2 of the Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants (with Christian Rätsch). He is the author of the German standard works on DMT and Ketamine, as well as numerous other influential specialist books. For his work on the Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants, Berger received the German Garden Book Prize in 2023. He is also the editor-in-chief of the magazine Lucy's Rausch and co-publisher of Nachtschatten Verlag, the world's only publishing house for drug studies.
Dan Becker
Founder · EntrepreneurDan Becker is a dynamic entrepreneur who founded his first start-up at the age of 24 and is distinguished by his passion for innovative business models. Early on, he developed a deep interest in transformative states of mind which shaped his personal growth and worldview. This path eventually inspired him to co-found the Psychedelia Foundation. With great commitment, he built his company, including Cofana GmbH, from the ground up, personally handling all tasks in the early days and now leading a team of ten and a store in Berlin-Friedrichshain. His extraordinary journey demonstrates his courage to pursue new ideas and his ability to inspire a team.
For a long time, he dreamed of a world where people interested in consciousness-expanding states are not stigmatized or criminalized - a concern that motivated him, along with Markus Berger and Sergio Pérez, to establish the foundation. Within the Psychedelia Foundation, he brings his entrepreneurial expertise to advance projects that promote education and responsible approaches, and supports the scientific and cultural exploration of psychedelic substances in Germany with strategic thinking and innovative spirit to create positive change.
The Extended Team - Building the Foundation Together
In addition to the board, a growing team with expertise in science, psychology, communication, design, and organization is contributing to the development of the Psychedelia Foundation.
Luis Retana H.
Operations Manager
Gero Niggemeier
Impact & Partnerships
Jana Meinel
Psychotherapist & Facilitator
Gideon Faber
Executive Assistant
Sedina Acolatse, MA, LMFT
Research Associate
Gabriela Aldama, MD
Research Associate
Francieli Favarim
Facilitation Associate
Scientific Board of Advisors - Guidance from Leading Experts
Our scientific advisory board brings together internationally recognized experts from psychology, medicine, and research.
Scientific Advisor
Dr. Monnica T. Williams
Researcher · Professor · Clinical Psychologist
Scientific Advisor
Dr. Anne Katrin Schlag
Psychologist · Researcher
Scientific advisor
Ingmar Gorman, PhD
Psychologist · Psychedelic Therapist · Researcher
Scientific advisor
Matthew D. Skinta
Psychologist · Scientist
Scientific Advisor
Prof. Dr. Maja T. Izquierdo
Psychologist · University Professor · Expert in Indigenous Knowledge Systems
Scientific Advisor
Dr. Dominique Morisano
Scientist · Clinical Psychologist
Scientific advisor
Giorgio Samorini
Ethnobotanist · Ethnomycologist
Scientific Advisor
Adriana D’Arienzo
Medical Doctor · Anesthesiologist · Pain Medicine
Dr. Monnica T. Williams
Researcher · Professor · Clinical Psychologist
Monnica T. Williams, Ph.D. is a board-certified licensed clinical psychologist and Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa, where she holds the Canada Research Chair in Mental Health Innovation and Equity. She is also Clinical Director of the Behavioral Wellness Clinics in Connecticut and Ottawa, providing supervision and training in empirically supported treatments.
Her research focuses on BIPOC mental health, culture, and psychopathology, and she has published more than 200 scientific articles on these topics. Current projects include the treatment of racial trauma, improving cultural competence in mental health care, and addressing structural racism. She has held leadership and editorial roles in major professional associations and journals, is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the International OCD Foundation, and her work has been featured in leading US and Canadian media outlets.
Her research focuses on BIPOC mental health, culture, and psychopathology, and she has published more than 200 scientific articles on these topics. Current projects include the treatment of racial trauma, improving cultural competence in mental health care, and addressing structural racism. She has held leadership and editorial roles in major professional associations and journals, is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the International OCD Foundation, and her work has been featured in leading US and Canadian media outlets.
Dr. Anne Katrin Schlag
Psychologist · Researcher
Dr Anne Katrin Schlag is a Chartered Psychologist and Head of Research at Drug Science. She completed her PhD in Psychology at the London School of Economics and Political Science, before working as Lecturer at King’s College London where she developed her expertise across the spectrum of science and policy making, risk perception, risk management and risk communication. She holds Honorary Fellowships at both Imperial College London and King’s College London.
Within her role at Drug Science, she leads the research for the Medical Cannabis Working Group, focusing on controversies surrounding medical cannabis, the improvement of patient access, and the continued development of education and stakeholder communication about medical cannabis. Dr Schlag is currently working on progressing the scientific evidence base of medical cannabis to include Patient-Reported Outcomes, observational studies (such as T21) and the application of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis to assess the benefits and safety of medical cannabis.
Ingmar Gorman, PhD
Psychologist · Psychedelic Therapist · ResearcherDr. Ingmar Gorman is a licensed psychologist specializing in helping individuals navigate anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, and psychedelic experiences. With a deep understanding of the challenges faced by highly geographically mobile individuals and business leaders—gained through both personal and professional experience—Dr. Gorman offers tailored support to clients managing complex lives and transitions.
In addition to his expertise in traditional psychotherapy, Dr. Gorman is a recognized leader in the field of psychedelic therapy. As a cofounder of Fluence, a leading psychedelic education company, he has dedicated his career to training mental health providers and sharing his knowledge with clients and trainees alike.
Dr. Gorman brings firsthand experience from his role as site co-principal investigator on an FDA-approved Phase 3 clinical trial of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. And as a study therapist in the same trial and in another groundbreaking clinical study of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression. His clinical work is informed by his extensive research and publication record, which includes topics such as classic psychedelics, ketamine, MDMA, and Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration.
Trained in New York City, Dr. Gorman completed his clinical training at the New School for Social Research, Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital, Columbia University, and Bellevue Hospital. He further honed his expertise during an NIH postdoctoral fellowship at New York University.
Matthew D. Skinta
Psychologist · ScientistAssociate Professor in the Psychology Department of Roosevelt University, and has been a Visiting Professor of Ethics at the University of Ottawa in the Master's program for Psychedelics and Consciousness Studies (2024, 2025). Board certified in clinical health psychology, a certified trainer of Functional Analytic Psychotherapy and Compassion Cultivation Training, and a peer-reviewed trainer of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
Matthew Skinta began his work in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy as a trainer of the psychotherapies being used for preparation and integration, and has since given invited talks and workshops at leading research institutions and psychedelic conferences across the globe.
In addition to his work in psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, he is a well-respected leader in adapting contextual behavioral therapies to the needs of LGBTQ+ communities. His global leadership in this field has led to Fellow status in the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science, the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and the American Psychological Association (Divisions 44 and 52).
Prof. Dr. Maja T. Izquierdo
Psychologist · University Professor · Expert in Indigenous Knowledge Systems
Prof. Dr. Maja T. Izquierdo is a university professor, transdisciplinary researcher, and author working at the intersection of Indigenous knowledge systems, psychedelics, transpersonal psychology, neuroarchitecture, and Amazonian cultural heritage. Born in Belgrade and raised between the Amazon and the Balkans, she integrates ancestral knowledge with contemporary scientific and therapeutic approaches.
Prof. Dr. Maja T. Izquierdo is a university professor, transdisciplinary researcher, and author working at the intersection of Indigenous knowledge systems, psychedelics, transpersonal psychology, neuroarchitecture, and Amazonian cultural heritage. Born in Belgrade and raised between the Amazon and the Balkans, she integrates ancestral knowledge with contemporary scientific and therapeutic approaches.
As a psychologist and transpersonal psychotherapist, she researches expanded states of consciousness and the therapeutic implications of Amazonian ceremonial traditions. Through her work in neuroarchitecture, she investigates how ceremonial spatial principles inform contemporary therapeutic environments and healing design.
She regularly lectures internationally and contributes to research and public debates on psychedelics, Indigenous epistemologies, healing, and ecological consciousness.
Prof. Dr. Maja T. Izquierdo is a university professor, transdisciplinary researcher, and author working at the intersection of Indigenous knowledge systems, psychedelics, transpersonal psychology, neuroarchitecture, and Amazonian cultural heritage. Born in Belgrade and raised between the Amazon and the Balkans, she integrates ancestral knowledge with contemporary scientific and therapeutic approaches.
As a psychologist and transpersonal psychotherapist, she researches expanded states of consciousness and the therapeutic implications of Amazonian ceremonial traditions. Through her work in neuroarchitecture, she investigates how ceremonial spatial principles inform contemporary therapeutic environments and healing design.
She regularly lectures internationally and contributes to research and public debates on psychedelics, Indigenous epistemologies, healing, and ecological consciousness.
Dr. Dominique Morisano
Scientist · Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Dominique Morisano is a clinical psychologist working with children, adolescents, and adults, licensed in Ontario, New York, Connecticut, Oregon, and Alberta. She completed her training at Duke, Brown, and McGill Universities, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in schizophrenia, adult clinical psychology, and addiction psychiatry at the University of Toronto and CAMH. She has held academic and clinical roles at institutions including Columbia University–affiliated Child and Family Institute in New York, the University of Toronto (OISE), Erasmus University in the Netherlands, and several mental health organisations in Canada and the US.
Her work focuses on goals and motivation, mental health and addiction services, implementation of best practices, and psychedelic-assisted therapies. She has run a private psychology practice since 2011 and works as an independent consultant, trainer, and supervisor in psychedelic science and therapy for organisations such as Fluence Training, Journey Clinical, Beckley Retreats, Naropa University, and Mind Foundation. She is co-founder and Chair of the Board of the nonprofit Psychedelics R2R and holds visiting and adjunct academic appointments at Erasmus University Rotterdam, CAMH, the University of Toronto, and the University of Ottawa.
Giorgio Samorini
Ethnobotanist · Ethnomycologist
Giorgio Samorini is an Italian ethnobotanist and ethnomycologist who has spent more than three decades researching the traditional, historical, and archaeological use of psychoactive plants and fungi.
An independent scholar, he has carried out fieldwork with communities in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Europe and is editor-in-chief of Eleusis: Journal of Psychoactive Plants & Compounds, one of the pioneering journals in this field. He is the author of Animals and Psychedelics: The Natural World and the Instinct to Alter Consciousness and numerous books and articles on psychoactive mushrooms, ancient cults, and rock-art depictions of inebriating plants, including a widely cited overview of the earliest archaeological evidence for human–psychedelic relationships and a recent multi-part study of iboga and Bwiti cults in Equatorial Africa.
As a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Psychedelia-Stiftung (Psychedelia Foundation), he contributes deep expertise on ethnobotany, cultural history, and cross-cultural use of psychoactive plants, helping to ground the foundation’s research and education in robust anthropological and historical evidence.
Adriana D’Arienzo
Medical Doctor · Anesthesiologist · Pain Medicine
Adriana D’Arienzo is a medical doctor specialized in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care. She worked as a consultant anesthesiologist and intensivist in cardiothoracic anesthesia and transplantation units at the Medical University of Vienna.
Alongside her clinical activity, she developed a focused interest in neuropharmacology and the neuroscience of psychedelic substances, contributing to several peer-reviewed scientific publications. In 2021, she co-authored with Giorgio Samorini the Italian two-volume scholarly work “Terapie Psichedeliche”.
Since relocating to Mallorca in 2019, she has been working at Son Llàtzer University Hospital in Palma de Mallorca within the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, where she specializes in chronic pain management and advanced neuromodulation.
Get in touch with us
Would you like to learn more about our research projects, register for an event, or discuss cooperation opportunities? We’re here for you. Book an appointment with our team at the Psychedelia Foundation to exchange ideas, clarify questions, or plan joint projects.
Stay Connected
Do you have a question or would you like to stay informed about our work? Use our contact form or subscribe to our newsletter.
info@psychedelia-stiftung.de