Ukraine's first training project on MDMA-assisted psychotherapy with the support of MAPS is completed
In April-May 2025, the first ever training on psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy in Ukraine, dedicated to the use of MDMA in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), took place. The event was organised by the Ukrainian Psychedelic Research Association (UPRA) in partnership with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS, USA), a leading international organisation that has been researching psychedelic drugs in the medical context since 1986.
The event was opened by Dmytro Gurin, member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Health, Medical Assistance and Medical Insurance, People's Deputy of Ukraine. In his speech, he stressed that this training project is important for the restoration of the nation's psychological health, as due to the negative impact of the war, a significant number of Ukrainians will need new, more effective methods of treating mental disorders. Mr Dmytro assured that work is already underway to create legal conditions for the use of MDMA and other promising psychotropic substances in medical practice. Therefore, this training is not purely theoretical. Participants will be able to use the skills they have acquired in research and subsequently in medical practice in Ukraine.
The training was attended by 55 psychologists, psychotherapists and psychiatrists from different regions of Ukraine, who were selected from more than 200 candidates who applied for participation. The participants represented different regions of Ukraine, as well as various psychotherapeutic schools - from cognitive behavioural therapy to psychoanalysis, humanistic and body-oriented approaches. Among them were specialists working with the military and veterans, representatives of veterans' organisations, and staff from leading Ukrainian universities.
"For me, it is primarily about taking a step forward from myths and ignorance. And also about the opportunity to learn from real masters. Everything was good in this training: a high level of evidence, a sound scientific approach to both the vision of trauma and its consequences and its treatment; the depth of experience, personal scope and professional sincerity of the trainers - this is what impressed me the most. It was also a challenge for me - I learnt a lot here and realised how much I still need to learn. But it is also about great hope - our society may finally have a chance to break the endless circle of traumatic experiences by integrating them, and people with complex PTSD and cPTSD will have a much better chance of healing through MDMA-assisted therapy. This is a powerful method for dealing with trauma, which is why it will require a lot of responsibility from us as professionals."
The training programme was part of the MAPS International Therapist Education Programme and covered the theoretical foundations of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, ethical aspects of using MDMA in therapy, and specifics of clinical practice. Participants had the opportunity to learn from videos of real psychotherapy sessions. The training was conducted in English with simultaneous Ukrainian interpretation and translation of all training materials.
The training was conducted by Marcela Ottalora J. and Bruce D. Poulter, leading MAPS specialists and researchers. Bruce and Marcela are specialists with many years of experience in clinical research, development of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD protocols, and training in the use of MDMA-assisted therapy.
An important component of the training was the work of the assistant team, which included 7 Ukrainian specialists who had already completed a similar programme from MAPS in 2023 in Sarajevo. Their participation ensured a high level of support for the training process and demonstrated the sustainability and development of the professional community in Ukraine.
"For me, participating in the MAPS training as an assistant is not only an opportunity to support my colleagues, but also to contribute to the formation of a new ethical culture of psychedelic therapy in Ukraine. I joined because I believe in the power of conscious practices for healing and transformation. My main message is that the future of psychotherapy lies in the integration of science, heart and courage to explore new dimensions of experience. Participation in the MAPS programme is an experience of deeply rethinking the boundaries of therapy and consciousness. Being an assistant is about trusting the process, the space, and the people. I want more professionals to have the opportunity to experience this transformative practice in an ethical and professional manner."
Also important was the support of MAPS founder and president Dr Rick Doblin, who personally came to Ukraine to support the participants of the training project.
On behalf of our team and Ukrainian mental health professionals, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to Rick, Bruce and Marcela, the MAPS team, and the donors who made this training project possible.
Despite the war, Ukraine has a chance to become one of the leaders in implementing innovations in the field of mental health. The Lviv training is an important step towards the introduction of psychedelic-assisted therapy into the Ukrainian mental health system.
UPRA continues to work on creating a regulatory framework and conditions for launching clinical trials, training and for the safe, ethical and scientifically sound use of the latest therapeutic approaches to restore mental health in Ukraine.
