Dr. Signi Goldman, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist and the Co-founder and Medical Director of Living Medicine Institute, which offers psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy training programs. As a certified provider for psychedelic-assisted therapy and research, she has practiced in various clinical settings, including hospital systems and alternative treatment settings. Dr. Goldman also serves as a Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist for Concierge Medicine and Psychiatry’s Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Program for Mental Health.

Dr. Sandra (Sandy) Newes, PhD, is a licensed psychiatrist and the Co-founder and Programming Director of Living Medicine Institute. With over 25 years of clinical experience as a psychedelic-assisted psychotherapist, she specializes in anxiety, chronic stress, trauma, and recovery. Dr. Newes has provided ketamine-assisted psychotherapy through Concierge Medicine and Psychiatry since 2019. She is also an educator and speaker offering workshops, events, and education on psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and the intersection of nature connection, trauma, and mental health.

In recent years, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has emerged as a groundbreaking new therapy technique that stimulates healing through altered states of mind. Yet this space is still in its infancy, with misconceptions and concerns surrounding drug use and safety. What should you know about this evolving space, and how can you break into it?

As certified psychedelic-assisted therapy providers, Dr. Signi Goldman and Dr. Sandy Newes maintain that this modality involves more than drugging patients one time to heal them for life. Instead, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is an ongoing process that begins with establishing patients’ medical histories, establishing treatment goals, and building a relationship with them to ensure they feel comfortable enough to withstand treatment. During the process, Dr. Goldman and Dr. Newes employ trauma and nature-based approaches to help patients navigate their altered states. After the session, the doctors observe behavioral shifts and align them with their treatment goals.

In the first episode of Living Medicine, Dr. Signi Goldman and Dr. Sandra (Sandy) Newes are interviewed by Rise25’s Chad Franzen about psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Together, they explain how it enhances traditional psychotherapy techniques, how they incorporate trauma, nature, ceremonies, and rituals into their approaches, and how they address psychological safety concerns.