Articles on Ethics

Articles on ethics for psychedelic facilitators

Plain answers to the questions guides actually carry: touch and consent, dual relationships, scope of practice, legal risk, and the weight of doing this work alone. Written by Ashley Carmen, LMFT. Updated as the field evolves.

The standardA Living Code of Ethics for Psychedelic FacilitatorsVersion 1.0 · Living code · Free to adopt or adaptA free, living code of ethics for psychedelic facilitators, independent and licensed alike: eight plain positions, plus the 11 embodied virtues underneath them. By Ashley Carmen, LMFT.Read the Code →
  • scope-of-practice · July 23, 2026 · 6 min read

    Coach, Guide, Therapist: Pick the Word That's Actually True

    Ashley Carmen, LMFT, on what a psychedelic coach, an integration coach, and a licensed therapist are each actually allowed to do, and why the difference is an ethics question, not a marketing one.

  • touch-consent · July 23, 2026 · 6 min read

    The Sexual Energy No One Names in the Room

    Ashley Carmen, LMFT, on the line between grounding touch and a boundary violation, and what to do when sexual energy surfaces in a psychedelic session.

  • certification-legitimacy · July 23, 2026 · 4 min read

    Is This Certification Legitimate, or a Cash Grab?

    Ashley Carmen, LMFT, on how to tell a legitimate psychedelic facilitator certification from a cash grab: embodied training, honest credentials, and respect for the lineages this work actually comes from.

  • legal-risk-licensing · July 23, 2026 · 6 min read

    The Legal Risk No One Wants to Say Out Loud

    Ashley Carmen, LMFT, on the real legal exposure of practicing psychedelic facilitation without a license, framed around honest risk-awareness, not fear and not denial.