A Think-Tank Round-Table Discussion with Los Angeles Community Leaders

A Think-Tank Round-Table Discussion with Los Angeles Psychedelic Community Leaders

Exploring the promise, challenges, and future of the Psychedelic Renaissance — together!

Tuesday, October 27 | 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM (Pacific Time)

Where is the Psychedelic Renaissance headed? What excites us most, what concerns us, and how can we work together to build a healthier, safer, and more connected psychedelic community?

Join us for a lively, thought-provoking, and hopefully inspiring evening with several leaders from the Los Angeles psychedelic community as we explore some of the most exciting developments, pressing challenges, and emerging opportunities in the psychedelic world.

This won't be your typical panel discussion!

We're bringing together local community leaders for a combination think-tank, round-table discussion, and community conversation. And we want you to be part of it!

Rather than simply listening to experts speak, you'll have opportunities to ask questions, share your perspectives, suggest solutions, and help explore what we might accomplish together.

What We'll Be Talking About

Some of the questions we'll explore include:

• What's exciting about the Psychedelic Renaissance? From groundbreaking research and promising therapeutic applications to legalization, decriminalization, and expanding access, what developments give us the greatest hope?

• What concerns us most, and what can we do about it? How do we address unethical practitioners, questionable organizations, exploitation, and other potential harms? How can we protect our communities, share important safety information, and hold people accountable while remaining fair, responsible, and mindful of legal risks?

• How can we build stronger psychedelic communities? What would greater cooperation between local organizations look like? How can we share resources, support one another's projects, and avoid reinventing the wheel?

• How can you get involved? Whether you're interested in volunteering, organizing events, harm reduction, research, education, or simply connecting with like-minded people, what opportunities exist to make a meaningful contribution?

• Can psychedelics help heal more than individuals? Beyond personal growth and psychotherapy, what role might psychedelics play in addressing loneliness, social isolation, addiction, trauma, polarization, and other challenges facing our communities?

• What's missing from the current psychedelic movement? Whose voices aren't being heard? How can we make the movement more inclusive, accessible, ethical, and genuinely community-centered?

And, of course, we'll leave plenty of room for other questions, ideas, and conversations that emerge!

Your Voice Matters!

This gathering isn't just about hearing what community leaders think. It's also about hearing from YOU.

We'll set aside time for audience questions, discussion, and brainstorming. We encourage you to bring your concerns, suggestions, and perhaps even a few bold ideas about what our community could accomplish if we worked together more closely.

When you register, we also invite you to submit a question, concern, or idea you'd particularly like us to discuss. We'll use some of these submissions to help shape the evening's conversation.

And toward the end of the evening, we'd like everyone to consider one especially important question:

"If we could accomplish just ONE thing together over the next six months that would make the Los Angeles psychedelic community safer, healthier, or more connected, what should it be?"

Who knows? Perhaps something that begins as an idea at this gathering will grow into a collaborative project that makes a real difference.

More Than a Discussion — An Opportunity to Connect and Collaborate!

One of our greatest hopes for this gathering is that it will spark new friendships, collaborations, initiatives, and perhaps even some concrete steps toward building a more cooperative and supportive psychedelic community in Los Angeles.

We'll also make time for informal conversation and networking, so you'll have opportunities to connect with our speakers and other attendees who share your interests.

Whether you're a longtime participant in the psychedelic world, a therapist, researcher, facilitator, advocate, curious newcomer, or simply someone who cares about the future of this movement, we'd love to have you join us.

Come with your questions, concerns, ideas, and enthusiasm. You don't need to be an expert to have something valuable to contribute!

Our hope is that everyone leaves feeling a little more informed, connected, and inspired — and perhaps with a few new friends and ideas for what we can accomplish together.

The future of the psychedelic movement isn't something that simply happens to us. It's something we can help shape, together.

Meet Our Community Leaders

Brad Adams, Ph.D. — Founder, Los Angeles Medicinal Psychedelics Society (LAMPS)

Brad is a psychologist, researcher, educator, and longtime advocate for responsible psychedelic research and education. He founded LAMPS in 2015 to bring people together around psychedelic science, healing, education, and community. His background includes more than two decades of clinical research at UCLA, along with research involving ayahuasca and its potential therapeutic applications. Through LAMPS, Brad has organized numerous educational events, conferences, and community gatherings, including a landmark psychedelic symposium at UCLA in 2018. His current interests include expanding psychedelic education, building stronger community networks, and exploring the potential of psychedelics to address dementia and other pressing health and social challenges.

Website: www.LAMPSS.org

Paul Lisy — Documentary Filmmaker, LAMPS (Moderator)

Paul has been involved with LAMPS for more than a decade, documenting its events and helping preserve the history of the Los Angeles psychedelic community. An accomplished documentary filmmaker, his works include Katrina Cop in the Superdome, Black Power, The Question of Violence, and The Reach, a deeply personal feature documentary exploring how psychedelic medicines helped him confront his fear of death. Paul is also a photographer, short story writer, and film and video archive owner.

Website: www.paullisy.com

J. Ashley T. Booth, LCSW, MS — Founder, The AWARE Project

Ashley has been working at the intersection of psychedelics, psychotherapy, and wellness for more than a decade. In 2015, she founded The AWARE Project, helping create a thriving Southern California community dedicated to psychedelic education, healing, and connection. She subsequently worked on the MAPS-sponsored FDA clinical trial investigating MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, serving as a study coordinator and co-investigator. Her clinical work draws on Internal Family Systems (IFS), Hakomi, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, and psychedelic preparation and integration. Ashley also provides training and consultation to professionals entering the psychedelic field and has spoken widely about the responsible integration of psychedelics into contemporary culture.

Website: www.ashleybooth.net

Guzel Gjenasaj — Community Leader, Ceremonial Guide, Reiki Master Teacher, The AWARE Project

Guzel is a longtime community builder whose work bridges psychedelic education, ceremonial traditions, healing, and human connection. She co-founded the Santa Monica Psychedelic Society and now helps steward The AWARE Project, organizing gatherings that bring together speakers, artists, filmmakers, and community members. For more than a decade, she has facilitated fire circles, retreats, and ceremonial experiences, drawing on her extensive background in traditional plant medicine practices, Reiki, and community organizing. Her work also includes women's circles, environmental education, and supporting women through midlife transitions. At the heart of everything she does is a belief in the healing power of community, belonging, and meaningful relationships.

Website: www.guzelgjenasaj.com

Erica Siegal, LCSW — Founder, NEST Harm Reduction

Erica brings more than 15 years of experience in psychedelic research, psychotherapy, professional education, and harm reduction. She is the founder of NEST Harm Reduction, an organization providing psychotherapy, training, consultation, and on-site psychedelic harm reduction services. Since 2013, Erica has worked at more than 80 festivals, retreats, gatherings, and private events, helping create safer and more supportive environments for psychedelic experiences. She has also served on nonprofit boards and advises practitioners, organizations, and event producers on ethics, informed consent, professional boundaries, crisis response, and responsible community care. Her work addresses some of the most important questions facing today's psychedelic movement: How do we reduce harm, promote accountability, and better protect the people who place their trust in us?

Website: www.nestharmreduction.com

Julian Melcer — Co-Founder, Grateful Giraffes

Julian is a community builder, event producer, facilitator, musician, and entrepreneur passionate about bringing people together through meaningful shared experiences. As a co-founder of Grateful Giraffes, he has helped create a growing community centered on gratitude, connection, personal growth, and collective well-being. His work spans immersive gatherings, music, wellness experiences, and community initiatives designed to strengthen relationships and inspire positive change. Julian brings a valuable perspective on how intentional gatherings and shared experiences can transform strangers into friends and help build thriving communities.

Website: www.gratefulgiraffes.com

About the Participating Organizations

Los Angeles Medicinal Psychedelics Society (LAMPS)

Founded in 2015, LAMPS advances psychedelic education, research, training, and community building. Through conferences, public talks, film screenings, workshops, and gatherings, LAMPS connects researchers, clinicians, advocates, and curious individuals to explore psychedelic science, healing, and responsible use. Its mission includes fostering collaboration and building a more informed, ethical, and supportive psychedelic community.

Website: www.LAMPSS.org

The AWARE Project: Rethinking Psychedelics

The AWARE Project is a Southern California psychedelic society working to change the public conversation about psychedelics and entheogens. Through education, gatherings, and dialogue, AWARE promotes their thoughtful use for healing, growth, spiritual connection, and exploration. The organization values accurate information, open-minded discussion, and the power of human relationships to create cultural change.

Website: www.awareproject.org

NEST Harm Reduction

Founded by Erica Siegal, NEST provides psychotherapy, education, consultation, professional training, and on-site psychedelic harm reduction services. Working with individuals, practitioners, and organizations, NEST promotes safer psychedelic experiences through informed consent, risk reduction, crisis support, professional boundaries, and ethical community care.

Website: www.nestharmreduction.com

Grateful Giraffes

Head in the clouds. Feet on the ground. Hearts wide open.

Grateful Giraffes believes gratitude and meaningful human connection can change lives. Through hundreds of gatherings, workshops, and events reaching thousands of people, the organization creates opportunities for friendship, personal growth, and collaboration, helping build a more grateful, connected, and compassionate world.

Website: www.gratefulgiraffes.com