Ethics as Medicine: Redefining Integrity in Psychedelic Facilitation - Ashley Carmen, M.S., LMFT

Dec 15, 2025

Ashley Carmen, M.S., LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist and founder of the Psychedelic Guide Network, discusses the ethical landscape of psychedelic facilitation. She highlights the importance of sovereignty and accountability in guiding sessions, addressing concerns like dual relationships and boundaries. Ashley introduces PGN's Wisdom Circles, emphasizing community support and honest reflection. She critiques current practices, advocating for a blend of clinical and indigenous approaches, and explores the need for integrity and ongoing self-work in the evolving psychedelic field.

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INSIGHT

Austin As A Psychedelic Vortex

Austin is a fertile vortex for psychedelic innovation with both rapid growth and ethical challenges.
Ashley Carmen founded Psychedelic Guide Network to increase ethics and mitigate harm in that ecosystem.

ADVICE

Vet Practitioners And Ask For Ethics

Vet practitioners and explicitly ask about their code of ethics before engaging with them.
Demand transparency because there is no single national governing code for psychedelic facilitation yet.

ADVICE

Avoid Dual Relationships And Sex With Clients

Maintain strict boundaries around dual relationships and avoid sexual or romantic involvement with clients.
Use clear communication if transitioning a therapeutic relationship into friendship, and always prioritize client safety.

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In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Ashley Carmen, LMFT, psychotherapist and founder of the Psychedelic Guide Network (PGN). Ashley offers insight into Austin's rapidly growing psychedelic landscape and the ethical foundations needed to support safe, grounded facilitation.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-334/?ref=278

Paul and Ashley explore sovereignty, accountability, dual relationships, and the subtle dynamics that arise in non-ordinary states. They also discuss how PGN's Wisdom Circles help facilitators deepen their practice through honest reflection and community-based support. Together they consider how ethics can function as medicine—clarifying power, strengthening boundaries, and honoring the integrity of the work.

Ashley Carmen, M.S., LMFT is a psychotherapist and founder of the Psychedelic Guide Network. She supports both licensed clinicians and community facilitators as they incorporate psychedelic modalities into ethical practice. Ashley trained with MAPS in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and completed psilocybin guide training through the School of Consciousness Medicine, influenced by Mazatec traditions of Huautla de Jiménez, Oaxaca. Her work centers on fostering diversity, accountability, and ethical maturity within the expanding psychedelic field.

Highlights:

Austin's emergence as a psychedelic hub
Sovereignty and responsibility in facilitation
Dual relationships and clean boundaries
Power dynamics and sexual projection
Inside PGN's peer Wisdom Circles
Support for licensed psychedelic practitioners
Scope guidance for non-clinical facilitators
Ethics as a core healing practice

Episode Links:

Psychedelic Guide Network

Episode Sponsors:

The Microdosing Practitioner Certification at Psychedelic Coaching Institute.
The Practitioner Certification Program at Psychedelic Coaching Institute.
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