Our Team
We're HiringFor decades, mental health treatment options have excluded the very promising segment of psychedelic-assisted therapies. Just as psychiatrists, psychologists, and other researchers were making incredible headway on their studies of compounds like MDMA, psilocybin, and Ayahuasca (among others) in the 1990’s, the U.S. government criminalized these substances, blocking research across the globe.
Efficacy rates for treating PTSD with MDMA-Assisted Therapy (MDMA-AT) exceed 87% in clinical trials. Despite this unprecedented therapeutic result, in August of 2024, the FDA determined not to approve MDMA-AT for the treatment of PTSD in the United States.
I am living proof that MDMA-Assisted Therapy (MDMA-AT) is safe, effective, life-changing, and even life-saving. By not approving MDMA-AT, the FDA is risking the lives of the 13 million Americans suffering from PTSD.
None of my previous therapies had ever come close to unravelling my trauma as MDMA-AT. At the June 2024 FDA Advisory Committee meeting, I posed the question: “How many more people need to die before we approve an effective therapy?” (Links to New York Times article.)
I am disappointed that the FDA has chosen to prevent millions of other Americans like myself, particularly survivors, from regaining resilience and improving the quality of life that was robbed from them. Instead, their lives will continue to be in jeopardy every single day.
The extraordinary promise of these therapeutic modalities cannot be overlooked, as the efficacy and impact of these treatments are setting a new bar for effective, safe, and enduring mental health treatments. Let’s accelerate the spread of traumatic recovery, grounded in science.
Please sign up to join our voice at Protea Foundation. Also, support organizations like MAPS.org, who continue to fund vital clinical research for the effective treatment of PTSD and related issues.
Cristina Pearse
Founder
Cristina Pearse, LPCC, MA, MBA is the founder of the Protea Foundation, a nonprofit that expands access to mental health care and funds scholarships for individuals impacted by trauma. She came to clinical practice after a career in business — entrepreneurship, finance and accounting, organizational development, and years as a restaurateur — and brings that operational fluency to how she builds and runs programs. She holds an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wake Forest University, an MBA from Regis University, and is a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate in Colorado, where her work centers on trauma recovery and resilience. She is also an author, currently at work on a memoir and a middle-grade trilogy.
Steve Pearse
Chairman, Board of Directors
Steve Pearse brings extensive corporate governance and non-profit leadership experience to the Protea Foundation board. A seasoned technology entrepreneur and executive, he has a proven track record of guiding organizational strategy, ensuring structural integrity, and overseeing complex board operations. Steve currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation (FESI)—the Department of Energy’s foundation—and sits on the Board of Directors for the John and Fannie Hertz Foundation. Alongside his non-profit commitments, he leverages his corporate governance expertise in the private sector through board roles at organizations like SkyShow. By applying his deep background in building resilient enterprises and establishing robust strategic frameworks, Steve is dedicated to helping Protea maintain the strong, sustainable operational foundation needed to fulfill its vital mission of supporting trauma survivors.
FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES: “Each day we postpone this therapy, I ask, at what cost? How many more people need to die before we approve an effective therapy? As you weigh the risks, please keep in mind the death rate for this understated population for perspective. This therapy can save many lives.”
Cristina Pearse, Founder, Protea Foundation