Step by Step

For decades, mental health treatment options have excluded the 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. Now, in 2024, that is about to change.

Efficacy rates for treating PTSD with MDMA-assisted therapy exceed 87% in clinical trials! In August of 2024, we anticipate the legalization of MDMA for the treatment of PTSD in the United States. A sea change is upon us. The exploration and availability of other psychedelic-assisted treatments should follow. 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. Your support can accelerate the spread of traumatic recovery.

Our 2024 Initiatives

Protea Foundation focuses on three areas: (1) access to individual treatment, specifically for marginalized populations; (2) therapist training; and (3) education supporting resilience and trauma prevention.

Since individual treatment is legally possible only through clinical trials at this stage, we are initially supporting training for therapists in psychedelic-assisted therapies. Training is a giant lever in our cause, because, over the next several years, there will be far too much demand for far too few therapists.

Meanwhile, we support educational programming in communities: speaking engagements, events, and published and digital resources for trauma awareness – this includes topics like abuse (sexual, physical and emotional), Complex PTSD, developmental trauma, resilience, trauma prevention, and related women’s mental health issues (depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and more).

With enough public support, we could expand our services to support ongoing clinical research supporting women and trauma, the development of group therapies so that more individuals can be served economically, and emergency trauma response on a global scale.

Even when we are able to connect women across the globe to legalized psychedelic therapies, there is still much work to be done in advance of that legalization. Education that helps destigmatize PTSD, Complex PTSD, and helps everyone identify the systemic barriers to effective therapy for women across the globe is the first step. We must help marginalized populations share access to these emerging therapies, as well. You can help us make the changes necessary to support the global impact of trauma.