SPEAKERS

Jason K. Day is a final year PhD Candidate in philosophy and Doc.CH scholar at the University of Fribourg. Their primary research focus is on the phenomenological qualitative study of psychedelic experiences and, in connection to this, philosophy of attention and the phenomenology of Aron Gurwitsch. Their further research interests include socio-political issues surrounding the recreational use of psychedelics, anarchist thought, and Buddhist philosophy. They are a committee member of the Psychedelic Research Organisation of Fribourg and a member of the research groups Aesthetics & Critique and Aesthetics & Ethics of Attention at the University of Fribourg. 

Rosalind completed her BA in Experimental Psychology at Oxford University, followed by an MRes in Developmental Neuroscience at UCL/Yale. She recently completed her PhD in Mental Health Science at UCL, where her research focussed on the neural and subjective effects of various psychedelic substances (5-MeO-DMT, psilocybin) in both research and retreat settings. Her particular interest lies in "psychedelic preparedness" and the intersection between psychedelic science and contemplative practice.

Camilla is a Professor of Clinical Psychology and Head of Research at the Department of Psychology, Oslo New University College (Oslo Nye Høyskole). With over 15 years of clinical research experience—including 13 years at Oslo University Hospital—her work spans adolescent and adult mental health, with a focus on the epidemiology, assessment, and treatment of eating disorders. In recent years, she has expanded her research to investigate psychedelic-assisted therapies for mental illness, particularly ketamine-assisted treatment for eating disorders. She leads the Eating Disorder Lab at ONH and is a member of the Psychedelic Research Group at the University of Oslo.

Friederike Meckel, MD trained as a medical doctor and a medical psychotherapist in Germany. From 1989-1991 she trained as a Holotropic Breathwork© facilitator with Prof. Stanislav Grof in the US. From 1992-1995 she trained to be a psycholytic therapist. She also underwent training as a couple’s therapist, a family therapist and a family-constellation-worker. After receiving her license for psychotherapy in 1997, she worked in her own private (psychotherapeutic) practice providing conventional psychotherapy, Holotropic Breathwork©-groups and systemic-family-constellation work. For nearly ten years she offered substance-supported therapy, working underground. After her being betrayed in 2009 she gave talks about her work at conferences, like “Breaking Convention” and “Beyond Psychedelics”. Being retired now she still offers some private psychological counselling in Zürich. Her book „Therapy with Substance “* was published in 2015. She is an advocate of substance supported therapy and is engaged in sharing her knowledge and experience with others and to learning and exchanging from other people in this growing field.

Agnieszka Soltysik Monnet is Professor of American Literature and Culture at the English Department of the University of Lausanne. She is author is two monographs and several edited volumes and has recently been researching and publishing in the field of American counterculture, including Critical Psychedelic Studies and the Environmental Humanities. Her current research project is on the links between the counterculture and contemporary consciousness studies.

Dr. Julia King Olivier is a Swiss Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist specializing in the care of adults, adolescents, and children. She holds a certificate in Psychedelic Research and Therapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), where she now serves as a Mentor. Dr. King Olivier is a MAPS-certified MDMA-Assisted Therapist and Associate Consultant, actively contributing to the advancement of psychedelic-assisted therapies. She is also a faculty member of Mind Medicine Australia’s Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies (CPAT) program, supporting education and clinical development in this emerging field. Her work bridges traditional psychiatry with innovative, evidence-based approaches.

I am a neuroscientist and lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva. I completed a PhD in the laboratory of Pr. Christian Lüscher which aimed at understanding the molecular and cellular basis on heroin addiction the neurobiology of addiction. I am now working on inner ear deficits in Angélica’s Pérez-Fornos laboratory. Trained in Holotropic Breathwork and integrative trance facilitation, the exploration of non-ordinary states of consciousness is a subject I am passionate about. I developed a course sequence on integrative medicine and transpersonal approaches at Geneva University, with a focus on experiential modalities that combine scientific insight with subjective depth. I am also currently completing a master’s degree in clinical psychology at Université Paris 8, aiming in a nearby future to bridge neuroscience, psychotherapy, and psychedelics studies.

PD Dr. med. Yasmin Schmid is a specialist in clinical pharmacology and toxicology. She is currently working as an attending physician in the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology and at the Interdisciplinary Emergency Department at the University Hospital Basel. In addition, she is head of a research group at the Department of Clinical Research at the University of Basel. As a member of Matthias Liechti's Psychopharmacology Research Group, she has participated in conducting several placebo-controlled, double-blind cross-over studies examining the effects of various psychoactive substances, including MDMA, LSD, and mescaline in healthy subjects. Her current research is focused on the possible therapeutic applications of LSD and on the prevention and treatment of any undesired psychological effects using pharmacological methods. In collaboration with the relevant specialists, she is conducting clinical studies with patients suffering from cluster headaches and patients in palliative care. She is also responsible for the quality assessment questionnaires of the limited medical use of psychedelics and MDMA in Switzerland, which is carried out in collaboration with the University Hospital Basel and IG-PAT. 

Stefan Lang is a social anthropologist and Buddhist dharma teacher from Bern, Switzerland. He has been actively engaged in the development of a multi-traditional Buddhist city center since 2000 and is an authorized teacher leading secular meditation retreats and introductory courses on Buddhism. Over the years, his longstanding interest in contemplative traditions has expanded to include the field of psychedelic-assisted practices. His work explores the potential for meaningful dialogue and cross-fertilization between these domains, drawing on both scholarly insight and lived experience. 

Dr. Pamela González is a biomolecular scientist with an interdisciplinary approach that combines scientific research and ancestral plant wisdom. She has long engaged in psychedelic studies, contributing significantly to the field, including serving as Chair in organizing the first-ever Summer School on Psychedelic Research at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) in 2022. Pamela has developed a deep connection with the Maya Yokot’an community of Tabasco, Mexico, from whom she received teachings on the ancestral wisdom and spiritual tradition of cacao. In ceremonial settings, she shares this knowledge with respect, emphasizing reciprocity and honoring the Indigenous peoples who safeguard these traditions, guiding participants to connect with the spirit of cacao through holistic and contemplative practices.