Associate Professors Suzan Wasik and Raychelle Lohmann will apply their knowledge from the University Psychedelic Education Program to Elon’s new Clinical Mental Health Counseling master’s program, launching in Fall 2026.
Two Elon University faculty members have been selected to join a national cohort of health sciences professionals from 45 colleges and universities focused on preparing the future healthcare workforce to engage with psychedelic therapeutic treatments.
Suzan Wasik and Raychelle Lohmann, associate professors of clinical mental health counseling, were selected as 2026 U-PEP Faculty Fellows (University Psychedelic Education Program). University Psychedelic Education Program Fellows are interdisciplinary and largely come from graduate-level, clinically oriented programs such as nursing, social work, medicine and psychology. Lohmann and Wasik say that Elon is one of the first clinical mental health counseling programs in the country to join U-PEP. The two-year fellowship is offered through the Psychedelic Education Partnership, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit “dedicated to advancing healthcare system readiness through rigorous, evidence-based, interdisciplinary education in psychedelic science and care.”
“Education is a critical foundation for the safe, ethical and equitable integration of psychedelic-assisted care,” said Sandy Samberg, founder and board chair of PEP. “As the clinical research base continues to grow and interest expands, the need for a well-prepared workforce has become increasingly urgent. The Psychedelic Education Partnership was created to meet this moment—maintaining a clear focus on scientific rigor, collaboration, and education that meets clinicians and educators where they are.”
The fellowship includes many leading universities and research institutions, including Johns Hopkins, Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, UNC, and Yale, and blends in-person and virtual instruction, mentorship from experienced educators, researchers, and clinicians, and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and peer exchange. Fellows also gain access to curated curricular materials through a dedicated Resource Hub. Together, these elements are designed to help participants build foundational knowledge while developing the confidence to responsibly and ethically integrate psychedelic education into a range of academic settings.
Both Elon faculty members will apply what they learn to their teaching in the university’s new Master of Science program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, which launches in Fall 2026. Offered at both the university’s main campus and its Charlotte national campus, the program aims to prepare competent, compassionate, and ethical counselors while addressing a growing workforce demand in the mental health field.
“We are very excited to be able to talk about this in a way that is supported in the literature and in evidence-based practice. Most master’s degree programs do not offer any exposure or education about psychedelics and mental health,” said Wasik. “As clinicians and educators, we will be able to talk about what’s happening in the profession and be able to use that information to train this next generation of mental health counselors on all the different effective evidence-backed ways to help our clients.”
Wasik notes that most psychedelic therapeutic treatments remain in the clinical trial phase, though ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is currently legal. In her private practice, she collaborates with referring physicians to provide integrative counseling and consulting services for individuals pursuing this form of treatment. According to Wasik, researchers are also studying substances such as MDMA, psilocybin, and ibogaine for their potential to treat PTSD and addiction, with particularly promising results among veteran populations.
Lohmann specializes in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy), which she says could potentially be integrated with psychedelic therapies.
“What inspires me about this opportunity is the promising research surrounding Ketamine Assisted EMDR and the potential for these advancements to help inform the evolving use of psychedelics in treatment,” said Lohmann. “We really have an opportunity to leave a footprint in our profession to help people. And with U-PEP, we get to develop curricula, engage in meaningful conversations surrounding responsible care, bring continuing education into the Elon community, and most importantly, raise awareness about ethical and science-based psychedelic therapy.”
Applications for Elon’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program are now open, with a deadline of June 15.