How It Works
You’re Already Designing Experiences. Make Them Healing.
Every choice shapes the journey. Here’s how to make those choices intentional.
PREPARE
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JOURNEY
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INTEGRATE
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REPEAT
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PREPARE ✦ JOURNEY ✦ INTEGRATE ✦ REPEAT ✦
The Origin story
From ‘Taboo’ to Field-Establishing
In 2022, we created Stanford’s d.school first course on psychedelic medicine and design. What started as experimental “taboo” content requiring special approval quickly gained institutional support, earning its own official course number and proving that the intersection of structured methodology and healing transformation was exactly what the emerging field needed.
The methodologies developed during this pioneering course revealed something profound: while psychedelics expand consciousness, design provides the structured framework to ground that expansion in compassionate, effective action. These frameworks are now being applied by practitioners and organizations worldwide, establishing an entirely new field of conscious healing design.
Three Essential Elements
Set, Setting, Medicine
When you’re seeking healing through psychedelic medicine, the environment matters deeply. A sterile hospital room might feel safe and credible to you, while overwhelming someone else. A ceremonial setting with candles and sage might feel sacred to you, while triggering anxiety in another person. Your cultural background, past traumas, and what you need to feel truly safe are uniquely yours. The most healing experiences happen when the clinical space, your individual needs, and the medicine with its practitioner all align—not according to some universal standard, but specifically for you.
Join the Community Designing the Future of Healing
Get the methodology insights, case studies, and early course access that practitioners worldwide are using to create better healing experiences.
Our Methodology
Prepare
Understand & Empathize
Research who you’re designing for beyond their diagnosis or demographics. Map current patient journeys with fresh eyes to identify pain points and hidden opportunities. Study how other healing traditions and industries create transformative experiences.
Example: Through patient journey mapping, practitioners discovered that waiting rooms designed for efficiency were actually increasing anxiety, leading to redesigned spaces that prepare rather than stress patients before sessions.
JOURNEY
Ideate & Create
Generate multiple solutions beyond the obvious approaches. Prototype experiences rapidly and cheaply before major investments. Balance analytical thinking with intuitive wisdom. Test ideas by bringing nature’s intelligence into the design process.
Example: Stanford students with no prior psychedelic experience created ibogaine ecosystem maps and patient experience prototypes in just one week. The work was so compelling that industry experts brought it to HHS officials in Washington, D.C., working on ibogaine policy.
INTEGRATE
Implement & Iterate
Test prototypes with real users in safe environments. Measure impact on actual healing outcomes, not just efficiency metrics. Refine based on both quantitative data and qualitative felt sense. Scale successful interventions systematically while maintaining their heart.
Example: Students designed physical experience prototypes that gave people a sense of what different medicines might feel like—helping with preparation and reducing anxiety about the unknown aspects of psychedelic therapy.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Traditional design thinking is human-centered and business-focused. Psychedelic design is life-centered and healing-focused—specifically designed for vulnerable states when people are most open and most at risk. We integrate both analytical thinking and intuitive wisdom, considering impacts on all living systems, not just humans.
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No design background required. These frameworks unlock creative problem-solving abilities you already possess. Whether you're analytically minded, scientifically trained, or completely new to design thinking, the methodology provides structure for both creativity and practical implementation.
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While developed specifically for psychedelic contexts, practitioners report the frameworks transfer beautifully to other healing modalities, therapy practices, wellness programs, and even business contexts where transformation is the goal.
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Absolutely. The frameworks apply equally to research environments. Many principles translate directly—from participant preparation to study design to creating research environments that support rather than stress participants. Several Stanford students are working on trial design projects using these methods.
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Perfect! Having many tools in your toolkit will help you differentiate yourself and serve clients at a higher level. Whether your goal is to shift toward more psychedelic work or maintain your current balance, these frameworks enhance any healing practice.
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The methodology is specifically designed to work within existing legal and regulatory frameworks. We focus on optimizing patient experience and healing environments within whatever constraints you're operating under—whether that's FDA trial protocols, state regulations, or institutional policies.
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Many practitioners see immediate improvements from small changes—redesigning a welcome process, intake form, or physical space setup. Larger systematic changes typically show measurable results within 3-6 months of implementation.
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Our main course involves twice-weekly sessions (60-90 minutes each) plus optional assignments (2-4 hours weekly). Total time commitment is approximately 4-5 hours per week for the duration of the course.
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We structure our pricing to make the methodology accessible while supporting sustainable program development. Specific payment options vary by course—details are provided during enrollment.
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Before setting schedules, we poll each cohort to find optimal times. Sessions are recorded and made available with notes and resources. However, we prioritize live participation for the collaborative learning experience.
From Methodology to Mastery
Join the September cohort and learn to apply these field-establishing frameworks in your own practice.