Ethics Infrastructure
An Introduction to our Ethics Infrastructure
Gather Well is committed to excellence in care and training. We recognize the profound responsibility we hold in providing education and facilitating transformative experiences with psychedelics that honor the dignity, safety, and well-being of all individuals we serve. We believe those in the most vulnerable positions within this field – those receiving care with these dynamic and powerful healing modalities – deserve nothing less. With our hearts and actions devoted to this end, this ethics infrastructure has come into form.
The Gather Well Psychedelics Ethics Infrastructure is described by a series of cornerstone documents overseen by an independent ethics committee that represent our commitment to practicing ethical excellence in psychedelic-assisted services.
It is designed to promote safety, prevent harms, address harms that do occur, create pathways for accountability to those impacted or harmed, and to support those who cause harm to be accountable and grow.
The underlying intent is one of support, rather than to police, creating a space where everyone involved can grow and thrive with respect, dignity, and purpose. It has been forged from our current values, our future visions, and our history, reflecting our specific challenges and opportunities.
Its development has been informed by insights from various professional codes of ethics, detailed recommendations from a team of ethicists and consultants, Gather Well’s Board, leadership, and staff, and our community’s feedback and collective wisdom.
To learn more about the development process, details about the components of the infrastructure and our philosophy about it visit our long form blog.
Though the finalized version is still under development, in summary the infrastructure includes:
- A Code of Ethics with Gather Wells ethical values and principles
- A Code of Conduct for Certified Guides detailing policies for ethical conduct
- A Code of Conduct for Gather Well Stakeholders detailing policies for ethical conduct
- A Grievance and Transformative Justice Policy and Protocol- for clear grievance reporting and claim investigation procedures in the case of breaches of the codes of conduct, including a pathway for a transformative justice approach to healing and accountability.
- A Guide Certification and Supervision Requirements – for maintaining integrity within a support system
- A Public Certified Guide Database– for transparency of the ethical standing of Gather Well certified guides
This infrastructure is overseen by an independent ethics committee.
Our code for ethical conduct by guides includes, but is not limited to, policies about:
- Proper assessment of factors relating to medical, psychiatric, and psychological safety, physical safety of the setting during sessions, and clear rules prohibiting any kind of sexual touch or exchanges considered sexual harassment.
- Transparency on practices and establishing clear, well-informed agreements around guide-client interaction during guided sessions, including explicit and detailed parameters limiting touch during sessions to touch explicitly consented to in documentation prior to the psychedelic session.
- Clear practices of confidentiality, adherence to the scope of practice, and clear parameters around healthy, professional relationships between clients and guides.
- Cultural sensitivity, respecting clients beliefs and experiences, and about cultural appropriation.
- Business practices, scope of practice, and practice maintenance.
- Making anonymous grievance reporting channels available to clients.
Core Principles
Our commitment to the well-being of those we serve
Our core principles and commitments serve as a living declaration of our dedication to creating a conscientious, supportive, and transformative environment for those we come into relationship with and for those who entrust us with caring for their well-being.
Ethics Committee
Independent experts providing guidance in ethical practices
Gather Well is pleased to introduce the inaugural Gather Well Ethics Committee! We are grateful for this committee’s wisdom and dedication to ethical care.
