CPPA Faculty
Meet Our Faculty
Our faculty bring decades of clinical, contemplative, legal, and traditional experience to the work of psychedelic preparation, integration, and conscious clinical care.
Founder
Dr. Lida Fatemi
DO, MPH
Founder & Program Director
Dr. Lida Fatemi is a hospice and palliative care physician, best-selling author of The Conscious Physician Method, psychedelic educator, and legislative advisor to the State of New Mexico for the Medical Psilocybin Act. She is the founder of the Conscious Physicians Psychedelics Academy (CPPA), where she trains healthcare professionals in ancient and innovative methods of healing. An award-winning clinician and national speaker, Dr. Fatemi transforms trauma into wisdom and helps physician mothers and healthcare leaders return to joy, purpose, and embodied leadership. Associate Professor at UNM School of Medicine. Heritage: lineage of healers, physicians, and entrepreneurs from Iran, with Indigenous Zoroastrian roots from ancient Persia.
Faculty
Van R. Warren
DOM
Co-Founder
Licensed in Oriental medicine since 1987. Family practice including stress reduction, emotional release work, pain management, addiction and trauma recovery. Taught at NM Academy of Healing Arts and Eastern NM School of Massage. Trainer for Certified Acudetox Specialists; clinical supervisor for Acudetox programs across NM counties.
Dr. Blavir Rukov
DO, FAACP
Nutrition & Metabolic Health
Physician specializing in the intersection of nutrition, metabolic health, and psychological functioning. His work examines evidence linking hydration, nutritional patterns, and metabolic health to cognitive performance, mood regulation, and stress reactivity.
Bernadette Torres
MamaShabeta
Curandera & Spiritual Guide
Curandera, elder, and spiritual guide centered on the sacred relationship between land, body, and spirit. Works with sacred tobacco; leads polvo ceremonies and Monster meditation practices for transformation, ancestral presence, and the courage to meet shadow with tenderness.
Tessa Small
Wellness Coach & Hypnotherapist
Bodywork & Plant Medicine
Life/Wellness Coach, Bodyworker, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Plant Medicine Coach/Guide, Herbalist, Retreat Facilitator, and Meditation Guide. Albuquerque native with 25+ years in health & wellness. Massage therapy & aromatherapy since 2002. Certified in Clinical Hypnotherapy (2023). Supporting clients through microdosing (since 2023) and journey guidance (since 2024).
Katherine Bird
Somatic Practitioner
Creative Expression & Somatic Awareness
Katherine Bird is a shamanic, energetic, somatic practitioner, mentor, and trainer for healers and medicine people. Background in Eastern and Western Alchemy, somatic and shamanic modalities. Teaches healing, channeling, mediumship, Qi Gong, internal energy work, and meditation. Author of The Healer's Process and The Healer's Process Practice Manual.
Patrick Ficke
MA, LPCC
Clinical Counseling
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with 11+ years clinical experience. Owner of Blue Line Counseling; Co-Owner/CEO of New Growth Counseling in Albuquerque. Law enforcement background (patrol, bike unit, FTO, crisis negotiator, undercover narcotics). Trained in EMDR, RTM, CBT, and IFS.
Trisha "Tripp" Gomez
Cannabis Educator
Cannabis Patient Advocacy
Cannabis Patient Advocate and Educator with a decade of frontline dispensary experience. Thousands of one-on-one consultations bridging clinic-dispensary communication gaps.
Justin Botillier
CPA
Business & Tax Strategy
CEO of Calyx CPA LLC (Southern Oregon), with 20 years working with small business owners. Early cannabis industry advocate before legalization (2016). Supports the psychedelic community by preparing service providers to run businesses and navigate 280E tax implications within the psilocybin industry.
Zach Leary
Author & Advocate
Cognitive Liberty
Over 30 years in the psychedelic movement. Former digital marketing expert; mentored by Ram Dass 13 years ago. Worked with ~200 people one-on-one for healing; taught 100+ his psychedelic approach. Hosts Psychedelics Then And Now Podcast. Trained meditation teacher, bhakti yoga student, and IFS enthusiast. First book Your Extraordinary Mind (Sounds True).
Christine Caldwell
Founder, End of Life Psychedelic Care
End-of-Life Psychedelic Care
Founder of the End of Life Psychedelic Care nonprofit. Co-Chair of the Dying Well Initiative (Global Wellness Institute). Graduate of the 12-month Psychedelics Today Vital Therapies program. Former Silicon Valley marketing executive; former owner of a 250-client home health care agency.
Jennifer Zuckerman
FNP-BC
Medication Tapering & Microdosing
Board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner, end-of-life doula, and psychedelic medicine guide. 16+ years clinical experience; 6 years specializing in psychedelic healing. Founder of Resonate Health, where she supports individuals in safely tapering off psychotropic medications and integrating microdosing protocols. "Life is a ceremony — and we are the medicine."
Dr. Lawrence Leeman
MD
Group-Based Psychedelic Therapies
Medical anthropology and public health at UCSF. 7 years in Zuni focused on transformational events of birth and dying. Director of UNM Milagro Perinatal Substance Use Program. Board-certified in Addiction Medicine. CIIS PAT program (2021). Certified in MDMA Assisted Therapy (MAPS) and KAP. Hakomi training (2 years), IFS level one. Facilitator for legal psilocybin therapy in Europe and Jamaica.
Dr. Maya Armstrong
MD
Psychedelic Therapy & Research
Board-certified in family and addiction medicine. Background in ecology, yoga, meditation, and bodywork. Clinical interests: chronic pain, substance use, end-of-life care. 10-month certificate in psychedelic therapy/research at CIIS. KAP study with the Psychedelic Research and Training Institute. Facilitator/investigator in the first group-format natural psilocybin trial.
Kathryn L. Tucker
J.D.
End-of-Life Rights Attorney
Nation's leading end-of-life rights attorney. Special Advocacy Advisor at the National Psychedelics Association. 30+ years in end-of-life advocacy. Founded the End of Life Liberty Project and Disability Rights Legal Center. Lead counsel in Washington v. Glucksberg and Vacco v. Quill. Defended the Oregon Death with Dignity Act. Faculty at Loyola LA, U. Washington, Seattle University, and Lewis & Clark. Involved in Oregon Measure 109 and the New Mexico Medical Psilocybin Act.
Victoria Cvitanovic
Esq.
Psychedelics in the Digital Age
Lawyer specializing in psychedelic medicine, cannabis, healthcare, cybersecurity/data privacy, and corporate law. Trial-tested litigator. Works with Rudick Law Group. Zen Buddhist, patient advocate, person with disability. President of the Board, Kinship Center. Cofounder of Sober Zen meditation group.
Dr. Jasdeep Sandhu
MD
Integrative Psychiatry
Board-certified psychiatrist focused on integrative psychiatry. Residency at Mount Sinai, NYC. Centers mindfulness, psychodynamic, and transpersonal approaches with meaning, nutrition, movement, restoration, meditation, and connection as core. Facilitates KAP individual/group sessions and personalized prep/integration.
Catherine Warnock
MA, LPCC, NCE
Integration in Practice
Licensed professional counselor with 15+ years at the intersection of psychology, trauma, and consciousness. Extensive forensic work, private practice, and trauma-informed training. Focus on psychological preparation, integration, and ethical frameworks. Filmmaker, writer, and educator.
Dr. Hannah Whitmore
PhD, RN
Hospice & Palliative Care Science
Certified hospice and palliative care nurse and clinician scientist. PhD in Nursing from UCSF (symptom science and psychedelic-assisted therapy for existential distress and death acceptance). 17 years meditation under Tibetan Buddhist teachers. Contemplative psychology training at Naropa. Postdoctoral fellow at UCSF International Center for HIV/AIDS Research.
Roxroy Reid
MSW, PhD, LCSW
Geriatric & VA Clinical Practice
LCSW in New Mexico, Senior Social Worker at Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center (7th year). Co-Lead of the VA National Elder Justice Clinical Implementation Team. Certified in KAP. 9 years at UNM Geriatric Clinic, then hospice. Adjunct professor at NM Highlands University. PhD in Public Health Policy Administration. Past President of ASWB.
Jose Maresma
Performance Coach
Thermal Stress & Autonomic Regulation
Performance coach with 34+ years in high-stakes environments (Olympic/pro sport, Tier 1 military, federal law enforcement, emergency medicine, first responders, medical education, senior business leadership). 7-Pillars Performance Framework. Certifications: behavioral neuroscience, clinical exercise physiology, MBSR, resilience, cognitive health, TBI lifestyle intervention, thermal regulation, breathwork. Trained psychedelic-assisted therapy prep/guide/integration coach.
Daniel Blackwood
Founder, Evolution Group
Trauma & Addiction Recovery
40 years in the field. Founder/Chief Lantern Holder, Evolution Group, Inc., Albuquerque (family behavioral health since 1998). Trainings on adult mental health and recovery from trauma, addictive disorders, co-occurring disorders, disordered gambling, sexual addiction, and partner betrayal. Co-author of Mindfulness-Based Somatic Emotional Processing, Integrity Recovery™ (3rd ed.). Certifications: IITAP, RTM, EMDR, Brainspotting, Seeking Safety.
Dr. Audrey Wells
MD
Sleep & Neuroplasticity
Triple board-certified physician and nationally recognized expert in sleep and obesity medicine. Certified by The Menopause Society for perimenopause/menopause care. Chief Medical Officer at SLIIIP.com. Passionate about expanding access to individualized care and promoting a more human, whole-person model of medicine.
Heather A. Lee
LCSW
Licensed Psychedelic Facilitator
Licensed psychedelic facilitator in Colorado. LCSW with extensive experience supporting trauma, life transitions, and deep emotional growth.
Kristina Rodriguez
RN, IFMCP, Yoga Therapist
Functional Medicine & Earth-Based Ceremony
Founder of Intent of the Heart. Integrates psychedelic medicine education, functional medicine, therapeutic bodywork, earth-based ceremony, and spiritual insight. RN and IFMCP. Trained through CIIS and MAPS. Pursuing ordination as "Minister of Walking Prayer" through the Center for Sacred Studies.
Jenn Clemente
Death Doula & Chaplain
Dreamwork & Integration
Began with dreams in childhood; trained across psychological, contemplative, and cross-cultural frameworks. Death doula and chaplain. Studied Process-Oriented Psychology, Robert Bosnak's Embodied Imagination, Robert Moss's Active Dreaming, Alberto Villoldo's shamanic dream traditions, and Swami Sivananda Radha's dream yoga. Year-long Vital training. Advocates incorporating dreamwork into psychedelic prep/integration.
Train with Our Faculty
Our 15-week online course offers a deep, physician-led introduction to psychedelic preparation taught by select members of this faculty.