More about us
Athens Psychedelic Therapy is Athens’ first locally-owned psychedelic therapy practice. We are trained clinicians who believe that all paths to healing deserve safe and evidence-informed counseling support. We understand that these journeys can be complex, confusing, and potentially transformative. We provide supportive psychotherapy (only) to assist you in achieving the best results possible in your efforts to recover using psychedelic medicines.
MEet Our staff
Aura Morris, LCSW
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom”
I believe every person can overcome their history and trauma to lead a rich fulfilling life. I know that every person deserves and can achieve radical healing, and that it shouldn't take a lifetime to get there. I use a combination of deep listening, EMDR, parts work, and other somatic modalities to help my clients achieve profound and lasting change. I expect that you will see significant progress in the time we are working together, and if you don't, I will help you find someone who can offer you that.
A lot of my clients have significant recent trauma, childhood trauma, or unrelenting symptoms. They may have seen other providers before without seeing much progress. They are hurting and willing to try anything if it will actually offer them relief. If this describes you and you are ready to do transformative work together, I can't wait to meet you.
I am so excited about the potential of psychedelic therapy to help clients who have not had success with modern psychotropic medications, or who have been working in therapy with slow progress. These medicines have the potential to transform life for many people suffering from PTSD, treatment-resistant depression, substance use disorders, and more. I have been following the work of the MultiDisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) for many years, and I am thrilled to be participating in the Fall 2021 cohort of their MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy training program. Athens Psychedelic Therapy hopes to offer this treatment in Athens, once it is approved by the FDA.
I consider it such a gift to create a container for my clients to do powerful work in. You can read more about my personal practice at www.auramorris.com.
Charlie Shockley, LCSW
Charlie is one of Athens Psychedelic Therapy’s original founders. They are now working independently, however, Charlie and Athens Psychedelic regularly refer clients and have a collaborative relationship. To reach Charlie directly, feel free to visit their website at www.charlieshockley.com. Due to their specialty, we generally refer clients with substance misuse concerns to them.
For people who find their lives are difficult, unmanageable, or disappointing: I want you to know that it doesn’t have to be this way. It may have been a long time since you’ve experienced a sense of life and vitality, which can be such a heavy weight to carry. Maybe you’ve been trying to carry it alone, or you simply haven’t found the right helper? Sometimes, things like rumination, worry, and substance use feel like helpers but ultimately add weight to your psychological burden. My approach to healing is so much more than symptom relief. I use modalities like EMDR and ACT to help you discover the true source of your suffering, heal it, and begin building a life you no longer need to escape from.
The primary focus of my work is the intersection of trauma and substance use disorders. I’ve worked in numerous addiction treatment centers as well as independently through my trauma and addiction-focused practice, Kind Recovery. I had the enlightening opportunity to work with Ketamine patients beginning in 2019. For me, this was a powerful choice point. I had to ask myself if I could ethically ignore its potential, even in a professional landscape where any mind-altering substance use is stigmatized. My research led me to the surprising discovery that AA founder Bill Wilson’s famous spiritual awakening may have been induced by a psychedelic substance. He was also treated with LSD by the VA for depression and petitioned AA’s board to make LSD an exception to the rule of abstinence. Like me, Bill W. could not ignore the powerful effects of psychedelics to help resolve the spiritual, egoic, and existential difficulties that seem to be at the root of mental illness. Beyond the anecdotal, the evidence for psychedelic medicine’s effectiveness is compelling and developing. I’m pleased to be a part of the first wave of therapeutic options available and plan to act as a local ambassador, connecting clients with effective psychedelic interventions as they are discovered and approved.
I am proud to be one of the first counselors in Georgia to receive certification as a Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy Practitioner (PAPP) through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute’s year-long certification program. My additional trainings includes “Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration” through Fluence and “Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy”, through Polaris.
I’m here to support you on your self-determined path to recovery from substance misuse, trauma or both. Whether your path includes legal Ketamine or illegal psychedelics, I’m grounded in the belief that you have the right to determine what you do with your body.
Caroline Singletary, LMSW
“Openness is our greatest human resource. ”
There are many reasons why you might be seeking therapy at this very moment. It could be because of a major life event- a death, the end of a relationship, or a trauma. It could be because of a lot of small things that have accumulated over time. It could be preventative or restorative. Or it could be just because. You might be therapy-curious, or wonder if you even need therapy. Whatever has brought you to this point, I believe that the most important part of a therapeutic relationship is connection.
My primary focus is grief, end-of-life care, cancer and caregiving, chronic illness, perinatal mood disorders, and trauma. I also enjoy working with teens and college students. I am a poly and kink-affirming therapist.
I use EMDR, parts work, and Ketamine Assisted Therapy to create effective and lasting change with my clients. My goal is to create a relationship and environment that is safe for my clients to get beyond talking about the crisis of the week, and to explore why they are having the crisis at all.
I currently work in private practice in Decatur and Athens, and at Athens Psychedelic Therapy.
Sarah Thurman, LMSW
“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”
To the deep thinkers and feelers out there, it sure can feel lonely. Why are relationships so hard? Why don’t people seem to understand how hard you are trying, how much you care? Why does it feel like everyone else has the playbook to life and somehow you didn’t get your copy? Why does it feel like the world is asking you to be smaller, have less personality, be less intelligent, to be more simple?
Don’t lose hope. You can be somewhere where you will be deeply seen, heard, understood and supported. If you feel like you are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma and/or PTSD, you don’t have to be stuck in this state forever. I use a mix of effective therapeutic tools for healing trauma so you can find your way home within yourself.
If you think I couldn’t possibly understand your unique experience or your unique way of living life, try me. If you think that change is for other people and you are destined to the unfulfilling life you are living, challenge that. A full life is yours to live. The risk is worth the reward. Book a free 15-minute phone consult to see if we are a good fit..
Our Values
Safety
Safety is the foundation of any effective therapeutic relationship. Safety doesn’t just mean physical safety. It means emotional and spiritual safety when navigating the often vulnerable experience of psychotherapy. You deserve to feel totally safe with us and trust that the therapeutic alliance we build will be stable, non-judgmental, and effective.
Integrity
Honesty, transparency, informed consent, and evidence-informed practice are included in our commitment to integrity. You can be assured that our approach is rooted in science and the most up-to-date information available. We take great care to operate within the legal and ethical boundaries of our profession. For example, we use the term evidence-informed rather than evidence-based, because many psychedelic medications have not met the standard required to be called evidence-based. We are transparent about what we know and what we don’t know. No professional can predict what kind of experience you will have on psychedelics. People seeking psychedelic support should be wary of individuals who do not acknowledge this uncertainty. We assure that you have all the information you need to make an informed decision about receiving care including our education, licensure, training, and ethical requirements including refusing to provide services outside our scope of practice.
Presence
We believe that healing spaces are sacred and it is our responsibility to show up with an open heart and mind. Our engagement with you requires a high level of awareness about our own energy, ability to relate, and contact with the present moment. Co-regulation, the art of stabilizing and responsive interaction, is key to our effectiveness as clinicians and is especially vital while navigating the complex experiences psychedelics may produce.
q&a’s
Does Athens Psychedelic Therapy Provide Psychedelic MEdications?
Not directly, no. We are not medically licensed or trained. For Ketamine, we work with an off-site prescriber who will complete a medical assessment and prescribe IV Ketamine that you will take in a medical setting (next door to us) and then the nurse will bring you to our office for integration work immediately after. Providing other psychedelic substances like psilocybin or ayahuasca is illegal and violates our ethics.
Can you recommend an underground provider or international retreat?
No. It is illegal for us to connect you with anyone who provides illegal substances. We also do not have the capacity to gauge the safety of international retreats. We can support you if you are having difficulty integrating experiences like these after the fact.
Will you sit with clients who are tripping?
Yes and No. We can sit with you for a Ketamine session, but providing guidance, psychotherapy, or even being present while you experience other psychedelics (psilocybin, DMT, etc.) is illegal and a violation of our professional ethics. We can provide supportive psychotherapy for these substances both before and after, but not during.
Why is psychotherapy important?
It has been said that psychedelics aren’t escape medicines, but confrontational medicines. Part of the healing function of psychedelics is to reveal, cleanse, or highlight areas of dysfunction. This can manifest as a difficult feeling, a traumatic memory, or even large shifts in self-concept. It is a common misunderstanding that the promise of psychedelics is in the substance alone. All of the research into the efficacy of psychedelic interventions includes psychotherapy for a reason. Given that many who seek these interventions are striving to heal from mental health disorders and psychedelics have a tendency to dramatically shift your way of being, psychedelic psychotherapy is important for safety and efficacy.
Can you tell me what to take?
No. We can provide psychotherapy to help you work through indecision, but we never provide advice about whether you should take it, what substance to take, or how much. We are not medical professionals, and our perspective on psychedelic use is neutral and grounded in harm-reduction principles.
do you accept insurance?
We are out-of-network (OON) with insurance providers, but we do offer superbills for our therapy services. We encourage clients to use specific apps to help them estimate benefits and file claims easily. We believe you should have easy access to the OON benefits you’re already paying for. Unlike IV Ketamine clinics, whose services are not reimbursable, you can submit superbills for our therapy services. There is currently no insurance billing code for IV Ketamine services.