Beyond Fear: How Psychedelics Are Transforming End-of-Life Care

Join us for the next chapter in our groundbreaking series on psychedelic-assisted end-of-life care—this time, we're getting practical.

Building on our first conversation, this webinar tackles the crucial question: How do we make this transformative care accessible to everyone who needs it?

Our panel of pioneering voices returns to explore the real-world implementation of psychedelic therapy in end-of-life settings. Discover how death doulas and practitioners can ethically and effectively integrate these medicines into their work, hear the latest on navigating regulatory landscapes, and learn about the urgent push for government funding to ensure cost is never a barrier to peaceful transition.

From research labs to hospital rooms, from policy halls to bedside—this conversation bridges the gap between breakthrough science and the patients who need it most.

Whether you're a death doula, healthcare provider, researcher, patient advocate, or someone personally navigating end-of-life questions, this webinar offers concrete pathways forward. We'll explore funding models, training requirements, advocacy strategies, and the collaborative efforts underway to make psychedelic end-of-life care a reality across Canada.

This isn't just about what's possible—it's about making it happen.

Host: Kimberley Iwamoto - PAC Board Member

Living in Ontario Canada, Kimberley Iwamoto, CPA is a consultant whose expertise is in the non-for-profit industry. Interested in supporting proper and legal access to therapies that heal our individual and collective consciousness, particularly for those with terminal illness.

For transparency, Kimberley assists business owners with their strategic planning, and provides business operations advice to Boards of Directors and Management alike. Additionally, Kimberley is a Life and Transition Coach, offering mentoring for junior leaders, integration services in ceremony, and is a Death Doula.

Kimberley believes in giving back to community, living well with intention and is learning about colonization with an open heart. She thanks those elders who have given so freely of their time and knowledge from the Anishinabek, the Ojibwe, the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat nations. Your love of our Mother is important medicine for all of us.

Guest Speaker: Shannon Dames

Shannon Dames is a third-generation Canadian of mixed ancestry. A mother and registered nurse with over 20 years of clinical experience. She holds a Doctorate in Education with a focus on resilience development and a Master’s in Public Health. She is a Professor of Nursing and Chair of Psychedelic-assisted Therapy (PaT) at Vancouver Island University (VIU), and serves as a the lead for clinical operations and curriculum development for the Roots to Thrive Society for Psychedelic Therapy.

Education

Professor: Bachelors of Science in Nursing,

Professor and Chair: Psychedelic-assisted Therapy Graduate Certificate (PaTGC) Program,

Vancouver Island University

Research

Health Professional Investigator,

Michael Smith Health Research B.C.

Professional Practice and Clinical Leadership

Clinical and Training Program Lead

Roots to Thrive Society for Psychedelic Therapy

Guest Speaker: Olga Nikolajev

Olga (she/her) calls herself an end-of-life nurse educator. She is a Fellow in Thanatology with over 30 years of professional experience as a registered nurse in various health care settings, including hospice palliative care. Olga is the founder of DyingMatters.ca a death awareness and end of life care support service in Eastern Ontario and is the founder and director of the Death Doula Ontario Network. Her current interests are in the field of psychedelics, spirituality and end-of-life care. Olga facilitates Thanatology courses with Centennial College, and the End-of-Life Doula courses with Douglas College across Canada, virtually and in-person. Olga has been honoured to share her end-of-life knowledge with over 700 participants/students within the last 10 years and is most proud of creating a “safe & brave space” for personal growth and healing. Olga has a diploma in Nursing with a Certificate in Multidisciplinary Palliative Care, a master’s degree in religion and culture focusing on death rites. She holds a Certificate in Cannabis Science and has trained as a Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Sitter with Therapsil. Olga is currently enrolled in a PhD program at University of Ottawa within the field of Religious Studies focusing on the research related to the development of the Psychedelic Doula. Olga serves as an advisor/director on a number of International, National and local committees and boards such as the End-of-Life Doula Association of Canada. She continues to be a member in good standing with ADEC, RNAO, CNO and the End-of-Life Doula Association of Canada.

Guest Speaker: Houman Farzin

Houman Farzin, M.D., M.Sc., is a physician and researcher specializing in psychedelic medicine and palliative care. He is an attending physician in the Division of Palliative Care at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal and Clinical Assistant Professor at McGill University, where he teaches palliative care and mindful medical practice to medical students. Dr. Farzin is the founder of Mystic Health, a holistic health practice currently operating in Los Angeles. He is a trainer for Therapsil and was a former clinical trial site physician for MAPPUSX, a multi-site open-label extension study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, sponsored by MAPS.

Guest Speaker: Janis Hughes

Janis is a 68-year-old retired translator who was catapulted into a state of existential distress by a diagnosis of Stage 4 breast cancer in fall of 2021. Desperate to escape her mental condition through psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, she applied to Health Canada for access to psilocybin under section 56 of the CDSA and was rejected. In the face of her doctors’ unwillingness to file an application under the Special Access Program on her behalf, she went underground and was successfully treated in two sessions mediated by natural whole mushrooms. Janis has since become a passionate advocate of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy at the local, provincial and national levels and regularly contributes a patient perspective to PaT trainees.