Workshop Outline

    1. Welcome to Week 1!

    2. Consider Types of Touch in Altered States of Consciousness

    3. Attunement Begins with Ourselves

    4. Finding your seat

    5. Sense the unperformed breath

    6. Sail with the breath

    7. Week 1: Attunement (Jan 07 Zoom)

    8. Week 1 Zoom Recording

    9. Portlandia Sketch

    10. Week 1 Slides to Review - and Discuss

    11. Review from Zoom: Self-Assessment As A Practitioner

    12. Part 1: Daniel Irby, M.D., and Suz Vera Burroughs - Breaking Down Boundaries (Ketamine Assisted Therapeutic Massage)

    1. Welcome to Week 2!

    2. Sandra Dreisbach - Ethics and Touch in Altered States

    3. The Wheel of Consent

    4. Emotional and Sexual Boundaries During and Outside Facilitation

    5. Historical and contemporary abuses of power in natural medicine facilitation

    6. Harm from Boundary and Touch Violations

    7. Consequences of Boundary and Touch Contract Breaches

    8. Ethical Reflection Exercise: Image Analysis

    9. Defining Your Professional Touch Ethics and Scope of Practice

    10. Week 2: Ethics and Consent (Jan 14 Zoom)

    11. Week 2 Zoom Recording

    12. Week 2 Slides to Review - and Discuss

    13. Client Screening Questionnaire

    14. Touch Contract Example 1

    15. Touch Contract Example 2

    16. Touch Contract Example 3

    17. Participant-Led Touch Contracts and Limitations in Altered States

    1. Welcome to Week 3

    2. A Brief History of Bodywork in Traditional and Lineage Settings

    3. Gerard Artesona - A Brief Overview of the Cultural Uses of Touch in Traditional Settings of Yaje and Ayahuasca

    4. The Language of Touch

    5. Crafting Your Personal Touch Contract

    6. Week 3: Preparation (Jan 21 Zoom)

    7. Week 3 Recording

    8. Week 3 Slides for Review - and Discussion

    9. The Art of Holding Space: Principles and Practices

    10. Touch as Introductory Training for Natural Medicine Facilitation

    11. Active Monitoring of Boundaries in Altered States

    12. Embodying the Sacred Cacao Ritual

    13. Leading a Cacao Ceremony with Touch

    1. Lunch and Travel Info

    2. Jan 25 | Shulgin Farm (9am - 4pm)

    3. Shulgin Farm Demo Video and Workshop Day PDF

    4. Integration Body Mapping

    1. Welcome to Week 4!

    2. Excerpt from Beginner's Body by Suz Vera Burroughs

    3. Case Study: The Sacred Topography of Scars

    4. Renegotiating Boundaries Between Sessions

    5. Editing and Sharing Touch Contracts

    6. Week 4 Zoom Recording - and Discussion

    7. Week 4 Slides for Review - and Discussion

    8. Reflection and Gratitude for Co-Learners

    9. Thank you for you!

About this course

  • Navigate touch contracts
  • Hands on skill building
  • Supportive small group setting

Offer this Workshop for Your Group

Have a team that could benefit from this course and workshop?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fee for this course?

We believe in making this course accessible to a wide range of participants while recognizing the varied financial circumstances of those interested. Our sliding scale is designed to accommodate different income levels, with the course fee ranging from $350 to $1000.

We trust each participant to make an honest assessment of their financial situation. When determining where you fall on the sliding scale, please consider the guidelines above and reflect on what amount feels fair for you, given your resources. Our goal is to create an equitable and accessible course for all participants, so your thoughtful contribution is appreciated.

Please use the following guidelines to determine the appropriate amount for your registration. These are just examples—choose the amount that reflects your current financial situation and ability to contribute.

Lower Payment Bracket: $350

If you are experiencing financial constraints, please feel welcome to pay at the lower end of the sliding scale. This option is intended for individuals who:

Qualify for government assistance (such as SNAP, WIC, MediCal, or housing support).

Live paycheck-to-paycheck with little to no discretionary income.

Have no significant savings (e.d. 3 months emergency fund).

Are facing high levels of student loan debt or medical bills over 30% of your take home pay.

Support dependents (e.g., children, elderly family members, disabled family members) with limited total household income.


Suggested Payment: $650

The suggested payment of $650 reflects the average cost for this course. You are encouraged to pay this amount if your financial situation allows it and this is a fair reflection of the value you expect to gain from the experience.


Higher Payment Bracket: $650-$1000

If you are financially secure and able to contribute more, we encourage you to pay on the higher end of the sliding scale. This option is for individuals who:

Have discretionary funds each month after meeting basic living needs, paying student loans, and retirement savings, etc.

Own your home or property, and/or have substantial savings.

Living in luxury rental housing (over $2500 per month).

Are employed in a high-earning profession.

Do not have significant financial burdens and can invest in your personal and professional development.

Want to support others with lower incomes to access the course by contributing more.


Scholarship

There is one needs-based full scholarship available for a teaching assistant who can support set up, putting out lunch, and breakdown on Jan 25th. Must be able to lift a massage table (under 50 lbs) safely.


Payment Terms

Payment in Full: The full amount you select based on the sliding scale must be paid in full upon registration to confirm your spot.

Non-Refundable: Once paid, your registration fee is non-refundable, even if you are unable to attend the course for any reason.  You may apply your fee to other courses at UnwindLearning.com if you must cancel.

What is the primary focus of this course?

This workshop centers on cultivating ethical, safe, and supportive touch practices for guides, healers, psychotherapists, and with-nesses. It emphasizes navigating boundaries, consent, and cultural sensitivities in touch, with a focus on trauma-informed techniques. The hybrid course includes foundational knowledge through online sessions and hands-on experience during a full-day in-person immersion at Shulgin Farm.

Who is this course designed for, and is prior experience required?

This course is ideal for guides, traditional healers, psychotherapists, and with-nesses who wish to integrate ethical touch into their practice. It suits both those new to touch techniques and experienced practitioners seeking to refine their skills. No prior experience with touch is required, but participants should have a professional background in client care or facilitation.

How does this course address ethical safety and consent?

The course includes lessons on emotional and sexual boundaries, navigating dual relationships, and creating participant-led touch contracts. You’ll learn to establish clear agreements, recognize and respond to verbal and nonverbal feedback, and maintain continuous consent, particularly during altered states. This ensures touch is used as a safe and empowering tool.

What will we do during the in-person immersion day at Shulgin Farm?

The in-person day on Jan 25 includes:

  • Live demonstrations and guided practices on touch techniques.
  • Collaborative trades with fellow participants to refine your skills.
  • Experiencing touch integration with cacao as a sacred entheogenic offering.
  • This day provides a supportive environment for hands-on practice, blending knowledge from online sessions with real-world application.

How does the course navigate dual relationships and touch in altered states?

We teach how to skillfully manage dual relationships (e.g., facilitator and community member) through clear communication and role separation. You’ll also explore how touch contracts established pre-session must remain fixed during altered states to safeguard participants’ autonomy. This ensures trust and safety for both facilitator and participant.

How does the course integrate cultural sensitivity into touch practices?

The workshop emphasizes cultural attitudes toward touch, helping participants understand how touch is perceived differently across diverse communities. This includes discussions on avoiding cultural appropriation and co-creating practices with participants that honor their personal and cultural experiences.

Will this course help me meet Colorado DORA requirements for psilocybin facilitators?

This course aligns with the Colorado DORA requirements for relational and touch training but is not guaranteed to be accepted by DORA or approved training organizations. Mapping to DORA requirements will be shared during the course. It’s an excellent addition to your toolkit but does not certify you as a touch practitioner or guarantee compliance for licensure.

Instructor

Suz Vera Burroughs

M.S., Ed.; BCMTB

With over a decade in touch work, Suz brings a grounded, expansive approach to bodywork and psychedelic care. As a board-certified massage therapist and continuing education provider, Suz specializes in Ketamine-Assisted Therapeutic Massage (KATM) and psychedelic integration bodywork—methods that honor the body as both a guide and storyteller in the psychedelic experience. At Unwind Oakland, Suz embraces the language of ethical, attuned touch to support clients on their journey toward deeper connection with themselves and others. She values inclusive, co-created experiences where joy is sacred, fear is companioned, and humor transforms. Her work is rooted in a deep personal commitment to knowing this terrain and walking alongside others as they explore, restore, and integrate the wisdom of their embodied experience. As an educator, Suz combines three decades of experience in transformational learning with her nuanced understanding of touch in altered states. Her courses offer practitioners tools to expand their capacity for care—grounded in ethics, cultural sensitivity, and collaboration. Suz’s teaching reflects her belief that care should be relational, inclusive, and adaptable to the unique needs of each individual. At the heart of Suz’s practice is an invitation: to explore what it means to fully inhabit your body—changed, yet whole.

Get Instant Access

Navigate and integrate psychedelic experiences with the Psychedelic Mindbody Integration Coloring Book. Understand how to use somatic awareness to navigate and integrate psychedelic experiences. Learn how to use journaling to process and take action on insights and emotions. Use even if you're straight edge and sober to enhance your healing journey.