Lisa Ritter, MA, LPC Co-Founder & Chief Clinical Officer
About Lisa
Lisa is a University of Oregon alum and licensed professional counselor with over twelve years of counseling experience. As a business owner of a private practice, Lisa is experienced in working with anxiety, depression, OCD, disordered eating, and trauma, and recognizes that psilocybin-assisted therapy is the next great opportunity for healing. Lisa implements her own integrative counseling approach, recognizing the importance of all domains of life (mental, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual) to one's personal well-being and evolution.
Lisa has spent most of her professional life in service to others, focusing on adding her voice to that of those most in need of being heard. Her work has included:
- 11+ years in non-profit organizations
- 6 years focus on LGBTQ+ community
- 5 years working in/with homeless shelters, serving unhoused and formerly unhoused families and individuals
- 5 years work with volunteers and donations programs
Her time and work continues to be dedicated to service of the underserved, including people and animals.
Jason Burdge, MNA - Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer
About Jason
Jason has over 17 years of non-profit leadership experience and has a Master's degree in Nonprofit Administration. His focus has been on increasing mental health services to underserved communities. Jason is an advocate for foster youth and military veterans to receive services that help them live full and productive lives.
He's changed legislature in Oregon to allow Equine Assisted Physical Therapy to be covered by OHP and hopes to take the same measurers to allow Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy (PAT) to be covered by insurance. Making PAT available to the masses.
Jason has personal experience in using psilocybin to overcome PTSD, depression, and anxiety. He believes using psilocybin with a trained mental health therapist can lead to breakthrough sessions thus allowing clinical clients to live productive lives.
L.J., Psychologist - Board Member
About LJ
LJ has more than 30 years of experience as a psychologist. Since 1997, they have been in private practice in the mid-west, working with individuals, couples and families. They counsels their clients in areas involving transitional life changes as well as helping those dealing with chronic conditions.
Before starting their own practice, they built an exceptional body of experience as a contract psychologist and therapist:
Yona Harrington - Board Member
About Yona
Yona Harrinton has over 25 years experience as a marketing, website design and social media business owner, contracting primarily with non-profit organizations. She is a light worker with first hand experience and knowledge of alternative health, healing, consciousness expansion and alternative lifestyles. She is connected to a large international spiritual community focused on spiritual ascension which includes the use of organic mind altering substances and how they can assist not only with spiritual growth but mental, emotional and physical healing. Yona is a writer and shares her journeys by sailboat and tiny trailer online.
David Moore - Board Member
About David
David is an Oregon State University alum with a Bachelor of Science in Management and a Minor in Finance. David works professionally as a project manager and has 5 years of non-profit experience helping underserved communities. Through his professional and non-profit work, David is skilled in event planning and execution, grant writing, organizational leadership, and financial literacy.
David is passionate about the potential that psilocybin brings to revolutionizing mental health therapy. He strongly believes that integrating psilocybin and mental health services is a critical step in addressing the country’s mental health crisis. David believes that everyone should have access to psilocybin to achieve their mental health goals, and that restricting accessibility to certain communities contradicts the philosophy of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
Joel Brierre - Board Member
About Joel
Joel Brierre is the Founder and CEO of the psychedelic wellness companies Kaivalya Kollectiv and Tandava Retreats, as well as co-founder of the 5-MeO-DMT education and training platform, F.I.V.E.. Joel has been a leader in the modern psychedelic movement, specifically in the realm of 5-MeO-DMT and the Bufo Alvarius toad, and has spent years helping to create safe and effective protocols around this molecule. With a passion for preparation and integration, Joel and his team are involved in everything from clinical research and trainings to experiential retreats in Mexico and Jamaica.
Paul Antico - Board Member
About Paul
Paul Antico provides Psychedelic Integration through Panimus Integration, based in Los Angeles. He is also the Managing Director of PsychedeLiA Integration, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016. He facilitates a regular integration circle on Dosage and Healing Trauma through PsychedeLiA Integration.
Paul is trained as a Certified Compassionate Inquiry Practitioner, Dr. Gabor Maté’s elegant and insightful approach to healing that fully supports plant medicine work. Paul is also trained as a Psychedelic Somatic Interactional Therapist, a powerful body centered trauma release modality from the Psychedelic Somatic Institute. He also provides Dr. Stephen Porges Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), a practical bottom-up approach to help people regulate their nervous system. Paul is also an advanced student of the powerful hands on Rosen Method Bodywork modality.
Appreciating the value therapists can bring to the psychedelic experience to help create and sustain the healing process, Paul supports the goals of PATA to inform and advocate for the use of Psychedelic Assisted Therapy, reduce the stigma of using psilocybin in general and as a therapeutic modality, and providing clinical resources and information to consumers and mental health therapists.
Multi-Phase Launch Plan
Phase I - 2021
- Launch PATA website and continue to add content
- Provide calendar of Oregon Psilocybin Services Board and committee meetings
- Fundraising and GoFundME campaign (ongoing)
- Begin receiving Therapist feedback on Oregon Psilocybin Services launch through MeetUp
Phase II - 2022
- Finalize PATA-US.org website
- Begin providing Harm Reduction MeetUp group sessions for independent clients
- Facilitate for therapists multi-session MeetUp groups to discuss PAT best practices
- Launch PAT directory of providing therapists
- Provide therapist feedback to Oregon Psilocybin Services Board
- Support other states in efforts to legalize PAT
Phase III - 2023
- Provide direct therapy sessions to underserved communities using scholarship funds
- Continue providing Harm Reduction Meetup Groups
- Offer CEU to PAT therapists
- Continue to support additional State efforts to legalize PAT
Download our Free Guidebook
Our in-depth guide on how a consumer can use PAT to help with their mental health needs regardless of their location.