The NMCF Credential: A New Paradigm in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
The NMCF credential (Natural Medicine Clinical Facilitator) is a license to practice Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy within a strict regulatory framework that is issued to professionals meeting certain standards within the State of Colorado. Distribution of these licenses began in early February 2025 and will continue on an ongoing basis for eligible applicants. Though this is not the first time psilocybin facilitation has been licensed in the United States, there are unique and historical facets to the NMCF license.
Oregon was the first state to officially license psilocybin facilitators, but the regulations there prevent the simultaneous practice of psychotherapy and psilocybin facilitation. Practitioners in Oregon are not permitted to formally provide therapy services AND psilocybin facilitation services at the same time. Even professionals licensed as both mental health or medical practitioners and psilocybin facilitators can not formally treat diagnosis with psilocybin within the Oregon. If you are a licensed therapist and a facilitator living in Oregon, you must take off your therapy hat when facilitating. Doctors and therapist licensed to facilitate in Oregon must refrain from diagnosing, treating, or engaging in other activities that could be construed as medical or mental health practice while facilitating. Functionally, they are split into two roles. This creates some notable challenges.
The Colorado Psilocybin program addresses the schism found in Oregon’s regulations by providing professionals the opportunity to integrate psilocybin into their existing clinical practice through the Natural Medicine Clinical Facilitator (NMCF) license. It allows licensed therapists, medical professionals, and other qualified practitioners to provide psilocybin-assisted therapy as part of their broader clinical work. It’s an approach that aligns more closely with traditional models of integrative medicine, in which psychedelic therapies are incorporated into existing treatment modalities rather than being siloed into a separate category of care.
The ability to combine facilitation with clinical expertise represents an important and historical advancement for both practitioners and participants. For individuals seeking psilocybin-assisted therapy for conditions such as PTSD, depression, and end-of-life anxiety, the presence of a trained mental health or medical professional who can assess, diagnose, and provide ongoing therapeutic support ensures a more comprehensive treatment experience. Rather than experiencing a disconnect between facilitation and therapeutic care, participants benefit from a continuous and integrated model of support.
To qualify for an NMCF license, applicants must meet rigorous educational and experiential criteria. In addition to holding a professional license in a qualifying field—such as psychology, psychiatry, social work, counseling, nursing, or medicine— NMCF candidates must complete a state-approved facilitator training program. This includes coursework on psilocybin pharmacology, ethics, harm reduction, and trauma-informed care. Furthermore, applicants must demonstrate competency through supervised practice hours and consultation, ensuring that they have hands-on experience in facilitating sessions within a clinical framework.
Though the regulation of clinical and non-clinical psilocybin facilitators has been an imperfect process, with claims of corporate manipulation of the legislative process, the introduction of the NMCF license represents a significant step towards an ethical and transparent psychedelic practice landscape. The integration of natural medicine within existing healthcare structures provides a level of training, oversight, and accountability that is the direct answer to some of the harms encountered in the underground space previously. Ensuring that facilitators adhere to professional standards, engage in continuing education, and remain accountable to both clients and licensing boards will undoubtedly increase the quality and efficacy of psilocybin work for those seeking it.
It has taken a long time for State of Colorado, and the country as a whole, to get to this point. Years of advocacy, research, and community building laid the foundation for this policy and yet we are facing another beginning. The skillful integration of psilocybin-assisted therapy into our current culture and clinical practice will require careful navigation of a multiple factors. There are historical and cultural contexts to consider. Transpersonal philosophical foundations to lay. Modalities to integrate and create. The future of this credential will be an exercise in the continued refinement of what it means to be an ethical and anti-oppressive Psychedelic-Assisted therapist.