Beyond Fear: Death, Dying, and Psychedelic Healing with Dr. Bill Richards

A day of learning and connection with leading voices in psychedelic research and palliative care.
About this Event

Beyond Fear: Death, Dying, and Psychedelic Healing with Dr. Bill Richards and Guests

A day of learning and connection with leading voices in psychedelic research and palliative care

TheraPsil is so excited to welcome Dr. Bill Richards back to Victoria for the second year in a row. Last year was extraordinary, and this year, with a deeper conversation and an even stronger panel, we believe it will be more meaningful still.

Join us for a day of connected presence, learning, and growing together. This is a space to deepen your understanding, expand your practice, and connect with a community of practitioners, researchers, and advocates who share your commitment to this work. Whether you are joining us for the first time or returning from last year, you belong here.

What can psychedelics teach us about dying well?

In this masterclass, Dr. Richards draws on more than six decades of experience at the forefront of psychedelic research to explore how these expanded states of consciousness can reduce the fear of death, deepen meaning, and offer profound insights into mortality. His work has shaped nearly every major development in the field, from the earliest clinical trials in the 1960s to the landmark Johns Hopkins studies that have transformed modern psychiatry. This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from the person who has lived this work longer than almost anyone.

Alongside Dr. Richards, the day features an extraordinary panel: Dr. Valorie Masuda and Dr. Fraser Black, two of Victoria's most respected palliative care physicians and Jagpaul Kaur Deol, psychedelic therapy researcher and clinical pharmacist. Together, they bring their clinical perspectives, lived experience, and deep expertise to a genuine dialogue about the future of care at the end of life. Dr. Keith Lowenstein, an integrative medicine physician and contemplative practice guide will also be supporting us with meditative practices to ground and support our nervous systems for a deep day of learning.

Event Details

📅 Date: Thursday, August 20, 2026

🕒 Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT

📍 Location: University Club, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC

🎫 Tickets: From $199 (TheraPsil Members) | $249 General Admission

Who Should Attend?

This day is for anyone who wants to think more deeply about death, healing, and the role psychedelics may play in both. You will leave with new clinical insights, a richer understanding of the research, and (we hope) meaningful connections with people who care about this work as much as you do.

• Clinicians, therapists, and healthcare professionals interested in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy
• Palliative care and end-of-life practitioners
• Graduate students in psychology, social work, counselling, or psychiatry
• Researchers and policy advocates working in the psychedelic space
• Anyone passionate about expanding access to safe, legal, and compassionate psychedelic therapy
  

Tickets

TheraPsil Members: $199

General Admission: $249

Limited seats available. Secure your spot today. https://therapsil.ca/events-bill-richards-victoria/

About TheraPsil

TheraPsil is establishing a trusted ecosystem of psychedelic healthcare to ensure safe and effective psilocybin and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. We envision a future where every Canadian has equitable and regulated access to psychedelic treatments.

Founded in 2019, TheraPsil began as a small group of healthcare providers and patients who believed that people suffering from treatment-resistant mental illness and end-of-life distress deserved better options. We fought, and continue to fight, for their right to access legal, compassionate psychedelic care. In doing so, we have become Canada's leading psychedelic organization, bringing together clinicians, researchers, patients, and advocates from across the country.

We are not just an advocacy organization. We train therapists and prescribers, support patients navigating the application process for legal psychedelic access, conduct research, and build the infrastructure for a healthcare system that treats the whole person. Every event we host, every training we deliver, and every patient we support is a step toward the future we believe in.

This masterclass is a reflection of who we are: a community that takes this work seriously, approaches it with humility and rigour, and shows up for one another. We are so glad you are part of it.

Learn more at therapsil.ca

Cancellation Policy

All ticket sales are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, you may transfer your ticket to another eligible participant. Please notify us at [email protected] at least 72 hours in advance if you wish to transfer your registration. By purchasing a ticket, you acknowledge and agree to this policy.

Agenda

🕑: 09:00 AM
Arrival & Welcome
🕑: 09:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Opening Meditation — Dr. Keith Lowenstein
🕑: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Lecture + Q&A — Dr. Bill Richards
🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Lunch Break
🕑: 01:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Moderated Panel Discussion + Q&A
🕑: 03:00 PM - 03:15 PM
Closing Meditation — Dr. Keith Lowenstein
🕑: 03:15 PM - 04:00 PM
Mingle & Connect