Learn safe methods for getting the best psychological benefits from your journey with ayahuasca.


Taught by psychologist and long-term ayahuasca drinker Dr. Clancy Cavnar, this course provides a practical series of lessons for cultivating the benefits of drinking ayahuasca.

In this short course, you’ll learn about:

  • Important ayahuasca safety precautions
  • Techniques of preparation for drinking ayahuasca: including the significance of diet and intention
  • Common misunderstandings about the ayahuasca experience
  • Different styles and approaches to integrating ayahuasca experiences



"Psychologist Clancy Cavnar provides a comprehensive introduction to the potential challenges and risks involved in drinking ayahuasca and the psychological and spiritual benefits of this Amazonian brew. The course is practical, grounded in experience and research, and covers everything you need to know."

Rachel Harris, Ph.D, Author of the book: Listening to Ayahuasca: New Hope for Depression, Addiction, PTSD, and Anxiety


While the ayahuasca experience transcends words and exists at the core of the great mystery of life, there are certain insights and techniques that can help make the experience smoother and more beneficial. Dr. Clancy Cavnar demystifies the essentials of drinking ayahuasca by offering clear and insightful approaches for getting the best out of your ayahuasca journey.

The course begins by giving an overview of important safety precautions for drinking ayahuasca. This sets the foundation for learning about ways of cultivating the psychological, therapeutic and spiritual benefits of ayahuasca. 

You’ll learn about the importance of dieting and intention for preparing for drinking ayahuasca. You’ll also learn about what to expect during an ayahuasca session and also techniques for after the experience that will help enhance healing and psychological and spiritual growth. 

Some ayahuasca traditions say that if you are not integrating your ayahuasca experiences properly, then you are wasting them. For the final part of this course, Dr. Cavnar draws upon her 19 years’ as an ayahuasca drinker, along with her professional knowledge as a clinical psychologist and her personal insights as a visual artist. She teaches creative and practical ways of integrating and getting the best out of the journey with ayahuasca.

Course curriculum

  • 01
    Course Introduction
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    • Introduction
  • 02
    Ayahuasca Precautions and General Preparations
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    • The Risks of People with Bipolar and Psychosis
    • The Issue of Medication and Drug Combinations
    • Dietas and Dieting
    • General Benefits and Harms
    • The Importance of Intention
    • Common Misunderstandings
  • 03
    Psychological Benefits and Possible Challenges of Ayahuasca
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    • Antidepressant Effects on Mood
    • Transformation in Perceptions of Identity, Part 1.
    • Transformation in Perceptions of Identity, Part 2.
    • Possible Negative Outcomes of Ayahuasca Ingestion
  • 04
    The Ayahuasca Experience and The Importance of Integration
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    • The Initial Effects
    • Psychological Aspects of Visions and Purging, Part 1.
    • Psychological Aspects of Visions and Purging, Part 2.
    • Initial Integration
    • Styles of Integration
    • Enhancing Integration with Creativity
    • Long-Term Integration and Overall Benefit

Dr. Clancy Cavnar

Clancy Cavnar has a PsyD from John F. Kennedy University. She currently works as a clinical psychologist in San Francisco and is a research associate of the Nucleus for Interdisciplinary Studies of Psychoactives (NEIP). She is also an artist; her painting is inspired by 18 years in the Santo Daime ayahuasca tradition. She is author and co-author several research articles, and co-editor, with B. C. Labate, of five books: The Therapeutic Use of Ayahuasca (Springer, 2014);Prohibition, Religious Freedom, and Human Rights: Regulating Traditional Drug Use (Springer, 2014); Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond (Oxford University Press, 2014); and Peyote: History, Politics and Conservation (Praeger, 2016) and The World Ayahuasca Diaspora: Reinventions and Controversies (Routledge, 2016).
Dr. Clancy Cavnar

FAQs

  • Do I Need to Start the Courses at a Particular Time or Place?

    No, all Kahpi courses are online, and you can take them from any place where you have an internet connection. All the teachings are pre-recorded so you can watch them at any time that works for you. You can also enjoy all the lessons on your phone and tablet.

  • How Much Time Do I Need to Complete The Kahpi Courses?

    We currently have 12 Courses for you to browse and learn from. Each course consists of several hours of teachings that are split into many 10 minute lessons. You can navigate the course panel in an easy-to-use way and choose whichever lessons you wish.

  • Can I Buy Each Course Separately?

    The courses cannot be purchased individually. With a Kahpi membership, you'll get full access to all the Kahpi courses.

  • What Does the Kahpi Membership Include?

    The Kahpi Membership includes: 1. Full access to all the Kahpi courses 2. An exclusive monthly newsletter with information about new Kahpi articles, scientific and cultural studies, and more, 3. A copy of our E-Booklet, "The Kahpi Guide to Ayahuasca", and 4. Access to the Members-only discussion forums for each Kahpi course. There are two great options to become a member and receive all of the above: You can become a Monthly Member or a Lifetime Member.

  • What if I Find Technology Difficult to Use?

    It's very simple to browse and watch the Kahpi courses. Once you signup or login, you are taken directly to your courses and can simply choose which lessons to watch. If you ever have any questions, our team can assist you immediately.

  • Is it Safe to Pay By Credit Card Online?

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  • What Should I Do When I Complete My Learning?

    It's very simple to cancel your Monthly Membership at anytime you wish. Students of Lifetime Membership can easily revisit lessons in the future to help with integration and the longer path of ayahuasca.

  • Am I eligible for a refund?

    If you’re not 100% satisfied, we offer a 10-day money-back guarantee for purchasers of the Monthly Membership or Lifetime Membership, no questions asked.