Biography

Brian D. Richards, Psy.D., completed a Master’s degree in Existential-Phenomenological Psychology at Duquesne University, a Psy.D. at the University of Denver School for Professional Psychology, and a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit (now the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research), where he contributed to some of the original research administering psilocybin with cancer patients and healthy normal adults. Formerly a Clinical Director with MedOptions, he now cares for cancer patients at Maryland Oncology Hematology, The Aquilino Cancer Center, and with Gladstone Psychiatry and Wellness, multisite practice delivering KAP through insurance. Dr. Richards has worked on varied clinical trials with LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA, and was a Lead Psychologist on a simultaneous group administration high-dose psilocybin trial with cancer patients at the Bill Richards Center for Healing in Rockville, Maryland. Dr. Richards is a teacher and mentor at CIIS and serves on the Advisory Boards of field innovators AURA-CE and Sabba. He is a Subject Matter Expert on Psilocybin with the Board of Psychedelic Medicine and Therapies, and has worked with BrainFutures on Coding and Reimbursement for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy. Dr. Richards’ clinical and research interests include meaning-centered psychotherapy, mystical experience, brain science-based approaches to vibrant health and wellness, and working with treatment refractory patients. He finds joy and meaning practicing yoga, gourmet cooking, working in nature, growing medicinal mushrooms, and caring for the natural world.