Katherine MacLean

Katherine MacLean is a neuroscientist with expertise in studying the effects of mindfulness meditation and psychedelics on cognitive performance, emotional well-being, spirituality, and brain function. As a postdoctoral research fellow and faculty member at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, she conducted clinical trials of psilocybin and other psychedelic compounds. Her groundbreaking research on psilocybin and personality change suggests that psychedelic medicines can enhance openness to new experiences and promote mental health and emotional well-being throughout one's lifespan.

Dr. MacLean co-founded and directed the Psychedelic Education and Continuing Care Program in 2015, the first center for psychedelic education and training in New York, where she led training workshops and monthly integration groups focused on increasing awareness and reducing risks of psychedelic use. She has helped to bring medical and humanitarian aid to remote Himalayan villages, as well as create sanctuary spaces for psychedelic support at large outdoor festivals. She was featured in the New Yorker article entitled “The Trip Treatment" by Michael Pollan and delivered a TEDx Talk. "Midnight Water," a story of grief and redemption, is her first book.

She completed her BA in psychology and neuroscience at Dartmouth College and her PhD in research psychology at the University of California, Davis.