Dr. Shannon Dames
Health Professional Investigator, supported through the Michael Smith Health Research BC and Lotte and John Hecht Memorial Foundation. Developing research and education to advance psychedelic-assisted therapies in Canada within a Community of Practice framework. Shannon is also a Professor in the Faculty of Health and Human Services.
Research Activities
Dr. Dames is a scholar with internationally recognized expertise in resilience and psychedelic-assisted therapy research and education.
Shannon works across agencies and disciplines to develop collaborative service delivery, education and research programming that synthesizes, translates, and mobilizes knowledge in the area of psychedelic medicine.
Her research focusses on a three prong approach, spanning the development of research infrastructure that supports psychedelic service delivery and education development.
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Service Delivery: She founded Roots to Thrive, a first in Canada, an evidence informed resilience and community of practice program that imbeds psychedelic-assisted therapies.
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Education: Emerging from her research is Canada’s first university accredited Psychedelic-assisted Therapy Graduate Certificate program in Canada, beginning in the fall of 2022.
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Research: To support research and multiple ways of knowing as psychedelic-assisted therapies advance in Canada, Shannon is collaborating across cultures to spearhead the “The Naut sa mawt Institute of Psychedelic Medicine.” Naut sa mawt is a Coast Salish phrase and means, “working together, as one mind and spirit.” Defined by Elder Geraldine Manson.
The main objective of her innovative research is to promote resiliency and reconciliation by collaborating across cultures and silos by acknowledging multiple ways of knowing, and blending the best of western ways of knowing with Indigenous ways of knowing for the healing benefit of all.
Contact Information
Dr. Shannon Dames
Email: Shannon.Dames@viu.ca