Where the Stage Meets the Ceremony: Dr. Courtni Hale as Speaker, Educator & Presenter
From psychedelic conferences in New Mexico and Colorado to healing centers on the Delaware coast and Long Island, Dr. Courtni StarHeart Hale, Ph.D. brings the same rigor, depth, and lived experience to the stage that she brings to the ceremonial lodge.
There is a particular kind of educator who does not simply teach a subject — they have lived it, survived it, and returned with something worth saying. Dr. Courtni StarHeart Hale, Ph.D. is that kind of educator. For over two decades she has stood at the intersection of indigenous wisdom, neuroscience, trauma recovery, and plant medicine — and she has been bringing that intersection to audiences across the country.
Whether she is presenting at a psychedelic policy conference, leading a masterclass series at a coastal healing center, or speaking to a room of veterans and first responders, Dr. Courtni's approach is the same: grounded, evidence-informed, and unapologetically rooted in lineage.
Psychedelic Conferences
PsyCon NM & PsyCon Colorado: Applicant, Speaker & Presenter
PsyCon — the Psychedelic Science Conference series — represents one of the most significant gathering points for researchers, clinicians, facilitators, and policymakers working at the frontier of psychedelic medicine. Dr. Courtni has applied to present and speak at both the New Mexico and Colorado editions, bringing her unique perspective as a Ph.D.-trained researcher, indigenous lineage holder, and active facilitator.
Her presentations address the gap that most psychedelic conferences leave open: the space between clinical protocol and ceremonial wisdom. What does it mean to hold space for altered states when your training comes not only from a university but from 25 years of apprenticeship under a traditional elder? What does nervous system regulation look like when it is informed by both HeartMath biofeedback and indigenous breath practice?
These are the questions Dr. Courtni brings to the stage — and to the policy conversations that will shape the next decade of psychedelic access in the United States.
Delaware Coast
Healtree, Rehoboth Beach, DE — Masterclass Series Presenter
At Healtree in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Dr. Courtni has served as a featured presenter in the center's masterclass series — bringing her curriculum on plant medicine, nervous system healing, and consciousness to the mid-Atlantic wellness community.
These sessions draw professionals, healers, veterans, and seekers from across Delaware, Maryland, and the greater DC corridor — many of whom are encountering plant medicine education for the first time in a setting that honors both science and ceremony.
New York
Long Island Healing Arts & Learning Center — and Beyond
Dr. Courtni has presented at the Long Island Healing Arts and Learning Center and multiple healing centers across Long Island, New York — communities that have long been hungry for grounded, lineage-rooted education on plant medicine and consciousness.
Her New York presentations have reached practitioners, therapists, coaches, and community members navigating the rapidly shifting landscape of psychedelic therapy — offering context, caution, and a framework for discernment that goes beyond the headlines.
Herbalism
Trained in the Wise Woman Tradition with Susun Weed
Long before plant medicine became a cultural conversation, Dr. Courtni was studying the intelligence of plants themselves. Her training with master herbalist Susun Weed in the Wise Woman tradition gave her a foundational understanding of plant medicine that extends far beyond ceremony — into the daily rhythms of nourishment, seasonal healing, and the body's relationship with the natural world.
This herbal foundation informs everything she teaches — from preparation protocols before ceremony to integration practices afterward. Plants are not tools. They are teachers. That distinction shapes every presentation she gives.
Areas of Expertise
What Dr. Courtni Speaks On
Dr. Courtni's speaking topics span the full arc of her training and practice:
- Psychedelics & Altered States of ConsciousnessThe science, the ceremony, and the ethics of working with non-ordinary states — including ayahuasca, psilocybin, and Kambo.
- Nervous System Healing & RegulationHow trauma lives in the body, how plant medicine interacts with the autonomic nervous system, and what integration actually requires.
- Indigenous Global StudiesThe cultural and spiritual frameworks that have held plant medicine for thousands of years — and why they matter for modern practice.
- Herbalism with Susun WeedTrained in the Wise Woman tradition under master herbalist Susun Weed, Dr. Courtni brings a deep understanding of plant intelligence, seasonal medicine, and the body's innate healing capacity.
- Psychedelic Facilitator Training & EthicsWhat it actually takes to hold space safely — scope of practice, preparation, integration, and the difference between a trained facilitator and a well-intentioned guide.
- Right to Try & Plant Medicine PolicyThe evolving legal landscape in New Mexico, Colorado, Oregon, and at the federal level — and what it means for patients, practitioners, and communities.
Bringing This Work to Your Stage
If you are organizing a conference, healing center series, retreat, or community event and are looking for a presenter who can speak to psychedelics, plant medicine, nervous system healing, indigenous wisdom, or facilitator ethics with both academic rigor and lived experience — Dr. Courtni is available for speaking engagements.
She brings the same preparation to the stage that she brings to the ceremonial lodge: thorough, intentional, and deeply rooted in what actually helps people heal.
The field needs educators who have done the work. Not just read about it.
Invite Dr. Courtni to Speak
For speaking inquiries, conference applications, and masterclass bookings — reach out directly.