Nursing Pathways in Psychedelic Care

Diana G. Zamora RN, BSN, NCBC holds nursing, respiratory therapy, and environmental science degrees. She has over ten years of experience working in long-term acute facilities and ICUs and served as a member of the patient ethics board in Houston, Texas. She currently works with California Tribal communities. She has led several statewide educational campaigns for HIV/STD/HCV in Tribal communities and created and coordinated community health worker (CHW) and medical assistant (MA) healthcare training programs. Diana supports the professional development of healthcare staff working in Tribal organizations with coaching, strategic planning, and training guidance for working in community health. She is highly compassionate and empathic, a master communicator, and a passionate advocate for health equity. Diana holds board certification in integrated nurse coaching and is a graduate of the California Institute of Integral Studies in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies & Research program.

Kayla is a DNP prepared Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) who performs diagnostic psychiatric evaluations and follow ups to provide psychiatric medication management as well as ketamine assisted psychotherapy. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Sacramento State and then attended Dominican University of California to earn a second bachelor’s degree in nursing to be able to work as a psychiatric nurse. While working as an RN, Kayla found herself with a desire to be involved in more in-depth care with her clients and decided to go back to school to earn her master’s degree at UCSF to become a PMHNP. After starting as a nurse practitioner, Kayla was accepted into OHSU where she earned her DNP with a research project focus on bringing psychedelic assisted therapies to veterans with PTSD. She is dedicated to learning all she can about the space of healing and has knowledge in psychiatric medications, psychedelic medicine, herbalism, functional medicine, and other psychotherapeutic modalities. Kayla believes it is important to investigate all aspects of a person when formulating a treatment plan and utilizes active listening in her practice. She has been working in the mental health field for nearly 10 years with most of those years serving veterans with PTSD, SUDs, and homelessness in a residential treatment setting. In her spare time, Kayla enjoys visiting with her family and friends, camping, hiking, reading, and of course learning!