Introducing the Mind Lumen Ethics Certification Program
The New Gold Standard for Ethics in Psychedelics Industry
Intention: Mind Lumen is a non-profit that focuses on education, policy advocacy, regenerative capitalism, and practical ethics. Our ethics research creates observable, measurable, auditable, and adjudication systems. The Ethics Reputations Score, SafeZone score, and Ethics Certification program comes out of our research and is administered and managed by Lumara (our PBC)
The Trust Gap in Psychedelic Care
Psychedelics acceptance is reaching headlines faster than the guard‑rails that keep seekers safe. Given the capitalistic extractive system all around us, ethics is easily compromised. Constant vigilance is required. There are many wonderful and ethical practitioners. Just a few can ruin the reputation of the entire industry and cause numerous setbacks. These will then deny care to the very people we want to help. We at Mind Lumen, want to elevate the most ethical people, organizations, and institutions so those seeking care know who to trust, and that trust is based on an ethically verifiable system. We use ethics as the core to establish that trust.
With stories of abuse in above and underground settings, our aim is to ensure that we have an ethical system that navigates seekers to the most ethical providers regardless of their operational jurisdictions — Clinics, in legalized or decriminalized jurisdictions, questionable online ketamine delivery companies, startups, underground facilitators, spiritual retreats, and AI wellness apps. Stories of boundary violations, unfounded claims, unsafe preparation, setting, and dosing remind us that the substance may be ancient and safe, but the marketplace is still the Wild West.
Regardless of whether one is seeking PAT or a healing journey, a seeker can choose a Clinic for Ketamine, a facilitator, a therapist, a coach or counselor, or a digital app, knowing who is operating ethically, is becoming more and more important. Even a facilitator who is choosing a training program, should be asking if the ethics program offered is certified or is ethics a checklist item?
When one is considering these profound experiences, you’re vulnerable—emotionally, psychologically, sometimes physically. You need more than a provider’s promises; you need reassurance that ethical safeguards are in place before, during, and after the session(s). Yet today there’s no easy way for a newcomer to know who has been independently vetted and what their ethics & reputation is.
As a non-profit organization, without provider conflicts of interest, Mind Lumen created the ethics certification seal program so we can sustain an ethical ecosystem that is seeker-first, independent, unbiased, and therefore TRUSTED within a potentially extractive capitalistic system.
Ethics within Capitalism: Legal ≠ Ethical
Mind Lumen researches (behavior, practice, governance, audit, adjudication - private by design and transparent) and creates ethical frameworks for practical observable, measurable, and auditable ethics. We ensure ethics is prominent within the capitalism context.
Ethics is on a continuum. It's important to realize that just because something is medicalized, legal, or de-criminalized doesn't mean that it is automatically "ethical" in a profit-driven capitalistic system. Behaviors can be criminal and still be highly ethical just as behaviors that are legal and medicalized can be highly unethical. The perspective one takes is the important factor.
Ethics and Capitalism can co-exist
Pilot Program Details
Modeled after B Lab’s B Corp: a little circle‑logo that tells shoppers, “this organization has passed a rigorous, third‑party check for social and environmental impact.” You don’t have to read the 200‑page audit—you just see the mark and know the company has done its homework.
The Ethics Certification Seal brings the same clarity to psychedelic & mental health care.
Similar to B Corp, but for Ethical Reputation in the Psychedelic industry. An independent third‑party observes, measures, ethical practices in business and care to check:
If one is unethical in business, can they really be ethical in care?
A Privacy-First Model
A certified seal, unique to each provider, and color coded per provider type can be provided privately (no name displayed) to a seeker when asked or displayed prominently on the website. It’s a digital passport without the personally identifiable information (PII) linked to it. Incorporates a privacy-first identity system that de-identifies and decentralizes identity that the individuals own and control. They can share only what is necessary rather than sharing the personal information each time. Example, one may need to prove they are over the age of 26 without sharing their drivers license or their birthdate - this is now very possible.
If the provider has the seal, they’ve met transparent, high‑ethical standards set by an independent organization with no financial stake in the care offering. The seal is also accompanied by a numerical Ethics Reputation Score.
What the Ethics Certification Seal Means?
Establishes TRUST Before First Contact
The First Filter
It’s a way to narrow down the list of potential people that seekers may want to contact. I wish I had this when I was searching. It took me 3 years to navigate and find the first facilitator. There are many wonderful facilitators and some not so ethical ones. As psychedelics becomes mainstream within our capitalistic system, ethics will become more and more important. This is one criteria used in our matching platform to connect seekers to ethical and reputable providers. There are a number of criteria besides their reputation score and certification but this acts as the initial filter.
Independent & Unbiased – Mind Lumen is a nonprofit and not a treatment provider. We don’t run clinics, sell medicine, or take referral fees.
Unique Color Coded Tamper-proof seals – Each seal shows who you are doing a business or transaction with, and how ethical they are and have been certified.
Annual Re‑Certification – Standards evolve; so must our evaluation criteria, and continually encourage members to improve their ethical practices. Providers renew yearly to stay current and accountable.
Instant Verification – Every badge carries a scannable mark that takes you to the provider’s status page—no personal details revealed unless the provider chooses to share them. Modern technology allows us to verify they are who they say they are without keeping any personally identifiable information.
Transparency for Seekers, Privacy for Providers & Seekers – Providers can prove their good standing without exposing sensitive personal data. We vet and certify as we have no provider conflicts of interest as we are not a provider. Many ethical providers exist so we elevate the most ethical ones for your peace of mind.
For Seekers
Does the individual, institution, or organization you seek have the Mind Lumen Ethics Certification Seal? Whether you’re preparing for your first ketamine session, exploring psilocybin integration coaching, or booking a retreat abroad, start with simple question:
“May I see your Mind Lumen Ethics Certification Seal?”
This simple question will reshape the landscape to ensure safer, ethical care within the entire mental health & psychedelics industry.
If the answer is yes—scan it, feel confident, and begin your journey.
If the answer is no—invite them to apply. Your voice is the leverage that elevates ethical care for everyone.
The traditional ratings and review systems are gamed and therefore aren’t sufficient for the mental health & well-being industry, particularly where psychedelics are concerned.
Benefits:
A quick first filter to establish a level of trust and safety before contact
Match you to practitioners based on your needs and ethics
Reduce risk and increase safety
I’m not choosing a restaurant, I’m entrusting my MIND to someone
Share What You Learn
Tell friends, support groups, or online forums about this program. Word of mouth launched B Corp before retailers cared; your voice can do the same for ethics-centered psychedelic care.
Reporting & Feedback System (coming soon)
We’ll be maintaining an anonymous feedback channel. If something feels off, let us know. Your report protects future seekers and ensures an ethical industry where inherent for-profit driven models can lead to extractive behaviors. We’ll provide a structured feedback system to capture ethics violations.
For Practitioners
The first 6 seal badges are now open for the pilot program. You can now join the community and apply for the pilot program
Ethics isn’t a cost center—it’s your strongest trust signal. Ethics is an acute issue in the mental health industry, particularly in psychedelics.
Let’s make our industry the most ethical in the world.
Benefits - Early adopters receive:
Free Pilot Program - limited*
Eligible for one certificate (e.g Clinic, Facilitator, Retreat, Therapist, Training, Digital AI or App)
First‑year network membership free (renewable annually)
Access to your Ethics Reputation Score & priority to our ethics advisory service
Access to our private network, used by seekers worldwide
Access to evolving best‑practice resources and a peer community committed to safer, ethical care
If you believe in putting people before profits, the certification seal turns that principle into a clear, recognizable promise. We only have the desire to elevate the most ethical and reputable providers. It’s in ours as well as your interest to have the safest ecosystem as possible.
*solo entrepreneurs, non-profits, PBC prioritized
Together, we can make ethics as essential as preparation, set, setting, and integration.
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Feedback
What do you think about the value of such a program? Please let us know in the comments about your choice. We value your feedback.