Ph.D. Candidate

Josi completed her Bachelor’s in Psychology at Leiden University in 2018 and her Research Master’s in Clinical Psychology (major) and Cognitive Neuroscience (minor) at the University of Amsterdam in 2020. She has a strong and persistent interest in the effects and mechanisms of psychedelic substances, especially for psychotherapeutic and harm reduction purposes. This interest led her to work as an intern, and then research assistant on several research projects involving psychedelics over the last years. These included investigating the effects of microdoses and large doses of psilocybin in lab and naturalistic settings in healthy individuals as well as the effects of MDMA-assisted therapy for therapists and transgender patients. She is also a board member of the Amsterdam Psychedelic Research Association. Under the supervision of Dr. Michiel van Elk, Josi’s research is focused on replicating previous findings and clarifying the psychological and neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the psychedelic-induced mystical experience, and potential subsequent therapeutic outcomes and adverse effects. Next to research, Josi provides therapy at the mental health organization Stichting 1nP.