Cort Curtis, Ph.D.

Cort Curtis, PhD, is a clinical psychologist in Laguna Niguel, in Orange County, California, whose practice is called Present Centered Therapy. He sees individuals, couples and families in person and remotely, and has offered psychedelic retreats and integration since 2008.

Approach

Curtis has 45 years of experience in community mental health centres, hospitals and drug abuse clinics, with adults, teenagers and children. He trained in Gestalt therapy, neuro-linguistic programming and Rational Emotive Therapy, and has consulted for the County of Orange on its children’s behavioural health programmes. His work centres on present emotions and on letting go of the beliefs that keep a person stuck, within a time frame agreed early on. He has formal training in guiding psychedelic experiences, and has run six-hour individual retreats and small group retreats, alongside coaching and education on plant-based substances.

Who it is for

He works with people of all ages on anxiety and stress, depression and grief, parenting, behaviour and attention problems in young people, sexuality, addictions to drugs, alcohol or food, and relationship difficulties. His retreat work has served clients facing grief, end-of-life issues, PTSD, depression and anxiety.

Practical details

An initial 55-minute assessment costs $215, as does a standard 55-minute session, and a 45-minute session is $160. Since January 2023 he has opted out of contract rates with Aetna, Blue Cross and Cigna, though he still bills them. Individual retreats have been priced at $1,750 to $2,000, and small group retreats at $450 to $500. A free introductory consultation comes first.

Care and safety

Curtis is licensed as a psychologist in California (PSY12900). New clients complete an intake questionnaire, then a first appointment sets goals for the work. Before a retreat, preparation includes an online questionnaire, an intake appointment and education about different psychedelic medicines.