Mollie M. Pleetanino, Psy.D.

Mollie Pleetanino, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist in Berkeley, California, who offers psychotherapy and psychedelic preparation and integration online. She sees adults in California, Oregon and the states that take part in PSYPACT, with a focus on mood disorders, trauma, relationships and substance use.

Approach

She earned an MA and, in 2018, a PsyD in clinical psychology at Pacific University, interned at the St. Louis VA and held two fellowships at UCSF, one clinical, in substance use and PTSD, and one in clinical research. She helped plan and run clinical psilocybin trials, facilitated sessions in a Usona Institute trial of psilocybin therapy for major depression, run with FDA approval, and trained with MAPS in MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. Her therapy draws on relational, cognitive-behavioural and mindfulness-based methods, along with acceptance and commitment therapy, EMDR, Internal Family Systems, dreamwork and the Enneagram, in which she completed a professional certification. Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is also on her list of approaches.

Who it is for

She works with adults on anxiety, depression, grief, life transitions, PTSD, relational concerns, substance use and existential or spiritual questions, with an emphasis on harm reduction. She offers psychedelic support when it serves a client’s safety and health goals.

Practical details

Therapy runs by phone or video, one to one or in groups. A first 20-minute phone call is free; the 60-minute intake costs $270 and a 50-minute session $220, with a few sliding-scale places. She is in network with Blue Cross NC and gives monthly statements for out-of-network claims. Cancelling takes 48 business hours’ notice.

Care and safety

She is licensed in California (31512), Oregon (3637) and North Carolina (6630). She states that she does not condone illicit drug use outside legal research or cultural ceremonies, and that she does not refer clients to sources of illicit substances.