Mark Bates, Ph.D.

Sunstone Therapist
Certificate of Psychedelic Therapies and Research (CIIS-CPTR) from the California Institute of Integral Studies Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Uniformed Services University B.S. in Economics from the United States Air Force Academy
I am a graduate of the Military Medical School’s Clinical and Health Psychology program with extensive experience in wellness, resilience, and stress-related issues. As a retired Air Force pilot and military psychologist, my active-duty military assignments included directing a clinical psychology residency program and leading an interdisciplinary mental health clinic. My psychology career has focused on whole-person healing, not just symptom reduction. I believe healing involves helping people strengthen their connections with what matters most and enhancing their well-being, relationships, resilience, and growth. My latest job with the military was overseeing the Psychological Health Promotion mission at the DoD Center of Excellence for Psychological Health. As part of this job, I co-authored the DoD’s first joint instruction on holistic health. I also oversaw multiple enterprise-wide initiatives to support stigma reduction, access, suicide prevention, resilience, and well-being. I chose to redirect my career in support of psychedelic-assisted therapy and research after seeing studies showing remarkable promise for unique healing and growth. I completed the Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research certificate program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), along with trainings for multiple psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies, including MDMA, psilocybin, LSD, 5MeO, and Ketamine. I have also participated in ethnobotany studies in Ecuador and Brazil. Currently, I am working with multiple psychedelic medicines as therapy for various treatment issues with individuals, dyads, and groups.
It has been humbling and transformative as a psychologist to witness the profound and uniquely tailored healing of patients who have undergone this treatment.

Role

I hold expertise from diverse psychedelic trials, varied modalities emphasizing trauma-informed care, and prior roles overseeing holistic programs. My deep applied knowledge spans therapy, training, and holistic well-being initiatives.

Inspiration

I believe that psychedelic therapy helps people heal core wounds and access their higher selves in unique ways. I embrace psychedelic-assisted therapy for whole-person healing and support people in connecting with their higher selves to access what is most important in their lives.

Therapeutic Lens

I come from a holistic, person-centered perspective that integrates trauma-informed, IFS parts, somatic-focused, meaning-centered, and attachment-based interventions. I am passionate about supporting and working with Veterans and their family members. In addition, I am very interested in how people in dyads and groups can help together.