Anne Metz, Ph.D.
Dr. Anne Metz is a seasoned clinician and counseling faculty member with advanced training in psychedelic therapy, holding licensure to practice in five states. She also hosts The Psychedelic Skeptic, where she brings a clear-eyed, research-driven perspective to the promises and limitations of psychedelic-assisted care, offering balanced guidance to those navigating mental health and addiction treatment.
Dr. Metz is also aleading voice in criminal justice reform. She earned her PhD from James Madison University and later completed a research fellowship at the University of Virginia School of Law. Her body of work bridges psychedelic therapy, drug policy transformation, and the decriminalization of mental health challenges. One of her landmark contributions involved interviewing 24 circuit court judges about sentencing and risk assessment — a qualitative legal study that broke new ground and ultimately reshaped how alternative sentencing is applied throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.
A dedicated lifelong learner, she regularly throws herself into new challenges to stay connected to the experience of being a beginner. In the past few years alone, she has relearned skiing, taken up pottery and tap dancing, and even learned how to produce a podcast, firmly believing that “being bad at something” can be an unexpected path to growth.
- Ph.D.: Counselor Education and Supervision, James Madison University
- MA/EdS: Clinical Mental Health Counseling, James Madison University
- B.A.: University of Virginia
- MAPS (now Lykos Therapeutics) MDMA-Therapy Education Training
- Fluence KAP Theory and Methods
- PsychAlchemy Soul Seed Psychedelic Therapy Training
- Psychedelic Healing and Therapy: From Theory to Practice
- Hendricks Institute Big Leap Coaching
- Evidence-based Approaches to Suicide Risk Assessment
- Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy Externship
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy


