OUR TEAM
German Ascani, MD, MS, NMCF
Co-Founder & Co-Owner
German Ascani is a board-certified psychiatrist who works at the intersection of clinical care, professional education, supervision, and consultation within regulated and ethical frameworks in psychedelic medicine. Dr. Ascani serves as PRATI’s Medical/Psychiatric Director for foundational psychedelic-assisted therapy trainings and end-of-life psychedelic therapy trainings. He is a licensed natural medicine clinical facilitator under Colorado’s regulated Natural Medicine Program and is an experienced trainer and practicum supervisor. His mission as an educator centers on elevating and expanding the capacity of clinical professionals working in this emerging field, helping support and develop the clinical skill sets and systems-level readiness for ethical integration of psychedelic medicine into regulated healthcare settings.
Dr. Ascani has years of clinical and research experience using ketamine- and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. He has been an associate consultant for MAPS/Lykos and was a study therapist in Phase 3 FDA clinical trials for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. He has also participated in PRATI’s international Embracing the Sacred offerings as a trainer and holds deep reverence for Mazatec healing practices. Dr. Ascani brings a grounding presence characterized by humility, empathy, and humor, and practices that are rooted in whole-person care, supporting patients and practitioners in reconnecting with themselves, their work, and the deeper values that guide them.
Direct contact: germanascani@treehousesanctuary.com
Christine Pateros, MA, RN, NMF
Co-Founder & Co-Owner
Christine Pateros is a nurse, ecopsychologist, lineage carrier in the Andean Q’ero mystical tradition, Colorado-licensed Natural Medicine Facilitator (NMF), and co-owner of Treehouse Sanctuary. Her work weaves ethical practice, client safety, presence, an open heart, compassion, sacred space, and a reverent relationship with spirit and the natural world, rooted in the foundation of mycelial interconnection. She leads in roles directing spirit-led projects, educating clinical professionals, speaking, consulting, and supervising. Chris brings decades of clinical experience, contemplative practice, clinical research expertise, and earth-based wisdom into regulated psychedelic care. She has worked as a clinician in the healing arts since the 1980s and has provided psychedelic-assisted care since 2019. She is trained in ketamine-assisted therapy through the Ketamine Training Center, is MAPS/Lykos-trained in MDMA-assisted therapy, and holds a master’s degree in Ecopsychology from Naropa University.
Chris is a founding team member and Training Director of the Psychedelic Research and Training Institute (PRATI), where she leads the End-of-Life and Existential Distress Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Training and serves as Lead Trainer for ritual and ceremony in foundational psychedelic-assisted therapy programs.
Her work is grounded in ecocentric ritual, ceremony, and earth-honoring practices, with a deep calling to existential and end-of-life care. She guides individuals and groups in embodied conscious living and dying practices, earth-based rituals, and sacred art creation as pathways of remembering, returning, and embracing joyful aliveness.
Chris’ most precious gift in life is being the mother of two daughters—one who is living and thriving as a graphic designer, and one who lives in spirit. As a mother who has lost a child, Chris carries embodied wisdom of grief and loss as sacred medicine. She lives in Denver, Colorado, with regular time spent in Chicago and her ancestral home of Kythira, Greece.
Direct contact: christinepateros@treehousesanctuary.com
Stephanie Thomas, PharmD, NTP, CGP
Administrative Director
Dr. Stephanie Thomas, PharmD, NTP, CGP, is based in Fort Collins, Colorado and brings an integrative perspective shaped by her training in pharmacy, nutrition, and holistic perspectives. As a pharmacist, Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, and Certified Gut & Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) Practitioner, she has spent her career bridging clinical science with whole-person approaches to health, education, and healing. Her work reflects a respect for evidence-based medicine alongside an appreciation for the biological, psychological, and environmental factors that shape wellbeing.
She is the founder of Happy Gut Healthy Mind Nutrition, where she works with clients through nutrition coaching and education, helping them better understand the connections between gut health, mental health, metabolism, and overall vitality. In addition to one-on-one work, Stephanie creates and delivers educational presentations for community groups, organizations, and professional audiences, translating complex topics into accessible, practical insights. Her teaching emphasizes curiosity and the body’s innate healing capacity.
Alongside her private practice, Stephanie serves as the Director of Operations and Administration for the Psychedelic Research and Training Institute (PRATI). In this role, she supports the organizational and logistical foundations of the organization, helping ensure that events and training programs run smoothly. Across her professional roles, Stephanie brings a collaborative, detail-oriented approach and a strong commitment service.
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