More Than Medicine
New York City, New York | Film Feature
Documentary
Four therapists—including a police officer—are betting their careers on psychedelic medicine, training by taking the drugs themselves and fighting to make them accessible for all, even as the legacy of the Drug War continues to undermine the science.
More Than Medicine
New York City, New York | Film Feature
Documentary
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
2 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$1,100
Goal: $35,000 for post-production
Four therapists—including a police officer—are betting their careers on psychedelic medicine, training by taking the drugs themselves and fighting to make them accessible for all, even as the legacy of the Drug War continues to undermine the science.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Four brave trailblazers navigate the precarious road to becoming the first licensed psychedelic-assisted therapists in America. Over seven years, they undergo dramatic transformations as they experience the drugs themselves and learn to sit for clients. Even as the last vestiges of the Drug War continue to undermine the science, these pioneers confront legal, social, and personal challenges, risking everything to unlock the hopeful potential of psychedelics for their clients.
Every 11 minutes, someone in America dies by suicide. Millions more are struggling with trauma, depression, anxiety, and addiction without finding relief from existing treatments.
Research into psychedelic-assisted therapy has produced promising results for people with treatment-resistant conditions, offering new hope where few options remain.
Yet these therapies remain widely misunderstood, inaccessible, and surrounded by stigma.
In 2024, the FDA declined to approve MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, highlighting the complex questions surrounding the future of psychedelic-assisted therapy. The decision underscored the need for continued research, thoughtful dialogue, and a deeper understanding of these emerging treatments.
More Than Medicine aims to bridge that gap through human stories, following the therapists, researchers, and communities at the center of this movement. By sharing their experiences, the film aims to inspire informed conversations that can make change.
"We've never had so many people who need help. The numbers every year are just going up—suicide, alcoholism, depression, anxiety, PTSD. We're going to need more therapists, and we're going to need more effective therapies."
Our film follows four therapists on the front lines of change:
- A Boston police officer fighting first-responder suicide
- A Portland facilitator building a psilocybin center with indigenous roots
- An Oakland ketamine therapist confronting drug war legacies
- A Texas therapist with a disability whose life is transformed after ayahuasca
Their stories reveal what psychedelic therapy looks like in real lives, with real caregivers, in real communities, right now.
Your support won't just help us finish post-production, it will help launch More Than Medicine’s impact campaign to bring it to the communities and decision-makers shaping the future of mental healthcare:
- Medical and nursing students, social workers and community health experts who will determine how emerging treatments are understood and integrated into care
- First responders and law enforcement professionals searching for better options to address trauma
- Policymakers and legislators making decisions that will determine how these therapies are regulated and who can access them
Through screenings and expert-led discussions, we hope to replace fear with understanding and create space for a more informed conversation about the future of mental healthcare.
“We want to demystify psychedelic therapy so that the people who need it most can access it." - Kerthy Fix, Filmmaker
"The more people that are aware of it, the better chance we’ll have to change the laws around them." - Paul Kloss, Filmmaker
The remaining budget to complete post-production, prepare the film for distribution, and support outreach efforts is approximately $275,000. We are pursuing additional funding through grants, partnerships, and industry support. This crowdfunding campaign is a critical piece of that effort, helping us cross the finish line and begin the next phase of the film’s journey.
Our crowdfunding goal is $35,000
- Sound Mix ($12,000): A complete 5.1 audio mix, including dialogue editing, sound design, and final sound mastering.
- Color Correction ($12,000): A professional color grade to ensure every frame reflects the emotion and importance of these stories.
- Impact Outreach ($11,000): Supporting screenings, conversations, and outreach efforts with healthcare professionals, first responders, policymakers, and communities to foster informed dialogue about the future of mental healthcare.
We must hit 80% of our goal to get the green light and receive ANY of the funds raised.
Stretch Goals
- $42,000: DCP mastering, poster printing, social media ads
- $48,000: Hiring a booking agent
- $54,000: Expand community and legislative outreach
Every contribution helps us finish the film, expand its reach, and ensure these stories reach the audiences who need them most. Beyond financial support, it would mean a lot if you could support us in other ways:
1. Follow the Campaign
Following our Seed&Spark campaign helps build momentum and keeps you updated as we move toward completion and screen the film near you!
2. Stay Connected
Follow along as More Than Medicine moves toward completion and release. Get BTS footage, filmmaker updates, screening announcements, and opportunities to be part of the conversation.
- Follow us on social media (@morethanmedicine_doc)
- Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | YouTube
- Subscribe to our email updates
3. Share the Campaign
Share this with friends, family, healthcare professionals, first responders, advocates, or anyone interested in the future of mental healthcare.
A simple share can introduce this story to someone who needs to hear it.
Not sure what to say? Feel free to use one of these:
- @Morethanmedicine_doc follows the therapists on the front lines of psychedelic-assisted therapy and explores what’s at stake for the future of mental healthcare. Check it out and help bring this important story to audiences everywhere: seedandspark.com/fund/more-than-medicine
- I’m proud to support @Morethanmedicine_doc, a documentary exploring the people, science, and conversations shaping the future of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Follow along and learn more on seedandspark.com/fund/more-than-medicine
- Treating anxiety, depression, PTSD, and addiction sometimes requires more than medicine. Discover @Morethanmedicine_doc, a documentary exploring the evolving field of psychedelic-assisted therapy and the people working to expand options for those who have run out of hope: seedandspark.com/fund/more-than-medicine
Thank you for your support. Together, we can get these conversations to the people who need them most so we can help shape the future of mental healthcare.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Impact Outreach
Costs $11,000
Screenings with decision-makers to foster informed dialogue about the future of mental healthcare.
Sound Mix
Costs $12,000
A complete 5.1 audio mix, including dialogue editing, sound design, and final sound mastering.
Color Correction
Costs $12,000
A professional color grade so every frame looks its best on screen.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Kerthy Fix
Director
Kerthy Fix is a New York–based director and producer of documentary and nonfiction film. She directed WHO TOOK THE BOMP? LE TIGRE ON TOUR (Oscilloscope), which premiered at SXSW and MoMA, and STRANGE POWERS: STEPHIN MERRITT AND THE MAGNETIC FIELDS, winner of Best Documentary at Outfest. Her latest feature, MORE THAN MEDICINE: THE RISE OF PSYCHEDELIC THERAPY — a four-person ensemble documentary shot across five states over eight years — follows the emergence of psychedelic-assisted therapy and premieres in Fall 2026. Fix has also produced acclaimed feature docs including A SMALL GOOD THING (Kino Lorber) and FLYING: CONFESSIONS OF A FREE WOMAN (Sundance Channel/BBC/ARTE), and has spent more than a decade field- and story-producing nonfiction series for MTV, Discovery, National Geographic, and TLC, where she's known for building trust with cast members and shaping story around sensitive, deeply human subjects.
Paul Kloss
Director
Paul Edward Kloss is a veteran Director of Photography and Camera Operator known for bringing compelling visual narratives to life across film and television. With credits ranging from high-profile true crime re-creations and travel/food series to narrative shorts and music videos, he has shot for major networks including ABC, Investigation Discovery, Bravo, BBC, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and The Travel Channel. A collaborative filmmaker, Paul also directs, produces, and edits independent feature documentaries, including MORE THAN MEDICINE: THE RISE OF PSYCHEDELIC THERAPY, STRANGE POWERS: STEPHIN MERRITT AND THE MAGNETIC FIELDS, and WHO TOOK THE BOMP? LE TIGRE ON TOUR.
Katrina De Vera
Editor
Katrina De Vera is a documentary editor who was born and raised in South Texas to Filipino immigrant parents. Her passion for editing stems from a penchant for collaboration and a deep curiosity for exploring the human condition. She edited WHO WE BECOME, a coming-of-age documentary following the lives of three young Filipino Americans living through the height of the pandemic. The film is distributed by Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY Releasing and is currently streaming on Netflix.
She also edited the intimate political portrait A RUN FOR MORE which broadcast on PBS as part of the Reel South Series. Other work includes the short film BRING THEM HOME, which was supported by the Pulitzer Center and released by The Washington Post. Katrina is a 2022 Karen Schmeer Editing Fellow. She is drawn to character-driven narratives, and will always have a soft spot for stories that feel close to home. Katrina is currently based in the Bay Area.
George O'Donnell
Editor
George O'Donnell is an award-winning documentary film editor with over two decades of experience editing historical and verité feature documentaries, series, and shorts. His recent work includes editing BABY DOE (2025, Impact Partners), a feature documentary directed by Jessica Earnshaw set to premiere in competition at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival. He recently edited the short film IT’S OK (2024, The New Yorker) directed by Oscar nominated filmmaker, David France. He edited JACINTA (2021, Hulu/ABC), which won the Tribeca Film Festival's Best New Director Award. George's extensive career includes editing for PBS’s AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, as well as FRONTLINE, POV, and INDEPENDENT LENS. He’s worked with renowned directors like Ken Burns and Rachel Dretzin contributing to award-winning projects like JACKIE ROBINSON, KINSEY, and THE JEWISH AMERICANS. He also directed, edited and produced, COLLEGE BOYS LIVE, which won the Emerging Talent Award at OUTFEST 2009. George is a graduate of Bard College and resides in both Germantown and Brooklyn, New York.
Alex Bayer
Editor
Alex Bayer, ACE is a New York based documentary editor and director. His work has been nominated for multiple Primetime Emmy Awards, including one win for Best Documentary Series (100-Foot Wave, Season 3) along with nominations for the HPA Awards and ACE Eddie Awards. Other works have been shortlisted for the Academy Awards, Official Selections for the Sundance, DOCNYC and Tribeca Film Festivals. Alex is also a performer and composer of music, with several of his pieces being featured in his films. He has an insatiable love for history, an irreverent sense of humor, two cats and a dog.
Toby Shimin
Consulting Editor
Editor Toby Shimin began her film career as a sound editor and switched to picture editing when she cut THE CHILDREN’S STOREFRONT, which was nominated for an Academy Award.
Since then, she has edited numerous films that have premiered at Sundance, including, Peabody Award winning HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO, A LEAP OF FAITH, MARTHA & ETHEL, MISS AMERICA, and EVERYTHING’S COOL. Her Sundance Audience Award winning films include, OUT OF THE PAST, THIS IS HOME, which was also nominated for an Emmy award in editing, and BUCK, which was short-listed for an Academy Award.
She has served as an advisor for the Edit and Story labs at Sundance, Chicken & Egg, and the Saul Zaentz Story Lab and is on the advisory boards of Full Frame and The Jacob Burns Film Center.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Four brave trailblazers navigate the precarious road to becoming the first licensed psychedelic-assisted therapists in America. Over seven years, they undergo dramatic transformations as they experience the drugs themselves and learn to sit for clients. Even as the last vestiges of the Drug War continue to undermine the science, these pioneers confront legal, social, and personal challenges, risking everything to unlock the hopeful potential of psychedelics for their clients.
Every 11 minutes, someone in America dies by suicide. Millions more are struggling with trauma, depression, anxiety, and addiction without finding relief from existing treatments.
Research into psychedelic-assisted therapy has produced promising results for people with treatment-resistant conditions, offering new hope where few options remain.
Yet these therapies remain widely misunderstood, inaccessible, and surrounded by stigma.
In 2024, the FDA declined to approve MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, highlighting the complex questions surrounding the future of psychedelic-assisted therapy. The decision underscored the need for continued research, thoughtful dialogue, and a deeper understanding of these emerging treatments.
More Than Medicine aims to bridge that gap through human stories, following the therapists, researchers, and communities at the center of this movement. By sharing their experiences, the film aims to inspire informed conversations that can make change.
"We've never had so many people who need help. The numbers every year are just going up—suicide, alcoholism, depression, anxiety, PTSD. We're going to need more therapists, and we're going to need more effective therapies."
Our film follows four therapists on the front lines of change:
- A Boston police officer fighting first-responder suicide
- A Portland facilitator building a psilocybin center with indigenous roots
- An Oakland ketamine therapist confronting drug war legacies
- A Texas therapist with a disability whose life is transformed after ayahuasca
Their stories reveal what psychedelic therapy looks like in real lives, with real caregivers, in real communities, right now.
Your support won't just help us finish post-production, it will help launch More Than Medicine’s impact campaign to bring it to the communities and decision-makers shaping the future of mental healthcare:
- Medical and nursing students, social workers and community health experts who will determine how emerging treatments are understood and integrated into care
- First responders and law enforcement professionals searching for better options to address trauma
- Policymakers and legislators making decisions that will determine how these therapies are regulated and who can access them
Through screenings and expert-led discussions, we hope to replace fear with understanding and create space for a more informed conversation about the future of mental healthcare.
“We want to demystify psychedelic therapy so that the people who need it most can access it." - Kerthy Fix, Filmmaker
"The more people that are aware of it, the better chance we’ll have to change the laws around them." - Paul Kloss, Filmmaker
The remaining budget to complete post-production, prepare the film for distribution, and support outreach efforts is approximately $275,000. We are pursuing additional funding through grants, partnerships, and industry support. This crowdfunding campaign is a critical piece of that effort, helping us cross the finish line and begin the next phase of the film’s journey.
Our crowdfunding goal is $35,000
- Sound Mix ($12,000): A complete 5.1 audio mix, including dialogue editing, sound design, and final sound mastering.
- Color Correction ($12,000): A professional color grade to ensure every frame reflects the emotion and importance of these stories.
- Impact Outreach ($11,000): Supporting screenings, conversations, and outreach efforts with healthcare professionals, first responders, policymakers, and communities to foster informed dialogue about the future of mental healthcare.
We must hit 80% of our goal to get the green light and receive ANY of the funds raised.
Stretch Goals
- $42,000: DCP mastering, poster printing, social media ads
- $48,000: Hiring a booking agent
- $54,000: Expand community and legislative outreach
Every contribution helps us finish the film, expand its reach, and ensure these stories reach the audiences who need them most. Beyond financial support, it would mean a lot if you could support us in other ways:
1. Follow the Campaign
Following our Seed&Spark campaign helps build momentum and keeps you updated as we move toward completion and screen the film near you!
2. Stay Connected
Follow along as More Than Medicine moves toward completion and release. Get BTS footage, filmmaker updates, screening announcements, and opportunities to be part of the conversation.
- Follow us on social media (@morethanmedicine_doc)
- Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | YouTube
- Subscribe to our email updates
3. Share the Campaign
Share this with friends, family, healthcare professionals, first responders, advocates, or anyone interested in the future of mental healthcare.
A simple share can introduce this story to someone who needs to hear it.
Not sure what to say? Feel free to use one of these:
- @Morethanmedicine_doc follows the therapists on the front lines of psychedelic-assisted therapy and explores what’s at stake for the future of mental healthcare. Check it out and help bring this important story to audiences everywhere: seedandspark.com/fund/more-than-medicine
- I’m proud to support @Morethanmedicine_doc, a documentary exploring the people, science, and conversations shaping the future of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Follow along and learn more on seedandspark.com/fund/more-than-medicine
- Treating anxiety, depression, PTSD, and addiction sometimes requires more than medicine. Discover @Morethanmedicine_doc, a documentary exploring the evolving field of psychedelic-assisted therapy and the people working to expand options for those who have run out of hope: seedandspark.com/fund/more-than-medicine
Thank you for your support. Together, we can get these conversations to the people who need them most so we can help shape the future of mental healthcare.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Impact Outreach
Costs $11,000
Screenings with decision-makers to foster informed dialogue about the future of mental healthcare.
Sound Mix
Costs $12,000
A complete 5.1 audio mix, including dialogue editing, sound design, and final sound mastering.
Color Correction
Costs $12,000
A professional color grade so every frame looks its best on screen.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Kerthy Fix
Director
Kerthy Fix is a New York–based director and producer of documentary and nonfiction film. She directed WHO TOOK THE BOMP? LE TIGRE ON TOUR (Oscilloscope), which premiered at SXSW and MoMA, and STRANGE POWERS: STEPHIN MERRITT AND THE MAGNETIC FIELDS, winner of Best Documentary at Outfest. Her latest feature, MORE THAN MEDICINE: THE RISE OF PSYCHEDELIC THERAPY — a four-person ensemble documentary shot across five states over eight years — follows the emergence of psychedelic-assisted therapy and premieres in Fall 2026. Fix has also produced acclaimed feature docs including A SMALL GOOD THING (Kino Lorber) and FLYING: CONFESSIONS OF A FREE WOMAN (Sundance Channel/BBC/ARTE), and has spent more than a decade field- and story-producing nonfiction series for MTV, Discovery, National Geographic, and TLC, where she's known for building trust with cast members and shaping story around sensitive, deeply human subjects.
Paul Kloss
Director
Paul Edward Kloss is a veteran Director of Photography and Camera Operator known for bringing compelling visual narratives to life across film and television. With credits ranging from high-profile true crime re-creations and travel/food series to narrative shorts and music videos, he has shot for major networks including ABC, Investigation Discovery, Bravo, BBC, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and The Travel Channel. A collaborative filmmaker, Paul also directs, produces, and edits independent feature documentaries, including MORE THAN MEDICINE: THE RISE OF PSYCHEDELIC THERAPY, STRANGE POWERS: STEPHIN MERRITT AND THE MAGNETIC FIELDS, and WHO TOOK THE BOMP? LE TIGRE ON TOUR.
Katrina De Vera
Editor
Katrina De Vera is a documentary editor who was born and raised in South Texas to Filipino immigrant parents. Her passion for editing stems from a penchant for collaboration and a deep curiosity for exploring the human condition. She edited WHO WE BECOME, a coming-of-age documentary following the lives of three young Filipino Americans living through the height of the pandemic. The film is distributed by Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY Releasing and is currently streaming on Netflix.
She also edited the intimate political portrait A RUN FOR MORE which broadcast on PBS as part of the Reel South Series. Other work includes the short film BRING THEM HOME, which was supported by the Pulitzer Center and released by The Washington Post. Katrina is a 2022 Karen Schmeer Editing Fellow. She is drawn to character-driven narratives, and will always have a soft spot for stories that feel close to home. Katrina is currently based in the Bay Area.
George O'Donnell
Editor
George O'Donnell is an award-winning documentary film editor with over two decades of experience editing historical and verité feature documentaries, series, and shorts. His recent work includes editing BABY DOE (2025, Impact Partners), a feature documentary directed by Jessica Earnshaw set to premiere in competition at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival. He recently edited the short film IT’S OK (2024, The New Yorker) directed by Oscar nominated filmmaker, David France. He edited JACINTA (2021, Hulu/ABC), which won the Tribeca Film Festival's Best New Director Award. George's extensive career includes editing for PBS’s AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, as well as FRONTLINE, POV, and INDEPENDENT LENS. He’s worked with renowned directors like Ken Burns and Rachel Dretzin contributing to award-winning projects like JACKIE ROBINSON, KINSEY, and THE JEWISH AMERICANS. He also directed, edited and produced, COLLEGE BOYS LIVE, which won the Emerging Talent Award at OUTFEST 2009. George is a graduate of Bard College and resides in both Germantown and Brooklyn, New York.
Alex Bayer
Editor
Alex Bayer, ACE is a New York based documentary editor and director. His work has been nominated for multiple Primetime Emmy Awards, including one win for Best Documentary Series (100-Foot Wave, Season 3) along with nominations for the HPA Awards and ACE Eddie Awards. Other works have been shortlisted for the Academy Awards, Official Selections for the Sundance, DOCNYC and Tribeca Film Festivals. Alex is also a performer and composer of music, with several of his pieces being featured in his films. He has an insatiable love for history, an irreverent sense of humor, two cats and a dog.
Toby Shimin
Consulting Editor
Editor Toby Shimin began her film career as a sound editor and switched to picture editing when she cut THE CHILDREN’S STOREFRONT, which was nominated for an Academy Award.
Since then, she has edited numerous films that have premiered at Sundance, including, Peabody Award winning HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO, A LEAP OF FAITH, MARTHA & ETHEL, MISS AMERICA, and EVERYTHING’S COOL. Her Sundance Audience Award winning films include, OUT OF THE PAST, THIS IS HOME, which was also nominated for an Emmy award in editing, and BUCK, which was short-listed for an Academy Award.
She has served as an advisor for the Edit and Story labs at Sundance, Chicken & Egg, and the Saul Zaentz Story Lab and is on the advisory boards of Full Frame and The Jacob Burns Film Center.