Ethics as a Living Practice

The work of CSP ministers centers on supporting individuals in expanded and vulnerable states of consciousness. In these spaces, relationship becomes the primary medium of transformation—and therefore, ethics becomes the primary responsibility.

Relational Ethics—the art of being in aligned relationship—is the foundation of all meaningful human connection. When practiced well, it creates the conditions for trust, healing, and emergence. When neglected, it can lead to contraction, rupture, or harm.

To study ethics is to cultivate an open mind and heart, to engage in continual reflection, and to wrestle with the deepest questions. It is through that honest inquiry—sitting together in uncertainty and discovery—that we develop our own ethical compass, learning to navigate with external guidance and inner knowing.

At CSP, we understand ethics as:

  • A discipline of attunement and awareness
  • A commitment to right relationship with others, community, and Spirit
  • An ongoing process of reflection, humility, and growth

We study ethics by engaging in inquiry:

  • How do I hold power responsibly?
  • How do I remain in integrity in moments of ambiguity?
  • How do I repair when rupture occurs?

This work is especially critical in expanded states, where participants may be more open, suggestible, and sensitive and power dynamics are heightened.

We are proud to offer comprehensive relational ethics training specially designed for those working in expanded states of consciousness.

Ethics are embedded throughout the organization:

Training & Formation

  • Ethics is a core pillar of ministerial training
  • Students engage in ongoing reflection, dialogue, and supervision
  • Ethical development is treated as lifelong practice, not a one-time requirement

Code of Conduct

All ministers must review, sign, and uphold a formal Code of Conduct, which covers:

  • Boundaries
  • Consent
  • Confidentiality
  • Financial integrity
  • Use of influence

Ethics Committee & Coordinator 

Our Ethics Committee is an active body eight of ministers responsible for:

  • Reviewing concerns submitted by ministers and members
  • Supporting accountability and repair
  • Maintaining ethical standards across the community

They work in tandem with an ethics coordinator, who responds to ethical complaints.

Certificate in Relational Ethics for Expanded States

Relational Ethics: The Art of Aligned Relationship

This flagship program is designed for:

  • Entheogenic ministers
  • Psychedelic guides
  • Breathwork facilitators
  • Coaches and therapists
  • Anyone holding space for transformation

The program integrates:

  • Philosophy and spiritual ethics
  • Psychology and relational dynamics
  • Experiential practice and reflection
  • Community-based learning

Program Structure

The certificate is modular and flexible. Your ethics journey can begin with either an in person intensive or a live virtual semester-long course

  • Courses can be taken in any order
  • Students complete 4 courses (10 units total) to earn certification

Annual Course Cycle

  • ETHC 601 – Ethics and the Art of Aligned Relationships
    Spring Semester Course (Feb–May) — 3 units (Zoom) - Spring 2027

    •  A foundational survey of Western, post-modern, and indigenous ethical frameworks, building practical skills for navigating complex relational dynamics in entheogenic and transformational ministry.
  • ETHC 651 – Ethics and Embodied Ways of Knowing
    July Intensive (In-Person, Oakland, CA) — 2 units - July 2026

    • A four-day in-person intensive exploring embodied attunement, somatic ethics, and the wisdom of the more-than-human world as guides for right relationship in sacred space holding.
  • ETHC 652 – Ethics, Power, and Shadow
    January Intensive (In-Person, Oakland, CA) — 2 units - January 2027

    • An immersive in-person intensive examining the shadow dimensions of power in ministerial relationships, including the ethics of money, sexuality, dual roles, caste, and relational repair.
  • ETHC 602 – Advanced Relational Ethics: Creating Your Ethical Compass
    Fall Semester Course (Aug–Dec) — 3 units (Zoom) - Fall 2027

    • A graduate-level capstone seminar integrating phenomenology, integral systems theory, and eco-depth psychology into a personalized Ethical Compass for practice in a rapidly changing world.

*601 is a Pre-requisite for 602 

In-person intensives include immersive weekend experiences combined with Zoom sessions before and after.

Click here to view full course descriptions: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Um240tPCaWmjtK_aj3d7GndIyoXQc-y8/view?usp=sharing

Upcoming Opportunities

We are currently enrolling the July 2026 In-Person Intensive

Spring 2027 - 601 Semester (Zoom)

    • Ongoing relational ethics study
    • Biweekly sessions:

The entire Ethics calendar is published here.

Sign up to be notified when future semesters open for registration. 

Curriculum Overview

The program explores:

  • The Essential Structure of Relationship
  • Power Dynamics in Helping Relationships
  • Holding the Container of Emergence
  • Building Your Own Ethical Compass™
  • Attuning to the Field
  • Working with Archetypes (Confessor, Advisor, Caregiver, Companion)
  • Shadow Work in Relationship
  • Repair and Reconnection
  • Ethical Alignment as a Spiritual Practice

How to Participate

Option 1 — Full Certificate Path

Complete all 4 courses across the year to earn certification.

Option 2 — Individual Courses

Take any semester-long course as a standalone learning experience.

Option 3 — In-Person Intensives

Join July or January immersive weekends for concentrated learning and practice.

Tuition

  • Full certificate (10 Units) = $6000 total
  • 2 Unit In-person Intensives = $2000 per intensive.
  • 3 Unit Semester-long courses = $1800 per semester.

Credits may also count toward advanced seminary degrees.

We’re offering a special bundled two-intensive bundle!

Tuition discount for CSP ministers and ministry seminary students: July + January In-person Intensive bundle: Enroll in both for $3000 by July 1, 2026.

Instructor

Dr. Andi Chatburn

Dr. Andi Chatburn is a board-certified Palliative Care physician and Healthcare Ethics Consultant-Certified (HEC-C) who served for a decade, and was the Regional Senior Director for Ethics at Providence Health in Washington and Montana. In 2024, she transitioned to By The Bay Health in California, where she practices end of life care while continuing her work as a Spiritual Director and independent Bioethicist.

Dr. Chatburn earned both her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Master of Arts in Bioethics simultaneously at Kansas City University in 2010. She completed her Family Medicine residency at the University of Washington in Spokane in 2013, followed by a Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine at the University of Kansas in 2014.

Throughout her career at Providence, she chaired and led over a dozen ethics committees. She also developed and taught a comprehensive Ethics Curriculum Training Program covering seven specialized courses—from pediatric ethics to end-of-life care—reaching hundreds of healthcare professionals.

Her academic experience includes Clinical Instructor positions in Biomedical Ethics at Washington University's Elson S. Floyd School of Medicine and Pacific Northwest University School of Osteopathic Medicine. As a spiritual care provider and ordained minister, she combines spiritual wisdom with clinical excellence to address healthcare's most complex ethical challenges. Dr. Chatburn has provided compassionate care and education for chaplains serving hospitals across the Pacific Inland Northwest. She also served as a Spiritual Director for many healthcare executives, consulting on leadership formation using the Jesuit model.

Currently a second-year seminary student with the Congregation for Sacred Practices, she is completing her PhD in Philosophy at California Institute for Integral Studies, focusing on Ecology, Spirituality, and Religion. This unique combination brings unprecedented interdisciplinary depth to bioethics education and practice.

 

An Invitation

Ethics is not about perfection, it’s about staying present in relationship, taking responsibility for impact, learning to repair when things break, and cultivating an inner compass that can navigate complexity.

Reporting Ethical Concerns

If you have concerns about ethical conduct within CSP, contact our current Ethics Coordinator, Jodi Eilers: ethicscoordinator@sacredpractices.org

All concerns are handled with care and confidentiality.