Our Founder
Dr Rosalind Watts
Researcher, clinician, and founder of ACER Integration
Dr. Rosalind Watts spent years working at the edge of what modern psychology could offer. As lead therapist of the psilocybin for depression trial at Imperial College London, she witnessed something she had not seen in talk therapy: sudden, profound experiences of connectedness. Her research led to the Watts Connectedness Scale, measuring connection to self, to others, and to the world. But the trials ended before the longer story unfolded. When participants returned to their lives, that connectedness often faded.That observation became the foundation for everything that followed. Ros wanted to build the conditions where connectedness could be sustained longterm. ACER Integration was created to do exactly that: to provide an ongoing environment where the openness people have touched can be deepened, practiced, and lived.
Named one of the 50 Most Influential People in Psychedelics, Ros brings the same depth of care to her community that she brought to her clinical work. Her approach is grounded in psychological research and shaped by a deep belief that real change happens in relationship with others, with nature, and with oneself over time.
What Does ACER Mean to Ros?
Watch this video to hear more about why Ros started ACER and why a community like this is more important than ever.
Ros's Tree Teacher: The Rowan
Every tree in the Twelve Tree cycle that underpins ACER Integration carries its own wisdom. Ros's favourite is the Rowan, also known as Mountain Ash. The Rowan teaches that grief and love are two sides of the same coin — that our deepest suffering can become our most important offering, when we are held by enough support and care to allow that alchemy to happen. It is a teaching that runs through everything Ros does: the belief that being witnessed in what is hardest is often where something most alive begins to grow.
If you're curious about ACER and want to experience the work before committing, a discovery call is a good place to start. You'll have space to ask questions, hear more about how the program runs, and get a sense of whether this is the right next step for you..