Psychedelics Today

In this episode, Joe interviews Rick Doblin, Ph.D.: founder and president of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), and former board member at Lykos Therapeutics, MAPS' public benefit subsidiary. Doblin tells his side of the story: that the FDA's concerns with double blinding not working had been fully addressed ahead of time, that they had negotiated agreements that were no longer agreed to when new FDA employees came on board, that there was a lot of confusion from going back and forth with the FDA on how Phase 3 studies should be designed, and more. He believes that Lykos made a massive mistake in assuming that provable science was more important than public opinion, and that ignoring critics who were saying whatever they wanted caused them to lose control of the narrative – which clearly influenced the advisory committee. While Lykos figures out their next steps with the FDA, MAPS is focusing their attention on what they feel is most important in light of this ruling: better public education and drug policy. He talks about: How there's a bias at the FDA to be harsh: Does automatically saying no just make it look like you're being rigorous? The work of the Dutch government in researching MDMA, and Lykos' odd decision to not highlight any of it Massachusetts' Legalization and Regulation of Psychedelic Substances initiative, and the huge opportunity for progress at the local level Why federal agents at Burning Man work so hard to give tickets to attendees for smoking cannabis Why sharing stories of your positive experiences with psychedelics is so important and more! MAPS has announced that 2025's Psychedelic Science conference will be in Denver, June 16-20, and will have experiential opportunities before and after. For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Kyle interviews Gabriela Galindo: program coordinator of FLOWS (Foundations for Leaders Organizing for Water and Sustainability), an organization working towards social and environmental justice, ecosystem restoration, community building, and the preservation and protection of Indigenous medicines. She discusses her entry point to psychedelics and how she got involved with Colorado's Natural Medicine Health Act (Prop 122) when she saw a complete absence of Indigenous representation in the legislature. The narrative that we all have a right to healing and that these medicines belong to everyone is pretty common today, but Galindo argues that this is not fair: that each plant has its own history, and that each is protected by its own culture. Shouldn't the communities that have stewarded these medicines for centuries have a say in whether their medicine is going to be shared and legislated at the state level? Shouldn't they have the ability to consent to these new proposals? She talks about: Why she likes using 'movement' instead of 'renaissance' when discussing our psychedelic culture What we could learn from Indigenous people's harmony with nature as we face an ongoing climate crisis The balancing act of pleasing everyone: Would decriminalization be as supported if Indigenous communities wanted to keep some of these substances criminalized for the protection of their culture and their ecosystems? How psychedelic communities should evolve to include community work into their routines: What do local communities need and how can you help? The importance of knowing when to step aside and truly center a community voice and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Mareesa Stertz: lead of strategy/communications at the Global Psychedelic Society, co-founder of Lucid News, and filmmaker, currently finalizing her second feature film, "Confessions of a Psychonaut." She discusses her path to wanting to create the film: how she always felt like something was wrong with her but didn't know exactly how to start her healing path, how seven ayahuasca trips didn't give her the breakthrough experience she wanted, and how she realized over time that she didn't have a hidden moment of trauma to overcome, but rather, lots of "little t" trauma – something that a lot of us have, without necessarily knowing it. She saw the true power of people sharing their stories of becoming healthier, and has found that aligning our stories to the classic framework of the Hero's Journey and Carl Jung's concept of individuation is the perfect formula for self-awareness, growth, and finding more meaning in life. She talks about: How the Hero's Journey makes sense of the abyss, and how the abyss helps us to see how much we've been programmed Her formula for a good story: who you were before the event, the event, and how it changed you Her Sphinx project, where she aims to bring giant sphinxes (from "The NeverEnding Story") to Burning Man, as a way for people to determine if they are "worthy" Her "Talk Box" art installation, which involves strangers meeting in a confession booth to engage in meaningful conversations based on a wheel of questions The power of group coherence and how much stronger a healing container can become over time and more! Stertz is offering a course on finding where the Hero's Journey is in each of our lives: "Emerge: A Journey of Self-Authorship" begins on October 29. Click here for more info. For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Micah Stover: certified psychedelic somatic therapist and author of the upcoming book, Healing Psychedelics: Innovative Therapies for Trauma and Transformation; and Craig Heacock, MD: adolescent, adult, and addiction psychiatrist, and host of the Back from the Abyss podcast. Stover discusses the inspiration for the book: the ancestral voices she started hearing after she had children, being featured on Heacock's podcast and becoming fascinated with people's healing stories, and her move to Mexico, where she learned the beauty of a less complicated and more connected life. She learned that the village you surround yourself with is really the medicine, and that existing in the mysteries of life can be much more beneficial than trying to solve everything. Combining her Western training with more Indigenous perspectives, she wondered: Where do science and spirit meet? And how can they dance together? They discuss: Stover's early days of offering medicine journeys in Mexico, and how much leaning on elders from all backgrounds matters The importance of discernment in non-ordinary states: Is spiritual bypassing just the absence of discernment? How finding a village can be just connecting to the earth: How much of our trauma is from a "nature deficit disorder"? The power of transference and the relationship between therapists/facilitators and clients The idea that modern psychology has fallen short because we've sterilized love out of the room, and the challenge of bringing love back as part of a safe container and more! The book, which is laid out somewhat like a workbook (and which Heacock wrote the foreward to) comes out on November 4 and is available for pre-order now. For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, David interviews Glauber Assis, Ph.D.: research associate at the Interdisciplinary Group for Psychoactive Studies, director of the Psychedelic Parenthood community, Vital instructor, and leader of Jornadas de Kura, a plant medicine center in Brazil. He talks about growing up in Brazil in the shadows of colonialism, and how he felt his early experiences with ayahuasca and the Santo Daime church decolonized his mind, changing his relationship with himself and his family, and eventually leading him to start his own church: Céu da Divina Estrela. He believes that to truly know ourselves, we need to experience other cultures, and to truly see the commonalities between each other, we need to recognize just how different we all are. He feels that true growth is not found in the substance or experience, but in the relationships we have with others, and our ability to change. He discusses: -How ayahuasca becoming a global phenomenon is revitalizing traditions that may have otherwise been lost -His first travels to the U.S. and why we need to stop romanticizing other cultures -The power of live music in a ceremonial group setting -The birth of his third child in a car, and what psychedelic parenthood really means -The importance of understanding multiple different frameworks and being able to use them together and more! Bonus: This episode features the first live performance in PT podcast history – a song Assis wrote in the Santo Daime tradition. Click here to head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews award-winning novelist and screenwriter, Norman Ohler. Following in the footsteps of "Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich," his newest book, "Tripped: Nazi Germany, the CIA, and the Dawn of the Psychedelic Age," tells the story of how the Nazi's passion for methamphetamine turned into a curiosity about LSD, and how their experiments with trying to harness LSD as a truth drug eventually led to the CIA continuing their research under their MKUltra program. The book came about from trying to understand why LSD never became medicine – a question posed by his father, when discussing how LSD could help with his wife's progressing Alzheimer's symptoms. He discusses: His path to becoming a "gonzo historian" and how his early psychedelic research was inspired by a friend's discovery of methamphetamine tablets from the 40s Henry Beecher's LSD experiments with students at Harvard, and how researchers often didn't know they were contributing to MKUltra His recent appearances on The Joe Rogan Experience and Jesse Watters Primetime His mother's experience with microdosing LSD and why police showed up at his father's door with a warrant Why he believes psychedelics will be legalized in the U.S. in the next 10 years and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Kyle interviews Lana Pribic, M.Sc: host of the Modern Psychedelics podcast, certified professional life coach, and founder of Kanna Wellness. She talks about her early days of rave culture and MDMA, to exploring other substances, to where she is today: finding joy in the simple things in life, embracing recreational psychedelics, and continuously working on herself while understanding that psychedelic experiences are not the be-all, end-all medicine, and that taking space to integrate learned lessons is where the true potential lies. She recognizes that many of us set out to heal trauma or work on something specific, but often get caught in a "healing trap," where a victim energy ends up holding us back – and keeps us coming back. When is the healing done? When do these experiences become a habit or escape? What are we not integrating? She discusses: The "7 levels of energy" framework she uses with clients How she works with clients who return to unhealthy patterns after a big experience The judgment of the psychedelic space, both for people who stop using psychedelics and for people who return to the well perhaps too ofte Her relationship with her mother and how her mother's cancer treatment inspired her to create Kanna Wellnes How much of a factor acceptance is in finding joy in the mundane and more! Serving Canada (for now), Kannawellness.com just launched, and features kanna extract 8 times more potent than what is on the market today. If you're curious, use code PT10 at checkout for 10% off your order! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Ingmar Gorman, Ph.D.: clinical psychologist and co-founder and CEO of Fluence, a psychedelic education company. Gorman served as a co-principal investigator and study therapist on MAPS' Phase II and III clinical trials for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, and works with drug sponsors: training, developing the components for clinical trials, and designing therapy manuals. With his insider's perspective, he discusses the reasons why he believes the FDA rejected MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD: from ICER's 2.1 section of the report giving legitimacy to allegations they don't have the authority to research, to Lykos not being able to defend some accusations due to confidentiality, to the damage caused over time (which likely influenced the decision) from attacks against Lykos from dissenters. He discusses: How, despite abuse claims, the main allegations in the report were actually about the mishandling of data or influence of investigators on participants The complications of needing to follow study frameworks: Should your adverse experience be in the report if it happened outside the study window? How easily opposition can attack and demonize a faceless company, while forgetting the humanity of the people behind it Inner healing intelligence and the proposition that people have been indoctrinated into this concept by MAPS The need for journalists to research more and not just jump on a narrative and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Kyle interviews Beth Weinstein: spiritual business coach, host of the "Medicine For These Times" podcast, and founder of the Psychedelics, Sacred Medicines, Soul's Purpose & Business summit. She talks about a pattern she noticed of people working with psychedelics and seeing progress on what they set out to heal, but with a short-lived afterglow, as they remained in unfulfilling jobs without making any changes. She wondered: What if they applied the lessons they learned during their experience to their careers? What small steps could they start taking to either improve their current job, or find their true soul's purpose and carve out a new path? Weinstein's path has led her to combine practical business action plans with more spiritual and traditionally psychedelic modalities to help people grow in their careers and become their most authentic selves – especially if they're trying to enter into the psychedelic space. She discusses: The importance of making time to talk things out with a coach, integration circle, or friends – especially in a culture that only gets more distracting and chaotic every day The challenge of differentiating between guidance: Is it your soul's true purpose, or a trick of your ego? The weirdly taboo topic of money in psychedelics, and the delicate balance of aligning with charitable values while making a living The mystical aspects to how life can change with new energy: Maybe that layoff happened at the perfect time? The power of positivity and small steps toward change, and how working on something outside of work can transform how you show up at work and more! Weinstein's newest course begins early next year: The True Path Entrepreneur Group Business Coaching Mastermind Program, which is a 12-month live coaching course designed to reprogram limiting patterns and beliefs and help move people into alignment with their true path. Click here for more info and to apply. For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, David interviews Daniel Shankin: psychedelic integration coach, Vital instructor, and founder and director of Tam Integration. He talks about the underrated importance of integration circles, how he created Tam Integration out of a personal need for them, how simple it can be for people to create their own groups, and how open-ended newly formed groups can be. He also discusses his "fractal inquiry" coaching method, and how the best coaching involves simply asking questions that lead clients to their own realizations and wisdom. He is offering courses that teach both of these skills: a course called Creating Community Psychedelic Integration Circles, and the newly-launched, year-long Mt. Tam Psychedelic Integration Coaching Program, beginning in October. He discusses: The importance of learning how to focus on your breath, especially during a tough experience Hugging the Hindu spiritual leader, Amma (Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi), and the special energy that some people have The benefits of knowing when a mind path isn't worth exploring The difference between judgment and curiosity The weirdness of psychonauts, and how maybe getting a little weirder is what's needed for your healing and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Joanna Kempner, Ph.D.: associate professor in the Department of Sociology at Rutgers University and author of the recently released, Psychedelic Outlaws: The Movement Revolutionizing Modern Medicine. The book profiles the history and groundbreaking work of ClusterBusters, a nonprofit researching and spreading awareness about what someone named Flash discovered decades ago: that for some people, psilocybin and LSD could stop cluster headaches from coming on. Through early internet message board posts and email exchanges between Bob Wold, Rick Doblin, and others, Kempner pieced together their story. And through attending ClusterBusters meetings, she discovered that a lot of the true healing lies in the bonds formed and the hope people find when seeing something new work for a pain for which science has no answer. She discusses: The lack of political will behind something so debilitating: Why is there no funding for this? The importance of patient advocacy and the role of the internet in sharing novel information The difficulty in studying a disease so unpredictable: How do you run a randomized trial when you don't know when a cluster is going to happen? Why the headache community clashes with psychology Concerns over how to ethically combine underground and Indigenous knowledge with above-ground University research and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Kyle interviews Mustapha Khan: Emmy Award-winning director with over 100 film and television credits, who has worked with clients such as Coca-Cola and Honda, and celebrities ranging from Maya Angelou to Snoop Dogg. Khan is finalizing a film about Lenny and Elizabeth Gibson and their ongoing work at Dreamshadow – the people and community responsible for Joe and Kyle meeting and the creation of Psychedelics Today. He talks about meeting the Gibsons, being welcomed into their community (instead of his proposed "fly on the wall" role), how centered and happy he felt after his first breathwork session, and what he has learned through the process: that breathwork can be an incredibly healing modality, but the magic he has found has been more in the community surrounding it, and the responsibility (and honor) of being a sitter for someone else. He discusses: The first time his breathwork went psychedelic, and speaking with his recently deceased Mothe How he got into filmmaking and why he wants to tell stories about people like the Gibson The beauty of breathwork not having a dogma or doctrine attached to it The power in holding space for someone else, even if it's just being presen The importance of taking action that aligns with psychedelic ethos: What can you do to contribute to your community? and more! Khan is hoping to release the documentary, "Life and Breath," in October. In addition to a screening at Dreamshadow, PT will likely do a virtual one as well, so stay tuned for updates! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Danielle Nova: founder of Psychedelic Recovery, founding team member of Decriminalize Nature Oakland, and Executive Director of the San Francisco Psychedelic Society. As a recovering addict, Nova discusses how working with psychedelics helped her find her way to recovery, and how she's spreading that knowledge to others through her Psychedelic Recovery program, which focuses more on 'targeted abstinence,' instead of the total abstinence model of Psychedelics In Recovery (which works alongside AA's 12-step program). She believes that it's extremely important to reframe addiction as a life process or temporary state of consciousness (rather than a life sentence you can't escape), and that beating addiction is not about constantly being afraid of a relapse, but about evolving to a state of empowerment: that you can overcome it, and that actually, a horrific addiction may have saved you and brought you to where you're supposed to be. She discusses: The complications of Western medicine and the impact of conflicting medications that are nearly impossible to stop taking How self-regulation of tough emotions with outside stimuli (be it drugs, pornography, or even video games) trains people to rely on external forces rather than themselves How addicts end up programing themselves with 'addict consciousness,' and the power of changing one's mind state to view suffering as the fuel for a new purpose How, over time, we will likely start viewing microdosing as a regular dose, and the large doses we're used to will be seen as overdosing How being part of her ayahuasca experience (and having one himself) completely changed her father's perspective on drugs and addiction and more! She has co-created Microdosing Facilitator Training with Adam Bramlage of Flow State Micro: a first-of-its-kind 4-month program teaching clinicians, facilitators, and coaches about microdosing and how to safely guide others through the practice. The next cohort launches in January 2025. For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, David interviews Deanna Rogers: Registered Clinical Counselor and Vital instructor. She discusses how trauma grows in our bodies, and the importance of practitioners and facilitators becoming trauma-informed before working with clients. She stresses the need to create the right conditions for clients to be able to work with trauma – to bring compassion to the different parts of their self and build a relationship with the uncomfortable ones, to interrupt negative narratives, and to learn how to exist in a place where they can embrace their window of tolerance and explore discomfort in a safe way. What is the specific container and pace each client needs? How flexible is their nervous system to be able to work with these states? What can be done to bring out the empathetic witness in themselves? And most importantly, how can their sense of agency be improved so that they feel like they're fully in control of how deep things go? She discusses: Her early ayahuasca experiences, and her path toward working with others, including working with Gabor Maté and Peter Levine How psychedelics allow us to access our irrational, animal parts, and how this work is often a combination of sacred and messy The need for facilitators to have a basic understanding of the nervous system and fight or flight reactions Moving away from the idea of: "There's something wrong with me." What do these chronic narratives do to our bodies? Working with clients to build out the capacity of their nervous system first, before working with any trauma and more! Rogers is one of our Vital instructors, featured in one of Vital 4's new Specializations: Somatics & Trauma. This cohort begins on September 17, and the application deadline is next week, September 3, so apply today before it's too late! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Jean Lacy: Executive Director of the Illinois Psychedelic Society; and La Shawn K. Ford: 17-year member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 8th District. Together, they are working on the CURE (Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens) Act, which aims to decriminalize plant medicines and bring a state-regulated model for psychedelic use to Illinois. Similar to Oregon's model, but with hopefully a more cohesive ecosystem, it would include service centers, different license types, the removal of psilocybin and psilocin from the controlled substances list, and a percentage of taxes allocated to education of first responders and law enforcement. Guided by the mistakes of cannabis legalization, they're putting a lot of focus on accessibility – not just for consumers, but for people trying to get licenses and open businesses. What does equity and inclusion look like in a psychedelic service model? They discuss: The need to educate lawmakers about psychedelics and shine a light on the myths and lies of the Drug War The importance of understanding the process and doing the work when working with lawmakers: When it's done right, democracy can actually happen Why conversations about accessibility and certain provisions need to happen up front, as bills are being written The impact of bipartisan support, and how bipartisan psychedelics are starting to become The overwhelming support for the CURE Act that Rep. Ford has seen, from people of all walks of life and more! If you want to help, please sign their petition and/or make a donation. And if you want to help on a larger scale, get out there and have those conversations: Tell your story, and tell it to lawmakers. Your voice can make a bigger difference than you realize. For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, David interviews Rachelle Sampson, Ph.D.: researcher and founder of Blue Prism Coaching; and Bennet Zelner, Ph.D.: researcher, speaker, and creator of the Pollination Approach. They are both Vital instructors and Associate Professors at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland. Based on a passion for regenerative economics (how we might be able to apply patterns of nature to socioeconomic systems), they are co-leading the Connected Leadership Study, a research project tracking how psychedelic experiences can facilitate change in people in leadership positions. They believe that a shift from a mechanistic attunement to a more synergistic recognition of our interconnectedness should lead to new ways of thinking, resulting in more creative leaders with better decision-making and team-building skills, and corporate culture caring more about values, regenerative models, equity, and sustainability – all while still being successful. They wonder: Can psychedelic experiences create better leaders? Can capitalism become more conscious? They discuss: The structure of the study, what they learned in the first cohort, and why they track participants for a yea How change happens over time, and why they believe it to needs to happen from the bottom u The concept of emergence and emergent change illustrated by the shifts in movement of a flock of bird How synergistic attunement can be traced back to the cellular level The challenge of balancing the therapeutic aspect of psychedelics with the more corporate strategy/professional side and more! The study's next cohort begins in October, so if you're a business leader interested in being a participant, head to Leaders.study for more info. And if you'd like to learn more about these concepts, the new Regenerative Business and Leadership specialization path in this year's cohort of Vital digs deep into this world. And we've just extended the applications to Sept. 2, so you still have time to apply! For links, head to the show notes page.

As the psychedelic renaissance continues to spread throughout the West, we learn more about these substances and experiences every day. But are we losing the important ancestral teachings and Indigenous knowledge that got us here? In this episode, Kyle interviews Alonso Del Río: author, musician, filmmaker, founder of the Center for Healing and Consciousness Studies (Ayahuasca Ayllu), and facilitator with 45 years of experience largely under the framework of the Shipibo tradition. Together with translator, Francisco Rivarola, they have developed a course called "Ancestral Teachings for the Psychedelic Renaissance," which aims to be both an honoring of knowledge that has safeguarded these traditions, and a bridge between that wisdom and our Western frameworks, teaching ancestral traditions (largely Shipibo and Incan-Peruvian), the roles and function of dietas, the less talked-about dangers of brujeria (witchcraft), holistic frameworks for dealing with mystical experiences, and the connection between spirituality and responsibility towards nature. The course features 20 hours of Del Río's teachings (with subtitles) and is the first time they've been made available to the general public. He talks about: The importance of following guidelines when working with ayahuasca, and how Westerners often don't respect the rigor required to do it right The different types of healers in the Shipibo tradition, from good and bad to the "Ascended Master," who transcends physical limits and is incapable of causing harm The potential for ayahuasca to be weaponized, how often this happens, and the risks for Westerners who aren't aware How the consciousness level of a person can be related to the emotions that that person allows themselves to have How the expansion of consciousness is healing in itself and more! Ancestral Teachings for the Psychedelic Renaissance is a self-paced course that can be taken at any time, so if you're interested, take advantage of early bird pricing and check it out in the Psychedelic Education Center now! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode of VItal Psychedelic Conversations, Vital instructor, Diego Pinzon hosts his first podcast, interviewing Vital graduate and clinically-trained psychologist, "The Kinki Buddhist": Kate Amy. As Amy's interest in psychedelics grew, she began to see a clear intersection between psychedelic states and the non-ordinary states she'd reached through years of meditation practice, as well as lessons from Buddhism that could help in better understanding psychedelic journeys. She talks about the importance of really understanding what it is one is seeking when looking to have a psychedelic experience, and the significance of integration – no matter how long it takes. While she has tips that have worked for clients, she feels that the psychedelic space has a long way to go in establishing best practices for the most effective integration. She discusses: Why she uses the name, "The Kinki Buddhist" How she frames the psychedelic experience as taking an evolutionary substance (and/or receiving a software upgrade) The necessity of having a positive relationship with the self before a big trip The continuous process of patients and facilitators both engaging in shadow work, and ways of discovering our different hidden parts The rigidity many of us prescribe to certain healing frameworks, and how beneficial it can be to view strict rules as guidelines for exploration instead and of course, her experience with Vital! The deadline for submitting your application is next week, August 23, so make sure to get your application in today. For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Chris Koddermann interviews two members of the Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics at Mass General Hospital: founding director, author, and co-founder of three drug development companies, Dr. Jerry Rosenbaum; and psychiatrist and associate director and director of cognitive neuroscience, Sharmin Ghaznavi, MD, Ph.D. Rosenbaum and Ghaznavi bonded over an interest in rumination, and wondered: How could the plasticity-inducing effects of psychedelics change these negative loops people find themselves in? How important is the ability to break out of those loops – and learn new patterns – when our concept of self is so central to who we are? Ghaznavi is studying the effects of psilocybin on rumination and scanning patients at multiple times throughout the process to track data we still don't really have: how psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity changes over time, and why. They discuss: How much of a role the default mode network takes in the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics: Is it overblown? Hyperscanning, which involves scanning two individuals at the same time, looking for potential concordance in signal and/or an increased alliance between the therapist and patient The Schultes Legacy Project and the work of Stephen Haggarty to explore the potential of largely unstudied psychoactive plants Critiques of the recent ruling on Lykos and MDMA-assisted therapy and the clash between the FDA and the advisory committee: Were they really on the same page? The false dichotomy of neuroscience vs. patient experience: Does the subjective experience actually increase plasticity and other measurable benefits? and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, David interviews Tiffany Hurd: microdosing coach, speaker, business leadership advisor, and student in our current cohort of Vital. After 15 years in the corporate healthcare industry and several years on antidepressants, she started microdosing psilocybin and saw an immediate change in her life, tapering off antidepressants within a few months. She realized that she could blend her background in business development and strategy with microdosing, helping companies (and specifically company leadership) become more vulnerable, heart-centered, and innovative. She has found that the changes in people have (not surprisingly) led to improved employee mental health, better team relationships, and more open-mindedness and authenticity, and likely, a large reason for that is not the microdosing itself, but the increased attention to preparation and integration – two huge factors often not discussed with microdosing. She talks about: Why mentorship/coaching has not been seen as an integral part of a microdosing practice, and why it should be Her drive to normalize the use of low-dose psychedelics, especially in our Western 'go all in' culture The benefits of pairing microdosing with other healing modalities, and how microdosing can help you embrace more of them Why she signed up for vital and how she feels about the course half way through How she deals with the illegality of substances in the corporate world and more! Microdosing is one of the new specialization tracks featured in our next cohort of Vital, beginning September 16. If you want to know more, send us an email or attend one of the next Vital Q+As! For links, head to the show notes page.

The path of the psychedelic renaissance has largely touched on the aspects of therapy, personal growth, and initiation rites, but now, the relationship between psychedelics and creativity is being studied more and more. Can psychedelics really increase intellect, novelty, and problem solving? In this episode, Joe interviews Dr. Bruce Damer: astrobiologist with a long history of work at NASA, and now the president and co-founder of the Center for MINDS, a new nonprofit researching the best ways to improve creativity and problem solving. He talks about how we're losing our best creative minds to hyper-specialization, and while there is lots of research pointing to psychedelics as creativity-enhancers, we need to develop frameworks and protocols to be able to measure exactly how that works, and the best ways to encourage better results. The Center for MINDS is sponsoring research while running its own three year project studying creativity in a naturalistic setting, and aims to answer: How do we unlock more genius? What's the main driver for novel thinking? He discusses: His path to psychedelics, including his time with 'endo-tripping': training his mind to trip without any external substances The importance of adding 'set up' to set and setting, representing one's intentions and preparatory work up until that point The tale of his extraordinary ayahuasca experience where he journeyed together with Mama Ayahuasca all the way to the beginning of life on earth His theory on the real origin of life, and why the 'survival of the fittest' framework shouldn't be our North Star The absolute necessity of mentorship from elders and more! The steps the Center for MINDS will take in studying psychedelics and creativity will largely be steered by people's personal stories, so please share yours with them by filling out their survey. What has worked for you? What is your personal protocol? For links, head to the show notes page.

Jungian psychology takes a fascinating look at the relationship between the conscious and unconscious parts of our minds. How is this framework brought more to the forefront through psychedelics and an understanding of our many parts? In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, Johanna interviews Jung experts and Vital instructors: Maria Papaspyrou, psychotherapist and co-founder and director of the Institute of Psychedelic Therapy (IPT); and Dr. Ido Cohen, clinical psychologist and founder of The Integration Circle. They talk about the experiences that helped them first understand the concept of multiple different parts making up their being, and dive into what it is about psychedelics that allows us to discover and work with these different parts: how the protector parts of our psyche work overtime to keep parts away from us, and how psychedelics can dissolve them, leading to a better understanding of ourselves. How much of our persona is based on who we feel we're supposed to be? What shadow parts are stopping us from being our true selves? And what amazing parts of ourselves have yet to be discovered? They discuss: The idea of self as a unified entity: Does this concept make sense anymore? Risks in understanding how different parts work together, from justifying behaviors to inflating defensive structures The need to move away from solution-based to more process-focused frameworks, and the power in treating healing and growth as an ongoing process The rejection of the shadow and the archetypal (and impossible) wish to extinguish all suffering The large discrepancy between what people think being a psychedelic facilitator is vs. the reality and more! If you really want to dig into Jungian ideas, Jungian psychology is one of the new specialization tracks featured in the next cohort of Vital, beginning September 16. If you want to know more, send us an email or attend one of the next Vital Q+As. For links, head to the show notes page.

As many mushroom enthusiasts will attest: the more you learn about the fungal kingdom, the more you see how important mushrooms are to every ecosystem they're a part of – and how life-changing a relationship with them can be. In this episode, Joe interviews Jasper Degenaars: mycologist, educator, and the Hyphae Headmaster at Fungi Academy, offering retreats, communal living, and online courses to teach people how to grow mushrooms and form a deeper connection with them. Degenaars tells of his path to Guatemala and the Fungi Academy, from foraging to cultivation, to the impact psychedelic experiences have had on his life. He believes that mushrooms show up where people like to live; that they are integral to ecosystems, and that they are the masters of death and life – and of ego death and rebirth. The Fungi Academy has several several in-person events for which they just opened up registration, self-paced courses you can enroll in now, and their next Sacred Mycology Summit takes place Feb. 23 – 25, 2025. He discusses: The importance in studying the entire organism rather than just specific compounds The stoned ape theory and possible new evidence Why he prefers the term 'magic mushrooms' to the reductionist way of only talking about psilocybin The clash between clinical Western approaches and Indigenous tradition The Iron law of prohibition and how MDMA has gotten stronger and stronger His desire to move more into permaculture, including courses teaching it alongside the fundamentals of psychedelics: How can they work in tandem? and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

Psychedelics in palliative care has become an exciting new framework for people looking to ease anxiety and embrace spirituality, but the concept is not as simple as just providing a substance. In this episode, Joe interviews Livi Joy: Director of Health and Safety, Existential Palliative Ministry Lead Facilitator, and more at Sacred Garden Community (SGC). As she screens applicants for SGC (and Beckley Retreats), she talks a lot about the process and the safety measures that are absolutely necessary when using psychedelics in palliative care – especially under the framework of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Does the patient have at least one strong support person? Do they need to start or increase therapy? Does their home need to be rearranged due to possible fall risks? How will certain medications muffle their experience? Are they truly physically healthy enough to be able to handle a powerful journey? And also, is the sacrament always necessary? She discusses: How preparation questions for a journey are often in line with preparation for death Why it's important to provide these experiences for people far from the dying process itself What Sacred Garden's core tenant of faith that everyone can have a direct experience of the divine in this lifetime means to her Atheism and the complications that arise when discussing spirituality and consciousness: Who's really in charge? How psychedelics can help with understanding and preparing for death, but our culture is too death-phobic too embrace it and more! For links, head to the show notes page:

In this episode, Joe interviews Erica Rex, MA: award-winning journalist, past guest, thought leader on psychedelic medicine, and participant in one of the first clinical trials using psilocybin to treat cancer-related depression. She tells the story of her recent harrowing experience, brought on by 6 times the amount of Syrian rue that was recommended: from entities threatening her, to a sense of terror she was going to die, to finding her way out of it with time, and most importantly, context to process and a strong support system. She and Joe emphasize the reality that bad trips can happen at any time, with any dose, for any reason, and that – if you can make your way through the experience without being traumatized – you can learn a lot about yourself during those states. She discusses: Methods to help others having a bad experience Her skepticism about psychedelic therapy being in a medical context at all Her thoughts on the recent ICER recommendation against approving MDMA and the multiple topics not addressed Possible complications from MDMA use nobody talks about, from cytotoxic effects to even sudden-onset psychosis The pathologizing of anything outside the ordinary, to the point that we're trying to suppress natural human emotions and reactions and more! Rex's book, "The Heroine's Journey: A Woman's Quest for Sanity in the Psychedelic Age" will be published by She Writes Press in the spring of 2026. For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, Johanna interviews Monica Nieto: Vital graduate, psychedelic facilitator and integration coach, and founder of Holistic TherapeutiX, a retreat center offering cannabis and breathwork retreats; and Jordana Ma: past Vital instructor and psychological counselor who runs retreats in Peru following the Asháninkan tradition of traditional Amazonian medicine. They discuss their similar paths to psychedelics and healing, the power of plant dietas and fully immersing yourself into nature, and learning to hear your true teacher: the inner healer. They highlight how we've lost the connection to the ecological consciousness within our bodies, and how the plants – perhaps in a self-serving way – have become allies, trying to teach us to heal the web we're a part of and reconnect to nature and ourselves. They discuss: The importance of combining traditional perspectives and Western psychotherapy into a spiritual practice The similarities between yoga and traditional Amazonian medicine Singing as a somatic (and breathwork) practice How things are meant to work in synergy, and the problem with science trying to extract compounds rather than respecting the power of the whole plant Their role models who have inspired them and informed their work and more! The Vital Early Bird discount ($2000 off!) ends on July 22, so make sure to apply today! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Jon Reiss: critically acclaimed filmmaker, author, and host of the Plantscendence podcast, which tells people's psychedelic stories and is beginning its second season soon. He talks about his early days of directing Nine Inch Nails and Type O Negative videos, and how Plantscendence was born after he realized that the conversations he was having with people about their most transformative experiences were perfect for a podcast. He discusses his first psychedelic experience with ayahuasca, how microdosing is helping him today, and his realization that people can get to these big experiences in many different ways. He discusses: The two episodes of Plantscendence that stand out the most to him Using the term, 'plant medicine' His 30 years of meditation practice and how it likely helped him to integrate his first psychedelic experiences The concept of plant intelligence and how plants can stop you from being a "consciousness tourist" Kabbalah, Kashmir Shaivism, non-duality, and his Shaktipat experience and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, David interviews Sara Reed: Vital instructor, lecturer, and lead psychedelic research therapist at Imperial College London; and Alex H. Robinson: Vital student, integration coach and psilocybin facilitator for Heroic Hearts Project, and distinguished Army SOF combat Veteran with a decade of active duty service. Reed has worked with MAPS to make clinical trial populations more diverse and is creating culturally sensitive Clinical Research Forms for future research trials, and Robinson spearheaded her unit's Cultural Support Team program and contributed to policy changes to help place women into traditionally male-centric Special Operations roles. Representing marginalized groups themselves, they're both passionate about making psychedelic therapy more inclusive and representative of the general population, and getting more practitioners up to speed to be able to deliver culturally competent care. They discuss: The importance of having difficult conversations and calling out bad behavior The fallacy of zero-sum thinking: Doing something special for a smaller community doesn't take away from the main goal; it adds to it The benefit of being able to self-reflect and personalize content when most psychedelic education consists of one-sided lectures The challenge of getting people who don't feel represented to enroll in clinical trials, and how personal stories go a long way and more! For links, head to the show notes page. Vitalpsychedelictraining.com

In this episode, Joe and REMAP Therapeutics Founder, Court Wing, host Lynn Watkins: medically retired USAF JAG & Ops Resource Mgmt Specialist; and C.J. Spotswood, PMHNP: principle psychiatric clinician at REMAP Therapeutics, and author of The Microdosing Guidebook: A Step-by-Step Manual to Improve Your Physical and Mental Health through Psychedelic Medicine. Watkins tells her story of 20+ years of chronic pain: from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome brought on by a severed nerve to multiple foot surgeries, chest pains, cognitive issues, the inability to move her toes, burning mouth syndrome, and more, which unsurprisingly resulted in depression, anxiety, and being unable to work. Wing and Spotswood talk about their initial assessment, how they figured out how to work with her and her multitude of medications, and the incredible success they saw when combining practiced techniques, neuromodulation, and regular assessments with neuroplastic windows brought on by psilocybin. They discuss: How much preparation was done before introducing psychedelics, and the importance of realizing that they were dealing with PTSD How often a history of chronic pain is related to a history of trauma, whether the patient realizes it or not Consequences and complications of medications, specifically Clonazepam in Watkins' case The cascade of ailments and side effects that can happen from just one injury and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, David interviews Casey Paleos, MD: Vital instructor, researcher, psychiatrist with a private practice offering ketamine infusion therapy and KAP, and co-founder of Nautilus Sanctuary, a non-profit psychedelic research, education, and advocacy organization. Paleos talks about how stress creates trauma, and how the symptoms Western medicine tries to silence are actually signals – a quality assurance mechanism sending an alert that something is wrong, and that when symptoms are labeled as 'treatment-resistant,' is it actually a case of one's own inner healing intelligence outsmarting a medication to make sure that that message is delivered? He discusses: MAPS' recent advisory board ruling, past ethical violations, and how training should be done How consent in a therapeutic relationship is an ongoing process of checking in How psychedelic-assisted therapy (and maybe all therapy) is simply removing obstacles so one's own inner healing intelligence can do its job The importance of a culture (and training) that celebrates all therapeutic modalities as complementary: There's a lot of uniqueness in this world, so we should embrace that and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Kyle interviews Peter A. Levine, Ph.D.: developer of Somatic Experiencing®, educator, and author of several best-selling books on trauma. His most recent book, An Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Journey, is exactly that: a change from more scholarly writing into an extremely vulnerable telling of his early childhood trauma and how he has healed over the years. He talks about how his unconscious convinced him to write the book, how trauma can move into the body, and how he needed a student to identify how his trauma was affecting him. He believes that we all have wounding, but it's how we carry these wounds and tell our truth that matters. He discusses: The need to allow space for both Indigenous traditions and evidence-based Western frameworks The power of having even just one distinct moment of feeling cared for and loved How Colin Turnbull saw healing differently after living with an African tribe for three years Why he suggests 15-20 sober experiences with non-ordinary states for each drug experience Why not having a community or empathetic other makes us more vulnerable to trauma and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, Johanna interviews Erika Dyck: author, professor, historian, Vital instructor, and research chair in the History of Health & Social Justice at the University of Saskatchewan. Dyck talks about the book she co-edited: Women and Psychedelics: Uncovering Invisible Voices, which was released in March as a Chacruna anthology, and collects pieces from several different authors highlighting the untold or lesser known stories from women throughout psychedelic history. Albert Hofmann was the first person to intentionally ingest LSD, but who was the first woman to do so? Who were the women assisting in research or sitting with experiencers in the early days who never got the credit for their contributions? Who were the women supporting some of the biggest psychedelic names in history? She talks about: The contrast in societal attitudes towards psychedelic exploration based on stereotypical gender roles Some of her favorite stories from the book, including a woman diagnosed with manic depression becoming one of the first guides in LSD trials The use of psychedelics in pregnancy and birthing practices across other cultures Traditional gender attributes: Are women more wired to care for others? Is there something about the psychedelic experience that's inherently feminine? The importance of moving past the gender binary and implementing more diversity in research – with the challenge of needing to universalize medicine at the same time and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Lia Mix, LMFT, CPTR: founder and CEO of Delphi, a consulting firm dedicated to the healthy growth of the psychedelic movement. After many years of working in community mental health and 15 years in the commercial health insurance industry (where she helped to establish coverage for autism), Mix was one of the first graduates of CIIS's training program, and after a very distinct MDMA-assisted therapy session, she wondered: "How can I be of service?" She's since helped to launch The Board of Psychedelic Medicines and Therapies, the American Psychedelic Practitioners Association, and Enthea, and is working every day toward a more unified and uniform psychedelic space, with healthcare frameworks, official boards and certifications, consumer protections, and a general consensus that this is our responsibility to manage – not some outside regulator's. So how can we, as a scattered psychedelic community, come together? She discusses: Her path to psychedelics and how nobody was talking about how to bring psychedelics into healthcare The need for a unified code of ethics for any practitioner of psychedelic therapy The FDA, Lykos Therapeutics, and how the recent advisory committee's recommendations on MDMA-assisted psychotherapy were largely based on fear How there actually is a lot of financial possibility if we can all agree on what is absolutely essential right now and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, David interviews Kaitlin Roberson: Vital graduate and co-founder and CEO of Cacti Therapeutics, a psychedelic biotech company developing novel therapies for chronic pain; and Dr. Michele Cox, DO: current Vital student, veteran, physician, and co-founder of LifeBloom, a brand new company focusing on bringing community and connection into women's healthcare. They talk about their work: Roberson's research on trauma and chronic pain, and why she feels that working in the pharma industry is a calling; and Cox's framework as an osteopath, the value she's found in touch and connection, and how she explains to clients what to expect when undergoing ketamine treatment. They discuss: Why psychedelics are such useful interventions The body's ability to tell us what's wrong, as long we're listening The destabilization that can occur after a big experience: If you don't have a good support system, is it really the right time? Self-care and our tendency to never feel like we're good enough How there is energy in everything and we should all recognize that more And, as Vital students, they talk about what they hoped to get out of Vital and how it delivered more than expected. If you're just discovering Vital, be sure to check out the website and fill out an application. Secure your spot and take advantage of the Early Bird discount! For links, head to teh show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Dr. Amanda Holley: pharmacologist and regulatory consultant in nonclinical drug development, and previously a nonclinical pharmacology/toxicology reviewer at the FDA. With Lykos Therapeutics working towards FDA approval of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, ICER (Institute for Clinical and Economic Review) recently published its draft evidence report, concluding that they couldn't endorse this modality. While disappointing to the psychedelic space, this report doesn't determine the FDA's official stance, and also really highlights a lot about how the FDA works, the knowledge gap between consumers and regulators, and how clinical studies should be designed in the future. Holley talks about the FDA's dedication to safety and data, and how, essentially, drug development comes down to a risk/benefit analysis. She discusses: Misconceptions about the FDA, especially related to psychedelics The path of a substance in early drug development and how breakthrough status works The complications with blinding psychedelics, the placebo effect, and how much therapy is a factor The contrast between productization and harm reduction: Should we be concerned with creating products, or understanding these substances better? How changing one molecule really does create a different drug and much more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, Kyle interviews two Vital graduates: Alice Dommert: certified breathwork facilitator and co-founder of retreat company, The Infinite Center; and Kara Tremain, ACC: somatic practitioner and growth and development coach. A huge part of Vital is the experiential aspect of attending a retreat. Students report that being part of a group process, feeling the power of the proper set and setting, taking a journey as both a sitter and experiencer, and separating from the world and connecting with each other has been one of the best parts of the program – even life-changing. With Dommert behind 13 Vital retreats to date, she and Kyle dive into what they've learned in how to run a successful retreat. They discuss: Facilitator humility and how important it is for everyone to be on the same page How much additional activities can add to the experience (tea ceremonies, CrossFit, chanting, fireside chats) The importance of allowing enough time and space for everything, from personal time with facilitators to possible issues Co-creation and openness: What can facilitators and people coming to the retreat build together? How do we create the most meaningful time together? If you're interested in Vital, applications are now open with an Early Bird discount! And if you want to attend a Vital retreat, we have a few spots left in two: a transpersonal breathwork retreat in Pennsylvania, July 9-14, and a cannabis + breathwork retreat in Agoura Hills, CA in October. Head to the Infinite Center's website for details. For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Charles Stang: Professor of Early Christian Thought and the Director of the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. The Center was created to gain a better understanding of world religions by bringing scholars from their respective countries to study and live alongside Divinity School students. As students and Stang started to become interested in psychedelics, a zoom series, "Psychedelics and the Future of Religion," began, and the school just hosted their second conference, "Psychedelic Intersections: Cross Cultural Manifestations of the Sacred." Next year's Psychedelics and Spirituality conference will take place February 15, 2025. He discusses: Harvard's psychedelic history, and why it's important to not erase the past out of the interest of presumed legitimacy How people are consistently having extraordinary experiences with psychedelics, but not always with religion: Are people becoming less (or more) religious? The Immortality Key, the Eleusinian mysteries, and psychedelic enthusiasts' need to connect Christianity with psychedelics Psychedelics and other mystery religions, like Hermeticism and Mithraism Why religion is important to so many people, and how it helps us understand the "more-than-human" and much more. For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode – the first in the 2024 series of Vital Psychedelic Conversations – David interviews Pierre Bouchard, LPC: Vital instructor and lead trainer for the Congregation for Sacred Practices; and Kara Tremain, ACC: recent Vital graduate-turned-instructor, somatic practitioner, and growth and development coach. In this series, we pair up a Vital instructor with a current or previous student as a way of showcasing different (and aligned) perspectives on what they feel is most vital for the psychedelic space to be discussing, while also highlighting their experiences with Vital, our 12-month training program. The next cohort begins September 17 and we're accepting applications now. As they are both are passionate about somatic work, they discuss: The power of somatics in showing people how much our bodies and nervous systems matter, and how our thoughts are often not the main driver How ketamine or MDMA can help with somatic work How somatic sound can be, through music for journeys, sound bowls, or tuning forks: Can just the right frequency create magic? How somatic work is not solely about resolving trauma, but also about learning to conduct energy and use one's body as a tuning apparatus and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Kyle interviews Alex Belser, Ph.D. and Bill Brennan, Ph.D.: psychologists, psychedelic researchers, authors, and co-creators of the EMBARK model, a framework for psychedelic therapy. When Belser and Brennan worked together at Cybin, they canvassed the field of psychedelic research and saw very little reporting (if any) of the manuals researchers were using, so they created the EMBARK model as a "big tent" framework – a way to understand what patients were going through from the perspective of six different clinical domains, where the clinician can go deeper into whichever domain is needed based on their specific skill sets. The EMBARK model has been used in two randomized controlled trials to date, and its corresponding book, EMBARK Psychedelic Therapy for Depression: A New Approach for the Whole Person (co-authored by Belser and Brennan), was released in April. They discuss: The six domains and four ethical care cornerstones that make up EMBARK, as well as the many proposed change mechanisms that come into play Concerns over facilitators stepping aside and letting the medicine do the work: How much of a factor is someone's presence in the room? How much smaller, "little t" traumas can affect people – trauma doesn't always come from a single hallmark event The need for facilitators to be trained well (and trauma-informed), as it's nearly impossible to tell when an adverse outcome is coming and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, special guest host Court Wing interviews Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, MD: professor and chair of rehabilitation medicine at UT Health San Antonio; Joel Castellanos, MD: co-founder and associate medical director of the Center for Psychedelic Research at UC San Diego; and MaryAnn Welke Lesage: a long COVID survivor who reports experiencing drastic improvement in symptoms after MDMA and psilocybin therapy. As the world slowly recovers from COVID, many people are seeing continued or new symptoms, and while much is still not understood, these symptoms are being categorized as long COVID: essentially a persistent viral inflammation causing brain fog, headaches, depression, and other hard-to-diagnose symptoms. With estimations of as many as 18% of people in the U.S. experiencing this at one point and 6.8% currently dealing with it, could psychedelics – which can decrease inflammation and reset neural networks – help alleviate these symptoms? They discuss: How long COVID fits into what we already know about psychedelics, pain, and inflammatory medicine Why MDMA or psilocybin therapy, specifically, can help The importance of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) and the myriad of tools these physicians have learned to work with Why anecdotal evidence matters towards future research and more! For more info, read Lesage's article, "How Psychedelics Became Key to My Long COVID Recovery," as well as the official paper: "Long-COVID symptoms improved after MDMA and psilocybin therapy: A case report." For more links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Sean Lawlor: writer and therapist specializing in ketamine-assisted therapy at Reflective Healing in Fort Collins, CO. His first book, Psychedelic Revival: Toward a New Paradigm of Healing, will be released on June 4. Written as somewhat of a primer for psychedelics and psychedelic therapy, he talks about how he decided to write the book, how Michael Pollan was an influence, and the importance of making psychedelic literature not boring: Research and statistics are important, but how does one relate to data points when trying to understand something so rich and weird? He discusses: Studying philosophy, from Nietzsche and Freud to Jung and William James When a clinical frame or license is important (but can you always trust a license?) How context and interwoven culture matter when differentiating between plant medicines and man-made psychedelics Brian Muraresku's The Immortality Key and research into ancient Greeks using psychedelics: Why do we place so much importance on proving this? The importance of community, rituals, shared meanings, mythology, and rites of passage and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Elliot Marseille, DrPH, MPP: founding director of UC Berkeley's Collaborative for the Economics of Psychedelics (CEP), a network of health economists and researchers analyzing the economics behind emerging psychedelic-assisted therapies. In the early days of drug research, efficacy was the leading factor in decision making, but as time has gone on, people are looking much more into the economics of everything: If a government is granted X amount of money, what should they spend it on that will be the most beneficial to the most people? How do you create models for future research and regulations based on the data we have now? Can there be a time in the near future when someone sits before Congress and says, "This is the exact societal cost of not making psychedelic therapy accessible"? He discusses: His early work with the SEVA Foundation, studying at the economics behind HIV/AIDS treatments in developing countries His experiences working with Ram Dass and having a big psychedelic journey with Leo Zeff His issues with the recent ICER (Institute for Clinical and Economic Review) report which said they couldn't endorse MDMA-assisted psychotherapy Why we need more studies tracking people for long periods after psychedelic therapy, specifically analyzing their healthcare utilization over time and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews two members of The Daschle Group: Founder and CEO, Senator Tom Daschle; and Public Policy Advisor, Charlie Panfil. As Senator Daschle served in the House of Representatives for eight years (starting in 1978) and the Senate for 21, he was deep in the War on Drugs at its peak, and thankfully, as seen with so many of his constituents in recent years, the data and personal stories of so many healed people has broken through the propaganda and made him a strong advocate for psychedelic-assisted therapy. While minds are changing and progress is happening before our eyes (the majority of substances the FDA is currently researching for psychiatric indications contain some form of psychedelic ingredient), government bureaucracy, a severe lack of communication between the FDA and DEA, and decades of lies are still massive roadblocks. How do we address all of this while advancing research? They discuss: The need to develop a partnership between the public and private sectors, mostly for the cost of treatments The DEA's place in all of this: If they're essentially a law enforcement agency, why are they involved in the safety and efficacy of medical treatments? The STATES Act, the Breakthrough Therapies Act, and how they can affect research Why we need to move past relying on opioids, and instead, embrace a science-based drug policy and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Kyle interviews Simon Yugler: psychedelic-assisted therapist, educator, and author of the book, Psychedelics & the Soul: A Mythic Guide to Psychedelic Healing, Depth Psychology, and Cultural Repair, which comes out this fall. He digs into depth psychology and why it's a beneficial framework for navigating non-ordinary experiences – a practice he believes will be the next focus in psychedelic education and understanding, alongside more analysis into the archetypes and myths that reside within (and all around) us. In an age of hyper-individualism and isolation, the stories and archetypal energies we share (which can be brought more to the forefront with psychedelics) can be incredibly healing and connecting. He discusses: The challenges of reintegrating to reality after the classic Hero's Journey, and how some people don't want to The time he ate 7 grams of strong mushrooms and nothing happened, confirming to him the omnipresence of trickster energies Jung's theory on individuation, and how true individuation actually creates deeper engagement with the world How myths offer windows into deeper realms, and a breakdown of his Mythopoetic Integration Method How psychedelics show us our souls, and how so much of the chaos in the world can be related to a denial of the soul and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, David interviews Sami Awad: Palestinian peace and nonviolent activist and founder of Holy Land Trust in Bethlehem; and Leor Roseman, Ph.D.: Israeli neuroscientist, researcher, and senior lecturer at the University of Exeter. They talk about Roseman's 2021 paper, "Relational Processes in Ayahuasca Groups of Palestinians and Israelis," which looked at what happened when people with fiercely different opinions moved beyond fear, anger, and othering, and sat together in a safe container and drank ayahuasca with the purpose of healing collective trauma. When the focus of the participants moved toward understanding each other, Roseman and Awad saw a unity that gave them a lot of hope, leading to the creation of their nonprofit, RIPPLES, which is focused on using psychedelics for peacebuilding – first in the Middle East, and hopefully soon, everywhere. As Awad says, "If it can happen here, it can happen almost anywhere." They discuss: The efficacy of psychedelics as a tool for nonviolent activism, building peace, and recognizing – and healing – collective trauma The balance between the idealistic and the practical, or 'the irony of harmony' – if you focus too much on the connectivity of psychedelics, do you actually exclude voices? The concept of "my liberation depends on your healing and your liberation depends on mine" The challenge in doing something with the hope and enthusiasm that comes after a powerful experience: How do you make sure that wave of hope continues rippling through choppy waters? Click here to head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews two members of the Heroic Hearts Project team: Director of Donor Development and founder of The Hope Project, Allison Wilson; and Director of Research and founder of Hystelica, Dr. Grace Blest-Hopley. They discuss how The Hope Project – a nonprofit that supports spouses of veterans, Gold Star Wives, and female veterans with scholarships to psychedelic healing retreats, integration, community, etc. – merged with Heroic Hearts Project, and why this is such a necessary part of the veteran healing story: How does a family hold space for a vet returning to a suddenly alien civilian life (especially after a psychedelic journey)? How does a spouse deal with their own trauma from constant worry and isolation? Wilson and Blest-Hopley are learning that, for many spouses, having their own experience (and with other spouses) has been incredibly beneficial. They talk about: The concept of secondary PTSD (often referred to as 'compassion fatigue') and the many ways it can manifest How Heroic Hearts is working with Imperial College London to use veteran retreats as real-world observational research The importance of involving family in the healing process, and how positive outcomes can trickle down to children The need for more research into how PTSD and the effects of psychedelics are different in women based on their unique physiology (as most studies have focused on men) and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe and Kyle interview William Richards, STM, Ph.D.: senior advisor at Sunstone Therapies, psychologist at the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, contributor to Vital, and author of Sacred Knowledge: Psychedelics & Religious Experiences. He talks about the first time he experienced psilocybin in a research study in 1963, his early studies on the psychology of religion, working with Abraham Maslow, how he became one of the early psychedelic therapists, and what it was like for all of that to disappear when Nixon came into office and shut everything down. He discusses his move into psychedelics and end-of-life care after seeing patients' fear of death completely disappear, and contemplates whether psychedelics could help people prepare for death – how would we live if we no longer feared death? He also discusses: How the integration of psychedelics into palliative care should be a huge step in cultural acceptance How psychedelics could be used for education and boosting creativity, problem solving, and even new perspectives on history and classic works The study of comparative religion and the potential for psychedelics to find the connections and commonality between seemingly disparate religions The impact of psychedelic experiences on the perception of the sacred How fascinating it is that the same substance, dose, and set and setting can create such incredibly different experiences and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews a psytrance musician who has created what may be the world's first modular album for psychedelic exploration under his project, Held By Sound. He talks about his background in the rave and festival scene, the moment he realized he wanted to make music, and the realization that he could create soundscapes specifically for journeys into non-ordinary states. And he digs into the 'choose your own adventure' framework of the free album: how he actually recorded 3 different albums and figured out how to transition into different moods based on which direction the listener wants to go – from more still to more expansive, to darker or more bittersweet. He has also created music for DMT trials in the UK, and talks a lot about the potential in extended-state DMT experiences. He also discusses: How he came up with the flow of the album related to phases of the trip How much of a catalyst and safe container music can be, with or without a complimentary substance How psychedelics in a fun, festival experience with lots of laughter can be extremely beneficial – you don't need to do them the 'correct' way Graham Hancock, Donald Hoffman, and the concept of consciousness as the building block of all reality Psytrance, classical music, traditional Bwiti music, Lady Gaga, and what music he feels is best for exploration and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe and special guest, Court Wing, interview Tommy Aceto: former Navy Seal and trauma medic, NCAA athlete, Michigan State Champion Wrestler, and now, psychedelic advocate and ambassador for the Veteran Mental Health Leadership Coalition. He discusses his journey from childhood to wanting to become a SEAL, and the toll that military life and its programming can take on a person: how a life built on high levels of endurance, deprivation, and constantly surviving in a fight-or-flight mindset often manifests in Operator Syndrome, chronic pain, depression, and addiction. Veterans are seeing the potential of psychedelics to rewire their brains and allow them to process pain differently, by allowing them to feel emotions they were trained to turn off: "You've got to feel to heal." Aceto discusses: The affirmation and approval many who join the military seek, and how that often translates into needing to stay at certain levels of risk to truly feel alive The similarities between soldiers and professional athletes and high performers Dealing with chronic pain, and how forcing movement is often the best tactic The Controlled Substances Act and how opioids became a business Why the most important thing vets can do today is to tell their healing stories and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Kyle and Johanna catch up, interviewing each other about psychedelic education and what they've learned, the biggest challenges, and what advice they would give to anyone looking to get involved in the psychedelic field. They discuss: How sometimes it's not about the substance: If you want to be a psychedelic therapist, do you see yourself doing therapy without the psychedelics? How no part of education is exempt, and becoming truly psychedelically-competent can involve studying psychology, neuroscience, somatics, religion, history, etc. How people's experiences are evidence – it doesn't have to come from a research study to be valid The importance of figuring out what your gifts are and how you could best contribute to progress, and then finding the job that matches it and more! The next round of our year-long training program, Vital, begins in September, but for those who feel that that may be too much of a commitment, our most popular course – the 9-week Navigating Psychedelics for Clinicians and Wellness Practitioners, LIVE – begins on May 8. Head to the Psychedelic Education Center for more details! Click here to head to the show notes page.