Psychedelics in Social Work

In the final episode of Em's deep dive into the self, identity, and non-ordinary states of consciousness, Em and Libby talk through the field of ecopsychology, pushing against philosophical assumptions of Western academia, and animism with Professor Travis Cox. Professor Cox is a core associate professor of Ecopsychology at Naropa University. You can find out more about Dr. Cox and by visiting...

What does it mean to reclaim your self? Continuing their exploration of identity, the self, and non-ordinary states of consciousness, Em and Libby look at the intersection of psychedelics and Black-American experience. This episodes' guests, Dr. Nicholas Powers and Sara Oke, offer their perspectives on what it really means to liberate the self. Dr. Nicholas Powers is an associate professor of...

This week, Em and Rafaelle Lancelotta take a detour into the molecule of 5-MeO-DMT. No, they aren't taking it in this episode, but they are discussing some other ways the "expanded self" might well be understood. For more information on Rafaelle and her work, visit her website relationshipispsychedelic.com or check out her ResearchGate profile at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/...

Em and Libby continue their exploration of identity, the self, and non-ordinary states of consciousness, this time through the lens of sexual and gender identity. Our first guest, Maya Seale, shares her story of personal, political, and psychedelic transformation. Our second guest, Rafaelle Lancelotta helps fill in some of the research behind queer identity and psychedelic use. Maya and Rafaelle d...

This week, Em and Taita Daniel continue their conversation from the previous episode. In their exploration of self, identity, and plant medicines, Taita Daniel shares what two-spirit identity means for them, how gender factors into colonization, and how their gender identity relates to their work as a healer. To find out more about Taita Daniel and their work, you can find them on their Instagram...

Em and Libby continue exploring the self, identity, and non-ordinary states of consciousness in an interview with Taita Daniel, a mestizo-indigenous two spirits medicine healer. Em and Taita Daniel talk about what it means to "decolonize the self" and approach plant medicines with humility and respect. To find out more about Taita Daniel and their work, you can find them on their Instagr...

Em and Libby continue their exploration of identity, the self, and non-ordinary states of consciousness by turning to two pre-modern contemplative traditions: Medieval Christian mysticism and Zen Buddhism. Dr. Niklaus Largier, professor at UC Berkeley in the Comparative Literature and German departments, gives a peek into his recent book, Figures of Possibility: Aesthetic Experience,Mysticism, and...

Welcome to Season 2 of PSW! We've split this season into two parts, each spearheaded by Em and Libby, respectively. To begin, Em's series of episodes will focus on questions of self, identity, psychedelics, and liberation. The first in the series features Professor Eric Oliver of University of Chicago, who talks about his new book How To Know Your Self: The Art & Science of Discover Wh...

Guess who's back??? Listen in to hear all the juicy details for our upcoming season, starting in January, 2026! Like, subscribe, and share! Email us: pswuchicago@gmail.com Follow us on IG: @psychedelicsinsocialwork More resources: https://linktr.ee/pswuchicago Music by the Groovy Tad Nicol

Co-hosts Em, Libby and Abby wrap up the season with increased knowledge, uncertainty about psychedelic American cultures, and an OnlyFans livestream. Tune in for a sneak preview of upcoming bonus content and plans for Season Two. Like, subscribe, and share! Email us: pswuchicago@gmail.com Music by the Groovy Tad Nicol

Co-host Em talks with medical anthropologist Dr. Aidan Seale-Feldman. Roundtable participants Em, Allison, Ben, and Jackson talk post-secular America, how to yearn, and cigarettes vs. no helmets. Dr. Aidan Seale-Feldman is a medical and psychological anthropologist interested in affliction and its treatments. As a Professor of Anthropology at University of Notre Dame, Dr. Seale-Feldman has spent t...

Co-host Libby talks with Illinois State Representative Lindsey LaPointe. Roundtable participants Libby, Nick, and Molly talk social workers in government, diversity and cost of the social work field, and good news as an oasis in our current political hellscape. Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, former social worker who earned her degree at University of Illinois at Chicago, is currently serving her third ter...

Co-host Libby talks with Bia Labate about Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicine and activist research. Roundtable participants Libby and Willa talk comparative healing models, calls to action, and responsibilities for up-and-coming social workers. Dr. Labate is the co-founder and executive director of Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicine. Chacruna aims for a world where ps...

Co-host Em talks with Andi Walsh about legal care in psychedelic social work. Roundtable participants Em, Ben, and Sara talk access, bringing politics into integration, and Bejeweled™. Amanda "Andi" M. Walsh is an attorney and social worker by training, or as she likes to say, “a lawyer with a social worker’s heart.” Her passion is to promote healing for communities through systems and p...

Co-host Libby talks with Belinda Eriacho about indigenous practices and histories. Roundtable participants Libby, Shaleyah, Veda, and Dani talk erasure of indigenous histories, animism, and the fight to heal. Belinda is of Dine’ (Navajo) and A:shiwi (Pueblo of Zuni) descent. She is the founder of Kaalogii, which focuses on cultural and traditional teaching and inner healing. She holds degrees in H...

Co-host Abby talks with Dr. Hanna Molla about her psychedelic research in the De Wit lab. Roundtable participants Abby, Shaleyah, and Michelle talk interdisciplinary work, spirituality in research, and their favorite compliments. Dr. Molla is an instructor and postdoctoral researcher under the mentorship of previous guest, Dr. Harriet de Wit in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience Research D...

Co-host Em talks with Illinois State Representative Theresa Mah about the HOPE Pilot Program. Roundtable members Em, Laura, and Sara discuss pragmatist approaches, DSM-5 politics, and uncertain futures. Representative Mah represents the 24th district in the Illinois General Assembly. Rep. Mah holds a PhD in Modern American History and has served as a senior advisor in Governor Pat Quinn’s administ...

Co-host Libby talks with licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist Jordan Dobrowski. Roundtable members Libby, Keagan, and Giulia discuss ableism in the psychedelic space, non-ordinary states of consciousness, and k-holes. Jordan Dobrowski (she/they) is a licensed clinical social worker with experience in providing psychotherapy to youth and adults in both English and Spanish. She receiv...

Building off of last week’s episode, co-host Abby talks with licensed psychologist Vilmarie Narloch. Roundtable members Abby, Grace, and Jackson debate the ins and outs of nonprofit funding, the anticapitalist potential of psychedelics, and Jackson’s status as “alternative.” Dr. Vilmarie Narloch is a co-founder and director of The Sana Healing Collective, a Chicago-based non-profit organization co...

Audibly ailing co-host Em talks with licensed psychologist and professor Geoff Bathje. Roundtable members Em, Shaleyah, Ben, and Ana discuss the individualism-collectivism spectrum, cultures of healing, and believing in the power of planes. Geoff Bathje is a co-founder of The Sana Healing Collective, a Chicago-based non-profit organization committed to the development of psychedelic-assisted thera...

Co-host Libby talks with MAPS Global Impact Officer. Roundtable members Libby, Sara, and Anna discuss harm reduction, the limits of behavioral health therapies and community-specific frameworks for psychedelics. Natalie Lyla Ginsberg earned her Masters in Social Work at University of Columbia in New York, founded the policy and advocacy department at MAPS, and now serves there as a Global Impact O...

Newly forged co-host Abby talks with Dr. Darron Smith about psychedelic research within and for marginalized communities. Roundtable members Abby, Ben, Shaleyah, and Kaitlin discuss equity in research, mindfulness techniques, and alternative modes of healing like beds of nails. Darron Smith is an associate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, where he teaches in the physic...

Co-host Em talks with Illinois State Senator Rachel Ventura about the proposed Illinois CURE Act. Roundtable members Em, Courtney, Jack, and Michelle discuss regulars at city council meetings, public advocacy, and the tension between spirituality and service center licensure. 

 Senator Ventura represents the 43rd district in the Illinois State Senate. Her record demonstrates a deep engagement wit...

Co-host Libby talks with Illinois State House Representative La Shawn K. Ford about the proposed Illinois CURE Act. Roundtable members Libby, Laura, Shaleyah, and Ben discuss the war on drugs, policing, and lessons learned from cannabis legalization. Rep. La Shawn K. Ford represents Illinois’ 8th district since 2007. Rep. Ford is dedicated to addressing social justice issues, including disparities...

Co-host Em talks with Dr. Harriet De Wit about the ins, outs, promises, and shortfalls of psychedelic research. Roundtable members Em, Abby, and Ben discuss the social construction of meaning, Nietzsche's death of God, and Ben's love of cigarettes. Dr. Harriet De Wit is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience and a Professor of the Neuroscience Institute at University of Chicago. Dr....