Mind Body Health & Politics

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org Psychiatrist Dr. Michael Mithoefer, a pioneering psychedelic therapy researcher, chronicles the dramatic effectiveness of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD while examining the need for careful precautions to minimize adverse effects and risks. He explores integrating psychedelic medicine into mainstream...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org Psychiatrist Dr. Michael Mithoefer, a pioneering psychedelic therapy researcher, chronicles the dramatic effectiveness of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD while examining the need for careful precautions to minimize adverse effects and risks. He explores integrating psychedelic medicine into mainstream...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org Andrés Gómez Emilsson of Qualia Research Institute joins us to discuss innovating at the frontiers of psychedelic science. We explore Andrés' work mathematically mapping DMT experiences and collaborating with physicists to interpret objects in psychedelic realms. Andrés also shares his research developing...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org Listener John Ivey shares his wisdom facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, and how psychedelics unveil insight even at life’s end. With poise and courage, John discusses embracing impermanence consciously with plant medicines’ aid, not numbing his final days. He reflects on healing our planet and ourselves,...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org In this episode, Dr. Richard Louis Miller interviews Marian Goodell, CEO of Burning Man, about the history and principles of the iconic cultural event. Goodell discusses the origins of Burning Man as a solstice bonfire ritual on a San Francisco beach, and how it has evolved into a global movement centered...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org In this episode, Dr. Richard Louis Miller speaks with returning guest Dennis McKenna, an ethnobotanist who is working to digitize and preserve indigenous plant knowledge from the Amazon. They have an in-depth conversation about the potential adverse effects of psychedelics - emotional, physiological, and r...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org "Nature will be just fine. This is about saving us and our relationship with nature." - Tony Lai How Tony Lai came to discover Gross National Happiness and the rights of nature movements. The importance of shaping laws to promote values that will enable nature to thrive and flourish. The stages of legibili...

"Nature will be just fine. This is about saving us and our relationship with nature." - Tony Lai How Tony Lai came to discover Gross National Happiness and the rights of nature movements. The importance of shaping laws to promote values that will enable nature to thrive and flourish. The stages of legibility in the legal system and what giving agency means. Recognizing that nature will be just fin...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org Dear listeners, This week, I am attending the historic MAPS psychedelic science conference in Denver—along with my guest, UCLA psychiatrist and psychedelic researcher Charles Grob. Thanks to the research of pioneers like Grob, we are winning hearts and minds in the mainstream. Nixon’s failed War on Drugs a...

As a clinical psychologist for over 50 years, I’ve heard and witnessed many stories of transformation. Few are as remarkable as that of Hunt Priest , an Episcopal priest I interviewed for my series on psychedelic-assisted therapy for end of life distress. “My mother’s maiden name was Bishop,” Priest told me with a wry smile. Between that and his last name, it seems God may have been trying to tell...

Dear listeners, For decades, psychedelics were taboo—demonized and pushed into the shadows by misguided policies. Though I began hosting radio programs on psychedelic science as early as 2005, at the time I felt largely alone in my advocacy. Just before one of my shows, as my guest—medical anthropologist Marcia Rosenbaum—and I prepared to discuss harm reduction on-air, my producer looked up at me...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org Show Notes: * Dr. George Greer talks about the most interesting and important thing happening in the psychedelic world right now: the Bipartisan Congressional Psychedelics Advancing Therapies (PATH) Caucus. This caucus aims to pass legislation for a carve-out from the NIH budget to support psychedelic rese...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org Dear listeners, Why is that conversations about the most important issues are always the hardest to have? Why do we struggle to have meaningful heart-to-hearts with our loved ones about life and death, pleasure and pain, sexuality and psychedelic medicines? In my own life, I’ve tried to be as open about th...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org Dear listeners, Did you know that an estimated one billion people around the world suffer from some form of mental health issue? Who among us believes that our current system for treating such widespread anxiety and depression is adequate? Whenever I openly discuss psychedelic medicines with my guests on t...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org Are you curious about the potential benefits and risks of using psychedelics in therapy, creativity, and personal development? Dennis McKenna, a renowned ethnopharmacologist and expert in psychedelic medicine, returns to our podcast to explore this fascinating and complex topic. Psychedelics have been used...

Get ready to go on a wild ride with Denise Kaufman, a social justice activist, musician, and yoga teacher, as she takes us back to the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 70s. From her involvement in the free speech movement at UC Berkeley to her time with the notorious Merry Pranksters, Kaufman shares personal stories that will leave you spellbound. But that's not all! Kaufman also reveals t...

Are you curious about the potential benefits and risks of using psychedelics in therapy, creativity, and personal development? Dennis McKenna, a renowned ethnopharmacologist and expert in psychedelic medicine, returns to our podcast to explore this fascinating and complex topic. Psychedelics have been used for centuries in traditional healing practices around the world, but their modern resurgence...

"We need optimism, because sooner or later, we will realize that we are all in this together. It doesn't matter which country we're in, we share one planet." Are you concerned about the future of our planet and the impact of climate change? In this episode we speak to Martin Wainstein, co-founder of Open Earth, about the challenges we face and how we can work together to create a sustainable futur...

We sit down with Thomas B. Roberts, a prominent professor in the field of Psychedelic Studies, to continue our series on the profound potential of psychedelics in end-of-life healing – including how they can ease our fears and anxieties surrounding death. Roberts discusses the four stages of the Psychedelic Renaissance and how he got into this field, despite the risk to his career before diving de...

Our guest, Gisele Fernandes-Osterhold, has an impressive background in psychotherapy and a deep commitment to helping people navigate end-of-life fears. Her extensive experience in this field has given her a unique perspective on the ways in which we can find meaning and healing in the process of dying. In her role as Director of Facilitation for Psychedelic Therapy Studies at UCSF, Gisele is at t...

We take another deep dive into the world of psychedelic research with our guest, Brian Anderson, this week. Is there a place for group therapy with psychedelic medicine and treatment? Brian just concluded a clinical trial to study just that. Working with HIV/AIDS survivors, Brian and his team focused on the efficacy of group therapy following psychedelic treatment. The outcome was generally positi...

Are you curious about palliative care? Do you know what it is or when to ask for it? Palliative care is a field that seeks to improve the quality of life for individuals facing serious illnesses or nearing the end of their lives. In this episode, we explore the world of palliative care with a leading expert in the field, Dr. Ira Byock, M.D. From the evolution of palliative care to the use of psych...

Addiction, psychedelic medicine, legalization and the decriminalization of sex work… Our guest, Randy Hencken, is no stranger to big ideas and challenging the status quo. As we discuss the topic of psychedelic medicines, our conversation naturally transitions to the decriminalization of sex work. Randy's experience with advocacy and political strategy in both fields provides valuable insight into...

What does the current state of the world and addiction treatment programs have to do with Whitehead's process philosophy? John Buchanan, president of the Helios Foundation , brings them all together. He joins us to explore his personal healing journey, the use of psychedelics with terminal patients, and the possibility of life after death. John emphasizes the importance of understanding interconne...

Sex work is a complex and multifaceted topic that is often surrounded by stigma and misconceptions. For many people, the idea of selling sex is morally reprehensible, and they believe that it should be illegal. However, there is a growing movement that argues that current laws often do more harm than good. Our guest, Ariela Moscowitz, is a passionate advocate for the rights of those involved in co...