Mind Body Health & Politics

There is an old idiom that says when the pendulum goes one way, it’s bound to swing back the other. Our guest, my old acquaintance and esteemed academic,  Dr. Mariavittoria Mangini , has found that phrase applies to many aspects of her life. While we may be in precarious and difficult times, Mariavittoria has managed to stay positive, knowing that things can always change for the better. We sit do...

PART 2-  Picking up where we left off, I continue the discussion with my daughter about psychedelic medicine and its place in our lives. This week, Evacheska has the opportunity to ask me more about my own experience and preferences. We talk about MDMA, LSD, Ketamine, Ayahuasca, and how I have used them in my life. Evacheska will be a reoccurring cohost for the show, and I am so excited to share t...

Show Notes: How did Evacheska go from being an executive in the fashion world to an integrative counselor in the psychedelic world? (1:22) What was it like on the trip to Peru? (4:29) It’s difficult for the average person to figure out which places offering psychedelic experiences in Peru, Jamaica, or Costa Rica are real and which ones are trying to make a quick buck. What did you do to ensure tha...

It is always fascinating to hear an artist's tale. This one is no different. Our guest, Kevin Barron, is one of the world’s leading and prolific LSD blotter artists. His story is full of twists and turns, from working with the Rolling Stones to opening a cooking school in Greece, a federal sting operation, and the art he has created along the way. Kevin Barron experienced psychedelics for the firs...

Conversations with old friends warm the soul. This week my heart is full as I found myself catching up with my dear friend Dr. Eugene Schoenfeld and reminiscing about his "firsts" with mind-altering substances. We go back 57 years to hear about his experiences and journey with these substances, and how they changed the course of his life. Dr. Eugene Schoenfeld is a psychiatrist, author, lecturer,...

In this week's episode, we bring you a thought-provoking discussion on the Psychedelic Renaissance. Our guest, historian and professor Erika Dyck, offers her perspective on where psychiatry and medical research intersect with psychedelic research. She also speaks about society's moral panic; what it means and what we should be doing about it. Erika is a Professor and a Canada Research Chair in the...

As a society, Americans are stressed out. Currently, we are facing perhaps the greatest uncertainty and stressors of our lifetime. Whenever we feel stressed out we suffer from not only anxiety and depression, but other health issues as well. Last week you heard cardiologist Dr. Christopher Davis, talking about the rise in heart conditions and the role stress has played. This week, in a very specia...

Did you know that a staggering 80 percent of the U.S. population has either low or moderate cardiovascular health? That means just one in five people have a heart that’s in excellent shape, according to a new study by the American Heart Association. While these numbers are cause for concern, our guest this week is an Interventional Cardiologist and is here to tell you what you need to do to keep a...

This week I am pleased to welcome Dr. William Courtney back to the program along with his wife Kristen Courtney for a second part to their interview. Dr. Courtney's area of special interest is in the dietary uses of cannabis to which he considers as a conditionally essential nutrient in the diet of individuals of 40 years and older, and Kristen brings a decade of personal experience and research t...

Paul is a professor of history and sociology at Stony Brook University (New York). Originally trained as an interdisciplinary Latin Americanist at Oxford University and the University of Chicago, his career now mostly focuses on drug and global commodity history. Outside of the university, Paul has chaired various programs at the Social Science Research Council in Brooklyn including the Drugs, Sec...

This week I am pleased to welcome Dr. William Courtney to the program, joining us from the middle of the rainforest, nonetheless. With an extensive medical education and having been immersed in the experiences of thousands of patients who use raw cannabis daily, Dr. Courtney’s area of special interest is in the dietary uses of cannabis- which he considers a conditionally essential nutrient in the...

This week I am pleased to welcome renowned musician Gary Muszysnki to the program. Gary Muszynski is a percussionist, composer, bandleader, and leadership coach who creates original music that combines jazz, world, and classical music. He plays a wide variety of world percussion, including handpan, berimbau, pandeiro, surdo, udu, mbira, conga, bongo, and cajon. He has performed at venues such as S...

With training from the Harvard Mind/Body Medical Institute and over 25 years of clinical mental health and mind/body expertise, Heather Lee is truly passionate about guiding people into connection with their inner wisdom to promote health, healing, and hopefulness. In addition to being certified in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and skilled as a behavior change specialist, she is the past Dire...

There is much talk these days about a psychedelic renaissance taking place – both in terms of scientific research, as well as personal experimentation all over the world. Part of this renaissance has included greater awareness and emphasis on the integration component, or what one does afterward with the information/healing they obtain on their psychedelic journey. I was honored to be a part of a...

This week I interview Dr. Laura McGuire (they/them or she/her) - an internationally recognized consultant, survivor, researcher, seminarian, and author of the book Creating Cultures of Consent (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021). They were named as one of the 2022 Champions of Pride by the Advocate Magazine and are regularly featured in media outlets for their expertise and approachability. Dr. Laura is...

This week I interview Tom Weidlinger – a writer and filmmaker who has been writing, directing and producing documentaries for 35 years. His most recent film, The Restless Hungarian, is his most personal project, and will be featured at the upcoming Mendocino Film Festival on June 3. In this searingly honest melding of the personal and historical Weidlinger uncovers the epic story of four generatio...

This week I have the pleasure of speaking with Paulita Pappel – a Madrid/Berlin-based filmmaker and feminist pornographer. Paulita works as a producer, director and intimacy coordinator, and is an advocate for a sex-positive, consent-based culture. ‍ After studying comparative literature in Berlin, Paulita decided to follow her passion for both cinema and sexuality. She started working as an adult...

Carlos has been studying the science of ayahuasca and plant medicine in the Amazon Rainforest since 2003. He currently works as the program director for the Ayahuasca Foundation, a non-profit organization he began in 2009 based out of Iquitos, Peru. He organizes healing retreats and educational courses with authentic indigenous healers, called curanderos, to help people in need of healing anything...

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/subscribe

In this week's program, I continue my series on Sexual Medicine in a conversation with Dr. Stella Resnick – Clinical Psychologist, Gestalt therapist, certified sex therapist and developer of the Embodied Relational Sex Therapy (ERST) process and therapist training. Stella's holistic approach recognizes sexual health, and capacity for pleasure and play as intertwined with self-development throughou...

Dear Neighbors, In this week's program, I speak with Sheryn Hildebrand about the serious problem of child sex trafficking in Mendocino County. As painful as it may be to hear her words, we must listen. In this gut-wrenching interview, we will hear about how children in Mendocino county California are courted, drugged, groomed, and put out to the public as child prostitutes. They are coerced, psych...

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/subscribe

On this week's episode we talk with Deborah Bowes, a licensed Feldenkrais instructor, on how she uses this method to bring about healing and growth in her life and the lives of her clients. She works with people with ongoing, complex medical conditions to foster hope and improve function. Her expertise and experience includes Feldenkrais Method, Chi Kung, Tai Chi, and other awareness based movemen...

On this week's episode we talk with Diana Richardson on the power of mindful sex. Diana Richardson is known as the pioneer of the Slow Sex movement and, along with her partner, Michael Richardson, is the creator of the life-changing weeklong Making Love Retreat, which they have been offering in Europe since 1995. She wrote her first book in 1996, published as The Love Keys in 1999, and then later...

Based out of New York, Evacheska is the founder of Temple Sotto Luce, a community project designed to be a gateway to a higher state of being through the use of both traditional methods and approaches, and more esoteric tools. Evacheska is a former Executive Leader, having spent over a decade working in corporate America where she held positions as Vice President of Marketing and Strategy and Exec...