The Psychedelic Therapy Podcast

Today on the show, I am honored to be speaking with a healer and guide who is deeply steeped in ritual, magic, and the wisdom of her Haitian ancestors, Florie St. Aime. On the show we discuss how growing up in Brooklyn of Haitian descent informed Florie’s perspective on psychedelics. We talk about psychedelic medicine as ancestral healing and justice work. Florie shares her experience on MAPS’ fir...

MDMA therapy for veterans suffering from PTSD has gotten a lot of attention in the world of psychedelic medicine lately. Meanwhile, Jesse Gould is bringing veterans to South and Central American retreats for ayahuasca healing with his nonprofit the Heroic Hearts Project . On the show, Jesse explains how psychedelic therapists and healers should think about working with veterans. He describes his o...

Today I am speaking with trauma specialist Bessel van der Kolk , best-selling author of The Body Keeps the Score , a beloved book about healing our deepest wounds. On the show we discuss Bessel’s work with MDMA therapy for trauma. We dispel the myth that PTSD is only something experienced by soldiers returning from war, and discuss how early attachment wounds can actually be more intractable to tr...

Today I’m speaking to Lauren Taus, a licensed psychotherapist and a yoga and meditation teacher based in Venice Beach, California. In addition to modalities like cognitive behavioral therapy, family systems work, mindfulness, and somatic techniques, she also offers ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) when she feels that it’s appropriate for clients. On the show we discuss Lauren’s background wit...

Today I am speaking to Bia Labate, the Executive Director of Chacruna, a popular psychedelic website and research institution. She is the Public Education and Culture Specialist at MAPS, adjunct professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), and author of over 20 books. On the show we discuss the mission of Chacruna--to give a voice and platform to people who have been tradition...

Today I am speaking to Kevin Franciotti, founder of Psychedelics in Recovery, a fellowship of individuals in 12-step programs who wish to use psychedelics and plant medicines as part of their recovery. A passionate enthusiast of psychedelic medicine, Kevin’s work is informed by his own relationship to addiction. On the show we discuss Kevin’s experience using ibogaine as a treatment for his own op...

Are you curious about psychedelic medicine for addiction and people in recovery? Today’s guest, Dr. Charles Flores ( Vital Puma Integral Recovery ), has spent 25 years exploring transpersonal psychology and substance abuse disorders. On the show we discuss how psychedelic medicine can facilitate breakthroughs in addictive patterns. We talk about “process addiction” and the default mode network and...

Today I am speaking to a Spiritual Doula, Maria Teresa Chavez. The former Therapeutic Director of Crossroads Ibogaine Treatment Center has gone all in on integration. On the show we talk about her work at Crossroads, which is now closed, and the particular therapeutic qualities of ibogaine (from the west African Tabernanthe iboga plant) and 5-MeO-DMT (from the Sonoran Desert Toad) which were admin...

Richard C. Schwartz, is the founder of a style of psychotherapy called Internal Family Systems. IFS is based on the idea that the mind is made up of discrete subpersonalities and that healing occurs when they are brought into harmony. Dick is bullish about psychedelics as a way of accessing and understanding these different subpersonalities or “parts” and believes that IFS can be a helpful topogra...

Today’s guest is Erica Siegal a co-investigator and psychotherapist for MAPS-sponsored Phase 3 Clinical Trials for MDMA-assisted therapy. On the show we talk about Erica’s background in social work and how someone interested in psychedelic therapy can get started in the field. We discuss the MAPS protocol for MDMA-assisted therapy including the cost for treatment. We discuss psychedelic integratio...

Today’s guest is Tony Moss , a respected teacher and plant medicine advocate who has been working with Ayahuasca for over 25 years. On the show we discuss the concept of shamanism, as well as issues with ego and integrity that accompany that title. We talk about how someone can become an ayahuasca ceremony leader through apprenticeship and Tony shares his approach to handling “freakouts.” I ask To...

My guest today is Ian-Michael Hébert , co-founder Holos , an organization of holistic healing centers and communities, launching first in Costa Rica. On the show we discuss a holistic approach to psychedelic medicine. We talk about the retreat model and Ian-Michael’s recommendations globally. He shares his perspective on psychedelic ethics and why it’s so important to be in integrity with local co...

My guest today is Irina Alexander, co-founder of Sage Institute for Integrative Health , a new psychedelic-assisted therapy clinic and training center that prioritizes equal access to psychedelic therapy. On the show we discuss the Sage model which provides access to psychedelic medicine for underserved communities, training for therapists from diverse backgrounds, and psychedelic research. We dis...

My guest today is Dr. David Rabin , a psychiatrist, PhD neuroscientist, inventor, and avid proponent of psychedelic medicine. On the show we discuss the neuroscience behind the inner healer and how in the correct setting, psychedelics can help to repattern trauma. We talk about how the attachment to an identity of depression can actually create depressive symptoms. Dr. Rabin shares his work with M...