The Ronan Levy Podcast

I can't help but love it when some people f*ck with authority, especially when they are on the right side of history. Prof. David Nutt is one of those people. David is currently the Edmond J. Safra Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology and director of the Neuropsychopharmacology Unit in the Division of Brain Sciences.  He is also the Chair of DrugScience (formally the Independent Sci...

This is a reposting of a recent episode of the podcast Making Sense with Sam Harris called "The Bright Line Between Good and Evil", reshared with Sam's consent and with a brief commentary from me at off the top. I am resharing this because it opened my eyes to things I hadn't considered, and I think it's important for these thoughts to be heard, considered and, if appropriate, responded to.

What happens when you’re building one of the most innovative companies and coolest brands in the world and a baby drops into your life at the same time? Two experiences that you can do all you want to prepare for consciously but can never really be prepared for?  That’s what Robbie Bent, Co-founder and CEO of Othership , is going through right now. Robbie was kind enough to join me on the pod...

If the conversation with Scott Galloway was the one with the frat boy turned banker turned entrepreneur going vulnerable, this one is the conversation with the thoughtful, grass-fed farmer-turned-physician. And it's equally as insightful. Drew Ramsey, MD is a board certified psychiatrist, author, and mental health advocate. His work focuses on clinical excellence, nutritional psychiatry, male ment...

There are few men in this world that I'd identify as being a role model for me. But after this conversation, I may just have one. Scott Galloway is Professor of Marketing at NYU’s Stern School of Business and a serial entrepreneur. He was named one of the world’s best business professors by Poets & Quants. Scott has founded nine companies, including Prophet, RedEnvelope, L2, and Section S...

For decades, we had envisioned our future as a digital utopia in which technology would solve all of our problems and create a perfect world. Yet, with the pandemic, we got a taste of what this promised future would be like - and it was awful. So, are we doomed to live in a digital dystopia? David Sax is an award-winning writer and speaker whose journalistic writings have been featured in The New...

Robbie Bent, CEO and co-founder of breathwork and wellness center Othership, joins Ronan in this emotional episode of Field Tripping. The two discuss Robbie’s evolution from backyard breathing sessions to owning a brick and mortar studio and his personal evolution to becoming the best version of himself. Plus, they discuss how psychedelics are helping to prepare Robbie for fatherhood. Learn more a...

Every once in a while, life provides a sliding door moment. One of those pivotal moments in life for which there was a before and there is an after. This conversation with Alex Charfen is one of those moments for me, as it helped me find a level of self-acceptance that I've never found before. Here is a little bit about Alex... He was never meant to be the Co-founder & CEO of a multi-million d...

In early 2019, Mira's life was entirely blown apart, when her partner Brian was diagnosed with an unbelievably aggressive cancer. He died seven weeks later, leaving her alone with their almost three-year-old daughter. The experience forced Mira to explore the grieving process and she has turned that exploration into New Moon Mira, a grief coaching business that supports widows and grievers in more...

Derek Beres is a multi-faceted author and media expert based in Portland, Oregon. He has served in senior editorial positions at a number of tech companies and has years of experience in health, science, and music writing. He is the co-host of the Conspirituality podcast and co-author of  Conspirituality: How New Age Conspiracy Theories Became a Health Threat . In this episode, Derek and I ta...

Susan Stephens is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and an Intuitive Counsellor, and the founder of Liberated Living in Hamilton, Ontario where she specializes in helping people to overcome addictions, trauma, negative recurrent patterns, depression and anxiety. Over the years, Susan has helped thousands of men and women to transform emotional pain, elevate health, cultivate conscious relationshi...

Father's Day is a great day to celebrate and honour all of the fathers out there. But it's also a good day to reflect on what it is to be a father and a man in our society. As much as "it's a man's world," men suffer the effects of chauvinism too and if we want to break the cycle of it, it starts (in part) with dads. Happy Father's Day everyone!

Jere Simpson is an entrepreneur with a beautiful rags-to-riches story. He's known for his prophetic vision in tech, having built landmark companies in SaaS, mobile and cybersecurity and worked with the CIA, FBI, NSA and Pentagon. He's been recognized by Forbes Magazine as "one of the top minds in tech" and by Entrepreneur as "one of the best entrepreneurs in the world". Now he's turning his sights...

Do you remember the first time you truly felt alive? While we wait for some of the first interview episodes to be finalized I thought I'd start by sharing some short reflection pieces and the first one I'm sharing is on this very question. The first time you feel truly, emphatically alive is usually a moment in your adolescence, sometimes called The Eternal Youth. It's one of 7 Faces of the Soul t...

Anyone who has undertaken any kind of construction project knows that surprises always await. This is true whether you're renovating a house or renovating a podcast. And that happened to this podcast following my attendance at The Intelligent Change Summit hosted by Alex and Mimi Ikonn in April, which led me to conclude that I wanted to take this podcast in a slightly different direction than I ha...

Todd Herman, the author of the WSJ and International Best Selling Book, “The Alter Ego Effect: The Power of Secret Identities to Transform Your Life,” joins Ronan to discuss Todd’s experiences with MDMA assisted therapy to overcome sexual trauma, the power of alter egos, and whether there exists a one true authentic self. He is also a speaker and coach focused on mental toughness, leadership, and...

Writer, meditation and metaphysics teacher, lifestyle design expert and fellow podcaster Luke Storey joins Ronan to chat about good and evil, addiction and sobriety, and self love. Luke shares transformative principles of health, addiction recovery and spirituality, detailing how he's spent the past two decades refining the ultimate wellness lifestyle, combining primal health and ancient spiritual...

Bob Parsons, entrepreneur and psychedelic philanthropist best known for founding the domain registrar GoDaddy, joins Ronan to discuss his harrowing combat experience in Vietnam and the ensuing PTSD, his path to psychedelic therapy and healing, how to address the failed war on drugs, and more! After returning home from the Vietnam War, Bob realized he was not the same person as before, and eventual...

World-renowned visual artists Alex and Allyson Grey join Ronan this week to talk about art and psychedelics, what deems something sacred, and making love stay. Known for creating their iconic spiritual paintings, Alex and Allyson are the co-founders of the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, or COSM, a nonprofit organization and contemporary public chapel that is a sanctuary for spiritual renewal through co...

To celebrate the release of Michael Pollan's new series 'How to Change Your Mind' on Netflix we wanted to rewind and revisit our episode with one of the most important voices in the psychedelic space. The episode first aired 6 months ago, and it touches on themes from his newest book, like our complicated relationship with caffeine, and how mindful gardening started him on this path to psychedelic...

On this episode of Field Tripping, Ronan is joined by Dr. Carl Hart - neuroscientist, researcher, and best-selling author of "Drug Use for Grown Ups." The two discuss opioid death examinations, psychedelic media coverage and how the definition of a psychedelic is changing. Plus, we chat about drug policy & reform in America – and how Dr. Hart is sickened that drug test kits aren't more accessi...

Tucker Max, New York Times bestselling author known for the 'fratire' genre, takes on a more emotional side in this episode of Field Tripping. He and Ronan discuss childhood wounds, Tucker’s psychoanalysis journey, why he is grateful for failure, and how he sees the role of narcissism. Plus, they dive into his healing work with psychedelics and how the first time he actually felt love was during a...

Is there a way to discover and understand our true inner selves? Dr. Dick Schwartz is a systemic family therapist and an academic. He is known for developing the therapeutic approach called Internal Family Systems. This approach to therapy recognizes all the multi-dimensional aspects of who we are and, most importantly, gives voice to them.  Today, Dr. Schwartz joins Ronan to break down the 8...

Is the NFL world ready for psychedelic therapy? Kenny Stills is an NFL athlete, activist, and philanthropist. When not playing wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints, Kenny manages the Kenny Stills Foundation; an initiative focused on improving the quality of life of underserved communities through education and enriching experiences. Kenny is also one of the first football players to come out o...

In a world of egos and icons that is much of the music industry, it's admirable to find some influential artists openly discussing mental health. Mike Posner is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, poet, and record producer, famous for his breakout record 'Cooler Than Me' and his hit track 'I Took A Pill In Ibiza.' Mike isn't shy about speaking out on the importance of mental health. He has inco...