The Trip Lab

This episode is going to be a high level overview over all of the primary causes of anxiety and depression, and integrative approaches to treat them. Anxiety and depression is a lot more complicated than just writing a script for sertraline or recommending therapy. These disorders definitely have a psychological component that can stem from chemical imbalances in the brain... but other causes incl...

Today we interview UCSF psychiatrist Emily Willow, MD. She has a robust career in psychedelic medicine and has worked on clinical trials using MDMA, psilocybin and ketamine. Currently, she has a private practice where she does ketamine assisted psychotherapy and psychedelic integration therapy. We chat all about her experience using these different psychedelic compounds, and the benefits and cauti...

A Trip Lab Thought Experiment : We will dive into an alternate reality where psychedelics can be used by anyone to explore their consciousness and place in the world (without having a mental health disorder like depression to make it legal). Find out how psychedelics can help you understand the complex topics of quantum physics, string theory, the illusion of time and parallel universes. We will a...

We chat with Dr. Mark Braunstein about how he pioneered a new path in psychiatric care using cannabis, ketamine and psilocybin... in addition to integrating wilderness programming, exercise, diet and spirituality to treat depression, addiction, anxiety and trauma. He dives deeper into how cannabis works in the mind and the different ways he prescribes this to his patients. We also chat about the f...

Chronic low levels of inflammation is linked to at 8 out of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States. This, along with chronic stress, causes premature aging, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, cancer and a lot more.  This episode dives deeper into how this process happens... and what you can change in your diet to combat it.  This episode rounds out our discussion on in...

Mia Cara Cosco is the Creative Director of Psychedelic Salons. She has 10 years of experience in psychedelic medicine advocacy and has a really beautiful take on these plants and fungi as medicine. We chat all about the work that she does holding space for people to experience psychedelics, as well as creating spaces to merge social venture capital with artists, business people, leaders and vision...

Max C Wood is a graduate student studying developmental neuroscience and psychopathology at the Anna Freud Center in London. He is finishing his studies at Yale, studying the impact that attachment styles have on a psychedelic treatment design, using ketamine.   We talk all about how developmental neuroscience came to be, and why this goes hand in hand with understanding the brain using psychedeli...

Mind-Body Medicine was until recently, dismissed by modern medicine. The idea that the mind could influence the body was paradoxically deemed just not true--- it's no surprise the current data is saying otherwise. It is know widely accepted that increased stress experienced in the mind lowers the immune system and influences a wide variety of disease, most notably cardiac and metabolic. In th...

Adaptogenics and nootropics have become buzzwords in posh grocery stores-- on every botanical elixir and new sparkling water. But what exactly are they? Do they actually work? And what does the data tell us? Find it all out in the episode! Adaptogenic herbs: panax ginseng, rhodiola, ashwaganda, licorice root, milk thistle Adaptogenic mushrooms: maitake, reishi, cordyceps, lion's mane Adaptoge...

The benefits of yoga have been proven extensively in the medical literature. We dive into the science of how yoga works to treat mental health disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular disease and even the cognitive decline that comes with age.  Then, for our very first guest interview we have Shelby Caldwell here to answer all of our yoga questions. She is a certified yoga instructor a...

This episode is going to be all about MDMA (also known as Molly or Ecstasy). We will explore the history of this compound and it's use, the neuroscience of how it works, what the latest clinical trials have shown, and even look at the shadow side of these sort of therapy sessions.  Mentioned Links: Netflix Docuseries: 'The Business of Drugs' Book: ‘The Gateway of the Heart: Accounts...

An overview of magic mushrooms and LSD (aka Acid). We will chat about the history of these compounds, why they were banned, why they are making a comeback, and how they are being used to treat anxiety, depression, addition and so much more. We will explain the neuroscience in an easy to understand way, and what this might mean for the future of psychiatry (and just life!).  Book: 'The Immorta...

What actually is integrative medicine? How does it differ from 'alternative' or 'naturopathic' medicine? When should you see an integrative medicine doctor? All of your questions answered below. 0:45 - What is integrative medicine?  3:10 - Alternative vs. Complementary vs. Integrative Medicine 3:50 - Eastern vs. Western Medicine 5:00 - Principles of Integrative Medicine 7:20 -...

An introduction to your host, what the podcast will be about (integrative medicine & psychedelics) and a primer on evidenced based medicine. 0:00 - Bio, Mary Ella Wood, DO Undergrad: Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, CA Medical School: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dothan, AL Residency: General Surgery, Danbury Hospital, Danbury, CT Residency: Family Medicine, West Suburban...