Episodes
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Welcome to another Special Dispatch from The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves.
Today, I am speaking with Matt Zorn, a litigator and partner at Yetter Coleman.
With a practice spanning antitrust, competition, IP, and a deep focus on controlled substances and drug regulation, Matt brings a unique perspective to the shifting landscape of drug policy and health agency reform.
What makes this discussion especially relevant today is the backdrop of the recent political realignment in the U.S., with RFK Jr.’s role within a Trump administration and the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative looming over the political landscape.
As a result, we find ourselves at a unique inflection point to reassess drug policy and, perhaps, a pivotal moment of mental health, psychedelics, and regulatory processes.
Matt’s insights don’t shy away from the complex history and challenges facing the psychedelic movement and broader healthcare reform. He argues that the FDA’s structure itself may not be fit for purpose in modern mental health treatment.
In our conversation, we explore:
* The origins and inefficiencies of current drug regulation processes.
* Why the Controlled Substances Act and FDA efficacy requirements may hinder real-world applications.
* How reforming clinical trial processes or even fundamentally changing statutory requirements could reshape the space.
* Concrete ideas for reforming the system, including lessons drawn from MDMA’s recent regulatory struggles.
* How drug development pathways intertwine with controlled substances law, patent incentives, and the broader economic landscape of pharmaceuticals.
Without further ado, I bring you my conversation with Matt Zorn.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome to a Special Dispatch of The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves.
Today, I’m joined by Nick Gillespie, Editor-at-Large of Reason magazine, to discuss the results of the US election and specifically what it might mean for psychedelic policy, research, and drug development.
As a veteran observer of the intersection between politics, regulation, and civil liberties, Nick offers a unique lens through which to examine the evolving dynamics of psychedelics, the regulatory state, and how the incoming Trump administration might approach the matter.
Our conversation focuses on the curious coalition between former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and President-Elect Donald Trump, who has said he will let Kennedy “go wild on health” through a yet-to-be-announced position in his administration.
This partnership raises critical questions about the potential for sweeping changes to policy in the United States—particularly as it relates to psychedelics, alternative therapies, and broader health reforms.
We explore the paradoxical nature of this political moment, in which historical stigmas are shifting, and new coalitions are forming.
With drug policy historically defined by prohibition, could we now be on the verge of a psychedelic renaissance fueled by executive power and bipartisan pragmatism?
We unpack the complexities of de-scheduling psychedelics, the implications of potential federal support for therapeutic use, and how the cultural, medical, and regulatory terrain could evolve.
In typical fashion, Nick brings clarity and insight to a conversation that touches on the FDA's recent rejection of MDMA-assisted therapy, the mixed outcomes of state-level psychedelic ballot initiatives, and the broader cultural shifts that frame America's approach to mental health, addiction, and drug legalization.
This is a moment where history, politics, and the psychedelic renaissance converge—an era brimming with opportunity and risk, with the potential for substantive change at hand.
Without further ado, I bring you my conversation with Nick Gillespie.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
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Happy Halloween! 🎃
Welcome back to The Trip Report, a production of Beckley Waves.
In this episode, we’re joined by Lucia Huang, Co-Founder and CEO of Osmind, a mental health startup that seeks to transform psychiatry by supporting clinicians with a novel treatment and research platform that streamlines measurement-based care.
Measurement-based care in mental health is a clinical approach that relies on systematically tracking and analyzing patient-reported outcomes and objective data to guide treatment decisions.
In measurement-based care, symptoms, such as mood, sleep, and other physical health indicators, are monitored over time. This continuous feedback allows clinicians to personalize care, adjust treatments as needed, and make data-driven decisions to improve outcomes. However, streamlining this process has been a challenge.
Osmind sees to make this process easier for the field of psychiatry as they adopt innovative treatments like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Spravato, ketamine and other emerging tools.
In our conversation, we explore:
* The founding story of Osmind and the inspiration drawn from Lucia’s own life and career in healthcare
* How interventional psychiatry is poised to change the landscape of mental health treatment
* The promise and challenges of incorporating biomarkers and real-world evidence into psychiatric care
* And her vision for a future where psychiatry embraces precision medicine and autonomy for clinicians
And now, I bring you my conversation with Lucia Huang.
Interested in working with The Trip Report or Beckley Waves? Get in touch!
We’re always looking for passionate individuals and organizations to collaborate.
If you're interested in joining us on this journey, please contact us to explore potential partnerships, investment, and consulting opportunities or to learn more about our work.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves.
Today's conversation is with Shamil Chandaria, and as I alluded to in last week’s newsletter introducing computational neuroscience—it is the longest and most technical conversation we’ve had to date.
I have wanted to speak with Shamil since I watched his lecture at Oxford titled The Bayesian Brain and Meditation.
Shamil is a former advisor to Google DeepMind, co-foudner and research fellow at Imperial College London Centre for Psychedelic Research and Oxford University’s Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, and a co-author with Robin Carhart-Harris and the Imperial team of the influential 2023 paper titled Canalization and Plasticity in Psychopathology,
Importantly for this conversation, Shamil is also a longtime meditation practitioner, and his current work is dedicated to exploring contemplative practices, spiritual awakening, and psychedelics through the lens of computational neuroscience.
At the heart of the conversation is the Free Energy Principle, a relatively new concept in cognitive neuroscience that conceives of the brain as a prediction machine constantly updating its internal models to minimize prediction errors. This framework along with the Bayesian Brain Hypothesis show how the brain optimally processes sensory data through inference, which has profound implications for how we perceive and experience the world.
We discuss:
* The brain as a prediction machine
* The convergence of ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience.
* Defining human flourishing beyond the absence of suffering to include meaning, love, joy, connection, and psychological resilience.
* The role of body sensations, emotions, and somatic practices in psychotherapy and how they tie into the brain's predictive coding mechanisms.
* Spiritual awakening, liberation and human flourishing through a neurocomputational lens
* The potential for integrating free energy principle-based models into the field of psychiatry, improving therapeutic approaches and mental health care.
* And much more
My takeaway from this conversation is that we are, in fact, in the midst of a paradigm shift—one that bridges the fields of meditation, psychology, psychedelics, phenomenology, psychiatry, and even artificial intelligence.
This new understanding, grounded in the free energy principle, offers a unified theory that links ancient wisdom with modern neuroscience, reshaping how we think about consciousness, well-being, and what it means to be sentient.
And now, I bring you my conversation with Shamil Chandaria.
I want to highlight our friends at the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation (TBD), who have just announced their latest Request for Proposals for scientific studies of the Perception Box.
Tiny Blue Dot Foundation strives to help people understand that they live in their own unique Perception Box whose walls can be expanded to minimize suffering, increase acceptance of self and others, and view trauma and other challenges as opportunities for growth.
TBD has allocated $9,000,000 to fund up to 10 rigorous research projects related to The Science of the Perception Box.
TBD ran similar RFPs over the last two years and funded a total of 23 projects thus far. Information about these projects can be found here and here.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.
Over the past year, we’ve spoken with researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and practitioners who are pioneering new paths in the world of psychedelics and mental health.
After over thirty episodes of The Trip Report Podcast, I figured it was time to give a peek behind the scenes of Beckley Waves and our work to support the developing field.
To that end, today, I am speaking with Rock Feilding-Mellen, a co-founder and partner at Beckley Waves.
In this episode, we’ll pull back the curtain on our ongoing projects, the ups and downs of building in a young and misunderstood industry, and the vision that drives our work to create meaningful change in this emerging field.
In this conversation, we discuss:
* Amanda Feilding and her pioneering work to support psychedelic science and drug policy reform through the Beckley Foundation
* The origin story of Beckley Waves and its mission to develop a new paradigm of care delivery in the field of psychedelics.
* Rock's personal journey with psychedelic-assisted therapy and how it shaped his vision for integrating these practices into mainstream healthcare.
* The crucial role of supportive care in psychedelic therapy, emphasizing the importance of preparation, integration, and ongoing support.
* The Beckley Waves family of companies including Beckley Retreats, Beckley Academy, and the recent acquisition of Nue Life.
* The challenges and opportunities of building care delivery infrastructure for a future that includes psychedelics as a key tool for healing and thriving.
And now, I bring you my conversation with Rock Feilding-Mellen.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.
Today, I am speaking with Dr. Rachelle Sampson and Dr. Bennet Zelner, the primary investigators of The Connected Leadership Study.
Rachelle and Bennet are both faculty at the Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and share a deep interest in how psychedelics might catalyze systems change in leadership and business organizations.
Rachelle’s career began as a corporate attorney, but she soon pivoted and earned her PhD in business economics, focusing on environmental sustainability and corporate strategy.
Bennett, on the other hand, began his career studying traditional economics, but his work felt increasingly disconnected from real-world applications. In psychedelic circles, Bennett is known for the Pollination Approach— a model for delivering psychedelic-assisted mental healthcare that draws inspiration from ecological principles.
Together, Rachelle and Bennett are exploring how psychedelics can impact leadership decisions and foster deeper alignment with more sustainable and regenerative business practices.
In this conversation that took place in July, we discuss:
* How psychedelics sparked both Rachelle and Bennett’s interest in systems change.
* The challenges and potential of integrating psychedelics into leadership development.
* Their ongoing research in the Connected Leadership Study, examining how psychedelics influence decision-making, creativity, and leadership.
* Insights from their pilot cohort of leaders who participated in a psilocybin retreat.
* And much more.
And now, I bring you my conversation with Rachelle Sampson and Bennett Zelner.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.
Today’s conversation is a unique one as I am speaking with Rebecca Kronman, a licensed therapist and the founder of Plant Parenthood, a digital community exploring the intersection of psychedelics and family life.
Rebecca and Plant Parenthood have been at the forefront of conversations about plant medicines and psychedelics in a family context—something that might seem controversial at first glance. However, the work is rooted in providing a safe, non-stigmatized space for parents to explore these topics as they look for alternative solutions to complex family dynamics, mental health struggles, and personal healing.
During our conversation, we explore:
* The rise of psychedelics in parenting, including how Rebecca has seen these tools impact family systems.
* The potential therapeutic use of psychedelics with children, and how this reflects global cultural practices.
* The importance of set and setting, especially for adolescents, and how Rebecca’s work is helping to build education and support systems for families engaging with these substances.
If you’re a parent or simply curious about how psychedelics are reshaping conversations about family, mental health, and community, this episode is for you.
And now, here’s my conversation with Rebecca Kronman.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.
Last week on the podcast, I spoke with Dr. Carlene MacMillan, psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer of Osmind, about the FDA’s rejection of MDMA Assisted Therapy.
That conversation focused on some of the problems with the application, including potentially missing data, inaccurate or unreported adverse events, and the general uncertainty that both the Advisory Committee and FDA itself had with the work Lykos submitted.
Today’s conversation addresses the matter from another perspective, namely the inadequacy of the current regulatory regime for evaluating treatments that challenge the current epistemological paradigm and come from “outsider” organizations.
To make sense of this, I asked Nick Gillespie, Editor at Large of Reason Magazine, to come on the podcast to discuss the matter.
To say that Nick is critical of the FDA would be an understatement.
His position is that the latent mission of the FDA and other regulatory agencies is to maintain the existing power structures and commercial interests of the organizations they regulate rather than to protect public health, ensure public trust, or facilitate the availability of new treatments.
His views challenge mainstream narratives of both the right and the left, which makes him the perfect guest as we delve into the complexities of drug regulation, the FDA's role in approving psychedelic therapies, and the broader implications for personal autonomy in today’s world.
In this episode, we explore:
* The challenges of navigating the FDA's regulatory process for novel therapies like MDMA-assisted psychotherapy.
* The increasingly confusing political and ideological landscape
* Outdated and ossified regulatory institutions
* The prospect of individual states taking over regulatory responsibilities from the federal government
* The cultural and political dynamics that shape public opinion on psychedelics and other controlled substances.
* The evolving landscape of personal freedom in the context of healthcare and drug use.
* And much more.
And now, I bring you my conversation with Nick Gillespie.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome to a special episode of The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.
Today, we’re dissecting the FDA’s rejection of Lykos Therapeutics MDMA Assisted Therapy with Dr. Carlene MacMillan MD, a Harvard-trained psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer at Osmind.
In her role at Osmind, Dr. MacMillan has the unique experience of helping practices across the country adopt new treatment modalities like Ketamine, Spravato, and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.
And through her work with professional societies like the American Psychiatric Association and the Clinical TMS Society, she has been involved in developing policies, treatment codes, and access to new interventional psychiatric treatments.
This background and experience made her a great person to speak with about the FDA decision, the most pivotal development this nascent field has seen.
In this special dispatch, we dive deep into the potential rationale and aftermath of the FDA’s decision, as well as the implications for the future of psychedelic therapies, research, and commercialization.
In this conversation, we discuss:
* The allegations of research misconduct
* The difficulty the FDA and Advisory Committee had with the therapeutic component of the trial
* The complexities of psychiatric trial designs and the importance of reliable data.
* The role of real-world evidence and post-marketing data in evaluating new treatments.
* The challenges of integrating new therapies into mainstream healthcare.
* The future of psychiatric treatments, including neuromodulation and other emerging therapies.
* And much more.
And now, I bring you my conversation with Dr. Carlene MacMillan.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
* Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Today, we are speaking with Dr. Selma Holden, MD, a physician-therapist and director of the Riverbird Clinic, an innovative group psychotherapy and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy practice in Portland, Maine.
Before starting Riverbird, Dr. Holden practiced family medicine in rural Maine and received research training through the Integrative Medicine Research Fellowship at Harvard Medical School.
In this episode, we dive into the pivotal moment approaching for psychedelics: the FDA’s decision on MDMA-assisted therapy expected this week.
I wanted to bring Dr. Holden on because she has been trained in the MDMA Assisted Therapy protocol that Lykos submitted to the FDA for review and has been involved in psychedelic therapy and research for a long time.
Dr. Holden provides invaluable insights into the intricacies of clinical trials, the challenges faced, and the potential impact of the FDA's decision on the future of psychedelic therapy.
In this conversation, we discuss:
* Dr. Holden’s early experiences with psychedelics and their influence on her career
* Her innovative approaches to integrating psychedelics into family medicine
* The development and challenges of clinical trials for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy
* The anticipation and implications of the upcoming FDA decision on MDMA-assisted therapy
* The development of the Riverbird Clinic and its unique group therapy models
* The challenges and opportunities in the evolving field of psychedelic-assisted therapy
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.
Today, we are speaking with East Forest, the renowned musician, producer, and ceremony guide, who is best known for his songs and soundtracks specifically created for psychedelic journeys.
He recently completed a feature narrative documentary called Music for Mushrooms, which aims to inspire people to do inner work and highlight its importance in their lives.
His journey into the intersection of music and psychedelics began over 15 years ago. His work started with small, private mushroom ceremonies and has since evolved into more significant public events and retreats.
His music is known for its ability to guide listeners through their own inner journeys, creating a safe and inspiring space for exploration and healing.
In this episode, we discuss:
* The making of his documentary Music for Mushrooms and its intention to inspire inner work.
* The film's narrative backbone follows his efforts to expand his work into different modalities and bring it to a broader audience.
* The importance of inner work and how his music supports and encourages this process.
* His insights on the often underappreciated role of music in the psychedelic experience, both historically and in contemporary scientific research.
* The current landscape of the psychedelic movement and its intersection with mainstream culture, legislation, and clinical practice.
East Forest shares insights from his personal journey and professional experiences, offering valuable perspectives on the intersection of music, psychedelics, and inner work.
And now, I bring you my conversation with East Forest.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
* Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.
Today, I am speaking with Joanna Kempner, PhD, a medical sociologist with deep expertise in the healthcare system’s approach—and shortcomings—to treating chronic illness.
Joanna is well known for her research on the social dynamics of medicine and has written extensively on the topic of migraines and chronic pain.
She also just published a fantastic book, Psychedelic Outlaws - The Movement Revolutionizing Modern Medicine, which tells the story of Clusterbusters, a patient support group of people suffering from cluster headaches, one of the most punishing and debilitating neurological disorders there is.
Clusterbusters pioneered the use of low-dose psychedelics as an effective treatment for Cluster Headache.
Psychedelic Outlaws chronicles the group’s fight for access to lifesaving medication and their innovative approach to real-world research.
Joanna shares her journey into the field of medical sociology, inspired by her personal experiences and observations of gaps in the healthcare system.
She discusses the challenges faced by patients with chronic illnesses, particularly those with chronic pain, and how these individuals often become experts in understanding what medicine doesn't know.
In this episode, we discuss:
* Joanna's background and her journey into medical sociology
* The challenges faced by patients with chronic pain and the concept of "ignorance" in medicine
* The story of Clusterbusters and their discovery of psychedelics as a treatment for cluster headaches
* The political and scientific hurdles in studying and legitimizing treatments for chronic pain
* The potential of psychedelics to push the boundaries of biomedical research and pain management
* And much more.
And now, I bring you my conversation with Joanna Kempner.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
* Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.
Today, in honor of PTSD Awareness Month, we are speaking with filmmaker Brandon Kapelow, the writer and director of the short film titled An Act of Service which was published under the New York Times Op-Docs banner in the Spring of 2024.
This powerful documentary explores the journey of a fire captain from Idaho as he navigates life with PTSD and treatment through ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.
I reached out to Brandon because I was taken by the film’s beauty and impact.
In a field where hyperbole reigns, An Act of Service conveys the challenge of mental illness and the potential of recovery in a soft-spoken but powerful way.
Brandon's dedication to mental health advocacy is deeply personal.
His path began with the loss of his father to suicide when he was just 12 years old. This set him on a course of mental health advocacy and, eventually, filmmaking.
His work has appeared in prominent outlets such as Time Magazine where he highlighted the issue of suicide in the Western United States.
In this conversation, we discuss:
* The inspiration and development of Brandon's film An Act of Service
* The unique mental health challenges faced by first responders and the role of psychedelic therapy in their healing
* The intricacies of capturing real-life therapy on film while maintaining the integrity and privacy of the therapeutic process
* The broader implications of psychedelic therapy for mental health, especially in conservative and rural areas
* Brandon's personal journey with ketamine therapy and how it has informed his work and advocacy
Brandon's film not only sheds light on the transformative potential of psychedelic therapy but also provides a sober, nuanced portrayal of its impact on real lives.
His thoughtful approach to storytelling offers a hopeful and optimistic view of the future of mental health treatment.
And now, I bring you my conversation with Brandon Kapelow.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio
Today, we have the honor of speaking with distinguished neuroscientist and researcher of consciousness, Christof Koch, Ph.D.
Christof is the Chief Scientist of the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation and Chief Scientist and President of the Allen Institute for Brain Science.
He has been a prominent figure in the study of consciousness for over 40 years. His work includes collaborations with Nobel laureate Francis Crick and pioneering research in understanding the neural correlates of consciousness.
Christof recently published a memoir of sorts titled Then I am Myself the World, where he discusses his profound experiences with psychedelics, including a near-death experience induced by 5-MeO-DMT. These experiences have significantly influenced his perspective on consciousness and the nature of reality.
In our conversation, we explore:
* Christof's journey from a devout Catholic upbringing to becoming a leading neuroscientist in the study of consciousness
* His transformative experiences with psychedelics
* The implications of these experiences on his understanding of consciousness and reality
* The research and initiatives of the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation
* The role of psychedelics, breathwork, and other techniques in expanding our perception and understanding of consciousness
* The importance of integrating compassion, curiosity, and mindfulness in both personal and professional contexts
Christof’s insights offer a unique blend of scientific rigor and personal exploration, providing a fascinating perspective on the intersection of neuroscience and psychedelics.
And now, I bring you my conversation with Christof Koch.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.
Today, I am speaking with Manesh Girn, Ph.D, a prominent researcher and science communicator in the field of psychedelics and neuroscience.
Manesh is a postdoctoral researcher at UCSF in Robin Carhart-Harris's lab. His fascinating background bridges psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience.
Manesh's journey into the world of psychedelics began in his late teens through an interest in meditation and spirituality.
A profound experience with psilocybin during his undergraduate years ignited his passion for exploring the therapeutic and cognitive potentials of psychedelics.
His work has taken him from the University of British Columbia to McGill University, where he completed his PhD focusing on the default mode network and its role in human cognition and behavior.
In this conversation, we discuss:
* Manesh's introduction to psychedelics and how his early experiences shaped his academic and research career.
* The intersection of meditation, psychedelics, and the default mode network
* His extensive research on the default mode network and how psychedelics affect it.
* The concept of neurophenomenology and its significance in linking subjective experiences with brain dynamics.
* The ambitious projects at UCSF, including the most comprehensive psychedelic brain imaging study to date.
* His involvement in a large-scale international psychedelic brain imaging data-sharing consortium.
* The future of psychedelics in enhancing human potential and creativity, particularly through the work of the Center for MINDS.
Manesh is passionate about leveraging psychedelics to help people not just recover from mental health issues but also to thrive and reach their fullest potential.
And now, I bring you my conversation with Manesh Girn.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.
Today, I am speaking with Dennis Walker, AKA the Mycopreneur.
I don’t know about you, but I am always flummoxed by the seriousness of the discourse among stakeholders in the ‘psychedelic renaissance.’
My guess is that this earnestness is the result of a few things:
* a reverence and respect for the medicine
* an attempt to extend objective scientific rigor to human communication and
* the don’t-rock-the-boat-formality of the biopharmaceutical industry to avoid regulator scrutiny.
But whatever it is that has led to such formality we can be grateful that The Cosmic Joke will reliably appear on the timeline, thanks to Dennis.
I imagine that many Trip Report subscribers are familiar with Dennis as the Court Jester of Psychedelics through his satirical video shorts and articles with titles like “Netflix Announces America’s Next Top Shaman” and “Drake Enters MDMA-Assisted Therapy after Kendrick Traumatizes Him”.
But in addition to lighthearted satire, Dennis and Mycopreneur are also focused on mushroom entrepreneurship beyond psychedelics in areas like myco-materials, mycoremediation, mycofiltration, and mycelium-based food products.
It turns out that mushrooms have many, many potential and emerging uses in the modern economy.
In this conversation, Dennis and I discuss:
* The Origin and Evolution of Mycopreneur
* The potential impact of Mushroom-based-technology
* The importance of community in the mycological industry
* The redefinition of the 'legacy market' versus the 'black market' for psychedelics
* The gap between the demand for and the legal supply of legal psychedelic experiences
* And much more
And now, I bring you my conversation with Dennis Walker.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
* Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.
Today, we have the privilege of speaking with Bruce Damer, a distinguished astrobiologist from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
He is also the Director and Chief Scientist at the BIOTA Institute and the co-founder and president of the Center for MINDS, which stands for the Multidisciplinary Investigation Into Novel Discoveries & Solutions.
Bruce is most well known for the Hot Spring Hypothesis for an Origin of Life. This groundbreaking theory challenges the conventional belief that life on Earth began in the oceans, suggesting instead that it emerged from hot springs.
Important for our conversation today and for the work that the Center for MINDS is initiating, the hot spring hypothesis came to Bruce during an Ayahuasca ceremony.
The Center for MINDS is a non-profit organization co-founded by Bruce and colleagues to investigate the potential of psychedelics and mindfulness practices to catalyze states of creativity for innovative problem-solving in science, engineering, leadership, design, and other fields. MINDS is sponsoring the research and development of new protocols, facilitating public discourse, and supporting community education, with the goal of finding solutions to some of humanity's greatest challenges.
This project is inspired by research that was abruptly halted in the 1960s—which was studying the use of mescaline for promoting technical breakthroughs—along with Bruce’s own experience with the hot spring hypothesis.
In this conversation, we discuss:
* Bruce’s introduction to psilocybin from none other than Terrence Mckenna;
* How his Ayahuasca and breath work experiences revealed to him the biochemistry of the origin of life;
* The Center for MINDS origin story;
* The practice of set, setting, and set up—where set up is the crucial ingredient for creative breakthrough;
* The research programs and community building he is spearheading with the Center for MINDS;
* Endotripping: a term Bruce coined to describe the exploration of the mind without drugs;
* And much more.
And now, I bring you my conversation with Bruce Damer.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.
Today, I am speaking with Dr. Pedro Texeira, Ph.D a scientist studying health behavior change and health psychology at the University of Lisbon and founder of the psychedelic educational non-profit Safe Journey.
About 18 months ago, I came across a paper authored by Pedro, Robin Carhart-Harris, and others titled Psychedelics and Health Behaviour Change about the potential role of psychedelics in promoting lifestyle changes that are conducive to overall health, and I knew that this would be an increasingly relevant area of research and practice.
Part of my intrigue with psychedelics as therapeutic tools is the wide array of conditions and issues for which they may be helpful.
At a time when the dominant prescriptive mode in healthcare is “a different pill for every ill,” it is intriguing to see an emerging treatment that has been used for centuries and for which people have organically found helpful for many different conditions from PTSD, to Depression, to Cluster Headaches.
Furthermore, the idea that society’s most pressing healthcare challenges—chronic diseases—are downstream of environment and lifestyle is an inconvenient truth. The reality is that we can’t ignore the impact of nutrition, exercise, sleep, our social environment, and other non-medical lifestyle factors that can be difficult to change.
So, can psychedelic-based approaches help people make positive changes? Develop greater agency? Feel less compulsion?
These are the questions that Pedro and his team are researching.
In this conversation, we discuss:
* Pedro’s research in nutritional science and health activity
* The rise of environmental and lifestyle-based chronic diseases
* The early years of the field of behavioral psychology
* Self Determination Theory and the relationship between one’s perceived competence and motivation for change
* The underlying psychological mechanisms of action in self-perception and health behavior change
* The potential power of combining established behavioral interventions with psychedelics
* What we can learn about behavior change following psychedelic experiences in naturalistic settings
* And the importance of psychedelic public education
And now I bring you my conversation with Dr. Pedro Teixeira.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.
This week, I am speaking with Dr. Jackie von Salm, Ph.D., co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Psilera, a biotech company pioneering early-stage psychedelic-inspired drug discovery and development for neurological conditions.
If you’ve ever been curious about the intricate and fascinating world of drug discovery, this conversation is a must-listen.
Jackie walks me through the entire process, from scaffolds to IND submission and all the steps in between.
Along the way, we discuss her background in natural product chemistry, the role of secondary metabolites, and a unique property of adaptive physiology whereby some types of stress actually strengthen organisms.
We discuss the origin story of Psilera and the inspiration from 2 Bromo-LSD, a non-hallucinogenic compound that has been successfully used by people suffering from cluster headaches, among other neurological conditions.
We discuss the increasing role of AI and computation in the drug discovery process but also the ‘chemical intuition’ that one develops after years of practicing chemistry.
We dive into the emerging field of neuropsychiatric biomarkers, a toolset that has eluded researchers, clinicians, and patients in this particular field, and how EEG and other brain imaging technologies may be the answer.
We discuss the perception of psychedelic drug development in the eyes of the pharma world and much more.
And now, I bring you my conversation with Dr. Jackie von Salm.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com -
Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.
Today, I'm speaking with Shirelle Noble, Deb Gardner, and Danielle Herrera, LMFT from Beckley Academy. They recently published A Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Learning Framework.
This is a research initiative that aims to foster a unified and comprehensive educational paradigm for psychedelic practitioners across the field.
With the advent of psychedelic-assisted therapy in regulated, unregulated, and legal grey areas, more and more therapists are seeking out training to learn how to administer this novel modality.
In response, there is a growing market of educational providers that are vying for their business.
However, there are no agreed-upon standards for training, certification, and licensing.
As a result, the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy is at a pivotal juncture. Its potential to revolutionize mental health treatment is immense, yet the absence of agreed-upon training standards and certifications for practitioners remains a critical gap.
Beckley Academy co-founding team members Deborah Gardner and Shirelle Noble recognized the opportunity to analyze existing publications and create a unified learning framework – a first step in the direction of such standards.
The conversation I am about to share with you highlights the framework's pivotal role in addressing the current gaps within the field and the necessity for a standardized set of learning objectives.
This open-sourced Learning Framework is a foundational step towards establishing a coherent and comprehensive educational standard for Psychedelic Assisted Therapy and advocating for a multifaceted and experiential learning approach that includes somatic and relational practices.
And now, I bring you my conversation with Shirelle Noble, Deb Gardner, and Danielle Herrera from Beckley Academy.
Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.
Credits:
* Hosted by Zach Haigney
* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari
* Find us at thetripreport.com
* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com - Show more
