Episodes
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Andy Mitchell, author of “Ten Trips,” describes his experience having ten different psychedelic experiences in very different types of contexts ranging from academic settings to indigenous communities. Andy provides a fresh take on psychedelics with a unique perspective of sampling several sub-communities within the larger psychedelic community, including therapists and scientists, psychonauts and inner travelers, and spiritual or religious practitioners. Andy describes how he has come to see how much psychedelics have become a construct that can become what we want them to be based upon our own beliefs and worldviews, and how their trickster qualities tend to obstruct them being confined by any particular framework.. Finally, hear how Andy used the process of writing his book to help integrate his experiences, and how these experiences have changed him.
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In this episode we take a slight detour from our main topic to discuss Nate’s experiences with farming in central Illinois. Hear Nate describe how he got into farming and how his experiences with animals have shaped the way he thinks about everything from diet to psychotherapy. You’ll hear Nate defend why he is virulently "pro-savanna" and discuss how living in a sustainable ecosystem allows for regular experiences of abundance, as well as staying close to the cycle of life and death. And yes, we do discuss how sustainable farming does fit neatly within the psychedelic experience.
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Missing episodes?
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Join us for a conversation with Franklin King, is a psychiatrist with expertise in neuroscience and psychedelics. Hear him discuss his history of working in a psych ER and his perspectives on how public health interventions can help people attain greater wellness. Dr. King’s unique experience in mental health care and research on psychedelic-assisted therapy leads to an engaging discussion about how psychedelic medicine is evolving in our current health care system.
Dr. King is a psychiatrist at Mass General Hospital in Boston, was trained in residency and fellowship in Consult-Liaison Psychiatry and a research fellowship with the Cardiac Psychiatry Research Program. He is particularly interested in optimization of therapy paradigms within psychedelic research as well as the use of psychedelic-assisted therapies in disorders at the mind-body interface. Dr. King is currently the Principal Investigator (with Co-Investigator Erin Mauney) on a pilot study exploring the feasibility of psilocybin-assisted therapy for irritable bowel syndrome and is the study psychiatrist for a neuroimaging study partnering with MAPS examining the effects of MDMA-assisted therapy for fibromyalgia (PI: Vitaly Napadow). He is also co-developing the Harvard Interdisciplinary Program in Psychedelics with friends colleagues at BWH and BIDMC, a program that will provide education and training in psychedelic-assisted therapies for clinicians across the various hospitals in the Harvard Medical School community.
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Holotropic breathwork, developed by Stan and Christina Grof, [BP1] was developed as a method to induce altered states of consciousness after LSD was made illegal and therefore no longer available. Christine Calvert is a certified Holotropic Breathwork facilitator who discusses the history and development of holotropic breathwork and how it is related to psychedelic-assisted therapy.
With decades of experience, Christine highlights the importance of supporting the inner wisdom of clients and being non-intrusive as a facilitator.
We also discuss the importance of doing one’s own work before taking on the role of facilitating altered states of consciousness and the value of group formats for collective healing experiences.
Notes from episode:
The role of preparation. The importance of subtly tuning into the inner healer, the breath as a vehicle for tapping into our innate capacity to heal and to be whole.
Why you may never hear the phrase “Happy Birthday” in the same way again.
Group formats for altered states of consciousness, the collective inner healer, participate in healing in the collective space
The sitter role is simply to witness. The simple experience of being witnessed by another human being.
Something happens in the group space that can’t happen in the solo place. This is how we used to heal, how our ancestors knew how to do it.
As long as we always remember that we are apprenticing to the medicine, to this space, that is a great posture to remind us to always do our own work. If we continue to do our own work, there is at least a relationship with accountability and self honesty, or at least a capacity to stay in relationship with that.
Practice: write down everything that I am bringing into the space before doing a facilitator. Helpful to get into right relationship in my body, monitoring my own need for intimacy and connection, etc.
“The facilitator is the most important person in the room,
and is not important at all.” – Teacher saying
“People here not because of us, but in spite of us.”
We are the support staff to the inner wisdom, essentially.
Christine Calvert (teacher and module facilitator) is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a certified Holotropic Breathwork® facilitator. She is the founder of Tribe, a conscious sober living home for men in Austin, TX, focusing on a transpersonal and Holotropic approach to recovery and healing. In addition to bringing Holotropic Breathwork® and other experiential workshops to mental health and addiction facilities, she is passionate about the ethics and integrity needed in facilitating expanded-state work; supporting the integration of Holotropic and psychedelic sessions through somatic resourcing; and creative expression, personal ritual, and group support. Her own personal healing journey was greatly influenced by the Holotropic perspective and she feels deeply dedicated to sharing this work with those seeking healing. She enjoys finding ways to weave her personal and professional experience of different therapeutic and spiritual systems such as Shamanism, Somatic Experiencing, Jungian psychology, attachment theory, and mindfulness practices into her work with others. Christine is currently studying to become a Naturopathic Doctor and maintains a private counseling and consulting practice in addition to facilitating Holotropic Breathwork® nationally.
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In this compelling episode, Nate and Brian are joined by Victor Cabral, a licensed social worker and therapist, who currently serves as the Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs at Fluence Training. Victor has a passion for equity and justice in relation to drug policies and hopes to emphasize community views, oppression, and harm that has been done in relation to psychedelics and drug policy. Previous to this role, he had worked in the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office of Advocacy and Reform; notably, creating the first Racial Day of Healing for Pennsylvania. With his experience in government policy, social work, psychedelic assisted therapy, Nate and Brian take Victor on a deep dive into discussions surrounding decriminalization of psychedelics on federal and state levels, as well as the effects on marginalized communities, looking particularly at the recent legislative changes in Oregon and Colorado.
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OSMIND
Osmind is the premier platform for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy practices. The all-in-one platform includes purpose-built charting for ketamine, SPRAVATO, psychotherapy and more; as well as patient tools for the therapeutic alliance that include 40+ validated rating scales and a patient app for journaling and secure messaging too. Visit Osmind using our link below:
osmind.org/asoc
Episode Description:
In this episode, we interview Max Wolff. Max Wolff is a psychologist and psychotherapist, and serves as the Head of Psychotherapy Training and Research at the MIND Foundation. We discuss the EPIsoDE psilocybin trial that Max is involved with in Germany, perspectives on how to properly conduct psychedelic therapy, differences between Germany and the United States when it comes to therapy and psychedelics, and more.
Show Notes:
-4:00 EPIsoDE Study (Clinical Trial):
https://episode-study.de/
https://mind-foundation.org/research/episode-study/
-41:00 Psychotherapy in Germany:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279513/#:~:text=Statutory%20health%20insurers%20cover%20up,part%20of%20group%20therapy%20sessions.
-48:30 Insight Conference in Berlin:
https://insight-conference.eu/
-55:30 MIND Foundation:
https://mind-foundation.org/
Learning to Let Go journal article:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00005/full
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Show Description:
In this fascinating episode, Brian is joined by Denise Rue, who is a hypnotherapist, social worker, and experienced psilocybin retreat facilitator. Brian and Denise dive deep into the nature of psychedelic therapy and the retreat experience, from preparation through integration. Denise shares her perspective on the role of a psychedelic therapist and what it takes to successfully facilitate psychedelic experiences for clients with a wide range of goals and backgrounds. The particular utility of group work with psychedelics is explored, as are topics of dealing with challenging psychedelic experiences, “deprogramming” beliefs about psychedelics and mental health, relating to psychedelic medicines as teachers, and the mystical and spiritual impacts psychedelics can have on individuals who choose to work with these medicines.
OSMIND
Osmind is the premier platform for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy practices. The all-in-one platform includes purpose-built charting for ketamine, SPRAVATO, psychotherapy and more; as well as patient tools for the therapeutic alliance that include 40+ validated rating scales and a patient app for journaling and secure messaging too. Visit Osmind using our link below:
osmind.org/asoc
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OSMIND
Osmind is the premier platform for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy practices. The all-in-one platform includes purpose-built charting for ketamine, SPRAVATO, psychotherapy and more; as well as patient tools for the therapeutic alliance that include 40+ validated rating scales and a patient app for journaling and secure messaging too. Visit Osmind using our link below:
osmind.org/asoc
Did you miss out on Psychedelic Science 2023? Or did you go and want to spend time revisiting some of the highlights? In this episode Brian shares some of his experiences at the conference including learning about the latest science on psychedelics and what it was like to be immersed in a large, diverse psychedelic community of 12,000 people. We critically evaluate the search for the “non-psychedelic psychedelic” and discuss the tension between the hope for a better culture and the need to be cautious. Brian also shares how queerness and psychedelics can both be agents for infusing awe and wonder into our capitalistic flatland culture.
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This Episode's SponsorOSMIND
Osmind is the premier platform for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy practices. The all-in-one platform includes purpose-built charting for ketamine, SPRAVATO, psychotherapy and more; as well as patient tools for the therapeutic alliance that include 40+ validated rating scales and a patient app for journaling and secure messaging too. Visit Osmind using our link below:
osmind.org/asoc
In this episode, we speak with Jon Dennis. Jon is a lawyer by training, and has played an integral role in the development of Measure 109 in Oregon. He also serves as the Executive Director of a pending facilitator training program. We discuss the development of policy surrounding psychedelics in the United States, including making space for community use, safety considerations, populism vs elitism, accessibility, and more. 12 states are currently in the process of developing legislation surrounding psychedelics, and we discuss how states can build on and learn from one another throughout this process.
Guest Biography:
Jon Dennis is a lawyer, activist, and entrepreneur in the psychedelics ecosystem. He is the executive director of Vital Oregon, a psilocybin facilitator training program by Psychedelics Today, and the co-host of the “Eyes on Oregon” podcast from Psychedelics Today. Jon is a member of the Chacruna Institute’s Council for the Protection of Sacred Plants. He is a member of the Psychedelics Bar Association and sits on its Religious Use Committee. Jon serves on the Executive Committee of the Oregon State Bar Practice Section on Cannabis and Psychedelics and is a founding member of the Entheogenic Practitioners Council of Oregon.
Show Notes:
Article about Measure 109 not being psilocybin-assisted therapy:https://chacruna.net/oregon-legalized-psilocybin-supported-adult-use/
Story about boy who died:https://www.wftv.com/news/local/federal-judge-dismisses-ayahuasca-churchs-request-overturn-dea-decision/DA3FHCYUP5GMJNW26NY7WHWX6U/
Measure 109, Measure 110:Oregon Psilocybin Services (Measure 109): https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/preventionwellness/pages/oregon-psilocybin-services.aspxMeasure 110: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/hsd/amh/pages/measure110.aspxIllinois legislation:https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=1&GAID=17&SessionID=112&LegID=14183
Graham Boyd Horizons Northwest:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UTWxaW7edk
Natural Medicine Health Act: -
Brian and I wrap things up for season two and lay the groundwork for season 3.
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Dr. Rosalind Watts discusses her work in applying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to psychedelic-assisted therapy. Dr. Watts shares about how her own challenging psychedelic experiences have provided her with valuable insight and perspective in working with depressed clients, as well as the value in opening up to our pain in helping us become more engaged in our lives. Dr. Watts emphasizes the importance of integration and describes it as a lifelong process of growth. She also shares about her new project, ACER integration, which is a 12-month program that combines her work in ACT with an explicit focus on nature to provide a framework for psychedelic integration. Dr. Watts emphasizes the importance of a peer model of psychedelic use and the need to evolve beyond the current medical model to meet the needs of people who are in crisis and suffering.
https://www.drrosalindwatts.com/
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Zach Haigney is the author of the Trip Report, a weekly newsletter that synthesizes psychedelic news in the areas of medicine, science, and policy. Looking at the big picture, we discuss where the field is at and where it is going. We review the hype cycle and identify why psychedelics tend to be aggrandized, and Zach discusses his view of how the psychedelic space is an ecosystem filled with checks and balances that is incredibly complex and unique in our culture. We talk about why the DEA doesn’t seem to want to mess with entheogenic churches, and what that means for the public in terms of access. Finally, Zach shares his perspective on the role of capitalistic influences on the emerging field of psychedelic therapy, including Big Pharma, patents, and psychedelics that don’t have psychedelic effects. What does that mean? Come listen and find out the latest news and get caught up on what is happening in psychedelics!
https://thetripreport.substack.com/
https://thetripreport.substack.com/p/psychedelic-hype-cycle-employer-kap#footnote-1
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Dr. Ingmar Gorman discusses the current state of psychedelic training programs and how Fluence, the organization that he helped co-found, is attempting to meet the training needs of mental health professionals. He also discusses the little known history of psychedelics in the Czech Republic and Europe, and describes what it was like for psychedelics to flourish in a conservative region of the world decades ago. We also discuss various metaphors for psychedelic-assisted therapy, including emphasizing the disrupting effect of psychedelics that, for better or worse, can lead to dramatic change. Dr. Gorman brings his expertise in developing therapy portions of psychedelic-assisted therapy for drug sponsors and describes his transtheoretical model of psychedelic harm reduction and integration.
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Psychedelics are known for their ability to shake up one’s existing belief system and provoke new ways of seeing the world. Several studies show that people often become more spiritual or religious after a powerful psychedelic experience. There is a trend in moving away from physical or materialistic worldviews into non-physical, fatalistic, or nondual worldviews. In this episode we discussion the function of a worldview in providing a sense of predictability in the world and bring a skeptic’s eye to explaining the increase in spiritual beliefs- is this just human’s proclivity to engage in pattern recognition and meaning-making? We use nerdy terms such as“ontological shock” and “ecstatic literacy”, and describe how the openness created after a deep psychedelic experience can be used for good or evil. Studies discussed in this episode include:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-01209-2
https://psyarxiv.com/rdzmy/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32461241/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32345112/
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Dr. Rachel Harris shares her work in investigating the ceremonial use of ayahuasca and how understanding indigenous cultures can help inform the Westernized medical framework of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Dr. Harris also discusses her upcoming book about the work of female underground guides and elders, and why the voices of women have been largely underrepresented in the modern history of psychedelics. She highlights the role of different options for interfacing with psychedelics, and shares her personal journey of being called into medicine work.
Book: Listening to Ayahuasca
Referenced YouTube Video
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Much of the current discussion around psychedelic drugs center on their therapeutic effects. Clinical conversations, promotion, hype, controversy- who controls them, who are they good for, how can they be used for maximum benefit, who's getting paid...
A little something has gotten a bit lost in the mix- FUN.
Psychedelics can be a real, real good time. In this Episode, Brian and Nate discuss why conversations so often steers towards the perhaps socially acceptable terrain of the therapeutic and away from good old-fashioned fun- and how there is a great deal of value to be had in "fun". Duh.
Also Nate shows his true (tie-died) colors.
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Dr. Chris Stauffer talks about his research investigating the use of group-administered psilocybin and MDMA. The advantages of group administration are discussed, including the opportunity to increase social connection and deepen capacities to be vulnerable with others. Dr. Stauffer also highlights how group psychedelic-assisted therapy needs to be adapted to the identities of the participants, sharing about his experiences in working with the veteran population and a study with transgender and gender non-conforming participants. Chris also discusses his work on oxytocin and how that influences the way the thinks about increased social connection as a process of change involved in psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Mentioned in the show:
Rat Park Study: https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/what-does-rat-park-teach-us-about-addiction
MDMA and Critical Periods: https://hub.jhu.edu/2019/04/04/mdma-opens-critical-period-for-social-behavior/
https://www.chrisstauffermd.com/
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In this edition of ASOC, we had the opportunity for a long, in-depth conversation with the one and only Dr. Steven C. Hayes.
In this fun and wide-ranging conversation, Steve talks about how his personal experiences with psychedelics contributed to the development of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and his understanding of the role of language in human suffering. He shares about his involvement in the psychedelic movement of the 60’s and how he is excited about the potential for the modern psychedelic renaissance. We discuss the role of the psychological flexibility model in understanding the psychedelic experience and the application of ACT in integration therapy. Dr. Hayes emphasizes how psychedelics can help us reconnect with parts of ourselves that are ordinarily filtered away by our sensory processing systems, and how psychedelic experiences can help us connect to a deeply human experience of being a social animal.
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Should psychedelic therapists have their own experiences with psychedelics? While the answer to this question may at first seem obvious, this episode explores some of the nuances in this issue. For example, if personal experience is necessary, who gets to decide how much and under what conditions? Furthermore, we explore how personal experiences may inform one’s work as a psychedelic therapist and discuss precedence in the field for requiring therapists to have personal experience in therapy.
Article: The influence of therapists’ first-hand experience with psychedelics on psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy research and therapist training
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In this episode, Nate interviews Dr. Albert Garcia Romeu of Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research.
First, we discuss the state of diversity within psychedelic research, both in terms of the research subjects and the researchers themselves. We pointed out how this may be particularly problematic in psychedelic science, as it tests many deep assumptions about culture and context that a homogenous group (such as monocultural White, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic- WEIRD- researchers) might not take broad enough perspectives on.
Additionally we discuss the cool study on psilocybin that has led to a big NIH grant, and how psilocybin may be able to help people struggling to quit smoking.
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