In our latest Psychedelic Times podcast, Joe Mattia speaks with Dr. Rachel Harris, psychotherapist, ayahuasca researcher, and author of the wonderful book Listening to Ayahuasca: New Hope for Depression, Addiction, PTSD, and Anxiety. In this hour-long conversation, Rachel and Joe discuss a wide array of subjects surrounding ayahuasca, including the importance of family connections, the process of becoming a shaman, the link between ayahuasca and nature, and much more.

Show Notes:

Ayahuasca and family healing [1:00]

Ayahuasca and nature [2:23]

Esalen in the 60’s [4:00]

The War on Drugs [5:40]

Underground ayahuasca research [6:25]

Accounts of “miracle cures” [9:20]

Ayahuasca integration [12:20]

Spiritual bypass [15:10]

Psychotherapy vs. integration [17:15]

Finding ayahuasca [20:05]

Becoming a shaman [20:10]

Navigating difficult experiences [23:00]

The importance of lineage [24:55]

How psychedelics affect the brain [28:35]

Traumatic experiences on ayahuasca [31:00]

Traditional vs. underground ayahuasca use [34:15]

Psychedelic research challenges [36:30]

Why ayahuasca? [41:25]

Psychic surgery [45:00]