Beyond the Ceremony

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How does a seven-time All-American, valedictorian, and CPA candidate become addicted to heroin and crack cocaine?

In this deeply personal episode, Kelly shares her story for the first time.

From growing up in the small mountain town of Creede, Colorado, to earning multiple college degrees and working at one of the world's largest accounting firms, nothing about Kelly's life suggested addiction would become part of her story.

But addiction doesn't discriminate.

Kelly opens up about the curiosity that led her down a dangerous path, the devastating reality of opioid addiction, and the desperation that eventually led her to discover Ibogaine, a West African plant medicine that changed the trajectory of her life.

This conversation is raw, honest, and hopeful. It's a story about addiction, healing, courage, and ultimately finding purpose in the darkest chapter of life.

In this episode we discuss:

• Kelly's upbringing in Creede, Colorado
• Being a seven-time NCAA All-American and graduating at the top of her class
• Earning degrees in finance, accounting, and taxation
• Moving to Miami and working for Deloitte
• Why success on paper didn't bring fulfillment
• How a relationship exposed her to opioid addiction
• The progression from curiosity to heroin addiction
• The realities of heroin and crack cocaine addiction
• Opioid withdrawal and the physical and psychological grip of addiction
• Why traditional treatment options didn't resonate with her
• Discovering Ibogaine through relentless late-night research
• Her experience at an Ibogaine clinic in Mexico
• How Ibogaine helped her break free from opioid addiction
• The beginning of her journey into plant medicine
• How that experience eventually led her to Bufo, Tribal Detox, and the work she does today

This episode isn't about glorifying addiction.

It's about showing that addiction can affect anyone, regardless of intelligence, success, or background, and that healing is possible.

If you or someone you love has been impacted by addiction, we hope Kelly's story offers both perspective and hope.

Mentioned in this episode

• Ibogaine
• Bufo (5-MeO-DMT)
• Kambo
• Opioid addiction
• Addiction recovery
• Plant medicine
• Integration
• Tribal Detox

Coming Up Next

In the next episode, we'll continue Kelly's journey as we explore what happened after Ibogaine, how she discovered Bufo, and how those experiences ultimately led to the creation of the Church of the Amphibian Arts and the work she does today.

Subscribe so you don't miss future conversations as we explore plant medicines, integration, spirituality, science, psychology, and everything that happens beyond the ceremony.

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What happens after the ceremony?

That's the question that inspired this podcast.

In our very first episode, we share the story behind Beyond the Ceremony, why we felt this conversation needed a home, and why we believe the real healing doesn't end when the medicine wears off.

After losing our Instagram account without warning, we realized how easily conversations around plant and amphibian medicines can disappear from social media. We wanted a place where we could have honest, thoughtful, long form conversations without trying to squeeze complex topics into 60 second clips.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why we created Beyond the Ceremony
• How losing our Instagram accelerated the decision to launch the podcast
• The difference between the ceremony and the integration that follows
• Why healing isn't something a medicine does to you, but something you continue to cultivate afterward
• The philosophy behind Tribal Detox and our approach to working with Kambo and Bufo
• How Jason and Kelly met through the medicine world
• Kelly's journey from opioid addiction to Ibogaine and eventually Bufo
• Jason's path through Ayahuasca, Kambo, homelessness, and rebuilding his life
• The unlikely beginning of Tribal Detox, from living in a minivan and DoorDashing to building an international practitioner community
• How training hundreds of practitioners and serving thousands of clients has shaped our understanding of these medicines

This podcast isn't just about ceremonies.

It's about what comes after.

It's about integration, relationships, healing, purpose, spirituality, science, responsibility, and the lifelong process of becoming more fully human.

Whether you're completely new to plant medicines, an experienced practitioner, or simply curious about consciousness and healing, we hope these conversations offer insight, perspective, and practical wisdom you can apply to your own life.

Mentioned in this episode

• Kambo
• Bufo (5-MeO-DMT)
• Ibogaine
• Ayahuasca
• Integration
• Tribal Detox Kambo Practitioner Training

Coming Up Next

In the next episode, Kelly shares her remarkable journey from addiction and recovery through Ibogaine to becoming a Bufo facilitator and founding the Church of the Amphibian Arts.

Subscribe so you don't miss future conversations as we explore plant medicines, integration, spirituality, science, psychology, and everything that happens beyond the ceremony.