Psychedelics Today

In this episode, Joe interviews award-winning novelist and screenwriter, Norman Ohler.

Following in the footsteps of "Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich," his newest book, "Tripped: Nazi Germany, the CIA, and the Dawn of the Psychedelic Age," tells the story of how the Nazi's passion for methamphetamine turned into a curiosity about LSD, and how their experiments with trying to harness LSD as a truth drug eventually led to the CIA continuing their research under their MKUltra program. The book came about from trying to understand why LSD never became medicine – a question posed by his father, when discussing how LSD could help with his wife's progressing Alzheimer's symptoms.

He discusses:

• His path to becoming a "gonzo historian" and how his early psychedelic research was inspired by a friend's discovery of methamphetamine tablets from the 40s
• Henry Beecher's LSD experiments with students at Harvard, and how researchers often didn't know they were contributing to MKUltra
• His recent appearances on The Joe Rogan Experience and Jesse Watters Primetime
• His mother's experience with microdosing LSD and why police showed up at his father's door with a warrant
• Why he believes psychedelics will be legalized in the U.S. in the next 10 years

and more!

For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Kyle interviews Lana Pribic, M.Sc: host of the Modern Psychedelics podcast, certified professional life coach, and founder of Kanna Wellness.

She talks about her early days of rave culture and MDMA, to exploring other substances, to where she is today: finding joy in the simple things in life, embracing recreational psychedelics, and continuously working on herself while understanding that psychedelic experiences are not the be-all, end-all medicine, and that taking space to integrate learned lessons is where the true potential lies. She recognizes that many of us set out to heal trauma or work on something specific, but often get caught in a "healing trap," where a victim energy ends up holding us back – and keeps us coming back. When is the healing done? When do these experiences become a habit or escape? What are we not integrating?

She discusses:

• The "7 levels of energy" framework she uses with clients
• How she works with clients who return to unhealthy patterns after a big experience
• The judgment of the psychedelic space, both for people who stop using psychedelics and for people who return to the well perhaps too ofte
• Her relationship with her mother and how her mother's cancer treatment inspired her to create Kanna Wellnes
• How much of a factor acceptance is in finding joy in the mundane

and more!

Serving Canada (for now), Kannawellness.com just launched, and features kanna extract 8 times more potent than what is on the market today. If you're curious, use code PT10 at checkout for 10% off your order!

For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Ingmar Gorman, Ph.D.: clinical psychologist and co-founder and CEO of Fluence, a psychedelic education company.

Gorman served as a co-principal investigator and study therapist on MAPS' Phase II and III clinical trials for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, and works with drug sponsors: training, developing the components for clinical trials, and designing therapy manuals. With his insider's perspective, he discusses the reasons why he believes the FDA rejected MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD: from ICER's 2.1 section of the report giving legitimacy to allegations they don't have the authority to research, to Lykos not being able to defend some accusations due to confidentiality, to the damage caused over time (which likely influenced the decision) from attacks against Lykos from dissenters.

He discusses:

• How, despite abuse claims, the main allegations in the report were actually about the mishandling of data or influence of investigators on participants
• The complications of needing to follow study frameworks: Should your adverse experience be in the report if it happened outside the study window?
• How easily opposition can attack and demonize a faceless company, while forgetting the humanity of the people behind it
• Inner healing intelligence and the proposition that people have been indoctrinated into this concept by MAPS
• The need for journalists to research more and not just jump on a narrative

and more!

For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Kyle interviews Beth Weinstein: spiritual business coach, host of the "Medicine For These Times" podcast, and founder of the Psychedelics, Sacred Medicines, Soul's Purpose & Business summit.

She talks about a pattern she noticed of people working with psychedelics and seeing progress on what they set out to heal, but with a short-lived afterglow, as they remained in unfulfilling jobs without making any changes. She wondered: What if they applied the lessons they learned during their experience to their careers? What small steps could they start taking to either improve their current job, or find their true soul's purpose and carve out a new path? Weinstein's path has led her to combine practical business action plans with more spiritual and traditionally psychedelic modalities to help people grow in their careers and become their most authentic selves – especially if they're trying to enter into the psychedelic space.

She discusses:

• The importance of making time to talk things out with a coach, integration circle, or friends – especially in a culture that only gets more distracting and chaotic every day
• The challenge of differentiating between guidance: Is it your soul's true purpose, or a trick of your ego?
• The weirdly taboo topic of money in psychedelics, and the delicate balance of aligning with charitable values while making a living
• The mystical aspects to how life can change with new energy: Maybe that layoff happened at the perfect time?
• The power of positivity and small steps toward change, and how working on something outside of work can transform how you show up at work

and more!

Weinstein's newest course begins early next year: The True Path Entrepreneur Group Business Coaching Mastermind Program, which is a 12-month live coaching course designed to reprogram limiting patterns and beliefs and help move people into alignment with their true path. Click here for more info and to apply.

For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, David interviews Daniel Shankin: psychedelic integration coach, Vital instructor, and founder and director of Tam Integration.

He talks about the underrated importance of integration circles, how he created Tam Integration out of a personal need for them, how simple it can be for people to create their own groups, and how open-ended newly formed groups can be. He also discusses his "fractal inquiry" coaching method, and how the best coaching involves simply asking questions that lead clients to their own realizations and wisdom. He is offering courses that teach both of these skills: a course called Creating Community Psychedelic Integration Circles, and the newly-launched, year-long Mt. Tam Psychedelic Integration Coaching Program, beginning in October.

He discusses:

• The importance of learning how to focus on your breath, especially during a tough experience
• Hugging the Hindu spiritual leader, Amma (Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi), and the special energy that some people have
• The benefits of knowing when a mind path isn't worth exploring
• The difference between judgment and curiosity
• The weirdness of psychonauts, and how maybe getting a little weirder is what's needed for your healing

and more!

For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Joanna Kempner, Ph.D.: associate professor in the Department of Sociology at Rutgers University and author of the recently released, Psychedelic Outlaws: The Movement Revolutionizing Modern Medicine.

The book profiles the history and groundbreaking work of ClusterBusters, a nonprofit researching and spreading awareness about what someone named Flash discovered decades ago: that for some people, psilocybin and LSD could stop cluster headaches from coming on. Through early internet message board posts and email exchanges between Bob Wold, Rick Doblin, and others, Kempner pieced together their story. And through attending ClusterBusters meetings, she discovered that a lot of the true healing lies in the bonds formed and the hope people find when seeing something new work for a pain for which science has no answer.

She discusses:

• The lack of political will behind something so debilitating: Why is there no funding for this?
• The importance of patient advocacy and the role of the internet in sharing novel information
• The difficulty in studying a disease so unpredictable: How do you run a randomized trial when you don't know when a cluster is going to happen?
• Why the headache community clashes with psychology
• Concerns over how to ethically combine underground and Indigenous knowledge with above-ground University research

and more!

For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Kyle interviews Mustapha Khan: Emmy Award-winning director with over 100 film and television credits, who has worked with clients such as Coca-Cola and Honda, and celebrities ranging from Maya Angelou to Snoop Dogg.

Khan is finalizing a film about Lenny and Elizabeth Gibson and their ongoing work at Dreamshadow – the people and community responsible for Joe and Kyle meeting and the creation of Psychedelics Today. He talks about meeting the Gibsons, being welcomed into their community (instead of his proposed "fly on the wall" role), how centered and happy he felt after his first breathwork session, and what he has learned through the process: that breathwork can be an incredibly healing modality, but the magic he has found has been more in the community surrounding it, and the responsibility (and honor) of being a sitter for someone else.

He discusses:

• The first time his breathwork went psychedelic, and speaking with his recently deceased Mothe
• How he got into filmmaking and why he wants to tell stories about people like the Gibson
• The beauty of breathwork not having a dogma or doctrine attached to it
• The power in holding space for someone else, even if it's just being presen
• The importance of taking action that aligns with psychedelic ethos: What can you do to contribute to your community?

and more!

Khan is hoping to release the documentary, "Life and Breath," in October. In addition to a screening at Dreamshadow, PT will likely do a virtual one as well, so stay tuned for updates!

For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Danielle Nova: founder of Psychedelic Recovery, founding team member of Decriminalize Nature Oakland, and Executive Director of the San Francisco Psychedelic Society.

As a recovering addict, Nova discusses how working with psychedelics helped her find her way to recovery, and how she's spreading that knowledge to others through her Psychedelic Recovery program, which focuses more on 'targeted abstinence,' instead of the total abstinence model of Psychedelics In Recovery (which works alongside AA's 12-step program). She believes that it's extremely important to reframe addiction as a life process or temporary state of consciousness (rather than a life sentence you can't escape), and that beating addiction is not about constantly being afraid of a relapse, but about evolving to a state of empowerment: that you can overcome it, and that actually, a horrific addiction may have saved you and brought you to where you're supposed to be.

She discusses:

• The complications of Western medicine and the impact of conflicting medications that are nearly impossible to stop taking
• How self-regulation of tough emotions with outside stimuli (be it drugs, pornography, or even video games) trains people to rely on external forces rather than themselves
• How addicts end up programing themselves with 'addict consciousness,' and the power of changing one's mind state to view suffering as the fuel for a new purpose
• How, over time, we will likely start viewing microdosing as a regular dose, and the large doses we're used to will be seen as overdosing
• How being part of her ayahuasca experience (and having one himself) completely changed her father's perspective on drugs and addiction

and more!

She has co-created Microdosing Facilitator Training with Adam Bramlage of Flow State Micro: a first-of-its-kind 4-month program teaching clinicians, facilitators, and coaches about microdosing and how to safely guide others through the practice. The next cohort launches in January 2025.

For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, David interviews Deanna Rogers: Registered Clinical Counselor and Vital instructor.

She discusses how trauma grows in our bodies, and the importance of practitioners and facilitators becoming trauma-informed before working with clients. She stresses the need to create the right conditions for clients to be able to work with trauma – to bring compassion to the different parts of their self and build a relationship with the uncomfortable ones, to interrupt negative narratives, and to learn how to exist in a place where they can embrace their window of tolerance and explore discomfort in a safe way. What is the specific container and pace each client needs? How flexible is their nervous system to be able to work with these states? What can be done to bring out the empathetic witness in themselves? And most importantly, how can their sense of agency be improved so that they feel like they're fully in control of how deep things go?

She discusses:

• Her early ayahuasca experiences, and her path toward working with others, including working with Gabor Maté and Peter Levine
• How psychedelics allow us to access our irrational, animal parts, and how this work is often a combination of sacred and messy
• The need for facilitators to have a basic understanding of the nervous system and fight or flight reactions
• Moving away from the idea of: "There's something wrong with me." What do these chronic narratives do to our bodies?
• Working with clients to build out the capacity of their nervous system first, before working with any trauma

and more!

Rogers is one of our Vital instructors, featured in one of Vital 4's new Specializations: Somatics & Trauma. This cohort begins on September 17, and the application deadline is next week, September 3, so apply today before it's too late! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Jean Lacy: Executive Director of the Illinois Psychedelic Society; and La Shawn K. Ford: 17-year member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 8th District.

Together, they are working on the CURE (Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens) Act, which aims to decriminalize plant medicines and bring a state-regulated model for psychedelic use to Illinois. Similar to Oregon's model, but with hopefully a more cohesive ecosystem, it would include service centers, different license types, the removal of psilocybin and psilocin from the controlled substances list, and a percentage of taxes allocated to education of first responders and law enforcement. Guided by the mistakes of cannabis legalization, they're putting a lot of focus on accessibility – not just for consumers, but for people trying to get licenses and open businesses. What does equity and inclusion look like in a psychedelic service model?

They discuss:

• The need to educate lawmakers about psychedelics and shine a light on the myths and lies of the Drug War
• The importance of understanding the process and doing the work when working with lawmakers: When it's done right, democracy can actually happen
• Why conversations about accessibility and certain provisions need to happen up front, as bills are being written
• The impact of bipartisan support, and how bipartisan psychedelics are starting to become
• The overwhelming support for the CURE Act that Rep. Ford has seen, from people of all walks of life

and more!

If you want to help, please sign their petition and/or make a donation. And if you want to help on a larger scale, get out there and have those conversations: Tell your story, and tell it to lawmakers. Your voice can make a bigger difference than you realize. For links, head to the show notes page.