The Integration Session

How does one pivot from running a successful construction business in India to becoming a leading voice in psychedelic advocacy and mental health in Canada? 

In this episode of The Integration Session, host Elena is joined by Osheen Dayal–a University of British Columbia Psychology alumna, former co-president of the Women Empowerment Club, and current Master’s student in Counselling Psychology at Adler University. As the YouTube Committee Lead and Podcast Host at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) Canada, Osheen is at the heart of psychedelic science communication, advocacy, and story-telling. 

Together, Elena and Osheen discuss Osheen’s unique journey to psychedelic therapy training, her perspectives on cultural healing, spirituality, social justice and equity, as well as shared interests in science communication across the psychedelic field.

2025 was a pivotal year for psychedelic research at the Centre for Psychedelics Health & Research (CPHR) and across Canada. In this year-end finale of The Integration Session, host Dr. Elena Koning sits down with CPHR Director Dr. Claudio Soares for a reflective conversation on progress, breakthroughs, and the road ahead. 

Dr. Soares shares his professional journey in psychiatry, the evolution of CPHR into one of Canada’s leading multidisciplinary hubs for psychedelic science, education, and clinical innovation, and the centre’s key milestones to date. Major highlights include the launch of the first Health Canada-approved Phase 2 clinical trial of at-home, low-dose (non-hallucinogenic) psilocybin for generalized anxiety disorder, and a Phase 2, multi-center clinical trial of a rapid-acting DMT formulation (VLS-01 Buccal Film) for treatment-resistant depression. 

Looking to 2026, Dr. Soares shares CPHR’s exciting plans, including expanded research priorities, enhanced knowledge translation efforts, and strengthened national and international partnerships to responsibly advance psychedelic medicine. 

Dr. Claudio Soares is a physician, researcher, and educator with over 25 years of experience in mental health and women’s health. He is a Professor of Psychiatry at Queen’s University and Director of the Centre for Psychedelics Health and Research, leading innovative clinical research and knowledge dissemination initiatives. He also serves as Regional Clinical Co-Lead for Mental Health and Addictions at Ontario Health East and is President of The Menopause Society, a global organization dedicated to advancing women’s health at midlife and beyond. His expertise spans mood disorders, reproductive psychiatry, menopause, clinical trials, mobile health technologies, psychedelics research, and health innovation.

Chronic pain impacts over 1.5 billion people worldwide, with the majority of affected individuals being women. As conventional treatments don’t always help, there’s an emerging interest in the potential of psychedelic therapies. In this episode of The Integration Session, we explore the current state of the science on psychedelics as an approach to alleviating pain and improving quality of life in women with chronic pain. Dr. Sinziana Pop from the Francis Crick Institute shares her diverse expertise on the topic, future research plans, and why it’s so crucial to take a women-centered approach to psychedelic chronic pain research. This is an especially important topic for psychedelic scientists considering that, in existing clinical trials, most participants are males and sex is not often accounted for in analyses. Dr. Sinziana Pop is a neuroscientist with over a decade of experience researching brain function and evolution. In recent years, her focus has shifted from curiosity-driven "blue sky" neuroscience to exploring unconventional approaches for treating chronic pain in women. Recognizing that individual experiences are central to effective treatment, she is now pursuing psychedelic research, with the aim of designing clinical trials informed by women with lived experience of chronic pain.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to sit with someone having one of the most profound experiences of their life? In this deeply candid conversation, psychedelic therapist Denise Rue brings a wealth of experience to our discussion about facilitating psychedelic therapy. We discuss her journey to the field, the nuances of guiding individuals through psychedelic therapy, the surprising ways clinical hypnosis and psychedelics intersect, comparisons between group retreats and 1:1 therapy, advice for aspiring therapists (e.g., informed consent, boundaries, harm reduction), the role of poetry in psychedelic therapy, and questions that every prospective client should ask before trusting someone with their psychedelic experience. 

Denise Rue, MA, MFA, MSW, is a licensed Clinical Social Worker, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Psychedelic-Assisted Therapist, and founder of the New Jersey Psychedelic Therapy Association. From 2019-2022 Denise worked as a retreat leader and lead therapist at a legal psilocybin retreat center in Jamaica, and continues to lead retreats in Portugal, Mexico, and Colorado.  Denise has had the privilege of facilitating over 1,750 psilocybin sessions, and as many group integration sessions. She has a profound respect for the healing potential of this medicine, as well as a deep sense of the responsibility practitioners hold in shepherding people on their journeys. Denise has a private psychotherapy practice in New Jersey, specializing in individuals with complex trauma, especially adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. She utilizes a variety of modalities in her work, including ketamine-assisted therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), somatic therapy and clinical hypnosis. Denise will soon be launching her psychedelic education, integration, and harm reduction business, Interweave Healing, with her colleague, Jessalyn Maguire, LSW. 

Which psychedelic therapy is the most cost-effective? How can we determine the value of a psychedelic treatment? In this episode of The Integration Session, we discuss the crucial economic landscape of psychedelic therapies with Dr. Elliot Marseille, a health economist and founding director of the Collaborative for the Economics of Psychedelics at UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco. As a leading expert and author of several recent scientific publications on the topic, we explore the economic viability of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression, the economic potential of group therapy models for conflict zones and low-income countries, and the crucial study design approaches to enhance affordability, feasibility, and regulatory impact.

Can psychedelic experiences be considered ‘authentic’ spirituality? How can these substances foster spiritual healing, and what ethical principles must guide their use in society? In this episode of The Integration Session, we take a deep dive into the topic with distinguished theological ethicists Dr. Tracy J. Trothen and Ron Cole-Turner. Together, we explore how psychedelics could enrich spiritual health, the ethical tightrope of integrating them into mental health care and religious contexts, how spirituality can be measured in clinical trials, and the role of theological ethics in bridging divides within faith communities. Tune in for this thought-provoking conversation that weaves together science, spirituality, and ethics to reimagine the responsible use of psychedelics. 

Tracy J. Trothen is an interdisciplinary professor of ethics at Queen’s University, jointly appointed to the School of Religion and the School of Rehabilitation Therapy. She is an ordained minister in the United Church of Canada and has expertise in clinical spiritual care. Trothen is the author or editor of numerous articles, chapters, and books including her co-authored books, Understanding Religion and Artificial Intelligence: Meaning-Making in the Digital Age (with R. Reed, 2026), and Religion and the Technological Future: An Introduction to Biohacking, AI, and Transhumanism (with C. Mercer, 2021). Tracy co-chairs the American Academy of Religion's (AAR) Artificial Intelligence Unit and is a Fellow of the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR).

Ron Cole-Turner explores the spiritual significance of psychedelics for Christians. He is the author of Psychedelics and Christian Faith: Exploring an Unexpected Pathway to Healing and Spirituality (2025). Some recent articles include “Psychedelic Integration and Spiritual Growth in a Christian Context” (2025) and “Psychedelic Mysticism and Christian Spirituality: From Science to Love” (2024). He is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and taught theology and ethics at the seminary level for 35 years. He is a founding Fellow of the International Society for Science and Religion.

For thousands of years, humans have used psychedelics, but how have these substances influenced our evolutionary path? Does the Stoned Ape Theory hold true? And might psychedelics offer solutions to humanity’s greatest challenges, such as political division, war, and climate change? In this episode of The Integration Session, we are joined by Dr. Michael Winkelman, author of The Handbook for Entheogenic Healing and a recent article in the Journal of Psychedelic Studies, “Psychedelics and the Future Evolution of Humanity.” We explore how psychedelics have shaped human development and their potential to guide our future. From enhancing brain plasticity to promoting ultrasociality that could reduce conflict, could psychedelics be a key to addressing today’s most urgent global issues?
Michael J. Winkelman, Ph.D. (University of California-Irvine), M.P.H. (University of Arizona) is retired from the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University where he served as the Head of Sociocultural Anthropology; Director of the Ethnographic Field School in Ensenada, BC, Mexico; and Director of the M.P.H. in Community Health. Winkelman served as President of the Anthropology of Consciousness section of the American Anthropological Association, as was the founding President of its Anthropology of Religion Section. Winkelman has engaged in cross-cultural and interdisciplinary research on shamanism, psychedelics, and the alteration of consciousness for 40 years. His books on shamanism (Shamans, Priests and Witches [1992] and Shamanism: A Biopsychosocial Paradigm of Consciousness and Healing [2nd ed., 2010] use cross-cultural and evolutionary methods to examine these ancient spiritual and ritual healing capacities. He is the co-editor of Psychedelic Medicine (2 volumes, 2007), Advances in Psychedelic Medicine (2019) and a Frontiers in Psychology special issue on Psychedelic Sociality, and editor of a special issue of the Journal of Psychedelic Studies on Psychedelics in History and World Religions. He recently edited the Handbook of Entheogenic Healing (Brill, 2025). He served as an expert witness for Santo Daime in their defense against the US Department of Justice in 2009.

Want to stay updated on the latest advancements in psychedelic science without reading lengthy scientific papers? Welcome to the first Research Recap, where Elena breaks down three recent studies in psychedelic science, in a digestible format. In this episode, we touch on the potential of psilocybin therapy for mood symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, psychedelic use in eating disorder populations, and how psilocybin could extend cellular lifespan. Elena provides a clear breakdown of what the researchers did, why it matters, and the critical details often missed by mainstream media. Research Recap is perfect for curious minds and cuts through the academic jargon to expand your knowledge of psychedelic science. 

What makes an exceptional psychedelic guide? Should access to psychedelics be as straightforward as obtaining a driver’s license? And what do over 100 studies reveal about psychedelic use outside clinical settings? In this episode of The Integration Session, we are joined by Dr. Mark Haden, a pioneer in psychedelic research, therapy, and drug policy reform. We discuss his recent study on naturalistic psychedelic use, his influential work in shaping psychedelic therapy training, and his vision for a public health approach to psychedelics. 

Mark Haden is a major figure in the field of psychedelic medicines, with a long list of past and present activities and responsibilities. Among—and beyond—these, he is the Clinical Supervisor for the Psychedelic Treatment Program at Qi Integrated Health and the Vice President of Business Development at Clearmind Medicine.  He is an instructor, teaching psychedelic therapy with the ATMA program and has written a book, the Manual for Psychedelic Guides (now in its third edition) which makes this information widely available. 

Mark served as the Executive Director for MAPS Canada for 10 years and is an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia School of Population and Public Health. Mark has published numerous articles in respected journals, has presented at conferences and training events in many countries, and was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013 for drug policy reform work. Mark also has a well-deserved reputation as an exciting speaker who never fails to engage and surprise audiences. You can read his latest publications and listen to his presentations here: www.markhaden.com

What if healing isn’t just something that happens inside us—but also something that lives in our relationships with the land, the sky, and the more-than-human world around us?

In this episode of The Integration Session, Elena is joined by Keith Williams, Andrée-Anne Bédard, and Laura Pustarfi to explore the concept of inner healing intelligence—a central yet undertheorized idea in psychedelic therapy. Drawing from their recent publication in the Journal of Psychedelic Studies, they unpack the origins of inner healing intelligence, its connections to Indigenous philosophies and vitalism, and how it expands psychedelic healing beyond the individual toward ecological and relational dimensions. They also offer ideas about practical ways to study inner healing intelligence and ways that you can connect with your own inner healer. 

Keith Williams is an Assistant Professor (Educational Studies) at Athabasca University. Keith gardens and swims in the powerful Bay of Fundy tidal environment. His work focuses on better understanding how to be good relations with our more-than-human kin. Keith draws heavily on posthuman and Indigenous thought and he relies heavily on his lived experience with family members—human and otherwise.

Andrée-Anne Bédard is the program manager for the Bachelor of Indigenous Midwifery at First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) in Tyendinaga, Mohawk territory. She is a clinical herbalist, educator and researcher with keen interest in the transformative potential of relational education. She is a mother of three and is known in her community to be of a caring and inquisitive nature. 

Laura Pustarfi, Ph.D., is Director of the Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies and Research Certificate Program and adjunct faculty in Philosophy and Religion at CIIS. Her scholarly interests include plant studies, integral ecology, psychedelic philosophy, and environmental humanities, especially environmental philosophy, eco-phenomenology, and religion and ecology. She is co-editor with David Macauley of The Wisdom of Trees: Thinking Through Arboreality.

Additional Content Discussed in the Episode:

1. Laura’s co-edited book, including a brilliant chapter on arboreal ethics: Macauley, D., & Pustarfi, L. (Eds.). (2025). The Wisdom of Trees: Thinking Through Arboreality. State University of New York Press.

2. Colleague Pedro Favaron (professor at PUCP ‘la catolica’ in Lima, poet and filmmaker) recent films about ayawaska: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8sU0isQIlY (with English subtitles) and citations for some of his papers that relate directly to ancestral healing among the Shipibo: 

Favaron, P., & Bensho, C. (2022). Rao bewa: los cantos medicinales del pueblo shipibo-konibo. Literatura: teoría, historia, crítica, 24(2), 139-165.

Favaron Peyón, P. M. (2024). La fuerza de la palabra: reflexiones lingüísticas a partir de la etnografía shipibo-konibo. Revista Colombiana de Antropología, 60(1), 127-149.

https://asapjournal.com/node/geosemantics-ii-the-sacred-web-of-existence-an-indigenous-womans-good-word/