The Psychedelic Podcast

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin sits down with Mira Funk, LCSW, a Harvard-educated psychotherapist and the founder of Unjourneying, a private practice built around 5-MeO-DMT, N,N-DMT, and salvia divinorum.

This episode is sponsored by Mira Funk.

Mira traces her path from fourteen years of Zen meditation into psychedelic work, and explains how a severe reaction to a common nootropic supplement unexpectedly reoriented her entire practice toward presence rather than dramatic, otherworldly trips. She and Paul go deep on the extended-release routes she has pioneered, including subcutaneous, rectal, and vaginal 5-MeO-DMT, and the titrated e-mesh method she uses for salvia divinorum.

Throughout the conversation, Mira is candid about the real risks of self-administration, the role of chronic illness in shaping her gentle approach, and why she believes structure matters most for those newest to this work.

Mira Funk, LCSW (she/her), is a Harvard-educated queer, nonbinary psychotherapist and psychedelic guide specialized in 5-MeO-DMT, N,N-DMT (including analog ayahuasca), and salvia divinorum. Based in Oregon, she is the founder of Unjourneying, a private therapy practice blending somatic, nondual, and neuroscience-informed methods to optimize psychedelic healing and insight. Unjourneying draws its name from Neem Karoli Baba's reported non-response to LSD; observing this same effect in herself and long-term clients, Mira embraced the radically vivid here and now as her lodestar, rather than some mystical elsewhere.

Having battled neurological Lyme disease for over three decades, Mira brings a gentle, trauma-informed approach to clients with physical and emotional challenges. She is the inventor of The Hourglass, a lung-friendly 5-MeO-DMT vaporization system with zero liquid carriers and two-stage cooling, and offers multiple extended-release routes of 5-MeO-DMT, including subcutaneous, rectal, and vaginal preparations for sexual trauma and pelvic floor dysfunction. She is currently the only psychedelic therapist in the field offering titrated dosing of pure salvinorin-A in an e-mesh format.

Highlights:

• Fourteen years of Zen before mushrooms filled the gap
• Why structure helps most early in psychedelic work
• A supplement reaction that reshaped her entire practice
• 5-MeO-DMT as explosion versus something you can surf
• Building The Hourglass: her own zero-liquid vaporizer
• Subcutaneous, rectal & vaginal routes for 5-MeO-DMT
• A rectal 5-MeO-DMT session and healing pelvic trauma
• Real risks of DIY dosing and sourcing injectables safely
• Titrating salvia to a whisper with a custom e-mesh device

Episode Links:

• Unjourneying (Mira's website): https://www.unjourneying.com/
• Mira on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unjourneying
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unjourneying
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/unjourneying/membership

This episode is also sponsored by:

• SSRI Deprescribing & Psychedelic Readiness Training with Dr. Dave Rabin

Disclaimer: This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization.

Paul talks with biohacking pioneer Dave Asprey about medicalization, microdosing, consciousness, and Dave's new BEYOND Wonderland psychedelics conference in Austin.

In this bonus episode, Paul welcomes back Dave Asprey, founder of Bulletproof Coffee and creator of the biohacking movement, to talk about BEYOND Wonderland, the psychedelics conference Dave has revamped for October 12-14 in Austin. They also get into medicalization, the CIA's documented role in psychedelic history, what responsible microdosing regulation could look like, and why Dave is as focused on unlocking latent human ability as he is on fixing what's broken.

Want to attend BEYOND Wonderland? Get 10% off your ticket with code THIRDWAVE at wonderlandconference.com (Code expires October 10).

Episode links:

• BEYOND Wonderland – Use code THIRDWAVE for 10% off: https://wonderlandconference.com/
• Dave Asprey's website: https://daveasprey.com/

Third Wave occasionally partners with or shares information about other people, companies, and/or providers. While we work hard to only share information about ethical and responsible third parties, we can't and don't control the behavior of, products and services offered by, or the statements made by people, companies, or providers other than Third Wave. Accordingly, we encourage you to research for yourself, and consult a medical, legal, or financial professional before making decisions in those areas. Third Wave isn't responsible for the statements, conduct, services, or products of third parties. We receive a commission from sales arising from customers who use our coupon code. No one is required to use the coupon code.

Disclaimer: This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with computer scientist, climate investor, and Nexus author Ramez Naam about psychedelics, AI, neurotechnology, and cognitive liberty.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-374/?ref=278

Ramez shares how psychedelic experiences sparked his interest in neuroscience, inspired his books, and helped redirect his work toward climate and clean energy. He and Paul explore what brain-computer interfaces can do today, the future of psychedelic mental healthcare, and how to protect freedom of thought as AI becomes a more personal tool.

Ramez Naam is a computer scientist, mission-focused investor, climate activist, and award-winning author of science fiction and nonfiction. His Nexus trilogy explores the possibilities of mind-to-mind communication technology, while his nonfiction examines human augmentation, neuroscience, climate, and clean energy. He serves as Co-Chair for Energy and Environment at Singularity University and invests through Planetary VC in companies working on clean energy, climate technology, and beneficial uses of AI.

Highlights:

• How psychedelics inspired Ramez's interest in neuroscience and his five books
• What today's brain-computer interfaces can and cannot do
• Psilocybin, 5-MeO-DMT, and the future of mental healthcare
• Medicalization, decriminalization, and psychedelic access
• The LSD experience that helped shape Ramez's climate work
• Clean energy progress and the challenges that remain
• AI privacy, cognitive liberty, and the freedom to think

Episode Links:

• Ramez Naam's website: rameznaam.com
• Ramez Naam on X: x.com/ramez
• Ramez Naam on Instagram: instagram.com/rameznaam

Episode Sponsors:

• SSRI Deprescribing & Psychedelic Readiness Training with Dr. Dave Rabin

Disclaimer: This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with therapist and InnerEthics® founder Kylea Taylor about why responsible psychedelic therapy requires more than good intentions.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-373/?ref=278

Kylea explains why non-ordinary states can amplify intimacy, vulnerability, countertransference, and practitioner blind spots. She presents ethics as an ongoing practice of self-inquiry, restraint, and right relationship rather than a set of rules consulted only after something goes wrong.

Paul and Kylea also examine personal experience as preparation for facilitation, the complexities of touch and consent, the meaning of inner healing intelligence, and why compassionate peer consultation is essential for anyone holding space in psychedelic work.

Kylea Taylor, M.S., LMFT, is a California licensed therapist and the founder of InnerEthics®, a self-reflective approach to relational ethics taught in breathwork and psychedelic practitioner trainings. A certified Holotropic Breathwork® facilitator, she served as a senior trainer with Dr. Stanislav Grof throughout the 1990s. Kylea is the author of The Ethics of Caring and Peer Consultation Groups & Ethical Awareness Tools for Psychedelic Practitioners. She also co-founded SoulCollage®, helping train more than 6,000 facilitators across 63 countries.

Highlights:

• Why non-ordinary states amplify ethical challenges
• Self-awareness and the practitioner's blind spots
• Whether facilitators need personal experience with altered states
• Touch, consent, and client autonomy in psychedelic therapy
• Supporting inner healing intelligence without over-intervening
• Recognizing transference and countertransference
• Right relationship as a practical ethical compass
• Peer consultation and compassionate accountability

Watch the full conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/CmLVfgTpgrc

Connect with Kylea:

• InnerEthics®: https://innerethics.com
• KyleaTaylor.com: https://kyleataylor.com
• Kylea Taylor's books: https://hanfordmead.com/product-category/authors/kylea-taylor/
• InnerEthics® on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/innerethics/
• Kylea Taylor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleataylor/

Episode Sponsors:

• SSRI Deprescribing & Psychedelic Readiness Training with Dr. Dave Rabin

Disclaimer: This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Paije Alexandra West, founder of ETÉREO, about iboga, ibogaine, and Bwiti initiation.

Drawing on Paul's recent retreat experience at ETÉREO in Baja, they examine what can be lost when iboga is reduced to a clinical alkaloid and how traditional ceremony can coexist with rigorous medical screening. Paije explains the differences between iboga root bark and total alkaloid extract, the role of Bwiti music, and why discomfort, community, and long-term integration are central to working responsibly with this demanding medicine.

Paije Alexandra West is the founder and lead iboga provider at ETÉREO | Center for Truth, an iboga retreat center outside Todos Santos, Baja California Sur. A twice-initiated Bwiti practitioner, she began on the clinical side, supporting guests through detox and aftercare at ibogaine clinics. Her commitment deepened after losing her brother to a fentanyl overdose. Paije trained in Gabon with the Missoko Bwiti, completed the Nyembe rites in 2022, and was initiated with the Fong in 2025. Her work combines traditional Bwiti ceremony with EKGs, pharmacist reviews, licensed therapists, and IFS-informed integration. She runs ETÉREO with her husband and co-founder, Fletcher Burdick, and co-founded the Stone West Foundation.

Highlights:

• How iboga differs from isolated ibogaine treatment
• What medicalized approaches can lose when culture and ceremony are removed
• Combining Bwiti tradition with clinical screening and emergency preparation
• Why responsible providers must be willing to say no
• Iboga root bark versus total alkaloid extract
• How Bwiti music shapes the ceremonial experience
• Discomfort, community, and the limits of modern convenience
• Why iboga requires long-term integration rather than a quick-fix mindset

Episode Links:

• ETÉREO
• Stone West Foundation
• ETÉREO on Instagram @etereo__baja
• Paije on Instagram: @paijealexandrawest
• Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-372/?ref=278

Episode Sponsors:

• SSRI Deprescribing & Psychedelic Readiness Training with Dr. Dave Rabin

Disclaimer: This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with psychiatrist and TaperClinic founder Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring about antidepressant withdrawal, psychiatric deprescribing, and psychedelic readiness.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-371/?ref=278

Josef explains what he learned reviewing drug safety at the FDA, why withdrawal can be mistaken for relapse, and how tapering often becomes more difficult at lower doses. They also explore the lifestyle foundations of mental health, benzodiazepine withdrawal, and why psychedelic clinics may need far more sophisticated support as increasingly medicated patients seek psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, and ketamine.

Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring, MD, is a psychiatrist renowned for his expertise in drug tapering and withdrawal management. With years of experience in clinical psychiatry, he has developed a particular interest and specialization in assisting patients with the safe and effective tapering of psychiatric medications. His approach is patient-centered, focusing on individualized plans that prioritize patient well-being and functioning. He is the founder and medical director of TaperClinic.

Highlights:

• What antidepressant research leaves unanswered
• Why withdrawal can resemble relapse
• How lower doses change tapering
• Five foundations before optimization hacks
• Benzodiazepines in psychiatric deprescribing
• Psychedelics versus conventional drug models
• Insurance pressure on psychedelic clinics
• Preparing for heavily medicated patients

TaperClinic: https://taperclinic.com/

TaperClinic Free Guide: https://taperclinic.com/free-guide/

SSRI Deprescribing & Psychedelic Readiness Training with Dr. Dave Rabin: https://edu.psychedeliccoaching.institute/ssri-deprescribing-and-psychedelic-readiness-certification/?ref=12

Disclaimer: This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with investigative journalist Robert Whitaker about the evidence behind psychiatric prescribing, SSRI withdrawal, and what psychedelic medicine can learn from that history.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-370/?ref=278

Whitaker revisits the chemical imbalance theory, long-term antidepressant outcomes, and how psychiatric drugs evolved from short-term interventions toward chronic use. He also explores the social and environmental dimensions of mental health before turning to psychedelic medicine and the risks of recreating a drug-centered model of care.

Robert Whitaker is the author of five books, three examining the history of psychiatry. His 2010 book, Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness, won the U.S. Investigative Reporters and Editors award for best investigative journalism. He is president of the Mad in America Foundation and founder of MadinAmerica.com, which features research news and perspectives from an international group of writers interested in rethinking psychiatry.

Highlights:

• How the chemical imbalance story took hold
• What long-term psychiatric outcomes reveal
• How antidepressants became long-term treatment
• SSRI withdrawal versus recurring depression
• When SSRIs help, and at what cost
• Mental health beyond individual brain chemistry
• Psychedelic medicalization and personal agency
• Community, ritual, and psychedelic experience

Episode Links:

• Mad in America
• Robert Whitaker Books
• SSRI Deprescribing & Psychedelic Readiness Training with Dr. Dave Rabin

Disclaimer: This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Dr. Remi Drozd back to explore ketamine, SSRIs, and the changing landscape of psychedelic mental health care.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-369/?ref=278

Since Remi first appeared on the podcast in Episode 182, Lucid Therapeutics has grown from a small ketamine practice into a ten-room interventional mental health clinic offering ketamine treatments, Spravato, TMS, therapy, integration support, and other approaches.

Paul and Remi examine one of the less-discussed challenges facing psychedelic medicine: many prospective patients are already taking antidepressants and other psychiatric medications. Remi explains why SSRI tapering needs to be individualized, how ketamine may support some patients through treatment transitions, and what clinicians may need to consider as psilocybin and other psychedelic therapies move closer to mainstream clinical use.

Dr. Remi Drozd is a board-certified physician and founder of Lucid Therapeutics in Santa Barbara. After 15 years practicing emergency medicine, he shifted toward more integrative approaches to mental health care. He has trained in ketamine therapy and MDMA-assisted therapy through MAPS. His work focuses on individualized care, expanding access, and preparing for how emerging psychedelic treatments may fit into the existing mental healthcare system.

Highlights:

• The growth of Lucid Therapeutics
• Expanding access through insurance-based care
• Navigating ketamine alongside SSRIs
• Why SSRI tapering must be individualized
• Withdrawal versus the return of depression
• Preparing patients for future psilocybin therapy
• The infrastructure required for psychedelic treatment
• Bringing longer psychedelic sessions into existing clinics

Episode Links:

• SSRI Deprescribing & Psychedelic Readiness Training: https://edu.psychedeliccoaching.institute/ssri-deprescribing-and-psychedelic-readiness-certification/?ref=8
• Lucid Therapeutics: https://www.thelucid.life/

Disclaimer: This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Dr. Richard Louis Miller about what psychedelic medicine must get right as it moves toward broader acceptance. Richard explains why transparent reporting of adverse effects is essential to informed choice, where research still leaves important gaps, and how commercialization could shape access and treatment.

They examine 5-MeO-DMT, group therapy, and the limits of one-to-one care. Richard also shares his approach to aging through exercise, real food, rest, and human connection.

Dr. Richard Louis Miller is a clinical psychologist, author, and broadcaster with over 65 years of clinical experience in mind-body health. At 87, he continues to practice, teach, and share the tools that have helped thousands of people master anxiety, overthinking, and negative self-talk.

He founded the Cokenders Alcohol and Drug Program, which detoxified over 1,500 people without medication, and created the Health Sanctuary at Wilbur Hot Springs, which he directed for 48 years. His work has appeared in Time, Newsweek, NBC News, and CBS News. He has also served as a consultant to the President's Commission on Mental Health and the U.S. Department of Justice.

Episode Highlights:

• Why psychedelic science needs full transparency
• Balancing potential benefits against real risks
• Who psychedelic research frequently leaves out
• Illegality as an overlooked adverse effect
• 5-MeO-DMT and the pharmaceutical model
• Making psychedelic care more accessible
• Aging as a practice of maintenance
• Real connection over longevity trends

Episode Links:

• Dr. Richard Louis Miller's website
• Mind Body Health & Politics
• Dr. Miller's book, The Adverse Effects & Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Medicines
• Instagram: @drrichardlouismiller
• Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-368/?ref=278

Episode Sponsors:

• The Microdosing Practitioner Certification at Psychedelic Coaching Institute.
• Golden Rule - Get a lifetime discount of 10% with code THIRDWAVE at checkout

Third Wave occasionally partners with or shares information about other people, companies, and/or providers. While we work hard to only share information about ethical and responsible third parties, we can't and don't control the behavior of, products and services offered by, or the statements made by people, companies, or providers other than Third Wave. Accordingly, we encourage you to research for yourself, and consult a medical, legal, or financial professional before making decisions in those areas. Third Wave isn't responsible for the statements, conduct, services, or products of third parties. If we share a coupon code, we may receive a commission from sales arising from customers who use our coupon code. No one is required to use our coupon codes."

Disclaimer: This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Ian Gardner, founder and CEO of The Acraya, about dark retreats as an ancient contemplative practice now entering Western culture.

This episode is sponsored by The Acraya.

Listeners of The Psychedelic Podcast can receive 5% off an Acraya retreat. Visit https://acraya.global/thirdwave and use discount code 3WAVE when booking.

Ian explains what happens when external stimulation disappears, why boredom and difficult inner material can become central parts of the experience, and how dark retreats compare with psychedelics and extended meditation. He also discusses screening, facilitator training, post-retreat integration, and his vision for technologically supported retreat centers in Costa Rica, Nepal, Bali, and beyond.

Episode Highlights:

• Ancient roots of dark retreat practice
• What remains when sensory anchors disappear
• Psychedelics versus gradual inner awakening
• Boredom as a gateway to deeper material
• Preparing for several days in darkness
• Why facilitators need embodied experience
• Screening for psychological contraindications
• Technology designed to support retreat safety
• Integrating before returning to ordinary life
• Scaling dark retreat centers worldwide

Ian Gardner is the founder and CEO of The Acraya, a network of dark meditation retreat sanctuaries. A seasoned entrepreneur, he has founded and exited five companies across biotechnology, renewable energy, and electric vehicles in private and public markets.

While earning his MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles, Ian was introduced to yoga and meditation. He later explored Transcendental Meditation, Self-Realization Fellowship, Eckankar, Mudrashram, and the Bridge Path. In 2001, he traveled to Allahabad, India, for the Maha Kumbh Mela before entering a year of seclusion, during which he meditated for up to eight hours daily.

Ian has written six books related to esoteric teachings and spent two years working at the Esalen Institute. In 2023, he founded the Church of the Acraya to support the development of dark meditation retreat centers worldwide. He lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with his wife and children and maintains a daily meditation practice.

Epoisode Links:

• Explore The Acraya and receive 5% off with code 3WAVE

Additional Episode Sponsors:

• The Psychedelic Practitioner Certification by Third Wave's Psychedelic Coaching Institute.
• Golden Rule - Get a lifetime discount of 10% with code THIRDWAVE at checkout

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-367/?ref=278

Third Wave occasionally partners with or shares information about other people, companies, and/or providers. While we work hard to only share information about ethical and responsible third parties, we can't and don't control the behavior of, products and services offered by, or the statements made by people, companies, or providers other than Third Wave. Accordingly, we encourage you to research for yourself, and consult a medical, legal, or financial professional before making decisions in those areas. Third Wave isn't responsible for the statements, conduct, services, or products of third parties. If we share a coupon code, we may receive a commission from sales arising from customers who use our coupon code. No one is required to use our coupon codes."

Disclaimer: This episode is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered medical, psychological, or legal advice. Any views, experiences, or claims expressed by the guest are his own and do not necessarily represent those of Third Wave or The Psychedelic Podcast.