Payton Nyquvest, Founder of Numinus ketamine clinics, joins The Psychedelic Podcast to discuss psychedelic industry missteps, opportunities, & the future of communal healing.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Embracing disruptions and learning from failures are essential in the trailblazing space of psychedelics.

Encouraging industry resiliency, Payton Nyquvest, Founder, Chair, & CEO of Numinus, joins Paul F. Austin to discuss how to conquer setbacks on the path to revolutionizing mental health. Payton believes successful psychedelic leaders must adapt to real-world needs, embrace challenges, and gain conscious insights from direct experiences. Only then can innovators and practitioners create a lasting impact on the world.

Payton Nyquvest is the Founder, Chair, & Chief Executive Officer of Numinus, which empowers people to heal and be well through the development and delivery of innovative mental health care and access to safe, evidence-based, psychedelic-assisted therapies. He has a deep understanding of the psychedelic industry from its infancy, driven by life-saving personal experiences with multiple modalities.

At Numinus, Payton guides strategy, innovation, research, and expansion. He also supports marketing and capital-markets functions.

Highlights:

• How Numinus aligns psychedelic therapy with real-world needs.
• Numinus’s three-year journey from inception.
• Numinus’s experiential training and intuitive drug development.
• Exploring whether psychedelic therapists need first-hand experience.
• Payton’s take on conscious leadership in psychedelic-informed business models.
• Numinus’s collaboration with East Forest.
• Payton’s vision for Numinus clinics and practitioner training.

Key Links:

• Numinus Website
• Payton’s previous episode (#72) on the podcast with Stacey Wallin
• Numinus practitioner trainings
• Numinus’s clinics in the directory
• Third Wave’s Coaching Certification Program

Episode Sponsors:

• Numinus
• Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit

Dr. Reid Robison, Chief Clinical Officer at Numinus, joins Paul F. Austin to discuss psychedelic research, legislation, & complementary modalities.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Dr. Robison shares the challenges and innovations in psychedelic therapy, drawing from his own clinical research and current projects at Numinus, a mental health company that brings safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies to people in need. Explore topics such as the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapies, the pros and cons of psychedelic patents, and the need for multimodal approaches to mental health care.

Dr. Reid Robison is a board-certified psychiatrist and Chief Clinical Officer at Numinus, where he oversees clinical services, including teaching and training in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, for the company's clinics across the US and Canada. He has led over 200 clinical trials in neuropsychiatry and previously served as coordinating investigator for the MAPS-sponsored MDMA-assisted psychotherapy study of eating disorders.

Dr. Robison is currently principal investigator for a number of psychedelic medicine studies with psilocybin, LSD, and DMT. As a researcher and early adopter of ketamine in psychiatry, Dr. Robison got his first grant to study that medicine in 2011, around which time he also led a pivotal IV ketamine study for treatment-resistant depression.

To date, Dr. Robison has guided thousands of ketamine therapy journeys and Spravato dosing sessions, and has also worked in ayahuasca retreat settings abroad. Dr. Robison is an adjunct professor at both the University of Utah and Brigham Young University, and board chair of the Psychedelic Institute, focused on education and research.

Highlights:

• Dr. Robison's journey into the world of psychedelics, from ketamine research to psilocybin advocacy on Capitol Hill.
• How patents can expand access to psychedelic therapy through health insurance.
• Dr. Robison’s innovative studies and projects at Numinus.
• The need for a new standard of mental health care and the role of complementary modalities in achieving it.
• Exploring modalities complementary to psychedelic therapy.
• The promise of personalized mental health care.
• The pioneering efforts of Numinus in offering employee psychedelic mental health care via ketamine. 
• The future of insurance and the potential for greater coverage of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.
• What’s on the horizon at Numinus.

Key Links:

• Dr. Robison’s Website
• Numinus

Episode Sponsors:

• Numinus
• Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit

Dr. Anja Loizaga-Velder, Co-Founder of Nierika, joins Paul F. Austin to explore the therapeutic nature of Ayahuasca & other plant medicines.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

This intimate in-person interview was recorded at Dr. Anja’s plant medicine retreat center in Mexico, just after Paul concluded his own 6-day Ayahuasca experience. Topics covered include: mental health from an indigenous perspective, Dr. Anja’s journey bridging Western medicine with traditional healing practices, and the current environmental and political struggles of indigenous healers in Mexico.

Dr. Anja Loizaga-Velder received her master’s degree in psychology (Dipl.-Psych.) from Koblenz-Landau University, Germany, and her doctorate in medical psychology (Dr.sc.hum.) from Heidelberg University, Germany. She is a psychotherapist specializing in humanistic and transpersonal psychology, the study of consciousness, music therapy, and ethnopsychotherapy.

Anja wrote both her master’s thesis and her doctoral thesis on the use of Ayahuasca for the treatment of addictions. She has published several articles in international academic journals and contributed book chapters on the topics of traditional medicine and mental health. She has been invited to exhibit her work in multiple international conferences. She is the Co-Founder of Nierika A.C. and director of psychotherapy and research at the Institute of Intercultural Medicine Nierika A.C. In addition, she is a professor and researcher in the postgraduate course in Medical and Health Sciences at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Highlights:

• The story of Nierika.
• The indigenous paradigm of healing and mental health.
• Dr. Anja’s work with and research into therapeutic effects of plant medicine.
• The political and environmental struggles of the Yaqui tribe and other indigenous healers in Mexico.
• Dr. Anja’s advice to professionals seeking psychedelic therapy training.
• Guiding principles for ethically working with plant medicine.
• The therapeutic effects of Ayahuasca.

Key Links:

• Nierika
• Episode 172: Paul Stamets & Pamela Kryskow, M.D.
• Third Wave’s Ultimate Guide to Ayahuasca.

Episode Sponsors:

• Numinus
• Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit

Paul F. Austin is joined by writer/historian/philosopher Jules Evans to explore the need for ecstatic literacy in the third wave of psychedelics.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Through sharing research, philosophy, and his own work, Jules invites a thoughtful examination of both sides of psychedelics—the light and the shadow. He points to the need for more awareness and research of challenging psychedelic experiences and offers a roadmap to improved ecstatic literacy in today’s culture.

Jules Evans is the director of the Challenging Psychedelic Experiences Project, the author of three books (Philosophy for Life and Other Dangerous Situations; The Art of Losing Control; Holiday from the Self) and the co-editor of Breaking Open: Finding a Way Through Spiritual Emergency. He is an honorary research fellow at the Centre for the History of the Emotions at Queen Mary, University of London.

Highlights:

• The need for a balance between stoicism and ecstatic experience.
• Inspirations from Aldous Huxley & other literary heroes.
• Integrating psychedelics into an “ecstatically naive” Western culture.
• Jules’s research on challenging psychedelic experiences.
• The dark side of ketamine: risks of dependency and harm in a booming industry.
• How culture can improve its ecstatic literacy.

Key Links:

• The Challenging Psychedelic Experiences Project
• Jules’s Substack, Ecstatic Integration
• Jules’s book, The Art of Losing Control

These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

Episode Sponsors:

• Psyched Wellness - use THIRDWAVE23 to get 15% off.
• Numinus

Jonathan Lu & Shauheen Etminan, founders of Magi Ancestral Supplements, join Paul F. Austin to discuss the rich world of beta-Carbolines.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Jonathan & Shauheen are the co-founders of VCENNA, a drug discovery company that creates mental wellness solutions from psychoactive plants used ceremonially in Ancestral Eastern traditions. In this enchanting conversation, they share about their research and experimentation into Syrian rue and other near-forgotten plants, unpacking their rich historical and anthropological contexts. They explain the unique neurobiological and subjective effects of beta-Carbolines, including when combined with tryptamine-containing substances such as in an Ayahuasca brew. Paul F. Austin shares his own experiences with their formulation, Stard Deep Meditation Supplement.

Visit ancestralmagi.com to learn more, and use code PAUL10 at checkout for 10% off their unique products.

Highlights:

• Jonathan & Shauheen’s ventures, VCENNA and Ancestral Magi.
• Exploring forgotten divine potions, haoma, and soma, and the ancient and modern uses of Espand (Syrian rue).
• Psychedelics, Buddhism, and meditation.
• Exploring the physiological effects of beta-Carbolines.
• Shauheen and Jonathan’s personal experiences with beta-Carbolines and psychedelics.

Key Links:

• Ancestral Magi - use code PAUL10 at checkout for 10% off
• VCENNA
• Third Wave's Magi Review: Rediscovering a 4000 Year Old Spiritual Elixir

These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

Episode Sponsors:

• This podcast is brought to you by Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit. Get the tools you need to grow mushrooms along with an in-depth guide to finding spores.

Paul F. Austin welcomes JW Ross, founder & CEO of Botanic Tonics, to discuss his kava-kratom-based alcohol alternative, Feel Free.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

JW Ross is a lifelong innovator and inventor of Botanic Tonic’s “Feel Free” plant-based tonic. He started his career as a Texas oilman who experienced immense corporate success that was tainted with alcohol addiction. After hitting rock bottom and going to rehab, JW purged alcohol from his life and completely pivoted his career. He went on life-changing trips to the South Pacific and Southeast Asia, where he discovered botanical medicines whose ingredients have been used for centuries socially and for wellness. After discovering these plants, JW dedicated his life to finding an herbal solution that would replace alcohol and still give him a euphoric lift with positive impact. He home-tested many concoctions, finally finding the perfect recipe, which turned into the Feel Free tonic recipe.

• Enjoy $40 off your order of Feel Free: Use the code 3WAVE at checkout.

Highlights:

• JW’s struggle with alcohol addiction, which led him on a search for alternative social lubricants.
• How alcohol is an “outlier” among other ancient forms of social lubricants around the world.
• Feel Free vs. alcohol.
• Feel Free vs. cannabis.
• Understanding kratom: types, processing, and effects.
• Are kava and kratom addictive?
• JW’s current research and legislative efforts with kava and kratom.
• Kava tolerance, and JW’s thoughts on alcohol- vs. kava-drinking societies.
• JW on sourcing ingredients and his vision for Botanic Tonics.

Key Links:

• Botanic Tonics website
• JW's Blog
• Third Wave’s Ultimate Guide to Kratom

Episode Sponsors:

• This episode is brought you by Psyched Wellness, creators of Calm, an over-the-counter Amanita Muscaria extract that may help to reduce stress, ease muscular tension and promote restorative sleep. Go to shop.psyched-wellness.com and use code THIRDWAVE23 to get 15% off.
• This episode is sponsored by Beckley Retreats, a leading holistic wellbeing company that offers transformative self-development programs by leveraging the science-backed power of psychedelics in concert with supportive therapeutic modalities. As a trusted partner of Third Wave, we strongly recommend the upcoming retreats for Beckley in Jamaica, as well as many other locations. Head to go.beckleyretreats.com/thirdwave to book your transformational psilocybin program today.

Paul F. Austin sits down with Dr. Alexander Shester to discuss his new book, Visionary Healing: Psychedelic Medicine & Shamanism.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

In this intimate, in-person conversation, Alex humbly shares his wisdom and perspective from decades of experience as a psychiatrist and visionary psychedelic explorer. He sheds light on the intersection of shamanism, psychedelics, and mental health, and recalls captivating stories from his time being mentored by the late psychologist and psychedelic researcher Ralph Metzner.

Alexander Shester, M.D. is a medical doctor, board-certified psychiatrist, and Jungian Analyst. He has over thirty years of experience studying and participating in guided Vision Quests using shamanic principles in nature settings. His recently-published book, Visionary Healing: Psychedelic Medicine and Shamanism, is his personal first-hand memoir of using entheogens including ayahuasca, jurema, psilocybin, San Pedro cactus, peyote, iboga, toad, and more, for deep spiritual exploration and his own healing journey.

Highlights:

• On visionary art and the power of psychedelic plant medicines.
• Ayahuasca and the transpersonal journey into the collective unconscious.
• Alex recalls his primary mentor, Ralph Metzner: his visionary circles and contributions to the
• psychedelic renaissance.
• The value of community in Alexander’s healing.
• Alex’s paths to psychiatry and psychedelics.
• How Alex’s psychedelic experiences informed his psychiatry practice.
• What can shamanism offer to the field of psychiatry?
• Remembering our nature-relatedness with the aid of plant medicines.
• Endarkenment: facing the shadow.
• Alex’s sage advice for those seeking psychedelic experiences.

Episode Links:

• Alex’s book, Visionary Healing: Psychedelic Medicine and Shamanism

These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

Episode sponsors:

This episode is brought you by Psyched Wellness, creators of Calm, an over-the-counter Amanita muscaria extract that may help to reduce stress, ease muscular tension and promote restorative sleep. Go to shop.psyched-wellness.com and use code THIRDWAVE23 to get 15% off.

This episode is sponsored by Beckley Retreats, a leading holistic wellbeing company that offers transformative self-development programs by leveraging the science-backed power of psychedelics in concert with supportive therapeutic modalities. As a trusted partner of Third Wave, we strongly recommend the upcoming retreats for Beckley in Jamaica, as well as many other locations. Head to go.beckleyretreats.com/thirdwave to book your transformational psilocybin program today.

This podcast is brought to you by Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit. Get the tools you need to grow mushrooms along with an in-depth guide to finding spores.

Anna Yusim, M.D., author of Fulfilled, joins Paul F. Austin for a conversation on the intersection of science, spirituality, and psychedelics.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Dr. Anna Yusim is a Board-Certified, Stanford- and Yale-educated Psychiatrist & Executive Coach with a private practice in New York City and Connecticut.  She is the best-selling author of Fulfilled: How the Science of Spirituality Can Help You Live a Happier, More Meaningful Life.  On the clinical faculty at Yale Medical School, Dr. Yusim is presently creating a Spirituality & Mental Health Center there.  With clients including Forbes 500 CEOs, Olympic athletes, A-list actors and actresses, and the Chairs of academic departments at top universities, Dr. Anna Yusim has helped over 2,000 people in 60 countries achieve greater impact, purpose, and joy in their life and work.

As a highly sought-after speaker, Dr. Yusim gives keynotes for physicians and professionals worldwide on topics related to mental health and spirituality, thriving post-COVID, preventing burnout, meaning-making, and resilience.  For healthcare professionals, corporate leaders, and community members, she also conducts workshops to empower individuals to sharpen their intuition, cultivate authenticity, awaken self-compassion, enhance their capacity for empathy, and improve their ability to connect with others.

Connect with Dr. Yusim at www.annayusim.com or at @annayusim on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Highlights:

• Dr. Yusim’s research on stress with Dr. Robert Sapolsky at Stanford.
• How Dr. Yusim’s relationship to stress has shifted throughout her life and career.
• Dr. Yusim’s path to founding the Spirituality & Mental Health Center at Yale.
• Does psychedelic therapy always need to have a spiritual component?
• Dr. Yusim explains her book, Fulfilled.
• Psychic vs. psychotic: schizophrenia, channeling, and shamanism.
• Dr. Yusim’s forthcoming book on the science of miracles.
• Making your unconscious conscious to find freedom, choice, and healing.
• Dr. Yusim’s executive coaching work.

Episode Links:

• Dr. Yusim’s website
• Dr. Yusim’s book, Fulfilled
• Dr. Yusim’s article on sleep in MindBodyGreen

These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

This episode is sponsored by:

Beckley Retreats, a leading holistic wellbeing company that offers transformative self-development programs by leveraging the science-backed power of psychedelics in concert with supportive therapeutic modalities. As a trusted partner of Third Wave, we strongly recommend the upcoming retreats for Beckley in Jamaica, as well as many other locations. Head to go.beckleyretreats.com/thirdwave to book your transformational psilocybin program today.

Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit. Get the tools you need to grow mushrooms along with an in-depth guide to finding spores.

Paul F. Austin is joined by Alex Atwood, Founder & CEO of GravyWork to talk plant medicine, transformational coaching, & more.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Alex Atwood is a multifaceted, purpose-driven leader with more than 20 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur who helmed four startups in the hospitality and staffing space. He’s also a coach in the emerging psychedelics field, with a focus on optimizing human potential. Alex is a podcaster, public speaker, angel investor in firms that help build a better world, and philanthropist with a soft spot for owners and operators of family businesses.

Alex is working towards an ICF certification in organizational well-being. He has been a coach for Landmark Worldwide, a personal and professional development company, and elevation leader for 1heart. He has led workshops on integrity and self-actualization with the goal of helping attendees realize their own potential and find greater self-esteem, fulfillment, creativity, and productivity.

Highlights:

• Alex’s transformational ayahuasca experience at 1heart.
• How Landmark impacted Alex’s trajectory.
• The ineffable wisdom of plant medicine.
• Alex’s experience in Third Wave’s Coaching Certification Program.
• Integrating insights from psychedelics into business and daily life.
• Alex’s exciting projects on the horizon.

Key Links:

• Alex’s website
• Alex’s podcast, The Alchemist Lounge
• Alex on LinkedIn
• Paul F. Austin’s episode on Alex’s podcast

This episode is sponsored by: 

• Beckley Retreats, a leading holistic wellbeing company that offers transformative self-development programs by leveraging the science-backed power of psychedelics in concert with supportive therapeutic modalities. Head to go.beckleyretreats.com/thirdwave to book your transformational psilocybin program today.
• Apollo Neuro, the first scientifically validated wearable that actively improves your body’s resilience to stress. Apollo was developed by a friend of Third Wave, Dr. David Rabin M.D Ph.D., a neuroscientist and board-certified psychiatrist who has been studying the impact of chronic stress in humans for nearly 15 years. Third Wave listeners get 15% off—just use this link.
• Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit. Get the tools you need to grow mushrooms along with an in-depth guide to finding spores.

Tracey Tee, founder of Moms on Mushrooms, joins Paul F. Austin to talk about safe, intentional psychedelic use for mothers.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Tracey Tee has been actively involved in the momosphere for over 10 years, first co-creating and starring in the nationally touring cult-hit comedy show for moms, The Pump and Dump Show. She simultaneously co-produced the Band of Mothers Podcast and served as co-founder and CEO of The Pump and Dump Show’s umbrella brand, Band of Mothers Media. During her own journey with psilocybin amidst the pandemic, Tracey began to feel called to support moms in a deeper and more meaningful way. In 2022, she launched an online microdosing course created exclusively for moms called M.O.M. — “Moms on Mushrooms.”

Tracey’s goal is to bring moms together through the sacred use of plant medicine for a shared journey of personal growth and healing. She is dedicated to crafting a supportive container for mothers that embodies the Sacred Feminine, gives reverence to our elders and original cultures, and acts as an example of a redefined way to engage in a New Earth as a consciously created model of “doing business.”

Highlights:

• Tracey’s healing journey with psilocybin and microdosing that led to Moms on Mushrooms.
• The unique needs and challenges for moms considering psychedelics.
• Tracey on opening up to her about her own psychedelic use.
• Reclaiming rites of passage in healthy, informed ways.
• What Moms on Mushrooms offers its members.
• On microdosing during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• Microdosing and postpartum depression: a recipe for success.
• Tracey’s vision for the future: advocacy, education, and healing.
• Connect with Moms on Mushrooms.

Episode Links:

• Moms On Mushrooms
• Book, A Really Good Day by Ayelet Waldman
• Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit
• The Pump and Dump Show
• Band of Mothers Podcast