Psychedelics Today

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Psychedelic Shine - Boulder Theater Featuring Dennis McKenna Feb 15, 2017

Show notes

Download Joe talks about his recent experience at the Psychedelic Shine event in Boulder CO that featured Dennis McKenna. Super fun time and was very thankful to connect with the Colorado Psychedelic community. Here are some links to some folks I ran into at the event. Dennis's book Links Antlife Psychedelic Club The Rooster - Reilly Caps Trichome Institute (Max) Kimba Arem Knew Revolution

Kyle and Joe review a new documentary - The Sunshine Makers Feb 08, 2017

Show notes

Download Joe and Kyle talk at length about the recently produced documentary titled "The Sunshine Makers" created by Cosmo Feilding-Mellen and starring both Nick Sand and Tim Scully. Let us know what you think about this and if it was interesting to you at all. Please rent or purchase the documentary through our amazon link here to support Psychedelics Today. The Movie Amazon - rent or buy IMDB Links Tim Scully Nick Sand Orange Sunshine Brotherhood of Eternal Love Video of Kyle and Joe recording this discussion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsB08007K9c&feature=youtu.be

Confessions of an Underground MDMA Therapist Jan 18, 2017

Show notes

View in iTunes Download Kyle and Joe talk to an anonymous MDMA therapist and relationship coach. He has been working with people while they use MDMA beginning in the early days while it was still legal and continues to facilitate work with people while it is prohibited. For his safety, his identity is kept anonymous. The insights here are wonderful and worth learning. Hopefully you will learn something here and it can be applied to future therapies once we hit the 2021 MAPS target date. Some interesting thoughts from the interview:

Transcending the parent-child relationship.
We are human beings that can be in good relationship with one another.
Do I feel safe? What does it mean to feel safe?
Appropriate dosages.
Intuitive approaches for engaging with the client \ patient.
Possible applications for group therapy.

Enjoy!!

Thomas Roberts Ph.D. - The Broad Future of Psychedelic Research Jan 12, 2017

Show notes

Download The future of psychedelic research is endless. There seems to be thousands of ways to get involved, and thousands of ways to approach the topic. In this talk, Kyle and Joe talk with Thomas Roberts Ph.D. -- author of the book, The Psychedelic Future of the Mind: How Entheogens Are Enhancing Cognition, Boosting Intelligence, and Raising Values. Tom shares his story with us about how he got involved in the field of psychedelic research and education. Starting in 1981, Dr. Roberts taught one of the world's first university-cataloged psychedelic course, "Foundations of Psychedelics Studies." We get into a great conversation with Tom about his early days at Esalen to talking about mindapps, mindbody states, and different ways to approach psychedelic research. Topics of Discussion:

Esalen Institute -- Stanislav Grof, Holotropic Breathwork, and Maslow
Psychedelics in humanities and religion
Joseph Campbell
- How the, The Hero with a Thousand Faces relates to the new archetype of the conscious explorer
The Good Friday Experiment
Huston Smith
Tips and advice about starting a psychedelic course/independent study
A Really Good Day book review by the New York Times.
Mindapps & Mindbody states
- How different "spiritual technologies" can produce various mindbody states
Hints on Looking for Graduate Programs
Tips and advice about getting started with psychedelic research in various departments -- for example, in the humanities or religious department.
Using Grof's cartography of the psyche and Basic Perinatal Matrices to analyze art and literature

About: Thomas B. Roberts promotes the legal adaptation of psychedelics for multidisciplinary cultural uses, primarily their academic and spiritual implications. He formulated Multistate Theory (2013) coined Singlestate Fallacy, mindapps, neurosingularity, metaintelligence, and ideagen, and he named and characterized the Entheogen Reformation (2016). He is a founding member of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, a cofounder of the Council on Spiritual Practices and the International Transpersonal Association, originated the Rising Researcher conference sessions, and launched the celebration of Bicycle Day to commemorate the day that Albert Hofmann first intentionally took LSD. AB Hamilton College, MA University of Connecticut, PhD Stanford, Roberts is an emeritus professor of educational psychology at Northern Illinois University, where he taught Foundations of Psychedelic Studies as an Honors Program Seminar. Started in 1981 and taught through 2013, it is the world's first university-cataloged psychedelic course. In the fall of 2006, he was a Visiting Scientist at the Johns Hopkins Medical Schools' Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit (Griffiths psilocybin team). His website is: www.niu.academia.edu/ThomasRoberts Writing & Articles:

How LSD Saved One Woman's Marriage - New York Times Review: 'A Really Good Day,' Ayelet Waldman's Better Living Through LSD - New York Times John Mack remembered by Grof - http://johnemackinstitute.org/2003/08/remembrance-of-john-e-mack-m-d-stanislav-grof/

Psychedelics Today - Kyle and Joe - Year End Recap Jan 03, 2017

Show notes

Download It is the start of a New Year. People are saying 2016 has been pretty horrible, but 2016 has been pretty decent in regards to psychedelic science and research. We are hoping that 2017 will be a fruitful year as well. In this episode Kyle and Joe run through the year in review -- thoughts about the podcast and project as well as recap just a few of the psychedelic highlights of 2016. Kyle and Joe also talk about a Psychedelic Self Care and Integration course being offered for a short period of time, Psychedelic mentor-ship, speculations and visions for 2017, and much more! There was some discussion towards the end about rites of passage and human development. Kyle mentions writing a paper about this topic. You can check part of the paper out below the "Links" section. 2016 Psychedelic Highlights LSD & The Brain

Psilocybin

MDMA

FDA Approves Phase 3 Research for MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy

Other

Let us know what else we missed! Links Dr Ben Sessa MD Psychedelic Science 2017 - Oakland, CA Psychedelic Integration & Self-Care Course Rites of Passage: The Importance of Transitions Ralph Metzner diagnoses the psychopathology of humans in the Western society into the categories of, "addiction, dissociation, autism, and amnesia" (Metzner, 1995). The Western culture suffers from these metaphoric diagnoses, which stems from a loss of ritual and also the disconnection from nature. Paul Shepard states that the Western Judeo-Christian civilization is slowly self-destructing and mentions that it is "ontogenic crippling" (Metzner, 1995). Shepard examines the developmental process throughout human history and investigating the development of surviving hunter-gather societies that are still alive today – which give a foundation of human development since hunter-gathers still possess some of the indigenous traits of ancient human ancestors. To see the developmental and evolutionary differences over time in the human species, Shepard models his analysis by looking at Paleolithic hunter-gather societies which he states are the most ecologically balances societies (Metzner, 1995). Shepard mentions that: With the advent of domestication, approximately twelve thousand years ago, civilized humanity began to pervert or lose the developmental practices that had functioned healthily for hundreds of thousands of years. (Metzner, 1995 pp. 56) The developmental practices that the Western world has lost but also chronically has become incomplete in human life are: the relationship between the infant/caregiver and the adolescence rites of passage (Metzner, 1995). In the Western culture it is thought that an infant must become independent at some point and early on attachment between the infant and caregiver might disrupt the developmental process. In fact, this is not true according to Jean Liedloff's who conducted case studies of Amazonian Indians. Jean's studies conclude and support Shepard's theory that: "babies and parties in hunter-gather societies have an intense early attachment that leads not to prolonged dependency but to a better-functioning nervous system." (Metzner, 1995, pp. 58) Metzner and Shepard create an argument based around human development and the disconnection from nature. From the ecopsychologist's viewpoint – humans are part of nature and our development; physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally matters on the relationship that humans have to nature (Metzner, 1995). As the Western world advances in the realm of science and technology the world begins to see great advancements and achievements, almost reaching a new frontier in human consciousness. At the same time, there exists a thought that if we cut the cord from nature – human life will slowly begin to become destructive and possibly cease to exist (Metzner, 1995). The development of agriculture and technology in the Western world has separated man from nature. This disconnection from nature has also stripped the Western culture of the idea and structure for successful rites of passages from adolescence to adulthood. Metzner (1995) mentions that: Some of the only remnants of manhood transition rites involving elders are the boot camp and combat initiations by the military. Beyond that, there is only the stunted futility of attempted peer-group initiation, whether in the pathetic form of college fraternity hazing or in a casual violence of juvenile street gangs, where twelve-year-olds carry handguns to school to avenge imagined insults to their "home" band. ( p. 58) What happens to a culture or society when structured rites of passages begin to vanish? Metzner points out and quotes Shepard by saying, "men [presumably he means "Western industrialized humans"] may now be the possessors of the world's flimsiest identity structure – by Paleolithic standards, childish adults." (Metzner, 1995, p. 58) This leaves the idea that maybe science and developmental psychology do not fully understand what it means to be human. It is obvious by the choices the Western culture makes are not adult-like. Indigenous cultures taught the children how to live a life that would keep balance for the next seven generations to come. Nowadays, the Western culture is only curious about the short term plan or goal. Instead of looking seven generations into the future, the culture looks only a few years ahead – making childish decisions to fill needs and desires. Most of this is driven by competition that is highly influenced to children at a young age by the culture (Metzner, 1995). Metzner and Shepard mention that without proper infant/caregiver relationship and adolescence rite of passage that basic human trust-mistrust is off. The Western culture usually lashes back at the natural world with anger – feeling that nature has deceived the society and failed. Shepard mentions that the Western culture is suffering from an "epidemic of the psychopathic mutilation of ontogeny" (Metzner, 1995 pp. 58). If these ancient techniques and practices cannot be restored, what type of society is ahead for the Western culture? Erikson mentions that adolescents that have not fully transitioned to adulthood often become, "remarkably clannish, intolerant and cruel in their exclusion to others who are 'different' in skin color or cultural background" (Metzner, 1995 pp. 57). Resource: Metzner, Ralph. (1995). The Psychopathology of the Human-Nature Relationship. Roszak, T., Gomes, M., & Kanner, A. (Eds.), Ecopsychology: restoring the Earth and healing the mind (pp.55-67). Berkley, Los Angeles, CA: Sierra Club Books. Recent Posts & Episodes [pt_view id="34a4e22z59"]

Natalie Ginsberg - Psychedelic Policy and Advocacy Dec 28, 2016

Show notes

Download Natalie Ginsberg - MAPS Policy and Advocacy Manager In this discussion, Natalie shares her insights surrounding U.S. and international policy around drugs. We talk about

The opiate and opioid crisis
Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna
Ibogaine to help combat the crisis
U.S. and International Drug Policy
United Nations - The Commission on Narcotic Drugs - Special Session on the World Drug Problem
Ways to get involved in advocacy
ICEERS - The International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research & Service
- Titrated doses of Ibogane instead of larger bolus doses
Ayahuasca Defense Fund
MDMA-assisted psychotherapy
The Trump Administration and what does it mean for scientific and academic research

We understand that this episode had a bit of static/noise. We believe that it was due to technology difficulties. We have attached a transcript of the conversation below. Enjoy! Click here to download the episode transcript: Natalie Ginsberg Transcript Bio: Natalie earned her Master's in Social Work from Columbia University in 2014, and her Bachelor's in History from Yale University in 2011. At Columbia, Natalie served as a Policy Fellow at the Drug Policy Alliance, where she helped legalize medical marijuana in her home state of New York, and worked to end New York's racist marijuana arrests. Natalie has also worked as a court-mandated therapist for individuals arrested for prostitution and drug-related offenses, and as a middle school guidance counselor at an NYC public school. Natalie's clinical work with trauma survivors spurred her interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy, which she believes can ease a wide variety of both mental and physical ailments by addressing the root cause of individuals' difficulties, rather than their symptoms. Through her work at MAPS, Natalie advocates for research to provide evidence-based alternatives to both the war on drugs and the current mental health paradigm. Links:

Get in touch with Natalie:

Recent Posts & Episodes [pt_view id="34a4e22z59"]

Emma Bragdon PhD. - Can Spiritual Emergencies Be Transformative? Dec 19, 2016

Show notes

Download In this episode, Joe and Kyle talk with Emma Bragdon, Founder/Director of Integrative Mental Health for You. The mission of IMHU is, "To facilitate improvements in mental healthcare and encourage psycho-spiritual growth in individuals around the world." During the conversation, Emma shares her experiences of working with people in spiritual emergence processes and defines what a spiritual emergency is. We also talk about the importance of integrating this language into mainstream professional fields. The topic of spiritual emergencies is very relevant to psychedelics considering psychedelics can sometimes be a catalyst for a spiritual emergence process. We are very grateful and thankful for Emma's wisdom and hope that you enjoy it as well! Topic Highlights:

Early uses of MDMA and psychotherapy
Stanislav and Christina Grof's Spiritual Emergence Network
Breathwork and other spiritual technologies
Working with extreme states and non-ordinary states of consciousness
Loren Mosher's Soteria House
- A Systematic Review of the Soteria Paradigm for the Treatment of People Diagnosed With Schizophrenia
Integration of non-ordinary states
What does the psychology of the future look like?
Language and terminology of spiritual experiences and spiritual emergencies
Spiritual Emergence Coaching Program

If you are interested in learning more about Emma's Spiritual Emergence Coaching program, there is a 5-week online webinar that runs from January 19 – February 16, 2017 (Thursdays, 5:30-7pm PST). For more informationa and details be sure to visit imhu.org/courses About Emma Bragdon, PhD, (Transpersonal Psychology) Dr. Bragdon is an expert in the field of Spiritual Emergence and Emergency. She's been immersed in it as a researcher, psychotherapist, teacher and published author since 1984. She is the author of seven books and co-producer of two documentary films, and the Founder/Director of Integrative Mental Health for You, IMHU.org. Dr. Bragdon is most well known for the seminal books she originally published on Spiritual Emergency in 1987, and 1990, and recently updated. Her most recent books about Spiritism in Brazil have also gained rave reviews. She was a volunteer for the Grof's Spiritual Emergency Network from 1984-1991 and Editor of it's newsletter and Journal. She was licensed as a psychotherapist in 1988 and has expanded that practice by serving also as a spiritual guide. She spent 6 months of every year from 2001-2012 in Brazil researching the positive potential of Spiritist Community Centers and Spiritist Psychiatric Hospitals. www.EmmaBragdon.com, IMHU.org Other Links:

CrazyWise (Documentary)
International Spiritual Emergence Network
The Hendricks Institute
Robert Whitaker
Soteria Vermont

Daniel McQueen - Medicinal Mindfulness & Conscious Cannabis Circles Dec 13, 2016

Show notes

Download In this episode, Joe and Kyle chat with Daniel McQueen of Medicinal Mindfulness , which "is a grassroots consciousness organization supporting individuals and communities who choose to use psychedelics and cannabis with intention. In addition, we create opportunities for legal, accessible, safe and sacred psychedelic journey experiences using breathwork practices, the skillful use of cannabis sativa and through sponsoring psychedelic events in lawful settings." We talk about:

Healing power of cannabis
Conscious Cannabis Circles
Spiritual effects of cannabis
Breathwork
Tranpsersonal Psychology
Psychedelic Shine
Integration and self-care

Be sure to check out Medicinal Mindfulness's Psychedelic Shine event featuring Dennis Mckenna. This event is all day on February 12th, 2017 at the Boulder Theater in downtown Boulder, Colorado. Get your tickets today! About Daniel: Daniel earned a Masters Degree in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology from Naropa and received advanced training in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy through a year internship with the MAPS Boulder MDMA for PTSD Study. It was his experience with MAPS that inspired Daniel to explore alternative visions in psychedelic activism and entrepreneurship. Daniel bridges transpersonal paradigms with the grounded clinical and organizational skills necessary to begin addressing the significant ecological and mental health crises facing our society today. Although Daniel no longer practices as a clinical psychotherapist, he supports his clients as a teacher, coach, ally and event facilitator, providing individual and group transformational experiences and deeply held intentional conversations. In his practice, Daniel quickly realized that the most important intervention he could provide to his clients, who were isolated and longed for meaningful contact with others, was a sense of community. Medicinal Mindfulness is, in a very real way, a cultural intervention that provides a safe and transformational community container for healing and awakening... a program based on skill development and not dogma. Since 2012, Daniel has been teaching a psychedelic harm prevention and intentional psychedelic use course called Mindful Journeywork. Since the legalization of recreational cannabis in Colorado, he has been facilitating Conscious Cannabis Circles and individual cannabis journeys. In addition to his work with Medicinal Mindfulness, Daniel has a successful spirituality and life coaching practice with his wife, Alison, through their company, Aspenroots Counseling LLC. Highly skilled in identifying and cultivating giftedness in young people and supporting significant life transitions, Daniel is inspired to support passionate and talented individuals striving to live into their calling. A primary focus of his practice involves assessing and addressing the benefits and difficulties related to psychedelic and cannabis use and misuse. Daniel co-founded the Naropa Alliance for Psychedelic Studies and helped organize the first annual Psychedelic Symposium at Naropa University in 2012. He is currently working with Grounding Solutions, Inc. to develop a natural rescue medicinal for users of psychedelics and cannabis. daniel@medicinalmindfulness.org Links Medicinal Mindfulness Aspen Roots Mental Health First Aid !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script','https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', '1400246380002879'); // Insert your pixel ID here. fbq('track', 'PageView'); fbq('track', 'ViewContent');

Gabby Agin-Liebes - Can Psilocybin Help Ease Anxiety & Depression for Those Who Are Facing Death? Dec 08, 2016

Show notes

Download It has been a big week for psychedelic research. Psilocybin and MDMA have made national headlines. The New York Times article, "F.D.A. Agrees to New Trials for Ecstasy as Relief for PTSD Patients," highlights the recent win for MAPS in regards to their MDMA-assisted psychotherapy research. The FDA has given MAPS the green light to pursue phase 3 research for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder. The New York Times also highlights the recent publications of psilocybin research in the article, "A Dose of a Hallucinogen from a 'Magic Mushroom,' and Then Lasting Peace." Psilocybin has been being researched by various institutions, including NYU and John Hopkins, for its potential therapeutic benefit to combat end-of-life anxiety due to terminal illness and cancer. The study results are fascinating: At the 6.5-month follow-up, psilocybin was associated with enduring anxiolytic and anti-depressant effects (approximately 60–80% of participants continued with clinically significant reductions in depression or anxiety), sustained benefits in existential distress and quality of life, as well as improved attitudes towards death. The psilocybin-induced mystical experience mediated the therapeutic effect of psilocybin on anxiety and depression. (http://m.jop.sagepub.com/content/30/12/1165.full) In this episode, Joe and Kyle chat with, Gabby Agin-Liebes, a co-author of the psilocybin study quoted above and a PhD student studying clinical psychology. During the conversation, we get into topics about the recent publication:

Formation of the NYU study
Gabby's role in the study
How volunteers were selected
Inclusion and admission criteria
Study results
Can psilocybin help those who are facing death?
Mystical experiences facilitating and mediating change in depression and anxiety
Current research that Gabby is part of and co-leading
How to get involved in the psychedelic field
Dreams and visions for the future of psychedelics and psychedelic research

About Gabrielle Agin-Liebes: Ms. Agin-Liebes is completing her training toward a PhD in clinical psychology at Palo Alto University. She is a member of PAU's Early Intervention Clinic clinical research laboratory, which provides and evaluates evidence-based treatments to prevent trauma-related problems in recently traumatized individuals. As part of this research laboratory, Ms. Agin-Liebes is examining the effects of trait self-compassion on trauma-related guilt cognitions. Through a supplemental practicum, Gabrielle is training toward a teacher certification in insight oriented mindfulness meditation through the Inner Resources Center at Palo Alto University. Ms. Agin-Liebes' other research focuses on novel and progressive psychotherapies for a variety of clinical indications, with areas of specialty in anxiety, depressive and traumatic stress disorders precipitated by life threatening illnesses. Through the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Ms. Agin-Liebes is co-leading the qualitative investigation of a pilot study examining the safety and feasibility of Psilocybin-Assisted Supportive-Expressive Group Psychotherapy for demoralization and existential distress in older individuals living with HIV. Prior to beginning her graduate studies, Gabrielle served as Project Manager of the NYU School of Medicine (NYUSoM) Psychedelic Research Laboratory led by Stephen Ross MD in the Department of Psychiatry, where she oversaw the day-to-day operations of trials exploring psilocybin as a treatment for existential distress in cancer patients, and ketamine as a rapidly-acting antidepressant in Emergency Department patients, Through the NYU School of Medicine lab, she has received funding to investigate the qualitative experiences of participants undergoing psilocybin treatment for alcohol dependence and is helping to design a qualitative trial of religious leaders receiving psilocybin at NYUSoM and Johns Hopkins University (JHU). Ms. Agin-Liebes' other research interests include the role of self-compassion in addiction recovery and the therapeutic applications of meditation and mindfulness.

Shannon Clare Petitt - MAPS, Zendo and an update on MDMA's status Nov 30, 2016

Show notes

Download Joe and Kyle talk to Shannon Clare Petitt about the current state of MDMA research and what MAPS needs to do in the next number of months with the FDA as the phase three trials become approved. A few days after the interview the New York Times reported that the phase three research was approved. Shannon's story is great and optimistic. If you are interested in how to get a job in the psychedelic field, this is certainly an episode you'll want to listen to. We also discuss some possible tweaks to the studies that could be done that may yield interesting results, and also why MAPS is taking the approach that they are (its the most straightforward way to push the research through the FDA). Here is Shannon's bio from the MAPS staff page. Shannon Clare Petitt, M.A., MFTI, Therapist Training Program Coordinator and Zendo Project Community Engagement Coordinator Shannon received her Master's in Integral Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in 2014, with a practicum working with youth on moderation management for drug and alcohol use. Her passions include working with addiction, trauma, relationship, the body, and nature. At the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies she serves as the Therapist Training Program Coordinator. She also leads Community Engagement for the Zendo Project, bringing harm reduction services to events and expanding efforts for awareness and integration of psychedelic experiences. Shannon is a co-therapist in a MAPS-sponsored Phase 2 trial researching MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for anxiety associated with life-threatening illness. She is a California native and can be found running outdoors anywhere she travels, dancing to the beat, and jumping in the ocean when she gets the chance! Links Psychedelic Salon Podcast Featuring Shannon, Rick Doblin and Annie Oak Zendo Project MAPS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDzwFRbV9gg

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