386 Rewiring the Brain for Sobriety: Ayahuasca, Trauma, and Transformation

Before we jump in, I do want to mention that I have a lot of free recovery resources on my website at soberlifeschool.com. There’s a guide called “How to quit drinking: 30 tips for your first 30 days” with tips on how to beat cravings, how to answer the inevitable questions about why you’re not drinking, how to manage stress, and still have fun! Cuz we are all about having fun, just without the hangover.

And one request: If you enjoy this episode, please rate and review on Apple podcasts and share it with a friend. It helps to get the message of hope to those who need it most.

Since I started the podcast over 9 years ago, I have talked with hundreds of people, many of them medical experts in a variety of disciplines, about how to heal the underlying issues that cause addiction. 

The overwhelming data suggests that psychedelic assisted therapy, done in the right setting with professionals can lead to profound healing. However it is not for everyone and for certain people it’s actually contraindicated. These are powerful compounds and the use of them should not be taken lightly. 

By way of a disclaimer, I’m obviously not a doctor and I don’t play one on the internet, which is why today I am speaking with an actual doctor. This conversation is not to be taken as medical advice. It is for educational purposes only. 

The reason I decided to interview Dr Jeff McNairy is because I know compounds like Ayahuasca are being discussed among people in the sober community and I wanted to present information to those considering it, both risks and potential benefits. 

In this episode, Dr. Jeff shares his remarkable journey from studying medical anthropology to becoming a licensed psychologist working at the intersection of trauma, neuroscience, and ancient healing practices. We also discuss who should not participate in ayahuasca, what safe preparation and integration really look like, and why this plant medicine is being called “10 years of therapy in one night.”

💡 You’ll hear:

• How trauma gets stored in the amygdala—and how ayahuasca helps release it
• What Dr. Jeff has learned from over 20,000 participants (including veterans, doctors, and trauma survivors)
• Why integration is just as important as the ceremony itself
• What the research says about ayahuasca’s effect on neuroplasticity, and addiction.

So without further delay, please enjoy this episode, and let me know what you think!

👊🏼Need help applying this information to your own life?

Here are 3 ways to get started:

🎁Free Guide: 30 Tips for Your First 30 Days - With a printable PDF checklist

Grab your copy here: https://www.soberlifeschool.com

🎁Free Journaling Exercise: How To Get Unstuck, Be Consistent andamp; Reach Your Goals

Download Here: https://www.innercompassprogram.com

☎️Private Coaching: Make Sobriety Stick

https://www.makesobrietystick.com

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