The Trip Report

#26 Brandon Kapelow: ‘An Act of Service’- A Journey Through PTSD and Ketamine Therapy

Jun 27, 2024

Filmmaker Brandon Kapelow discusses the inspiration behind 'An Act of Service', exploring PTSD and ketamine therapy for first responders. They touch on mental health stigmas, suicide rates in the Mountain West, pain perception, and challenges in film completion and distribution.

54:40

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Episode guests

Brandon Kapelow

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Quick takeaways

Visual storytelling amplifies mental health advocacy through personal journeys and transformative narratives.

Psychedelic therapy offers hope for first responders facing unique mental health challenges and cultural resistance.

Balanced narratives in mental health storytelling promote destigmatization and accessibility of treatment options.

Nuanced messaging in mental health communication is crucial for understanding and acceptance of diverse treatment modalities.

Engagement with mental health content and awareness initiatives fosters broader conversations and advocacy efforts.

Challenges in mental health advocacy include navigating cultural stigma and promoting responsible, empathetic storytelling.

Deep dives

Exploring Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy for First Responders' Mental Health

The podcast delves into a film highlighting a fire captain's journey with PTSD and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. The documentary unfolds the challenges faced by first responders and the cultural resistance to psychedelic medicine. It emphasizes the necessity for new mental health treatment modalities. The narrative captures the double-edged scenario in the Mountain West where high suicide rates coincide with strong conservative views against psychedelic therapy.

Intro

3min

Exploring Psychedelic Therapy and Mental Health Advocacy through Filmmaking

30min

Suicide Trends and Mental Health Disparities

11min

Exploring Pain Science, Mental Health, and Healing Beliefs

8min

Navigating Film Completion and Public Availability Challenges

2min

Keeping Up with the Guest's Work and Film Releases

2min

Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves, a Psychedelic Venture Studio.

Today, in honor of PTSD Awareness Month, we are speaking with filmmaker Brandon Kapelow, the writer and director of the short film titled An Act of Service which was published under the New York Times Op-Docs banner in the Spring of 2024.

This powerful documentary explores the journey of a fire captain from Idaho as he navigates life with PTSD and treatment through ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.

I reached out to Brandon because I was taken by the film’s beauty and impact.

In a field where hyperbole reigns, An Act of Service conveys the challenge of mental illness and the potential of recovery in a soft-spoken but powerful way.

Brandon's dedication to mental health advocacy is deeply personal.

His path began with the loss of his father to suicide when he was just 12 years old. This set him on a course of mental health advocacy and, eventually, filmmaking.

His work has appeared in prominent outlets such as Time Magazine where he highlighted the issue of suicide in the Western United States.

In this conversation, we discuss:

* The inspiration and development of Brandon's film An Act of Service

* The unique mental health challenges faced by first responders and the role of psychedelic therapy in their healing

* The intricacies of capturing real-life therapy on film while maintaining the integrity and privacy of the therapeutic process

* The broader implications of psychedelic therapy for mental health, especially in conservative and rural areas

* Brandon's personal journey with ketamine therapy and how it has informed his work and advocacy

Brandon's film not only sheds light on the transformative potential of psychedelic therapy but also provides a sober, nuanced portrayal of its impact on real lives.

His thoughtful approach to storytelling offers a hopeful and optimistic view of the future of mental health treatment.

And now, I bring you my conversation with Brandon Kapelow.

Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.

Credits:

* Hosted by Zach Haigney

* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari

* Find us at thetripreport.com

* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube

Theme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com