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The Oprah Podcast

Can Psychedelics Heal Mental Trauma? With Harvard Professor Michael Pollan

Mar 4, 2025
55:32

BUY THE BOOK!

How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence” by Michael Pollan

Fire in the Hole!: The Untold Story of My Traumatic Life and Explosive Success” by Bob Parsons

In this episode of The Oprah Podcast, Oprah and bestselling author Michael Pollan discuss the potential of psychedelic drugs like psilocybin (also known as magic mushrooms) and LSD as a benefit to help relieve symptoms of PTSD, OCD, anxiety, addiction, or depression. Michael’s 2018 book, "How to Change Your Mind", was a watershed moment in the rising national conversation about the use of psychedelics in guided therapy.


Michael describes his own psychedelic experiences as well as additional guests, including GoDaddy founder Bob Parsons, who share their stories about how psychedelics helped them improve their mental well-being, cope with trauma and grief and achieve spiritual transcendence. Pollan taught for many years at UC Berkeley and is currently a professor teaching creative writing at Harvard.


This episode is brought to you in part by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at http://www.betterhelp.com/OPRAHPODCAST


For more information on The Roland R. Griffiths, Ph.D. Professorship Fund, Psychedelic Research On Secular Spirituality And Well-Being - https://griffithsfund.org/


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Listen to the full podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

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