(BONUS) How plant medicine transformed Catriona Wallace’s leadership

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Nov 12, 2025

Dr. Catriona Wallace, a pioneering entrepreneur and behavioral scientist, opens up about her transformative journey with plant medicine. She reveals how her first ayahuasca experience led to confronting her ego and identity, reshaping her leadership style. Catriona highlights the importance of truth-telling as a foundation for authentic leadership. She emphasizes a powerful reframe in her purpose from 'What’s my purpose?' to 'What is needed of me?' Her insights on surrender and service redefine success and inspire a new approach to leadership.

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ANECDOTE

Brutal First Ayahuasca Ceremony

Dr Catriona Wallace drank ayahuasca the afternoon she sold her company and endured a relentless seven-hour purge confronting her shadow.
She described it as the worst experience of her life that forced visceral acknowledgement of ego, reputation focus, and disconnection from her kids.

INSIGHT

Purge Before Vision

Ayahuasca forces confrontation: you can't get a new vision until you remove internal blockages.
Catriona says seven hours of ayahuasca equals seven years of psychotherapy because the body purges behaviors and energy.

ANECDOTE

Second Night Shifted To Healing

After journaling her flaws, Catriona returned for a second ceremony and met a guiding female spirit who led a profoundly healing journey.
The second night shifted from purging to receiving light, dragons, and elves, producing a life-changing transformation.

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Five years ago, Dr Catriona Wallace drank ayahuasca for the first time - expecting enlightenment but instead meeting her shadow. What followed was seven hours of confronting ego, identity, and the parts of herself she’d spent years avoiding.

In this bonus episode, I sit down with Dr Catriona Wallace to explore how her experiences with plant medicine completely reshaped the way she leads, tells the truth, and understands her purpose.

Catriona shares how facing her darkest parts helped her release control, redefine success, and lead with greater authenticity and courage.

Just a quick note - nothing you’ll hear in this episode is medical or legal advice, and we’re definitely not suggesting anyone try anything that’s illegal where they live. Think of this as an open conversation, not a recommendation.

Catriona and I discuss:

The unexpected transformation that came from Catriona’s first ayahuasca experience

How confronting ego and identity shifted her leadership style

Why she believes truth-telling is the foundation of authentic leadership

The powerful reframe from “What’s my purpose?” to “What is needed of me?”

How plant medicine taught her the importance of surrender, service, and alignment

KEY QUOTES

“Seven hours of ayahuasca is like seven years of psychotherapy.”

“Instead of asking, ‘What’s my purpose?’, I now ask, ‘What is needed of me?’”

Connect with Dr Catriona Wallace on Instagram, LinkedIn, and via her website.
Check out her book Rapid Transformation for more on how to embrace change through technology and leadership.

If you haven’t listened to my full conversation with Catriona - where she opens up about leading with authenticity, standing firm in the face of sexism, and the now-famous moment she walked away from a million-dollar investment because she refused to compromise who she is. You can find that here.

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/

Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

Credits:

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler

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