PT578 – How Psychedelics Can Help Build a Better You: The Power in Letting Go, with Tommy Aceto
Dec 31, 2024
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Tommy Aceto, a former Navy SEAL and trauma medic, now advocates for veteran mental health. In a captivating discussion, he reveals how psychedelics can enhance overall wellness beyond just healing. He emphasizes body awareness and breathwork as tools for personal growth, sharing his transformative 5-MeO-DMT experience that deepened his connection with the divine. Aceto also discusses the importance of surrendering to change, the significance of gratitude in rewiring the brain, and how cold exposure can prepare one for profound psychedelic journeys.
Tommy Aceto emphasizes that consistently practicing breathwork can enhance emotional regulation and prepare individuals for more profound psychedelic experiences.
He discusses the burgeoning psychedelic community in Nashville, highlighting the cultural shifts and growing acceptance around psychedelics in historically conservative regions.
The conversation underscores the importance of surrendering and letting go as essential skills for unlocking the transformative potential of psychedelics in emotional healing.
Deep dives
Emerging Psychedelic Community in Nashville
Nashville is experiencing significant growth in its psychedelic community, largely influenced by the city's vibrant creative culture, particularly its music scene. Tommy Aceto emphasizes that while the South has historically been less progressive regarding psychedelics compared to states like California or Colorado, there is a burgeoning interest and participation in psychedelic practices among residents. He shares how his own transition to Nashville brought him closer to a network of individuals interested in exploring the benefits and potential of psychedelics. This growth hints at Nashville becoming a potential hotspot for psychedelic culture, as more people begin to openly discuss and engage with these substances.
Advocacy and Legislative Efforts in Kentucky
Tommy discusses his involvement with the Kentucky Opioid Settlement Commission, an initiative aimed at addressing the opioid crisis while also pioneering discussions around psychedelic treatments like Ibogaine. The commission was the first of its kind and aimed to use the settlement funds not merely for traditional solutions but also explore novel approaches involving psychedelics for healing. Despite the progress, he highlights the bureaucratic challenges faced, including political shifts that hindered the momentum for psychedelic legalization efforts. This situation underscores the complex interplay between advocacy, legislation, and the persistent stigma surrounding psychedelics.
The Importance of Breathwork Integration
Breathwork plays a crucial role in preparing individuals for psychedelic experiences, acting as a tool for enhancing relaxation and emotional regulation. Tommy explains how mastering breathwork can help individuals enter a state of receivership before engaging with psychedelics, ultimately improving their overall experience. He notes that specific techniques, such as inhaling through the nose to increase nitric oxide levels, can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, making the body more receptive to the psychedelic journeys. The integration of breathwork into psychedelic practices not only enhances safety and comfort but also fosters emotional healing and personal growth.
Psychedelics and Emotional Resilience
The conversation transitions to the transformative potential of psychedelics in fostering emotional resilience, particularly in the context of trauma. Tommy reflects on his own experiences with 5-MeO DMT, which highlighted the importance of surrendering and letting go to fully engage with the medicine's healing properties. He argues that psychedelics can help individuals break free from their conditioned responses to fear and trauma, allowing for profound personal transformations. The ability to cultivate emotional resilience through psychedelics presents a promising avenue for treating not just mental health conditions, but supporting overall wellness and self-understanding.
A Shift Towards Collective Awareness
Both Tommy and the host express optimism regarding the current societal shift towards greater awareness and acceptance of psychedelics as legitimate therapeutic tools. They note the growing interest among various communities, including veterans and creatives, indicating a move toward collective healing and personal growth. The integration of psychedelics into mainstream discussions about health and wellness signifies a potential cultural renaissance, where individuals can reclaim their narratives and experiences. This greater openness not only enhances individual potential but also promotes a united front in advocating for policy changes that embrace healing through psychedelics.
In this episode, Kyle interviews Tommy Aceto: former Navy Seal and trauma medic, and now, ambassador for the Veteran Mental Health Leadership Coalition and advisor at Beond Ibogaine.
He talks about how much the psychedelic space focuses on healing and mental health, but doesn’t talk enough about the overall wellness that can come from a consistent practice: that the more you become aware of your body, emotions, and breath, the more robust your neural pathways will become – and that you can actually change your neurochemistry and build a more energetically powerful system. With these pathways being opened, fewer psychedelic experiences are necessary, and with practice, these mind states can be achieved simply through meditation or breathwork. The idea of surrender and entering a state of receivership is scary, but he believes the most important skill to begin that transformation is to learn how to truly let go.
He also talks about:
What the psychedelic scene is like in Nashville and the south
His work with the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission and what happened with the bill to grant 42 million for ibogaine research
His most powerful 5-MeO-DMT experience and how it reconnected him with the divine
The science and practice of gratitude: how reframing painful experiences can actually rewire the brain
How cold exposure (notably ice baths) can prepare your system for a psychedelic experience
and more! Happy New Year from all of us at Psychedelics Today. Let's hope for big psychedelic wins in 2025!
