#42 Reed Finlay: Designing Spaces for Healing and Transformation

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

Today, we’re speaking with Reed Finlay, a visionary designer and the founder of Set and Setting Design, a company dedicated to creating transformative spaces for healing and human connection.

Reed’s journey began in traditional architecture, where he spent over 25 years designing everything from high-end homes to sustainable, off-grid buildings. But his career took a radical turn after a life-changing plant medicine experience that revealed the profound impact of the environment on human consciousness.

Since then, Reed has focused on designing spaces specifically intended to support healing, growth, and transformation. From psychedelic ceremony rooms to retreat centers and even the Temple at Burning Man, Reed's work transcends conventional architecture by weaving together elements of nature, mysticism, and human psychology.

In this conversation, we discuss:

* The power of set and setting in shaping psychedelic experiences

* How sacred space design can deepen emotional healing

* His transformative experience that inspired his career shift

* The role of architecture in the emerging field of psychedelic therapy

* How principles from Donald Winnicott’s "holding environment" influence his designs

* The intersection of spirituality, community, and space in modern culture

* And much more.

And now, I bring you my conversation with Reed Finlay.

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