Unlocking Trauma and Transformation with Plant Medicine Retreats with Austin Mao Ceremoniacircle.org About the Guest(s): Austin Mao is a distinguished serial entrepreneur, author, poet, community builder, and keynote speaker. He specializes in the intersection of science and spirituality, psychology, and shamanism. As the co-founder of Ceremonia, a legalized and non-profit spiritual sanctuary based in Denver, Colorado, he is a leader in facilitating transformative experiences with psilocybin mushrooms and ayahuasca. His expertise has helped over 500 individuals from Fortune 500 executives to Silicon Valley unicorn founders, achieve significant breakthroughs in creativity, purpose, and peace. Episode Summary: In this enlightening episode of The Chris Voss Show, host Chris Voss delves deep into the world of psychedelic healing with guest Austin Mao, co-founder of Ceremonia. This episode offers insightful discussions on the intersections of spirituality, therapeutic healing, and the transformative power of plant medicine. As a pioneer in the field, Austin shares his experiences, what led him to this path, and the profound impact these alternative treatments have on mental health. The conversation touches on how Ceremonia facilitates legal and safe retreats using psilocybin mushrooms and ayahuasca in Colorado. Austin emphasizes an impressive 96% success rate in helping individuals overcome challenges such as PTSD and the limitations of traditional psychiatric medications. Listeners are treated to engaging narratives, including Austin's personal journey from tech entrepreneurship to spiritual advocacy, underscoring the potential of psychedelics to unlock repressed memories and foster self-love. Key Takeaways: Psychedelics, like psilocybin mushrooms and ayahuasca, have shown to be significantly more effective than traditional psychiatric methods in treating mental health issues. Ceremonia offers transformative experiences in a legal, non-profit setting and boasts a 96% success rate for life-changing personal breakthroughs. Austin Mao's journey from entrepreneur to spiritual influencer began with a life-altering encounter with ayahuasca, leading him to resolve past traumas and enhance his life's purpose. Events held by Ceremonia provide deeply personal and healing experiences, which can help participants connect with their emotions, address traumatic memories, and embrace self-love. Ceremonia's offerings include immersive retreats and online courses for those interested in self-discovery and personal growth through plant medicine. Notable Quotes: "The science shows that psilocybin mushrooms and psychedelic therapy are orders of magnitude better than the very best psychiatric care out there." "Everybody comes for in for a different reason…but their journey takes the same pathway: do I love myself?" "For more than 20 years, I could not uncurl my toes without excruciating pain…and all of that unlocked this tremendous physical healing." "The only way out is through…life is going to continue to life." "My story is not unique. People have life-changing experiences every single retreat."