Adventures Through The Mind

The Business and Practice of Psilocybin Therapy in Jamaica | Justin Townsend ~ ATTMind 170

Jan 13, 2023

02:11:55

Justin Townsend is the CEO and Head Facilitator at the psilocybin therapy retreat centre MycoMeditations. He is on the show for this episode to explore two topic themes:

The business side of running a successful psilocybin retreat centre in the economic context of the modern corporate world without losing your ethics in the process
The therapeutic framework and philosophy that MycoMeditations holds for their retreats and their guests.

Some of the things we cover on the first side of the conversation: Justin’s journey from the corporate world to running an psychedelic psilocybin therapy retreat centre; psychopathology and integrity in the corporate world, and how good people end up doing bad things; the nuances around running a financially successful psychedelic retreat centre without ethical sacrifices; what it means to be building what they call “gold-standard for group-facilitated psilocybin therapeutics in natural settings”; data propriety; and supporting peer-reviewed research.

In the other half of the conversation we explore: why MycoMeditations holds an entity “non-shamanic” framework for their psilocybin work; how to support someone who has a beyond Western framework experience from a non-shamanic framework; helping to prevent post-psychedelic hypomania from evolving into psychosis; differentiating between psychosis and a “normal psychotomimetic response”; non-pharmacological interventions for psychosis and psychotomimetic responses; as well as The Golden Shadow and the dangers of golden-shadow projection in both psychedelic therapy and spiritual communities.

Enjoy.

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For links to Justin's work, full show notes, and a link to watch this episode in video, head to bit.ly/ATTMind170

*** FULL TOPICS BREAKDOWN BELOW**

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Episode Breakdown

(0:00) Opening
(1:12) Overture and guest bio
(5:18) Patron thanks
(6:05) An important statement about endorsements
(7:41) Interview begins
(7:47) Justin’s journey from the corporate world to running an psychedelic psilocybin retreat centre
(12:52) Exploring the toxic psychology/behaviours of the corporate world
(20:26) Psychopathology in the corporate world, and how good people end doing bad things—multipolar traps
(26:03) Merging his corporate experience and psychedelic work to build a high-quality company in the psychedelic retreat field
(29:27) The importance of protecting a business ethos from financial takeover
(32:39) Exploring nuances around running a financially successful psychedelic retreat centre without ethical sacrifices
(39:06) MycoMediation’s mission to build the “gold-standard for group-facilitated psilocybin therapeutics in natural settings” — and how and why they are doing it
(44:08) Why MycoMeditation will keep their “gold-standard” data proprietary, for now
(54:46) Where/how MycoMediation is helping support peer-reviewed science.
(57:21) Building a fully non-shamanic framework for psilocybin retreats, and why it matters for Western
people.
(1:04:41) How to support someone who has a beyond Western framework experience from a non-shamanic framework
(1:17:16) Helping to prevent post-psychedelic hypomania from evolving into psychosis
(1:21:09) Differentiating between psychosis and a “normal psychomemetic response”
(1:31:16) Discussing non-pharmacological interventions for psychosis and psychomimetic response
(1:39:04) The Golden Shadow and the dangers of golden-shadow projection in psychedelic therapy
(1:45:51) A “tough pill to swallow” with respect to the issues of indigenous reciprocity and biopiracy as a psychedelic company
(1:60:52) How MycoMeditations is helping to give back to the people of Jamaica
(1:58:12) Pushing back on Townsend’s “tough pill to swallow”
(2:01:50) Townsend’s concerns around what is happening with psilocybin in Oregon
(2:06:58) Closing the interview, follow up links and socials
(2:08:30) Outro