Psychedelic Medicine Podcast with Dr. Lynn Marie Morski

Today we have another bonus episode so that you can hear from the founders of the #ThankYouPlantMedicine movement. David Griot and Jonathan Glazer are two of the leaders of this movement which aims to remove the stigma around the use of plant medicine. On February 20, 2020, there will be an important event for people who have been affected by the power of plant medicines to come out and let the world know of their experiences. David and Jonathan strongly believe that, like so many other social movements, this can be instrumental in leading to progressive change. David and Jonathan believe that this is a crucial time for this movement because it seems that more people are using plant medicines than ever. However, the legal and pharmaceutical landscape still doesn’t support this. To that end, we talk about how to delicately approach this topic in circles where it might not be totally accepted. David and Jonathan explain the phases of their project and how many different people are coming together to make it happen. They are bringing in individuals and organizations from all around the world to make this a truly grassroots movement that reflects the diversity of all plant medicine users.   In this episode: What the #ThankYouPlantMedicine movement is The implications of the gap between pharmaceuticals and psychedelics The connection between plant medicine and spiritual development The power of pant medicines to unite people around the world Addressing the need for discretion when discussing the use of plant medicine How people can get involved in this movement   Quotes: “It’s time for the communities to unite and get out of the hidden spots and just tell the truth as it is.” [10:16] “The real underlying why in this for me is to create a change in consciousness on a global level to try to create a more collaborative, joyful, and pleasant world.” [17:26] “There’s no pressure -- it’s an invitation. Only people who feel comfortable with it and are not in legal risk should participate. This is going to be the beginning of what we hope to be a multi-year movement until we reach the point where people are not jeopardized by talking about it.” [22:34]   Links: Find Thank You Plant Medicine online Find Thank You Plant Medicine on Facebook | Instagram The 5 Most Common Mistakes People Make when Trying Plant and Psychadelic Medicines World Ayahuasca Conference Chacruna Envision Festival Global Drug Survey Check out the full episode post Keep up with everything Plant Medicine related here Porangui

Natalie Ginsberg is the director of policy and advocacy at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychadelic Studies (MAPS). She works hard to disentangle science from political partisanship on Capitol Hill, the United Nations, and beyond. Today, she is joining us to discuss the history and current legality of MDMA. Unlike many other psychedelics, MDMA was actually legal in the United States for quite some time. It was originally developed in 1912 in an attempt by pharmaceuticals to create a blood-clotting agent. Later on, MDMA was redeveloped with attention paid to its potential therapeutic effects. Consequently, throughout the 1970s, MDMA was widely in therapy, particularly to address phobias and in couples therapy. This all changed in the early 1980s when MDMA found its way into the club scene. With the War on Drugs in full swing, the federal government, despite lobbying efforts by therapists, religious leaders, and activists, classified it as a Schedule 1 drug. There are now efforts underway by MAPS and other organizations to get MDMA back on a pathway for legalization. By citing government studies, collecting anecdotes, and running phase 1 and phase 2 studies, MAPS has shown that there is great potential for a rescheduling of this drug.   In this episode: How MDMA was first used in a therapeutic setting The history of how MDMA became criminalized Current efforts to reclassify MDMA as a medicine Evidence that MDMA can be used to successfully treat PTSD What may happen to the legal status of MDMA if it is rescheduled Ways in which psychedelics are used in conflict resolution settings   Quotes: “Throughout the 70s, MDMA was actually used across the US and the world in therapy.” [3:20] “Something that we were able to do was use the abundance of MDMA research that governments had sponsored to try to demonstrate harm but had actually demonstrated safety.”  [12:20] “Everyone who we interviewed had a very clear intention with the process of taking it for self-healing. They weren’t going to save the world to do conflict resolution.” [25:43]   Links: MAPS Follow Natalie on Instagram  Check out the full episode post Keep up with everything Plant Medicine related here Porangui

Shannon Carlin is the associate director of training and supervision at the MAPS Public Benefit Corp. In this role, she oversees the development and implementation of the programs that prepare mental health and medical professionals to deliver MDMA assisted psychotherapy in approved clinical settings.   Today Shannon is sharing what the clinical and legal landscape currently is for MDMA trials. The discussions with the FDA are currently evolving, but Shannon is very optimistic about the direction things are going in. She also talks about the current model of trials that they are conducting and how this promises to yield innovative and tangible results. Shannon describes how these trials are conducted and what participants can expect throughout the process. Shannon acknowledges that its a complex and tedious process, but stresses that everything is done to ensure both the safety of the participants and the proper scientific gathering of data. To that end, she explains how they are currently running tests and how they are preparing to change once approval for expanded trials happens.   In this episode: The current FDA regulations of MDMA The types of practitioners who are participating in ongoing studies What trial participants can expect as they prepare for an MDMA trial What takes place during a clinical trial with MDMA  The importance of mindset for both the practitioners and the clinicians during trails How dosing is determined during clinical studies   Quotes: “I really enjoy being in the therapy room with somebody who doesn’t have my same professional background because it broadens the competence that the two of us have together.” [7:21] “To me, it really does feel ceremonial. There is a certain amount of ritual or sacredness about it.” [13:25] “There’s a symbolic gesture. It’s subtle, but we don’t give the medicine, we don’t administer the medicine, we offer the medicine.” [19:13]   Links: MAPS MDMA Therapy Training Program Check out the full episode post Keep up with everything Plant Medicine related here Porangui

Marcus and Amber Capone are founders of a nonprofit organization, VETS, Inc., which provides resources, research, and advocacy for U.S. veterans seeking psychedelic-assisted therapies. Marcus served 13 years as a Navy SEAL, and when the post-military challenges became seemingly insurmountable, Amber became intent to save him by pursuing unconventional treatment modalities. Marcus attributes psychedelic-assisted therapies to saving his life, and now the couple is determined to drive profound change in the veteran healthcare system as a whole. Marcus and Amber describe how they came about finding their way into getting Marcus into Ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT treatment and the immense changes that have come about as a result of that therapy, both in Marcus’s own healing journey and now in their desire to help other veterans through their foundation, Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS). In this episode: How traumatic brain injury was leading to neurologic symptoms that were treatment-resistant The experience of undergoing an Ibogaine session What it was like to do 5-MeO-DMT after the Ibogaine and why that sequence was helpful How Marcus keeps his symptoms at bay How the VETS nonprofit is aiming to spread the healing

Marcela Ot'alora G is a psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience working with trauma, specifically PTSD. Having dedicated her professional life to teaching and research, Marcela has served as principle investigator and therapist on various phase-II and phase-III MDMA assisted psychotherapy studies. In today’s MDMA scientific research episode, Marcela describes some of the history of the research into the uses and effects of MDMA. Before it became a Schedule I substance, MDMA was widely used in various therapeutic settings, particularly in couple’s therapy. That changed with its classification as a Schedule I drug in the mid-1980s. However, the research into MDMA’s potential uses in therapy continues. With her particular focus in treating PTSD, Marcela explains some of the neurochemistry behind MDMA’s use in treating this disorder. Research has shown that MDMA activates parts of the brain that are suppressed as a result of trauma and helps people suffering from it make healing connections that they previously were unable to. As an active researcher in MDMA, Marcela describes what has been gleaned from various recent and ongoing clinical studies.   In this episode: Some of the early uses of MDMA in therapy The effects of MDMA in treating PTSD The results of recent phase-II and phase-III trial into the therapeutic possibilities of MDMA What it means to have breakthrough therapy status What the research says about how addictive MDMA actually is Potential adverse effects of using MDMA   Quotes: “It was so powerful that I decided that I really wanted to advocate for this work and try to bring it to more people.”[1:25] “They are a grounding place for you to be able to access these traumatic memories that are very difficult or painful.” [7:44] “More research is needed and definitely more will be done. PTSD is just the focus at the moment.” [26:50]   Links: Find Marcela Ot’alora G online MAPS ClinicalTrials.gov MDMA/PTSD Check out the full episode post Keep up with everything Plant Medicine related here Porangui

In today’s patient experience episode, Steven tells us about a therapeutic use of MDMA that you may not have heard of. A medical practitioner himself, Steven understands his own condition of IBS very well and what standard treatment is. However, when all these failed to produce results, Steven took the chance and set out to discover how he could better treat his condition. It was finally a decision to address the emotional and spiritual side of his health with his therapist that led Steven to try a guided MDMA experience. As a potent compound, MDMA can lead to significant psychological effects. Steven describes what it was like for him and how it led to significant improvements with his constant pain within a day of his initial experience. Steven explains how he found somebody to lead his journey. Because of legal issues, he had to use an underground network that his therapist pointed him towards. Steven shares how he vetted his guide and what he did to feel safe and supported throughout the experience.   In this episode: What compelled Steven to take his health into his own hands Addressing past trauma with the guided use of MDMA to get a handle on physical health Why Steven ultimately decided that MDMA was the right psychedelic for him What an experience of a “heroic dose” of MDMA is What to look for in someone to lead an MDMA journey The value of having an integration session after the experience The protocol Steven followed before during and after his MDMA journey   Quotes: “The human body, just because it’s not a machine, doesn’t make it any different. There’s a bunch of inputs and outputs. It’s kind of like electrical engineering systems.” [2:27] “For the first time in my life, I could feel bloating. It’s not that the bloating went away; it was that the pain associated with the bloating went away.” [10:06] “It’s a breakthrough therapy. It’s what the mavericks are doing.” [34:23]   Links: Get 20% off everything at Octogon Biolabs with coupon code 'plantmedicine’  Healthy Gut Company MAPS Check out the full episode post Keep up with everything Plant Medicine related here Porangui

In today’s episode, Sean McAllister explains the history of psilocybin’s legality in the United States and what its legal status is today. Sean is an attorney working for decriminalization efforts in California and Colorado. He was general counsel for the decriminalization movement in Denver and is a key figure in legalization efforts in California. Sean walks us through the history of psilocybin in the country over the past half-century. He explains how psychedelics became demonized in popular culture and politics. Throughout the sixties and seventies, psilocybin was branded as a dangerous drug and its use and sale were criminalized in the Controlled Substances Act of 1971. Sean explains how recent cultural shifts have opened up the possibility of looking at psychedelics such as psilocybin for their possible health benefits. He describes what went into decriminalizing psilocybin in Denver through a voter initiative and where it stands there legally at the moment. In many places, psilocybin’s legality occupies a gray area. Though decriminalized, it still remains technically illegal. Sean explains just what this means in the actual legal landscape and how there are still limits to what one can do with psilocybin. We also discuss some very current events. Only a few weeks ago, the effort to collect signatures to legalize psilocybin in California began. Sean has been instrumental in drafting the language for this initiative. He tells us where the effort is at the moment and what it would accomplish if passed.    In this episode: The history of the study and use of psilocybin in the United States The efforts that led to the decriminalization of psilocybin in Denver The distinction between decriminalization and legalization The current state of legalization efforts in California and Oregon   Quotes: “It’s nice that this renaissance is about a cultural and paradigmatic shift towards looking at drug use as a public health issue, not an incarceration issue.” [3:14] “What these elections do is they create so much positivity and hope because it proves that when people come together and when the message is right, the voters will do the right thing, even on a complicated topic like this.” [11:51] “It’s a very complex issue that we’re really only now beginning to unpack. The next five years are really going to be an amazing time to be involved in psychedelic reform. That’s why its the psychedelic renaissance right now.” [41:55]   Links: Get 20% off everything at Octogon Biolabs with coupon code 'plantmedicine’  Decriminalize Nature SPORE Drug Policy Alliance MAPS Decriminalize California Chacruna Check out the full episode post Keep up with everything Plant Medicine related here Porangui

In today’s special bonus episode, we’re discussing integration with Dr. Ryan Westrum. Many guests on this show talk about the importance of integration as part of a psychedelic journey. However, integration is not always understood for what it is. As you’ll hear, it can serve as important scaffolding for a psychedelic experience, making it more meaningful than it might be otherwise. Dr. Westrum is the co-author of The Psychedelics Integration Handbook and an internationally recognized psychedelic integration expert. For more than fifteen years, his primary focus has been working with individuals and groups to facilitate experiential therapy and integrate psychedelic journies into healing and personal transformation. In this conversation, Dr. Westrum explains exactly what an integration therapist is. Simply put, they help prepare the patient for the psychedelic experience and assist in processing it afterward. What they do not do is actually administer the drug itself. In this role, what an integration therapist does can actually vary greatly. Whether they’re doing dream-work, CBT therapy, or even yoga, the integration therapist provides a degree of support and interpretation to make the experience more effective and meaningful.   In this episode: What integration is and what an integration therapist does How an integration therapist helps tailor a specific experience to a particular patient’s needs Some of the factors that contribute to psychedelic experiences Some integration exercises that help make meaning of a psychedelic experience The importance of intention setting and mindset in a psychedelic journey Considerations for group versus individual experiences   Quotes: “We’re not trying to put a square peg in a circular hole. We’re trying to individualize it.” [6:30] “Psychadelic experiences can bring out a tremendous amount of information that we’re not necessarily aware of. So any preparation is going to support that.” [9:14] “All experiences are challenging; they’re not bad. But if you invite yourself to compare and do the appropriate preparation within integration, you’re going to get something fruitful out of it.” [22:53]   Links: Get 20% off everything at Octogon Biolabs with coupon code 'plantmedicine’  The Psychedelics Integration Handbook Psychedelic Integration Healing Souls Check out the full episode post Keep up with everything Plant Medicine related here Porangui

Today I'm sharing with you the psilocybin patient experience. Disclaimer: I’m not coming to you as a doctor, lawyer, or researcher in this episode, but simply as someone who has experienced psilocybin and is talking about the experience for educational purposes. This was my first (and to this date only) experience with a curated psilocybin ceremony, involving intention setting, a playlist specifically-designed for the journey, and a well-planned environment. It was actually that experience that ultimately led me to start this podcast. I describe how this psilocybin experience helped convey certain messages and led me into a sense of clarity through new introspection. During my psilocybin journey, I was able to deeply reflect on episodes in my life in ways that gave them the closure I hadn’t even been aware that I needed. It helped me gain perspective on my anxiety and actually be grateful for its source. I have since been able to carry some of the clarity of this experience forward with me in other aspects of my life. As a bonus, I discuss a bit about how a microdose of psilocybin led me to finally quit practicing medicine.   In this episode: Setting intentions as part of a psilocybin ceremony The messages that the plants can convey during an experience The clarity that is imparted by psilocybin How psilocybin has affected my sense of anxiety The possible delayed introspective effects of psilocybin microdosing   Quotes: “A lot of times the people who are guiding these ceremonies have a certain intuition to them.” [7:58] “Especially during this psilocybin journey, I felt like the plants were speaking to me. Not necessarily in a language but in very clear senses in what they were trying to convey.” [10:40] “When you’re in the effects, things seem so dramatic and real and you feel this sense of calm and oneness. It’s hard to realize that that’s going to wear off.” [16:39]   Links: Get 20% off everything at Octogon Biolabs with coupon code 'plantmedicine’    Check out the full episode post Keep up with everything Plant Medicine related here Porangui

Today’s episode is the first in our series focusing on psilocybin’s potential uses as medicine. You are going to hear from one of the premier researchers into this drug, how he runs his studies, and what he has discovered concerning its effects and uses as a medicine. Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu is a member of the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences faculty at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a Guest Researcher at the National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Neuroimaging Research Branch. There, he studies the effects of psychedelic drugs in humans with a particular focus of psilocybin as a potential aid in the treatment of addiction. Dr. Garcia-Romeu explains the biochemical effects of psilocybin in the human body. He delves into what his research has uncovered about the drug’s potential to treat addiction disorders. What is noteworthy about his research is that is has shown that psychedelic treatments have been able to help some people make lasting changes in regard to alcohol and nicotine addiction. Dr. Garcia-Romeu also discusses psilocybin’s use in treating anxiety and depression. The research has shown that psilocybin has the potential to help patients with life-threatening and terminal illnesses cope with the psychological burdens of their disease. He also explains some of the ongoing research into the efficacy of psilocybin to have a lasting impact on depression in general.   In this episode: How psilocybin works at a biochemical level What the research is saying about the uses of psilocybin to treat addiction disorders Possible reasons why some people respond more significantly to psilocybin treatments than others Psilocybin’s effect on treating mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression Safeguards to avoid possible adverse effects during psilocybin studies   Quotes: “Administering high doses of drugs like psilocybin and LSD seemed to really help people make some breakthroughs into having greater insight into their alcohol abuse and having more plasticity in their ability to change their behavior going forward.” [7:06] “The more mystical effects that people are having, the better outcomes you’re seeing.” [23:25] “These were real improvements in the quality of life that were measurable, statistically significant, and enduring.” [28:42]   Links: Get 20% off everything at Octogon Biolabs with coupon code 'plantmedicine’ Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research clinicaltrials.gov   Check out the full episode post Keep up with everything Plant Medicine related here Porangui