Psychedelics Today

In this episode, Victoria interviews Max Montrose: Founder of the Trichome Institute, a company offering online courses and certifications on cannabis. Montrose explores the scientific and sensory aspects of cannabis, diving into the role of the aromatic compound, indole, and how the fresher and more aromatic (usually pungent) the flower is, the higher chance for having a more psychedelic experience. He dives into ways to maximize the psychedelic nature of cannabis, largely through “interprening,” which is his method for learning about a plant’s effects from smelling buds, measuring your sense of sensation and where you feel the smell is hitting you. And he talks a lot about intention and how the power of a cannabis experience can be determined by the reverence you have for the plant and the intention you put behind each inhale: It is a “total reflection of how much you care.” He also discusses: The range of cannabis effects: how it can be just weed – something mindlessly smoked all day with a slight numbing effect – or an incredibly powerful, life-changing experience The importance of skillset being added to the concept of set and setting: the skills you have (and can practice) for helping you create your own setting to get through a tough time Issues with the legal cannabis industry about accuracy of strains, shelf life, and the ability to smell the product The lack of money in cannabis research: Why is no one funding research into indole chemistry? Why indica and sativa are not accurate terms, and how aroma is more of a factor than we realize and more!  For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Kyle interviews Pierre Bouchard, LPC, LM: therapist, minister, and former professional vinyl DJ specializing in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and ministry.  Bouchard introduces his 3-axis framework for psychedelic integration, which looks at the personal, the transpersonal, and, with time, seeing how the lessons learned from non-ordinary experiences and personal work are expressing to the world: How can we use what we've learned to show up better? How can we use our gifts to be of service to others? What is stopping us? He also talks about the importance of building a foundation for holding the experience of a psychedelic journey - that you have to first build an ego to later dissolve it - but recognizes the tricky balance of not strengthening an ego so much that it gets in the way.  He discusses: The broad scope of what someone can mean when they say "psychedelic healing" The importance of keeping the 3 axes in harmony - that you should always be attending to each Why someone beginning a healing journey needs to be smart, curious, and desperate The challenge of discerning between an entity or a projection: How do we know what to take from that experience? Why practitioners and therapists need to find a balance between being confident and humble and more! For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Joe interviews Bria Tavakoli, LPCC, MA, MS: a therapist specializing in relational and sex therapy, with a focus on helping clients integrate psychedelic experiences. She shares her personal journey with psychedelics and how they unlocked deep trauma, allowing her to develop a level of comfort with intimacy, love, and her sexuality. She talks about the parallels between psychedelic journeys and sexual experiences, and how both can be gateways to unexplored parts of ourselves, as well as catalysts for healing and transformation. She discusses society’s cultural shame surrounding our sexuality, why we need to view sexuality from a wellness-based model, and how psychedelics can help couples grow together, and at times, really challenge their relational structures. When asked how to combine sex and psychedelics, she answers, “very carefully.” She also discusses: The immense importance of creating a safe space for couples discussing their intimacy How clients reporting sexual concerns is usually a cheat code to determining what their real issues are Ethical and practical considerations for combining psychedelics and sex therapy, related to stories of concerning sexual behavior in the space Why humor and lightness is so important in this work The importance of honoring individual capacity and being true to yourself when exploring new experiences and more!  For links, head to the show notes page.

In this episode, Kyle interviews Juan Pablo Cappello: co-founder and former CEO of Nue Life Health, whose assets were subsequently acquired by Beckley Waves. Cappello discusses the current challenges and controversies facing a ketamine industry that has moved much faster than anyone anticipated, and stresses the need to create industry-wide standards – especially for at-home ketamine – before the government imposes its own standards on us. Citing the Matthew Perry case and other bad behavior from providers, he talks about the risks of overpromising and underdelivering, the lack of integration in the majority of at-home ketamine frameworks, and how profit-driven, subscription model motives have overshadowed patient care and ethical practices. He also discusses: The complications from personal perspectives and passions shifting after a psychedelic experience, and how that can change over time The FDA’s recent rejection of MDMA: What would have happened to MDMA if it had been approved? Hope for more Native American churches, and what they can learn from the DEA’s denial of Soul Quest The story of a bump of cocaine ruining the hope for cannabis to be decriminalized under the Carter administration Our current Wild West of gas station CBD, Delta-8, and barely-regulated vapes and more!  For links, head to the show notes page.