Third Wave Podcast

Dr. Evan Cole Lewis, VP of Psychedelic Neurology at Numinus, joins The Psychedelic Podcast to delve into the world of psychedelic neurology and its potential to revolutionize medicine.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-203-evan-cole-lewis-md/

Dr. Lewis & Paul F. Austin take us deeper into the underlying mechanisms of psychedelics and their impact on neurological networks. The conversation explores how psychedelics like MDMA, ketamine, psilocybin, and LSD can manipulate and reorganize those networks, leading to tailored treatment approaches for people with neurological conditions. From Dr. Lewis’s perspective, precision psychedelic medicine is poised to provide breakthrough treatments for traumatic brain injuries, concussions, functional seizures, cluster headaches, migraines, and mental illnesses.

With cautious optimism, Dr. Lewis and Paul envision a future where psychedelics offer transformative solutions for today’s most challenging conditions.

Evan Cole Lewis, M.D.:

Dr. Evan Cole Lewis is a neurologist and clinical neurophysiologist with expertise in pediatric neurology and epilepsy. He is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Pediatrics at the Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto.

Dr. Lewis is the founder and medical director of the Neurology Centre of Toronto (NCT), Chief Medical Advisor for the Jamaican Medical Cannabis Corporation and VP of Psychedelic Neurology at Numinus, a Canadian company focused on research and therapeutics with psychedelic medicines.

Dr. Lewis has extensive clinical experience in the utilization of medical cannabis for the treatment of neurologic conditions in both adults and children. His practice focuses on brain network disorders, including concussion/persistent post-concussive symptoms, headache and migraine, and functional seizures.

He has a special interest in treating brain network disorders with psychedelic therapy. He has delivered many national and international educational seminars, talks, and lectures on brain network disorders, medical cannabis, psychedelic therapy, and the intersection of psychedelics and neurology.

Highlights:

• Why Dr. Lewis chose to work at Numinus.
• Exploring how psychedelics bridge the gap between psychiatry and neurology.
• Why psychedelics challenge neurology to adopt a complex-systems approach.
• How psychedelics counterbalance neural rigidity with harmony & flexibility.
• Psychedelics’ potential to treat traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
• Ketamine’s role in activating & strengthening dormant neural pathways.
• How plant medicine helps people unlearn old habits & experience child-like awareness.
• The mystery of functional seizures.
• Dr. Lewis’ belief that psychedelics will enhance neuroscience & precision medicine.

Key Links:

• Numinus: https://numinus.com/
• Dr. Evan Lewis on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drevanlewis

Episode Sponsor:

• Numinus

Scott Omelianuk, Editor-in-Chief of Inc. Business Media, joins the Psychedelic Podcast to examine the intersection of entrepreneurship, mental health, and psychedelics.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-202-scott-omelianuk/

Scott and Paul F. Austin emphasize the importance of supporting founders' mental well-being and how psychedelics can play a role in reducing stress and enhancing mindfulness. Scott openly shares his personal struggles, revealing the profound impact of psychedelic therapy that surpassed years of talk therapy. By embracing mental health challenges, Scott believes leaders can overcome pressures, uncertainties, and isolation, enabling them to become their best selves.

The conversation envisions psychedelics as tools to foster human connection and long-term thinking, ultimately cultivating a more conscious and compassionate mindset among entrepreneurs.

Scott Omelianuk:

Scott Omelianuk is the Editor-in-Chief of Inc. Business Media. He has built a reputation for defining culture and using it to the advantage of clients and benefit of consumers.

Honored with the Ad Age A-List, Idea of the Year award, and a Media Vanguard Award, Scott is known as a marketing and branding expert and champion of entrepreneurial thinking within the enterprise and small business.

A professor of marketing and innovation and an entrepreneur-in-residence at the Stevens Institute of Technology, a U.S. News & World Report “Top 25 Innovation School,” Scott has repositioned Inc., the preeminent voice of entrepreneurship, to reflect the needs of today’s founder, with inspiration, information, and instruction, as well as community.

As an author, investor, founder, and patent holder, Scott has been profiled or served as an expert source for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Ad Age, AdWeek, CNN, the BBC, NHK, NPR, CNBC, MSNBC and dozens of other newspapers, blogs, and broadcast outlets around the world.

Highlights:

• Scott’s personal drive to explore psychedelics.
• Inc.’s reason for writing about leadership struggles & mental health issues.
• Lessons psychedelics can teach business leaders.
• Scott’s professional path to becoming Editor-in-Chief at Inc.
• The challenges of maintaining a long-term vision in a capitalist world.
• Scott’s reflection on the state of the psychedelic renaissance.
• The importance of keeping a beginner’s mind in the early stages of the movement.
• Scott’s take on microdosing vs. macrodosing.
• Scott’s personal and professional outlook.

Key Links:

• Scott on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scottomelianuk
• Scott’s Editor Letter from the current Inc. issue about his experience: https://www.inc.com/magazine/202303/scott-omelianuk/the-journey.html
• Episode 95: Tucker Max - Healing Emotional Trauma, Embracing Personal Responsibility: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-95-tucker-max/
• Episode 157: Keith Ferrazzi - The Future of Work: Psychedelics, Co-Elevation, and Radical Adaptability: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-157-keith-ferrazzi/

Episode Sponsors:

• CURED Nutrition's Serenity Gummies. Get 15% off by using coupon code “THIRDWAVE” at checkout.

Professor Russell A. Berman joins the Psychedelic Podcast to explore the captivating life and works of controversial German writer Ernst Jünger.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-201-russell-a-berman-phd/

Jünger’s initial career as a German officer shaped his early books examining war and politics. After the war, Jünger continued writing prolifically, exploring genres like science fiction and nature. He remained a contentious figure due to his conservative and military background. However, in his later years, Jünger became interested in drugs and altered states of consciousness. His book “Approaches,” later edited by Professor Berman, serves as an autobiography through the lens of his experiences with mind-expanding substances.

As the episode unfolds, Professor Berman and Paul F. Austin unpack the book “Approaches” and Jünger's psychedelic perspectives.

Russell A. Berman is the Walter A. Haas Professor in the Humanities at Stanford and Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, where he co-directs the Working Group on the Middle East and the Islamic World.

He formerly served as Senior Advisor on the Policy Planning Staff of the United States Department of State, focusing on transatlantic relations, and as a member of the Commission on Inalienable Rights. He is also a member of the National Humanities Council.

Berman has been awarded a Mellon Faculty Fellowship at Harvard and an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship for research in Berlin. He has also been honored with the Federal Service Cross of the Federal Republic of Germany. His books include The Rise of the Modern German Novel: Crisis and Charisma and Enlightenment or Empire: Colonial Discourse in German Culture—both of which won the Outstanding Book Award of the German Studies Association.

He has edited several translations of works by Ernst Jünger and Carl Schmitt.

Highlights:

• Dr. Berman frames Jünger’s life; world wars, political activism, and literary works.
• Professor Berman reflects on the history of drug culture.
• Jünger’s writings on psychedelics, including LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, and more.
• How altered states impacted Jünger’s religious life and philosophy.
• Jünger’s relationship with Albert Hofmann, the man who first synthesized LSD.
• Examining Jünger, Hofmann, Timothy Leary, & Richard Alpert’s (Ram Dass) shared history and psychedelics perspectives.
• Jünger’s nuanced place in German political history.
• Why Dr. Berman is fascinated with Jünger’s life and writings.
• Dr. Berman reads selections from Junger’s book Approaches.

Links:

• Professor Berman's website: https://profiles.stanford.edu/russell-berman
• Jünger’s Book, “Approaches: Drugs and Altered States” (edited by Russell A. Berman): https://amzn.to/3XfccPH
• Jünger’s Book, “The Storm of Steel”: https://amzn.to/44bdzRS
• Jünger’s Book, “The Adventurous Heart”: https://amzn.to/42PuzMi
• Jünger’s Book, “On the Marble Cliffs”: https://amzn.to/3phqXF9
• Jünger’s Book, “Forest Passage”: https://amzn.to/44t2CLF
• Jünger’s Book, “Eumeswil”: https://amzn.to/3CKMcC9
• “The Decadent Society” byRoss Douthat: https://amzn.to/42Vdhxg
• Book, “The Air-Conditioned Nightmare “ by Henry Miller: https://amzn.to/3peswDL
• Eleusinian Mysteries: https://amzn.to/3pd485B
• (Blog) The History of LSD: From Hero to Villain & Back Again: https://thethirdwave.co/the-history-of-lsd/

These show links contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

Episode Sponsors:

• CURED Nutrition's Serenity Gummies. Get 15% off by using coupon code “THIRDWAVE” at checkout.

In this episode of the Psychedelic Podcast, clinical counselor Salimeh Tabrizi, M.A. and Paul F. Austin examine ayahuasca, cannabis, and the concept of non-duality.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-200-salimeh-tabrizi

Salimeh shares her wisdom on the importance of reverence, consciousness, and compassionate witnessing when working with powerful plant medicines. She delves into different ayahuasca lineages and traditions, uncovering valuable insights into their transformative potential. She also explores the delicate balance between masculine and feminine energies, the importance of holistic healing, and the significance of self-care in cultivating Buddha nature.

This conversation invites listeners to explore non-dual tools for integrating plant medicine teachings into life’s spiritual journey.

Salimeh Tabrizi, M.A. is a clinical counselor, intuitive energy worker, and plant medicine facilitator, educator and advocate. She supports individuals before, during, and after sacred medicine journeys with Ayahuasca as they step into their soul path and mission. Salimeh is a founding board member of the Canadian Psychedelic Association and the founder and organizer of the Cannabis Hemp Conference and Expo, the largest plant medicine conference in Canada from 2015-2018. She is inspired by the co-evolutionary process between humans and entheogenic plants such as Ayahuasca, Cannabis, Psilocybin, Iboga and San Pedro.

Highlights:

• Salimeh’s first Ayahuasca experience with the Yawanawa in the Amazon.
• Exploring different Ayahuasca lineages, from indigenous to neo-shamanistic.
• What Ayahuasca has taught Salimeh about non-duality.
• The importance of being a compassionate witness to psychedelic journeys.
• Why integrating psychedelics is so difficult.
• Salimeh’s components of enlightenment and awakening.
• Ayahuasca & Cannabis: Do they mix?
• Emphasizing reverence, consciousness & love in working with cannabis.

Links:

• Salimeh’s website: https://www.vibrantlifecounseling.com/
• Salimeh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salimeh-tabrizi-aa356499/
• Psychedelic Association of Canada: https://www.psychedelicassociation.net/
• World Ayahuasca Conference: https://www.iceers.org/world_ayahuasca_conference/
• The União do Vegetal (UDV): https://udvusa.org/
• Santo Daime: http://www.santodaime.org/site/site-antigo/doctrine/whatis.htm
• Book, “I Am That” by Sri Maharaj: https://amzn.to/3PcCn7N
• Brave Earth psychedelic retreat center: https://www.braveearth.com/
• Shipibo Tradition: https://www.ayahuascafoundation.org/shipibo-tradition/

These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

Episode Sponsors:

• CURED Nutrition's Serenity Gummies. Get 15% off by using coupon code “THIRDWAVE” at checkout. http://www.curednutrition.com/thirdwave
• Sayulita Wellness. Use promo code THIRDWAVE to get a $300 discount through their website. https://www.sayulitawellnessretreat.com/?utm_source=thirdwave&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=podcast-page-4

Cory and Jay Fiset, a married couple with extensive entrepreneurial experience, join Paul F. Austin to share their psychedelic path to marriage reinvention. 

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-199-cory-jay-fiset/

The Fisets believe intentional psychedelic use fostered a deep connection that reignited their passion and commitment after years of drifting apart. Psilocybin and MDMA journeys allowed them to be witnessed and heard as their true selves in profoundly healing ways. By letting go of blame and taking personal accountability, the Fisets experienced a shift from co-dependency to self-realization. Cory and Jay now help couples discover self-expression and devotion through their “Connection Experience” psychedelic couples retreats.

Cory & Jay Fiset:

Cory and Jay Fiset are a husband-and-wife team who have been in relationship for 37 years. After 25 years of marriage, they reinvented themselves and their relationship through intentional use of psychedelic medicine. Together, they offer intentional, safe, and intimacy-enhancing medicine experiences to committed couples who want to discover, express, and connect with themselves and each other.

Cory and Jay are Certified Psychedelic Guides who focus on supporting couples. Their work draws upon 30+ years of facilitating intense personal development programs, individual coaching, experiential workshops, and couples retreats.

Highlights:

Cory and Jay’s relationship story. The slow drift apart that called for a couples intervention. Cory and Jay celebrate their 25th anniversary with MDMA. How psychedelics impacted Cory and Jay’s entrepreneurial lives. How the Connection Experience couples retreat was born. The power of MDMA in couples therapy. How to connect with Jay & Cory.

Key Links:

The Connection Experience: https://theconnectionexperience.love Jay & Cory’s Facebook Page: “Love Sex and Psychedelics”: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1304760743238728/ Connection Experience “Fireside Chat” Q&A video: https://theconnectionexperience.love/fireside 

These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

Episode Sponsors:

CURED Nutrition's Serenity Gummies. Get 15% off by using coupon code “THIRDWAVE” at checkout. http://www.curednutrition.com/thirdwave 

Psychedelic scientist Manesh Girn joins Paul F. Austin to reveal the impact of psychedelics on the brain as a whole.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Manesh Girn is in the latter stages of obtaining his Ph.D. in Neuroscience at McGill University and has been the lead or co-author on over a dozen scientific publications and book chapters on topics including psychedelics and the default mode network. 

He is currently researching the brain mechanisms underlying psychedelic drugs in collaboration with Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris and other leaders in psychedelic science. As a postdoctoral psychedelic neuroscientist, he will join Dr. Carhart-Harris at UCSF in August 2023. Manesh is also Chief Research Officer at the Canadian psychedelic bioscience company EntheoTech Bioscience. He runs a YouTube channel and Instagram page called The Psychedelic Scientist, where he discusses the latest research in an easy-to-understand but non-superficial form.

Girn advocates for a personalized approach to psychedelic research that considers individual brain characteristics, mental health conditions, and environment in order to truly understand their effects. He challenges the misconception that psychedelics are inherently beneficial and highlights the importance of positive inputs for positive outcomes. This compelling conversation further explores the influence of set and setting, the interdisciplinary nature of psychedelics, and their potential to shape self-identity.

Manesh and Paul F. Austin uncover profound insights into the neuroscience of psychedelics and the need for personalized, comprehensive research.

Episode Sponsors:

• CURED Nutrition's Serenity Gummies. Get 15% off by using coupon code “THIRDWAVE” at checkout.
• Sayulita Wellness Retreats
• Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit - use code 3WPODCAST to save $75.

Jeffrey Stevens, co-founder and CEO of Psyched Wellness, joins The Psychedelic Podcast to discuss Calm, the world’s first legal supplement derived from Amanita muscaria.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Amanita muscaria mushrooms’ red-and-white speckled caps are emoji-level iconic. But most people don’t know that consuming low dosages can reduce stress levels, promote relaxation, and offer a restful sleep without next-day grogginess. Amanita extracts also possess anti-inflammatory properties that could significantly relieve pain. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, according to Stevens.

As the episode unfolds, Stevens imagines the future of Amanita research for mental health, addiction, and insomnia, while revealing his life-changing experience as a Psyched Wellness guinea pig.

Jeffrey Stevens has 20+ years of capital markets’ experience and has been an officer and director with several public companies. He has taken three companies public via reverse takeover, built teams, and structured multiple M&A transactions, while building successful businesses.

Highlights:

• The path to Psyched Wellness.
• Why Psyched Wellness utilizes an Amanita extract vs. the whole mushroom.
• Amanita muscaria history and lore.
• Exploring the science of Amanita muscaria and Psyched Wellness’s “Calm” extract, AME-1.
• Calm’s dose-dependent effects and benefits.
• Anecdotal evidence on Amanita muscaria for sleep, gut health, and addiction.
• Calm’s market advantage as a legal food supplement.
• Jeffrey’s vision for Psyched Wellness’s future.
• How Psyched Wellness is educating consumers about Amanita muscaria.

Key Links:

• Psyched Wellness
• Jeffrey on LinkedIn
• Psyched Wellness’s preclinical study results
• Ep. 172: Paul Stamets & Pamela Kryskow, M.D.
• Ep. 189: JW Ross
• Ep. 190: Jonathan Lu & Shauheen Etminan, Ph.D.
• The Ultimate Guide to Amanita muscaria

These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

Episode Sponsors:

Psyched Wellness - use code THIRDWAVE23 to get 15% off.

Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit

Graham Pechenik, founder and patent attorney at Calyx Law, joins The Psychedelic Podcast to delve into the complex world of patents and their impact on the psychedelic landscape. 

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Pechenik raises thought-provoking questions about the patent system's role in fostering innovation while also potentially hindering research and restricting use. He suggests that the patent system, intertwined with regulatory and healthcare structures, often determines whether groundbreaking substances like psilocybin gain FDA approval. Pechenik also explores concerns surrounding excessive psychedelic patents, comparing the unique approaches of COMPASS Pathways, MAPS, and Paul Stamets. 

As the episode unfolds, Graham and Paul contemplate the delicate balance between patent protection and freedom of use in the burgeoning psychedelics industry.

Graham Pechenik is a registered patent attorney and the founder of Calyx Law, a law firm specializing in cannabis and psychedelics-related intellectual property. 

Graham has a BS from UC San Diego, where he chose Cognitive Neuroscience and Biochemistry majors—after his first psychedelic experiences inspired a deep curiosity about the bases for changes in consciousness—and a JD from New York University, where he initially pursued interests in bioethics and cognitive liberty. 

After a decade at large law firms defending and challenging patents for Fortune 500 companies across the agricultural, chemical, pharmaceutical, biotech, and technology industries, including working on several landmark patent cases both at trial and on appeal, Graham started Calyx Law in 2016 to help cannabis and psychedelics ventures design and implement their IP strategies. 

Graham is also editor-at-large of Psychedelic Alpha, where he writes about psychedelics IP, provides data for patent trackers, and maintains a psychedelics legalization and decriminalization tracker. He is the founding steward of the IP Committee of the Psychedelic Bar Association, where he is also on the Board of Directors, and is a member of Chacruna’s Council for the Protection of Sacred Plants. 

Graham was raised in Oakland, CA, and currently lives in San Francisco.

Highlights:

• Examining the unique patent process for the Stamets Stack microdosing protocol.
• How to enforce patents on illegal substances like psilocybin.
• Unpacking COMPASS Pathways’ psilocybin polymorph patent.
• The pros & cons of psychedelic patents.
• How psychedelic patents could hinder therapeutic expansion.
• Graham’s motivation to enter the psychedelic patents space.

Key Links:

• Calyx Law
• Graham on Twitter
• Psychedelic Alpha Psilocybin Patent Tracker
• (blog) Microdosing Psilocybin Mushrooms with the Stamets Stack
• (psychedelic research) New Microdosing Study Investigates “Stamets Stack”
• (psychedelic research) Oregon’s Psychedelic Path: What Coaches and Consumers Need to Know

Episode Sponsors:

• Numinus
• Sayulita Wellness

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Dr. Daniel Stickler and Paul F. Austin explore the cutting-edge field of longevity and precision-performance medicine.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

After over a decade as a general surgeon, Dr. Stickler abandoned modern medicine’s reductionist approach and forged a new path toward holistic health and optimization. He believes that addressing deficiency mindsets and focusing on purpose, love, and community can help people move beyond simply existing and truly thrive. Through his work, Dr. Stickler has discovered ways to reverse biological aging and help people achieve enhanced states of being.

Dr. Stickler shares his insights on how humans can live a life of excellence, the revolutionary field of gene-editing technology, and his transformative psychedelic experiences.

Dr. Daniel L. Stickler is the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer at Apeiron ZOH Inc. He is the pioneer behind systems-based, precision-performance medicine, a new paradigm that re-defines medicine from the old symptoms-based disease model to limitless peak performance and systems science in all aspects of life.

Highlights:

• The need for complex systems-thinking in modern medicine.
• Dr. Stickler’s psychedelic experiences.
• Why practitioners must assess patients before psychedelic therapy.
• Exploring consciousness as a critical aspect of well-being.
• What science knows about how to reverse biological aging.
• Actionable daily steps to slow down aging.
• Dr. Sticker’s personal approach to healthy lifestyles and relationships.
• Neurohacker Collective and Qualia nootropics for optimal brain health.

Key Links:

• Apeiron ZOH Inc.
• Neurohacker Collective
• Nootropics and Psychedelics: How Mind Enhancement Benefits From Both
• The Ultimate Guide to 5-MeO-DMT

Episode Sponsors:

• Sayulita Wellness Retreats. Use the promo code THIRDWAVE to get a $300 discount.
• CURED Nutrition's Serenity Gummies. Get 15% off by using coupon code “THIRDWAVE” at checkout.

Payton Nyquvest, Founder of Numinus ketamine clinics, joins The Psychedelic Podcast to discuss psychedelic industry missteps, opportunities, & the future of communal healing.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Embracing disruptions and learning from failures are essential in the trailblazing space of psychedelics.

Encouraging industry resiliency, Payton Nyquvest, Founder, Chair, & CEO of Numinus, joins Paul F. Austin to discuss how to conquer setbacks on the path to revolutionizing mental health. Payton believes successful psychedelic leaders must adapt to real-world needs, embrace challenges, and gain conscious insights from direct experiences. Only then can innovators and practitioners create a lasting impact on the world.

Payton Nyquvest is the Founder, Chair, & Chief Executive Officer of Numinus, which empowers people to heal and be well through the development and delivery of innovative mental health care and access to safe, evidence-based, psychedelic-assisted therapies. He has a deep understanding of the psychedelic industry from its infancy, driven by life-saving personal experiences with multiple modalities.

At Numinus, Payton guides strategy, innovation, research, and expansion. He also supports marketing and capital-markets functions.

Highlights:

• How Numinus aligns psychedelic therapy with real-world needs.
• Numinus’s three-year journey from inception.
• Numinus’s experiential training and intuitive drug development.
• Exploring whether psychedelic therapists need first-hand experience.
• Payton’s take on conscious leadership in psychedelic-informed business models.
• Numinus’s collaboration with East Forest.
• Payton’s vision for Numinus clinics and practitioner training.

Key Links:

• Numinus Website
• Payton’s previous episode (#72) on the podcast with Stacey Wallin
• Numinus practitioner trainings
• Numinus’s clinics in the directory
• Third Wave’s Coaching Certification Program

Episode Sponsors:

• Numinus
• Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit

Dr. Reid Robison, Chief Clinical Officer at Numinus, joins Paul F. Austin to discuss psychedelic research, legislation, & complementary modalities.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Dr. Robison shares the challenges and innovations in psychedelic therapy, drawing from his own clinical research and current projects at Numinus, a mental health company that brings safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies to people in need. Explore topics such as the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapies, the pros and cons of psychedelic patents, and the need for multimodal approaches to mental health care.

Dr. Reid Robison is a board-certified psychiatrist and Chief Clinical Officer at Numinus, where he oversees clinical services, including teaching and training in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, for the company's clinics across the US and Canada. He has led over 200 clinical trials in neuropsychiatry and previously served as coordinating investigator for the MAPS-sponsored MDMA-assisted psychotherapy study of eating disorders.

Dr. Robison is currently principal investigator for a number of psychedelic medicine studies with psilocybin, LSD, and DMT. As a researcher and early adopter of ketamine in psychiatry, Dr. Robison got his first grant to study that medicine in 2011, around which time he also led a pivotal IV ketamine study for treatment-resistant depression.

To date, Dr. Robison has guided thousands of ketamine therapy journeys and Spravato dosing sessions, and has also worked in ayahuasca retreat settings abroad. Dr. Robison is an adjunct professor at both the University of Utah and Brigham Young University, and board chair of the Psychedelic Institute, focused on education and research.

Highlights:

• Dr. Robison's journey into the world of psychedelics, from ketamine research to psilocybin advocacy on Capitol Hill.
• How patents can expand access to psychedelic therapy through health insurance.
• Dr. Robison’s innovative studies and projects at Numinus.
• The need for a new standard of mental health care and the role of complementary modalities in achieving it.
• Exploring modalities complementary to psychedelic therapy.
• The promise of personalized mental health care.
• The pioneering efforts of Numinus in offering employee psychedelic mental health care via ketamine. 
• The future of insurance and the potential for greater coverage of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.
• What’s on the horizon at Numinus.

Key Links:

• Dr. Robison’s Website
• Numinus

Episode Sponsors:

• Numinus
• Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit

Dr. Anja Loizaga-Velder, Co-Founder of Nierika, joins Paul F. Austin to explore the therapeutic nature of Ayahuasca & other plant medicines.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

This intimate in-person interview was recorded at Dr. Anja’s plant medicine retreat center in Mexico, just after Paul concluded his own 6-day Ayahuasca experience. Topics covered include: mental health from an indigenous perspective, Dr. Anja’s journey bridging Western medicine with traditional healing practices, and the current environmental and political struggles of indigenous healers in Mexico.

Dr. Anja Loizaga-Velder received her master’s degree in psychology (Dipl.-Psych.) from Koblenz-Landau University, Germany, and her doctorate in medical psychology (Dr.sc.hum.) from Heidelberg University, Germany. She is a psychotherapist specializing in humanistic and transpersonal psychology, the study of consciousness, music therapy, and ethnopsychotherapy.

Anja wrote both her master’s thesis and her doctoral thesis on the use of Ayahuasca for the treatment of addictions. She has published several articles in international academic journals and contributed book chapters on the topics of traditional medicine and mental health. She has been invited to exhibit her work in multiple international conferences. She is the Co-Founder of Nierika A.C. and director of psychotherapy and research at the Institute of Intercultural Medicine Nierika A.C. In addition, she is a professor and researcher in the postgraduate course in Medical and Health Sciences at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Highlights:

• The story of Nierika.
• The indigenous paradigm of healing and mental health.
• Dr. Anja’s work with and research into therapeutic effects of plant medicine.
• The political and environmental struggles of the Yaqui tribe and other indigenous healers in Mexico.
• Dr. Anja’s advice to professionals seeking psychedelic therapy training.
• Guiding principles for ethically working with plant medicine.
• The therapeutic effects of Ayahuasca.

Key Links:

• Nierika
• Episode 172: Paul Stamets & Pamela Kryskow, M.D.
• Third Wave’s Ultimate Guide to Ayahuasca.

Episode Sponsors:

• Numinus
• Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit

Paul F. Austin is joined by writer/historian/philosopher Jules Evans to explore the need for ecstatic literacy in the third wave of psychedelics.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Through sharing research, philosophy, and his own work, Jules invites a thoughtful examination of both sides of psychedelics—the light and the shadow. He points to the need for more awareness and research of challenging psychedelic experiences and offers a roadmap to improved ecstatic literacy in today’s culture.

Jules Evans is the director of the Challenging Psychedelic Experiences Project, the author of three books (Philosophy for Life and Other Dangerous Situations; The Art of Losing Control; Holiday from the Self) and the co-editor of Breaking Open: Finding a Way Through Spiritual Emergency. He is an honorary research fellow at the Centre for the History of the Emotions at Queen Mary, University of London.

Highlights:

• The need for a balance between stoicism and ecstatic experience.
• Inspirations from Aldous Huxley & other literary heroes.
• Integrating psychedelics into an “ecstatically naive” Western culture.
• Jules’s research on challenging psychedelic experiences.
• The dark side of ketamine: risks of dependency and harm in a booming industry.
• How culture can improve its ecstatic literacy.

Key Links:

• The Challenging Psychedelic Experiences Project
• Jules’s Substack, Ecstatic Integration
• Jules’s book, The Art of Losing Control

These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

Episode Sponsors:

• Psyched Wellness - use THIRDWAVE23 to get 15% off.
• Numinus

Jonathan Lu & Shauheen Etminan, founders of Magi Ancestral Supplements, join Paul F. Austin to discuss the rich world of beta-Carbolines.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Jonathan & Shauheen are the co-founders of VCENNA, a drug discovery company that creates mental wellness solutions from psychoactive plants used ceremonially in Ancestral Eastern traditions. In this enchanting conversation, they share about their research and experimentation into Syrian rue and other forgotten plants, unpacking their rich historical and anthropological contexts along the way. They explain the unique neurobiological and subjective effects of beta-Carbolines, including when combined with tryptamine-containing substances such as in an Ayahuasca brew. Paul F. Austin shares his own experiences with their formulation, Stard Deep Meditation Supplement.

Visit ancestralmagi.com to learn more, and use code PAUL10 at checkout for 10% off their unique products.

Highlights:

• Jonathan & Shauheen’s ventures, VCENNA and Ancestral Magi.
• Exploring forgotten divine potions, haoma, and soma, and the ancient and modern uses of Espand (Syrian rue).
• Psychedelics, Buddhism, and meditation.
• Exploring the physiological effects of beta-Carbolines.
• Shauheen and Jonathan’s personal experiences with beta-Carbolines and psychedelics.

Key Links:

• Ancestral Magi
• VCENNA
• Third Wave's Magi Review: Rediscovering a 4000 Year Old Spiritual Elixir

These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

Episode Sponsors:

• This episode is brought to you by Magi Ancestral Supplements! Among Magi’s beta-Carboline nootropics is my personal favorite minidose, Stard Deep Meditation Aid which has been shown by brain scans to help you achieve a deeper state of meditation. Right now Magi Ancestral Supplements is offering 10% off for listeners of the Third Wave Podcast with coupon code paul10.  Visit ancestralmagi.com to learn more about Stard and their other cognitive-enhancing nootropics.

• This podcast is brought to you by Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit. Get the tools you need to grow mushrooms along with an in-depth guide to finding spores.

Paul F. Austin welcomes JW Ross, founder & CEO of Botanic Tonics, to discuss his kava-kratom-based alcohol alternative, Feel Free.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

JW Ross is a lifelong innovator and inventor of Botanic Tonic’s “Feel Free” plant-based tonic. He started his career as a Texas oilman who experienced immense corporate success that was tainted with alcohol addiction. After hitting rock bottom and going to rehab, JW purged alcohol from his life and completely pivoted his career. He went on life-changing trips to the South Pacific and Southeast Asia, where he discovered botanical medicines whose ingredients have been used for centuries socially and for wellness. After discovering these plants, JW dedicated his life to finding an herbal solution that would replace alcohol and still give him a euphoric lift with positive impact. He home-tested many concoctions, finally finding the perfect recipe, which turned into the Feel Free tonic recipe.

• Enjoy $40 off your order of Feel Free: Use the code 3WAVE at checkout.

Highlights:

• JW’s struggle with alcohol addiction, which led him on a search for alternative social lubricants.
• How alcohol is an “outlier” among other ancient forms of social lubricants around the world.
• Feel Free vs. alcohol.
• Feel Free vs. cannabis.
• Understanding kratom: types, processing, and effects.
• Are kava and kratom addictive?
• JW’s current research and legislative efforts with kava and kratom.
• Kava tolerance, and JW’s thoughts on alcohol- vs. kava-drinking societies.
• JW on sourcing ingredients and his vision for Botanic Tonics.

Key Links:

• Botanic Tonics website: https://botanictonics.com/
• Third Wave’s Ultimate Guide to Kratom: https://thethirdwave.co/psychedelics/kratom/

Episode Sponsors:

• This episode is brought you by Psyched Wellness, creators of Calm, an over-the-counter Amanita Muscaria extract that may help to reduce stress, ease muscular tension and promote restorative sleep. Go to shop.psyched-wellness.com and use code THIRDWAVE23 to get 15% off.
• This episode is sponsored by Beckley Retreats, a leading holistic wellbeing company that offers transformative self-development programs by leveraging the science-backed power of psychedelics in concert with supportive therapeutic modalities. As a trusted partner of Third Wave, we strongly recommend the upcoming retreats for Beckley in Jamaica, as well as many other locations. Head to go.beckleyretreats.com/thirdwave to book your transformational psilocybin program today.

Paul F. Austin sits down with Dr. Alexander Shester to discuss his new book, Visionary Healing: Psychedelic Medicine & Shamanism.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

In this intimate, in-person conversation, Alex humbly shares his wisdom and perspective from decades of experience as a psychiatrist and visionary psychedelic explorer. He sheds light on the intersection of shamanism, psychedelics, and mental health, and recalls captivating stories from his time being mentored by the late psychologist and psychedelic researcher Ralph Metzner.

Alexander Shester, M.D. is a medical doctor, board-certified psychiatrist, and Jungian Analyst. He has over thirty years of experience studying and participating in guided Vision Quests using shamanic principles in nature settings. His recently-published book, Visionary Healing: Psychedelic Medicine and Shamanism, is his personal first-hand memoir of using entheogens including ayahuasca, jurema, psilocybin, San Pedro cactus, peyote, iboga, toad, and more, for deep spiritual exploration and his own healing journey.

Highlights:

• On visionary art and the power of psychedelic plant medicines.
• Ayahuasca and the transpersonal journey into the collective unconscious.
• Alex recalls his primary mentor, Ralph Metzner: his visionary circles and contributions to the
• psychedelic renaissance.
• The value of community in Alexander’s healing.
• Alex’s paths to psychiatry and psychedelics.
• How Alex’s psychedelic experiences informed his psychiatry practice.
• What can shamanism offer to the field of psychiatry?
• Remembering our nature-relatedness with the aid of plant medicines.
• Endarkenment: facing the shadow.
• Alex’s sage advice for those seeking psychedelic experiences.

Episode Links:

• Alex’s book, Visionary Healing: Psychedelic Medicine and Shamanism

These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

Episode sponsors:

This episode is brought you by Psyched Wellness, creators of Calm, an over-the-counter Amanita muscaria extract that may help to reduce stress, ease muscular tension and promote restorative sleep. Go to shop.psyched-wellness.com and use code THIRDWAVE23 to get 15% off.

This episode is sponsored by Beckley Retreats, a leading holistic wellbeing company that offers transformative self-development programs by leveraging the science-backed power of psychedelics in concert with supportive therapeutic modalities. As a trusted partner of Third Wave, we strongly recommend the upcoming retreats for Beckley in Jamaica, as well as many other locations. Head to go.beckleyretreats.com/thirdwave to book your transformational psilocybin program today.

This podcast is brought to you by Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit. Get the tools you need to grow mushrooms along with an in-depth guide to finding spores.

Anna Yusim, M.D., author of Fulfilled, joins Paul F. Austin for a conversation on the intersection of science, spirituality, and psychedelics.

Dr. Anna Yusim is a Board-Certified, Stanford- and Yale-educated Psychiatrist & Executive Coach with a private practice in New York City and Connecticut.  She is the best-selling author of Fulfilled: How the Science of Spirituality Can Help You Live a Happier, More Meaningful Life.  On the clinical faculty at Yale Medical School, Dr. Yusim is presently creating a Spirituality & Mental Health Center there.  With clients including Forbes 500 CEOs, Olympic athletes, A-list actors and actresses, and the Chairs of academic departments at top universities, Dr. Anna Yusim has helped over 2,000 people in 60 countries achieve greater impact, purpose, and joy in their life and work.

As a highly sought-after speaker, Dr. Yusim gives keynotes for physicians and professionals worldwide on topics related to mental health and spirituality, thriving post-COVID, preventing burnout, meaning-making, and resilience.  For healthcare professionals, corporate leaders, and community members, she also conducts workshops to empower individuals to sharpen their intuition, cultivate authenticity, awaken self-compassion, enhance their capacity for empathy, and improve their ability to connect with others.

Connect with Dr. Yusim at www.annayusim.com or at @annayusim on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Highlights:

• Dr. Yusim’s research on stress with Dr. Robert Sapolsky at Stanford.
• How Dr. Yusim’s relationship to stress has shifted throughout her life and career.
• Dr. Yusim’s path to founding the Spirituality & Mental Health Center at Yale.
• Does psychedelic therapy always need to have a spiritual component?
• Dr. Yusim explains her book, Fulfilled.
• Psychic vs. psychotic: schizophrenia, channeling, and shamanism.
• Dr. Yusim’s forthcoming book on the science of miracles.
• Making your unconscious conscious to find freedom, choice, and healing.
• Dr. Yusim’s executive coaching work.

Episode Links:

• Dr. Yusim’s website
• Dr. Yusim’s book, Fulfilled
• Dr. Yusim’s article on sleep in MindBodyGreen

These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

This episode is sponsored by:

Beckley Retreats, a leading holistic wellbeing company that offers transformative self-development programs by leveraging the science-backed power of psychedelics in concert with supportive therapeutic modalities. As a trusted partner of Third Wave, we strongly recommend the upcoming retreats for Beckley in Jamaica, as well as many other locations. Head to go.beckleyretreats.com/thirdwave to book your transformational psilocybin program today.

Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit. Get the tools you need to grow mushrooms along with an in-depth guide to finding spores.

Paul F. Austin is joined by Alex Atwood, Founder & CEO of GravyWork to talk plant medicine, transformational coaching, & more.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Alex Atwood is a multifaceted, purpose-driven leader with more than 20 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur who helmed four startups in the hospitality and staffing space. He’s also a coach in the emerging psychedelics field, with a focus on optimizing human potential. Alex is a podcaster, public speaker, angel investor in firms that help build a better world, and philanthropist with a soft spot for owners and operators of family businesses.

Alex is working towards an ICF certification in organizational well-being. He has been a coach for Landmark Worldwide, a personal and professional development company, and elevation leader for the 1heart. He has led workshops on integrity and self-actualization with the goal of helping attendees realize their own potential and find greater self-esteem, fulfillment, creativity and productivity.

Highlights:

• Alex’s transformational Ayahuasca experience at 1heart.
• How Landmark impacted Alex’s trajectory.
• The ineffable wisdom of plant medicine.
• Alex’s experience in Third Wave’s Coaching Certification Program.
• Integrating insights from psychedelics into business and daily life.
• Alex’s exciting projects on the horizon.

Key Links:

• Alex’s website
• Alex’s podcast, The Alchemist Lounge
• Alex on LinkedIn
• Paul F. Austin’s episode on Alex’s podcast

This episode is sponsored by: 

• Beckley Retreats, a leading holistic wellbeing company that offers transformative self-development programs by leveraging the science-backed power of psychedelics in concert with supportive therapeutic modalities. Head to go.beckleyretreats.com/thirdwave to book your transformational psilocybin program today.
• Apollo Neuro, the first scientifically validated wearable that actively improves your body’s resilience to stress. Apollo was developed by a friend of Third Wave, Dr. David Rabin M.D Ph.D., a neuroscientist and board-certified psychiatrist who has been studying the impact of chronic stress in humans for nearly 15 years. Third Wave listeners get 15% off—just use this link.
• Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit. Get the tools you need to grow mushrooms along with an in-depth guide to finding spores.

Tracey Tee, founder of Moms on Mushrooms, joins Paul F. Austin to talk about safe, intentional psychedelic use for mothers.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Tracey Tee has been actively involved in the momosphere for over 10 years, first co-creating and starring in the nationally touring cult-hit comedy show for moms, The Pump and Dump Show. She simultaneously co-produced the Band of Mothers Podcast and served as co-founder and CEO of The Pump and Dump Show’s umbrella brand, Band of Mothers Media. During her own journey with psilocybin amidst the pandemic, Tracey began to feel called to support moms in a deeper and more meaningful way. In 2022, she launched an online microdosing course created exclusively for moms called M.O.M. — “Moms on Mushrooms.”

Tracey’s goal is to bring moms together through the sacred use of plant medicine for a shared journey of personal growth and healing. She is dedicated to crafting a supportive container for mothers that embodies the Sacred Feminine, gives reverence to our elders and original cultures, and acts as an example of a redefined way to engage in a New Earth as a consciously created model of “doing business.”

Highlights:

• Tracey’s healing journey with psilocybin and microdosing that led to Moms on Mushrooms.
• The unique needs and challenges for moms considering psychedelics.
• Tracey on opening up to her about her own psychedelic use.
• Reclaiming rites of passage in healthy, informed ways.
• What Moms on Mushrooms offers its members.
• On microdosing during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• Microdosing and postpartum depression: a recipe for success.
• Tracey’s vision for the future: advocacy, education, and healing.
• Connect with Moms on Mushrooms.

Episode Links:

• Moms On Mushrooms
• Book, A Really Good Day by Ayelet Waldman
• Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit
• The Pump and Dump Show
• Band of Mothers Podcast

Matt Zemon joins Paul F. Austin for a thoughtful conversation on the inspiration behind his new book, Psychedelics for Everyone.

Find episode links, summary, and transcript here.

Matt Zemon is the author of Psychedelics for Everyone: A Beginner’s Guide to These Powerful Medicines for Anxiety, Depression, Addiction, PTSD, and Expanding Consciousness.

Since 2019, Matt has evolved from someone who had never taken any drugs to doing a deep dive into the study of human consciousness, aided by psilocybin, ayahuasca, ketamine, LSD, MDMA, DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, and more. Matt is now CEO and Co-Founder of HAPPŸŸ, a mental wellness company specializing in psychedelic-assisted oral ketamine therapy, as well as digital therapeutics that promote transformational outcomes. Previously, Matt was the co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Psychable, an online community connecting people interested in the healing power of psychedelics with a network of practitioners and psychedelic-based treatments. He was also the co-founder of Take2Minutes, a nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals improve their mental health and wellbeing. Matt lives in Chapel Hill, NC.

Highlights:

• How Matt’s psychedelic experiences shifted his life path, values, and relationships.
• The need for thoughtful conversations on psychedelics.
• Embracing the unprecedented accessibility of psychedelics.
• Matt’s entrepreneurship in the psychedelic space.
• Matt and Paul share the inspiration and vision behind their work.
• Matt’s ingredients for an optimal psychedelic experience.

Episode Links:

• Matt’s website
• HAPPŸŸ
• Ep. 117: Tim Sae Koo - The Psychedelic Ecosystem
• Matt’s book, Psychedelics for Everyone

These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

This episode is brought to you by Magi Ancestral Supplements! Among Magi’s beta-Carboline nootropics is my personal favorite minidose, Stard Deep Meditation Aid which has been shown by brain scans to help you achieve a deeper state of meditation. Right now Magi Ancestral Supplements is offering 10% off for listeners of the Third Wave Podcast with coupon code paul10.  Visit ancestralmagi.com to learn more about Stard and their other cognitive-enhancing nootropics.

This episode is brought to you by Apollo Neuro, the first scientifically validated wearable that actively improves your body’s resilience to stress. Apollo was developed by a friend of Third Wave, Dr. David Rabin M.D Ph.D., a neuroscientist and board-certified psychiatrist who has been studying the impact of chronic stress in humans for nearly 15 years. Third Wave listeners get 15% off—just use this link.

This podcast is brought to you by Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit. Get the tools you need to grow mushrooms along with an in-depth guide to finding spores.