The Integration Session

Dr. Elena Koning and The Centre for Psychedelics Health and Research

The Integration Session is for staying up-to-date on all things psychedelic science, with the experts themselves. This podcast takes an integrative approach—sharing research findings, their clinical relevance, and reaching towards solutions to key challenges in the field today. Hosted by Dr. Elena Koning, this show is where scientists connect to discuss anything from mechanisms and study design to ethics and policy. If you’re a scientist, trainee, or simply someone who wants to dig deeper, tune in for engaging discussions about psychedelics and their promising future in healthcare and beyond.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Canada vs. US Landscapes & The Future of Psychotherapy with Dr. Jérémie Richard

    From Johns Hopkins to Ottawa, Dr. Jérémie Richard is a clinical psychologist with unique binational experience in the field of psychedelic science. Now an Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa and director of the Clinical & Applied Psychedelic Science Lab, Dr. Richard joins host Dr. Elena Koning to trace his career path and share his most personally impactful and ongoing work in psychedelic psychotherapy. The conversation explores the differences in Canada-US regulatory landscapes, their impact on research and access, and psychedelics’ potential for transdiagnostic care. Looking forward, Dr. Richard offers a visionary take on how emerging perspectives on mental illness may outgrow current DSM categories, and what psychotherapy could become in 25 years - including whether (and how) psychedelics will reshape it. Dr. Jérémie Richard is an Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa. He is a clinical psychologist in Quebec and Ontario whose work is helping chart new paths in mental health, addiction, and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy research. As an emerging scholar, Dr. Richard is exploring the psychological, biological, and sociocultural dimensions of mental health, investigating how difficulties with depression, anxiety, addiction, and developmental vulnerabilities influence people’s lived experience and their response to mental health treatments. He is the director of the Clinical & Applied Psychedelic Science Lab (CAPS Lab) at the University of Ottawa, where he investigates how the use of psychedelics in naturalistic or clinical settings can influence mental health, physical health, and quality of life, with a commitment to rigorous science and the provision of compassionate care. With an expanding portfolio of over 40 peer-reviewed publications and in his role as core faculty in the Psychedelics and Consciousness Studies Program at the University of Ottawa, Dr. Jérémie Richard is emerging as a leading voice in bridging traditional psychotherapy with innovative therapeutic approaches.

    46 min

  2. 22 JAN

    Trauma, Mass Violence & Psychedelic Experiences with Guy Simon

    Psychedelics are increasingly recognized as an approach to help heal trauma – but without the proper support, the same experience that enables healing could lead to re-traumatization. How does this work and what should psychedelic therapists do about it? Guy Simon is a clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and PhD candidate experienced in trauma-informed psychedelic therapy. Guy’s recent work touches on both the protective and destabilizing effects of psychedelics in several trauma contexts, including childhood abuse and mass violence events. For example, he interviewed survivors of the 2023 Nova Festival Attacks about their psychedelic experiences during the attacks, and the implications for psychedelic therapy. In this episode of The Integration Session, Guy describes his research findings, trauma-informed tools for clinicians, and advice for anyone considering psychedelic medicine for their trauma.  Guy Simon is a clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and PhD candidate in medical anthropology. His research explores trauma, healing, and altered states of consciousness, with a focus on the phenomenology of psychedelic experiences. He leads qualitative and ethnographic investigations into how users, therapists, and underground practitioners conceptualize the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, particularly in the context of trauma and integration.  Guy is the founder and clinical director of Impulse, an integrative clinic, and serves as Chair of the Clinical Advisory Committee of SafeHeart. This nonprofit organization supports survivors of collective trauma through psychedelic-informed care. His work bridges clinical practice with anthropological theory, emphasizing the role of set, setting, and cultural context.  Guy teaches and lectures internationally on psychedelic integration, trauma-informed therapy, and epistemologies of healing. He is currently based in the Netherlands, expanding his research and collaborations across European academic and therapeutic communities.

    35 min

  3. 8 JAN

    Psychedelics, Cultural Healing, and Advocacy with Podcaster Osheen Dayal

    How does one pivot from running a successful construction business in India to becoming a leading voice in psychedelic advocacy and mental health in Canada?  In this episode of The Integration Session, host Elena is joined by Osheen Dayal–a University of British Columbia Psychology alumna, former co-president of the Women Empowerment Club, and current Master’s student in Counselling Psychology at Adler University. As the YouTube Committee Lead and Podcast Host at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) Canada, Osheen is at the heart of psychedelic science communication, advocacy, and story-telling.  Together, Elena and Osheen discuss Osheen’s unique journey to psychedelic therapy training, her perspectives on cultural healing, spirituality, social justice and equity, as well as shared interests in science communication across the psychedelic field.

    30 min

  4. 22/12/2025

    2025 Highlights in Psychedelic Science with CPHR Director Dr. Claudio Soares

    2025 was a pivotal year for psychedelic research at the Centre for Psychedelics Health & Research (CPHR) and across Canada. In this year-end finale of The Integration Session, host Dr. Elena Koning sits down with CPHR Director Dr. Claudio Soares for a reflective conversation on progress, breakthroughs, and the road ahead.  Dr. Soares shares his professional journey in psychiatry, the evolution of CPHR into one of Canada’s leading multidisciplinary hubs for psychedelic science, education, and clinical innovation, and the centre’s key milestones to date. Major highlights include the launch of the first Health Canada-approved Phase 2 clinical trial of at-home, low-dose (non-hallucinogenic) psilocybin for generalized anxiety disorder, and a Phase 2, multi-center clinical trial of a rapid-acting DMT formulation (VLS-01 Buccal Film) for treatment-resistant depression.  Looking to 2026, Dr. Soares shares CPHR’s exciting plans, including expanded research priorities, enhanced knowledge translation efforts, and strengthened national and international partnerships to responsibly advance psychedelic medicine.  Dr. Claudio Soares is a physician, researcher, and educator with over 25 years of experience in mental health and women’s health. He is a Professor of Psychiatry at Queen’s University and Director of the Centre for Psychedelics Health and Research, leading innovative clinical research and knowledge dissemination initiatives. He also serves as Regional Clinical Co-Lead for Mental Health and Addictions at Ontario Health East and is President of The Menopause Society, a global organization dedicated to advancing women’s health at midlife and beyond. His expertise spans mood disorders, reproductive psychiatry, menopause, clinical trials, mobile health technologies, psychedelics research, and health innovation.

    41 min

  5. 11/12/2025

    Chronic Pain & Psychedelics: A Women-First Approach with Dr. Sinziana Pop

    Chronic pain impacts over 1.5 billion people worldwide, with the majority of affected individuals being women. As conventional treatments don’t always help, there’s an emerging interest in the potential of psychedelic therapies. In this episode of The Integration Session, we explore the current state of the science on psychedelics as an approach to alleviating pain and improving quality of life in women with chronic pain. Dr. Sinziana Pop from the Francis Crick Institute shares her diverse expertise on the topic, future research plans, and why it’s so crucial to take a women-centered approach to psychedelic chronic pain research. This is an especially important topic for psychedelic scientists considering that, in existing clinical trials, most participants are males and sex is not often accounted for in analyses. Dr. Sinziana Pop is a neuroscientist with over a decade of experience researching brain function and evolution. In recent years, her focus has shifted from curiosity-driven "blue sky" neuroscience to exploring unconventional approaches for treating chronic pain in women. Recognizing that individual experiences are central to effective treatment, she is now pursuing psychedelic research, with the aim of designing clinical trials informed by women with lived experience of chronic pain.

    33 min

  6. 27/11/2025

    Hypnosis, Trauma & Tips for Psychedelic Guides with Denise Rue

    Have you ever wondered what it’s like to sit with someone having one of the most profound experiences of their life? In this deeply candid conversation, psychedelic therapist Denise Rue brings a wealth of experience to our discussion about facilitating psychedelic therapy. We discuss her journey to the field, the nuances of guiding individuals through psychedelic therapy, the surprising ways clinical hypnosis and psychedelics intersect, comparisons between group retreats and 1:1 therapy, advice for aspiring therapists (e.g., informed consent, boundaries, harm reduction), the role of poetry in psychedelic therapy, and questions that every prospective client should ask before trusting someone with their psychedelic experience.  Denise Rue, MA, MFA, MSW, is a licensed Clinical Social Worker, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Psychedelic-Assisted Therapist, and founder of the New Jersey Psychedelic Therapy Association. From 2019-2022 Denise worked as a retreat leader and lead therapist at a legal psilocybin retreat center in Jamaica, and continues to lead retreats in Portugal, Mexico, and Colorado.  Denise has had the privilege of facilitating over 1,750 psilocybin sessions, and as many group integration sessions. She has a profound respect for the healing potential of this medicine, as well as a deep sense of the responsibility practitioners hold in shepherding people on their journeys. Denise has a private psychotherapy practice in New Jersey, specializing in individuals with complex trauma, especially adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. She utilizes a variety of modalities in her work, including ketamine-assisted therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), somatic therapy and clinical hypnosis. Denise will soon be launching her psychedelic education, integration, and harm reduction business, Interweave Healing, with her colleague, Jessalyn Maguire, LSW.

    35 min

  7. 13/11/2025

    The Economics of Psychedelics with Dr. Elliot Marseille

    Which psychedelic therapy is the most cost-effective? How can we determine the value of a psychedelic treatment? In this episode of The Integration Session, we discuss the crucial economic landscape of psychedelic therapies with Dr. Elliot Marseille, a health economist and founding director of the Collaborative for the Economics of Psychedelics at UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco. As a leading expert and author of several recent scientific publications on the topic, we explore the economic viability of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression, the economic potential of group therapy models for conflict zones and low-income countries, and the crucial study design approaches to enhance affordability, feasibility, and regulatory impact.

    40 min

  8. 30/10/2025

    Salvation or Sin? The Ethics of Psychedelic Spirituality

    Can psychedelic experiences be considered ‘authentic’ spirituality? How can these substances foster spiritual healing, and what ethical principles must guide their use in society? In this episode of The Integration Session, we take a deep dive into the topic with distinguished theological ethicists Dr. Tracy J. Trothen and Ron Cole-Turner. Together, we explore how psychedelics could enrich spiritual health, the ethical tightrope of integrating them into mental health care and religious contexts, how spirituality can be measured in clinical trials, and the role of theological ethics in bridging divides within faith communities. Tune in for this thought-provoking conversation that weaves together science, spirituality, and ethics to reimagine the responsible use of psychedelics.  Tracy J. Trothen is an interdisciplinary professor of ethics at Queen’s University, jointly appointed to the School of Religion and the School of Rehabilitation Therapy. She is an ordained minister in the United Church of Canada and has expertise in clinical spiritual care. Trothen is the author or editor of numerous articles, chapters, and books including her co-authored books, Understanding Religion and Artificial Intelligence: Meaning-Making in the Digital Age (with R. Reed, 2026), and Religion and the Technological Future: An Introduction to Biohacking, AI, and Transhumanism (with C. Mercer, 2021). Tracy co-chairs the American Academy of Religion's (AAR) Artificial Intelligence Unit and is a Fellow of the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR). Ron Cole-Turner explores the spiritual significance of psychedelics for Christians. He is the author of Psychedelics and Christian Faith: Exploring an Unexpected Pathway to Healing and Spirituality (2025). Some recent articles include “Psychedelic Integration and Spiritual Growth in a Christian Context” (2025) and “Psychedelic Mysticism and Christian Spirituality: From Science to Love” (2024). He is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and taught theology and ethics at the seminary level for 35 years. He is a founding Fellow of the International Society for Science and Religion.

    37 min
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About

The Integration Session is for staying up-to-date on all things psychedelic science, with the experts themselves. This podcast takes an integrative approach—sharing research findings, their clinical relevance, and reaching towards solutions to key challenges in the field today. Hosted by Dr. Elena Koning, this show is where scientists connect to discuss anything from mechanisms and study design to ethics and policy. If you’re a scientist, trainee, or simply someone who wants to dig deeper, tune in for engaging discussions about psychedelics and their promising future in healthcare and beyond.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Elena Koning and The Centre for Psychedelics Health and Research
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dr. Elena Koning and The Centre for Psychedelics Health and Research
  • Show Website
    The Integration Session