The Psymposia Podcast

Psymposia

Psymposia is a 501(c)(3) research non-profit with a mission to educate the public on psychedelic science and harm reduction. We offer critical perspectives on drugs, politics, and culture. The podcast is co-hosted by Psymposia co-founder Brian Normand, psychedelics researcher and ethicist Neşe Devenot, evolutionary ecologist Brian Pace, and journalist Russell Hausfeld.

  1. 5d ago

    #79 Psychedelic Conversion Therapy, Part 3: A Handshake Away From Trump (w/ Kaleb Graves)

    Neşe and Russell speak with Kaleb Graves about his reporting on the growing links between psychedelic therapy and conversion therapy movements. Drawing from his article — "Psychedelic Conversion Therapy: How Christian Nationalism Is Co-Opting a Movement Once Reserved for Hippies" — they discuss how right-wing religious and political ideologies are increasingly intersecting with the psychedelic space. They discuss figures like Wendi Rees, who is a strong advocate of both transphobic ideologies and psychedelic therapies, and what it means for a movement that claims to center healing. They also explore the broader implications of welcoming conversion therapy and anti-abortion advocates, including Rick Perry, into psychedelic circles. Chapters: 0:00:00 Intro 0:01:58 Kaleb Graves background 0:05:20 Graves' "Good Faith Media" article, "A Christian's Guide to Psychedelics" 0:08:02 Rick Perry & Bryan Hubbard Promoting Wendi Rees, "Christian's Guide" on Joe Rogan 0:09:44 Wendi Rees background and conversion therapy in her book 0:16:00 Research on psychedelics for identity shift 0:24:55 Wendi Rees's views on homosexuality and dissuading her children from same-sex attraction 0:28:45 Rees believes it is wrong to encourage a "lifestyle of homosexuality"/"a lifestyle of sin" 0:38:40 Rees's claims about "trans age" 0:46:00 Rees wonders "at what point" murderers will stop identifying as "murderers" if trans rights are allowed 0:47:20 Rees expresses hope that she can inflict violence on a trans person in a bathroom 0:51:00 Misguided ideas that psychedelics can "trojan horse" progressive ideology into right-wing spaces 0:54:30 Fundamentalism and homophobia 0:58:00 Graves's experience at a Bicycle Day event with Bryan Hubbard and Wendi Rees 1:04:45 Post-interview updates on Rees's psychedelic retreats and Joe Welker's review of "Christian's Guide to Psychedelics" Footnotes: "Psychedelic Conversion Therapy: How Christian Nationalism is Co-Opting a Movement Once Reserved for Hippies" (Good Faith Media): https://goodfaithmedia.org/psychedelic-conversion-therapy-how-christian-nationalism-is-co-opting-a-movement-once-reserved-for-hippies/ Psychedelic Theology podcast: https://www.psychedelictheology.com/ "Reviewing 'The Christian's Guide to Psychedelics'" (Psychedelic Candor): https://www.psychedeliccandor.org/p/reviewing-the-christians-guide-to "A Leftist Primer on the Right-Wing Psychedelic Takeover" (Psymposia): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI2GMUDT-ig&t=1s

  2. Aug 12

    #78 Psychedelic Conversion Therapy, Part 2: From Counterculture to Culture War

    Neşe and Russell examine the rise of modern right-wing influencers who simultaneously advocate for the dismantling of "woke" ideologies, express support for conversion therapy frameworks, and promote the use of psychedelic therapy. Focusing on figures like Elon Musk and Jordan Peterson, they explore how these seemingly contradictory positions intersect. Both Musk and Peterson have had a notable influence within psychedelic culture, shaping conversations around mental health, identity, and the future of therapy. This video unpacks their broader ideologies, particularly how they approach questions of gender and sexuality, and how those views could inform the ways psychedelics are applied in therapeutic or cultural contexts. As psychedelics move further into the mainstream, the frameworks guiding their use become increasingly important. Neşe and Russell examine the risks of these substances being deployed not for liberation or healing, but as tools to enforce conformity. Chapters: 0:00:00 Intro 0:03:00 Jordan Peterson background 0:05:10 Jordan Peterson hypes psychedelics to Dave Rubin and Ben Shapiro 0:08:35 Peterson's Double Standards on Evidence, Psychedelics vs. Gender Affirming Care 0:11:40 Peterson and Shapiro discuss conversion therapy 0:13:00 Right-wing focus on queerness as the "face" of "woke" ideology is a red herring 0:17:04 Peterson as the prototypical "psychedelic fascist" 0:19:15 Peterson and Peter Thiel's "Power Law" 0:21:00 Peterson and pathological framing of ideologies 0:23:20 Peterson's conversations with psychedelic researchers (Roland Griffiths, Robin Carhart-Harris) 0:44:00 Chloe Cole psychedelic detransition claims 0:47:00 Detrans rhetoric used for neurodivergence 0:51:00 Elon Musk's connections to the psychedelic industry 0:56:00 Elon Musk's war against the "Woke Mind Virus" Footnotes: "Medical Association Statements in Support of Health Care for Transgender People and Youth" (GLAAD): https://glaad.org/medical-association-statements-supporting-trans-youth-healthcare-and-against-discriminatory/ "Fact Sheet: Evidence-Based Health Care for Transgender People and Youth" (GLAAD): https://glaad.org/factsheet-evidence-based-healthcare-transgender-people-and-youth/ "American Psychiatric Association Responds to Executive Order on Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness" (APA): https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/news-releases/apa-responds-to-executive-order-on-psychedelics "Jordan Peterson's Psychedelic Hierarchy, ft. Thought Slime" (Psymposia): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBejCu8MnfQ Threads about Robin Carhart-Harris's conversation with Jordan Peterson: https://x.com/NeseLSD/status/1603457980779081728 https://x.com/NeseLSD/status/1635067729555361792  https://x.com/brian_pace/status/1369462746790715399 "QAnon Shaman, Chloe Cole, and Laura Becker Promote LSD Use as Alternative to Transition" (Assigned Media): https://assignedmedia.org/breaking-news/qanon-shaman-chloe-cole-laura-becker-promote-lsd/ "The Human Cost of DOGE's War on U.S.A.I.D." (New Yorker): https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-new-yorker-interview/the-human-cost-of-doges-war-on-usaid "Researchers Estimate USAID Cuts Have Already Led to 700,000 Deaths Worldwide" (Latin Times): https://www.latintimes.com/researchers-estimate-usaid-cuts-have-already-led-700000-deaths-worldwide-598208 "The Psychedelic Syndicate" (Psymposia): https://www.psymposia.com/psychedelic-syndicate-executive-summary-silicon-valley-maps-lykos-mdma-fda-billionaires/ "Elon Musk on Racism, Bailing Out Trump, Hate Speech, and More" (The Don Lemon Show): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhsfjBpKiTw&t=1s

  3. Aug 10

    #77 Psychedelic Conversion Therapy, Part 1: The First Wave

    Neşe and Russell review the history and harms of conversion therapy practices in the broader medical landscape, as well as their persistence throughout the history of psychedelic research. In the first wave of psychedelic science, influential figures helped legitimize deeply harmful ideas about pharmaceutical assistance in shifting identity. Timothy Leary publicly suggested psychedelics could "cure" homosexuality. Richard Alpert (later Ram Dass) engaged in psychedelic-assisted conversion efforts with individuals who wrote to him seeking change. Stanislav Grof framed homosexuality as a pathology and explored psychedelic treatments aimed at altering sexual orientation. This history is often ignored or sanitized in contemporary discussions about psychedelics. But it is more relevant than ever as psychedelics gain support from many of the same political and cultural forces working to roll back protections against conversion therapy and of LGBTQ+ rights. Chapters: 0:00:00 Intro 0:04:54 Harms of conversion therapy and rollback of conversion therapy ban 0:15:55 Conversion therapy in historic psychedelic research 0:17:50 Andrea Ens research, Timothy Leary claims LSD can cure homosexuality 0:24:30 Archival letters and Ram Dass performing conversion therapy 0:28:45 Stan Grof conversion therapy writings and controversy Footnotes: "High dose shock therapy with LSD and mescaline: the experiments of a French doctor on two homosexual adolescents in the 1960s" by Zoë Dubus (Synergetic Press): https://hal.science/hal-03913920v1/document "A Specific Cure for Homosexuality: Postwar Psychedelic Conversion Therapies in the United States and Canada" by Andrea Ens (University of Wisconsin-Madison): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsI0LjMuL8g "'Wish I would be normal': LSD and Homosexuality at Hollywood Hospital, 1955-1973" by Andrea Ens (University of Saskatchewan Master's Thesis): https://harvest.usask.ca/items/0b737538-8322-4ba9-b62e-61e70869794e "The shameful history of psychedelic gay conversion therapy" (Plastic Brain): https://plasticbrainblog.com/2019/05/29/history-psychedelic-gay-conversion-therapy/ "Consensus Statement Condemning Psychedelic Conversion Therapy and Suggestions for Addressing Ongoing Harms Against LGBTQIA+ People in Psychedelic Research and Therapy": https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsgdmGs0OxfvZyTP0cETBE-I4P3afwVblJ7cegrCetdmCrEg/viewform "An Open Letter Reply to Dr. Stan Grof" (Open Foundation): https://open-foundation.org/an-open-letter-reply-to-dr-stan-grof/ "Acknowledging the Past, Affirming Our Commitment to Healing For All" / Stan Grof letter (MAPS): https://maps.org/grof-letter/

  4. Jul 27

    #76 Psychedelics are Big Pharma Now, 5-MeO Propaganda, Spiritual Grifter's Manslaughter Charge

    The crew discusses AtaiBeckley's acquisition by Eli Lilly, The Wall Street Journal's mini-documentary on 5-MeO-DMT, and a recent death that occurred during a psychedelic retreat.

  5. Jul 6

    #75 "Psychedelic Zealots" w/ Dr. Tyler Black

    Psymposia sits down with Dr. Tyler Black to discuss debunking pseudoscience, a recent case study involving giving a woman with Alzheimer's psilocybin, psychedelic zealot mindsets, and his ketamine research.

  6. Jun 19

    #74.5 The Fight Over Trans Healthcare Under Trump w/ Jane Migliara Brigham

    This is an excerpted interview from episode #74. Psymposia speaks with Jane Migliara Brigham of The Needle to discuss her recent article, "Ambetter Insurance, Centene denying hormones to trans patients across 19 states in push for MAHA Medicine."

  7. Jun 18

    #74 Psychedelic Billionaire Dystopia, Terence McKenna Archives, Trans Healthcare Under Trump 6.18.2026

    James, Russell, and Normie chat about the Best in Grass competition before diving into a discussion of a lawsuit against OpenAI over alleged bad drug advice and the preservation of the Terence McKenna archive. Russell conducts an in-depth interview with Jane Migliara Brigham on the state of trans healthcare under Trump, unpacking the policy landscape and its real-world implications. In the back half of the episode, the crew is joined by Mike and Neşe to discuss billionaire investor Christian Angermayer — breaking down his psychedelic origin story, his concept of "Societal Adjustment Disorder," and his broader vision for the future, including techno-feudalism, dosing the water, and even his thoughts on extraterrestrials. SUPPORT: https://www.patreon.com/psymposia FOLLOW: https://www.instagram.com/psymposia/ https://x.com/psymposia  https://bsky.app/profile/psymposia.bsky.social Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:00 Best in Grass competition 00:09:47 Suboxone clarification 00:12:14 OpenAI sued for bad drug advice 00:20:53 Terence Mckenna archive 00:33:53 Patreon Updates 00:36:00 Interview with Jane Migliara Brigham on trans healthcare under Trump 01:03:03 Psymposia shop updates 01:04:16 Christian Angermayer's psychedelic origin story 01:27:45 Christian Angermayer on "Societal Adjustment Disorder" 01:40:55 Christian Angermayer's techno-feudalist vision for the future 01:58:25 Christian Angermayer wants to does the water  02:06:51 Christian Angermayer's views on aliens Footnotes: Parents say ChatGPT got their son killed with bad advice on party drugs (The Verge) https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/928691/openai-chatgpt-wrongful-death-overdose Terence McKenna's Daughter Is Quietly Building The Archive A Generation Of Psychonauts Has Been Waiting For (High Times) https://hightimes.com/culture/terence-mckennas-daughter-has-been-paying-for-a-storage-unit-in-hawaii-for-25-years-she-just-opened-it/ Ambetter Insurance, Centene denying hormones to trans patients across 19 states in push for MAHA Medicine (The Needle) https://www.theneedle.media/2026/06/ambetter-insurance-centene-denying-hormones-to-trans-patients-across-19-states-in-push-for-maha-medicine/ Better Sex, Better Hair, Better Sleep: 'Humanmaxxing' Is Here (New York Times) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/11/opinion/biotech-maxxing-christian-angermayer.html Enhanced Games Was Just the Start... (Fifter Years) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iDHaPz6kek

  8. Jun 3

    #73 Enhanced Games Peptide Grift, MAHA Public Health Slop, Psychedelic Christian Nationalism 06.03.2026

    SUPPORT: https://www.patreon.com/psymposia FOLLOW: https://www.instagram.com/psymposia/ https://x.com/psymposia https://bsky.app/profile/psymposia.bsky.social Normie, Neşe, Russell, and James dive into the telehealth supplement play behind the Enhanced Games, dissect the Secretary of Homeland Security's significant stake in Botanic Tonics, unpack the dangerous rhetoric of the MAHA movement and its real-world impact on mental health policy and infant mortality, and examine the key figure pushing ibogaine from fringe psychedelic to centerpiece of a broader Christian nationalist movement. Footnotes: The Enhanced Games Explained: Inside the $1.2 Billion Bet on Doping in Sports (Huddle Up) https://huddleup.substack.com/p/the-enhanced-games-explained-inside How a kratom giant got what it wanted from RFK and new Homeland Security chief (Kansas City Star) https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/david-hudnall/article315593616.html RFK Jr. launches plan to address 'overuse' of psychiatric medications (CNN) https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/05/health/rfk-jr-overprescribing-psychiatric-drugs-wellness Babies Are Bleeding to Death as Parents Reject a Vitamin Shot Given at Birth (Propublica)  https://www.propublica.org/article/more-parents-decline-vitamin-k-shot-newborns The Man Behind the Trump Administration's Favorite Psychedelic (The Atlantic)  https://www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/05/psychedelics-ibogaine-bryan-hubbard-republican/687281/

See All (92)

4.5
out of 5
51 Ratings

About

Psymposia is a 501(c)(3) research non-profit with a mission to educate the public on psychedelic science and harm reduction. We offer critical perspectives on drugs, politics, and culture. The podcast is co-hosted by Psymposia co-founder Brian Normand, psychedelics researcher and ethicist Neşe Devenot, evolutionary ecologist Brian Pace, and journalist Russell Hausfeld.

Information

You Might Also Like