Mind Body Health & Politics

Richard L. Miller

Dr. Richard Louis Miller is an American Clinical Psychologist, Founder of Wilbur Hot Springs Health Sanctuary, and broadcaster who hosts the Mind Body Health & Politics talk radio program from Mendocino County, California. Dr. Miller was also Founder and chief clinician of the nationally acclaimed, pioneering, Cokenders Alcohol and Drug Program. Dr. Miller’s new book, Psychedelic Medicine, is based on his interviews with the most acclaimed experts on the topic. Mind Body Health & Politics radio broadcast is known for its wide ranging discussions on political issues and health. The program’s format includes guest interviews with prominent national authorities, scientists, best-selling authors, and listener call-ins. The programs offer a forum and soundboard for listeners to interact with the show and its guests. We invite you to listen to the latest broadcasts below or visit our many archived programs. We’d love to hear from you on political and health issues! www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org

  1. 5d ago

    Support Jamie Joyce for Congress

    Dear Friends, I want to introduce you to someone I have known for years and admire a great deal. Jamie Joyce came on Mind Body Health & Politics this week. She is running for Congress in California’s 12th district, she founded the Society Library, and she is an artist (I keep one of her pieces that she made with a particle accelerator on my dresser). She is the real deal. You know how I open this program most weeks: human beings are tribal animals, healthiest when we live in small groups where we know one another by face and by name. The standing threat to that is the small number among us who would rather dominate than collaborate. Jamie has built her whole campaign on exactly that distinction. She is running, she told me, because she is tired of watching power concentrate in a few hands while the rest of us are talked past. It has already cost her something. Twenty minutes after she announced, the phone calls began — people telling her they would ruin her life if she did not drop out. In a later call, they read back the names of old boyfriends, to let her know they had been digging. A private citizen decides to run for office, and that is the welcome she receives. She did not drop out. When I asked her about it, she said something I have not stopped thinking about: “There are people who have taken bullets to the head for me to even have the ability and the right to run for Congress. If I’m not willing to risk my reputation to stand up for the rights of others, then I don’t deserve the job.” I felt protective when she said it, and I told her so on the air. Here is the part that delighted me. Jamie founded her Society Library after reading, in her early twenties, about a club Benjamin Franklin started — a small group that met to reason together in a spirit of sincere inquiry into truth, with no taste for argument or domination. Franklin called it the Junto. I started a Junto in Fort Bragg twenty years ago, and it still meets every Thursday morning. I invited her to join us. Two people, two centuries apart, reaching for the same simple thing: people thinking together instead of shouting at each other. We covered a great deal: the bill she wrote, the art she makes with a particle accelerator, the long odds she is running against anyway. I told her on the air what I will tell you now. I wish her all the luck, and all the help and support that the people who know her can muster. Go to jamiejoyce.com and see for yourself. Then listen to the whole conversation. And then, just below, I have a small practice for you this week. Golden light, Dr. Richard Louis Miller A note for Californians This letter reaches you on a Monday. Tuesday, June 2, is the statewide primary. If you live in California, you almost certainly already have a ballot sitting at home, because the state mails one to every registered voter. There is still time, but not much. Do not put it back in the mail now. Fill it out and drop it in any ballot drop box, or at any polling place, by 8:00 p.m. Tuesday. Or vote in person that day. I say the same thing at the top of the program most weeks, and I mean it every time: get out and vote, and vote for the people who will actually represent you. And if you happen to live in the 12th district, around Berkeley and Oakland, Jamie Joyce is on your ballot. Today’s Practice A simple thing to take with you from this week’s conversation. Most weeks on this program I tell you to vote, and I mean it. This week I want to hand you something smaller and just as important — and it comes straight out of what Jamie and I were talking about: that we are tribal people, healthiest when we know the people around us by face and by name. Here is the practice. For the next three months, say hello to the people you would normally pass in silence. Say hello to the checker in the supermarket. Say hello to the clerk in the store, to the plumber behind the counter, to the person sitting inches from you who never gets a word. Introduce yourself. “Hi, my name’s Richard. Glad to meet you.” That is the whole thing. We live in a country that has been divided on purpose. We can begin to put it back together one hello at a time. Try it for three months and see what happens. And if you want the civic version Jamie left us with: pick up the phone, take five minutes, and tell your representative the one thing you most want them to do — then ask a friend to do the same. Mind Body Health & Politics is a community-supported broadcast. To receive new episodes and reflections, consider subscribing. Show notes [00:00] The mission Richard’s standing frame: human beings are tribal, healthiest in small groups where they know one another by face and name; roughly 95% of us want to collaborate, and a small minority would rather dominate. The civic conclusion he always reaches — get out and vote — sets up the guest. [02:39] Why she’s running * Jamie is running in CA-12 because she found her representatives unresponsive — she spent three months in DC last year and couldn’t get her own reps on the phone. “We need to stop electing politicians and start electing legislators.” — Jamie Joyce [06:17] “They said they’d ruin my life” * Within twenty minutes of announcing, she got calls pressuring her to drop out; a later call referenced names from her past. “There are people who have taken bullets to the head for me to even have the right to run for Congress. If I’m not willing to risk my reputation to stand up for the rights of others, then I don’t deserve the job.” — Jamie Joyce [10:54] The MAD Act Jamie’s omnibus bill bundles ten titles she’d otherwise have to pass separately. As she describes them: data-privacy/surveillance limits (requiring brokers to delete holdings), a “Demand a Plan for AI” framework of technical working groups, limits on the Insurrection Act, dark-money disclosure, electoral reform (funding ranked-choice / STAR voting), and mass digitization of government records. [23:48] The jungle primary * California’s top-two primary means Jamie and the incumbent — both Democrats — go straight to the general; no Republican is running. She’s a late entrant and out-fundraised, but the only challenger. [36:05] The Society Library * In her early twenties, Jamie read Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography and the description of his debating club — a group that reasoned together in “a sincere spirit of inquiry into truth.” She built the Society Library to do that at civilization scale, extracting arguments and evidence from across media into models city councils and universities now use. “Our reasoning is fractured and broken across the web... We focus on creating models of formal civilization-scale debate.” — Jamie Joyce [42:30] Her art * Jamie funded college winning art competitions; a Burning Man honorarium led to her hand-cut wooden “wisdom” books and, later, Lichtenberg figures — three-dimensional lightning shapes made by irradiating acrylic in a particle accelerator. “The real treasure is the friends you make along the way.” — Jamie Joyce [48:22] Franklin’s Junto, and Richard’s own * Franklin’s club was the Leather Apron Club, which became the Junto. Richard started a Junto in Fort Bragg twenty years ago that still meets every Thursday; he invites Jamie to visit. [50:33] Closing “Energy and persistence conquer all things.” — Benjamin Franklin, quoted by Jamie Joyce“It matters less whether I win this particular seat... what really matters is that we never, ever give up.” — Jamie Joyce Resources mentioned * Jamie Joyce for Congress — jamiejoyce.com * The Society Library * Benjamin Franklin’s Junto (the Leather Apron Club) A note on working together For those who feel drawn to working together more directly, I offer a limited number of one-on-one sessions. These are not traditional therapy sessions. They are quiet, practical conversations focused on calming the mind, easing anxiety, and working with simple tools that support steadiness in daily life. We move at a thoughtful pace. We work with what’s present. We focus on what helps. My Books I wrote Adverse Effects and Therapeutic Potential to contribute to how we, as a community, handle a moment of unprecedented attention and capital. Will psychedelic medicines be another drug dispensed in 15-minute sessions with psychiatrists, or will they be used properly as facilitators of psychotherapy? Early feedback: Dr. Richard Louis Miller is a true elder and wisdom keeper of the psychedelic community, and his credentials come honestly, through hard-won experience. In this book, he continues his role as an educator by sharing his knowledge of both the perils and the promise of psychedelic substances. The reader will find valuable advice on how to avoid pitfalls while realizing the maximum benefits from the thoughtful and safe use of these remarkable medicines.— Dr. Dennis McKenna, ethnopharmacologist and author of The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss Putting forth the adverse effects of these substances in readable form contributes to their understanding and separates psychedelic scientists from those who would cover over, or even hide, negative effects of pharmaceuticals. — Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco If any of this speaks to you, you can order the book here. My Other Books * Master Your Mind: Practical Tools to Calm Anxiety, Silence Your Inner Critic and Stop Overthinking * Psychedelic Medicine at the End of Life: Dying Without Fear * Freeing Sexuality: Psychologists, Consent Teachers, Polyamory Experts, and Sex Workers Speak Out * Psychedelic Wisdom: The Astonishing Rewards of Mind-Altering Substances * Psychedelic Medicine: The Healing Powers of LSD, MDMA, Psilocybin, and Ayahuasca * Integral Psychedelic Therapy (co-edited with Jason A. Butler & Genesee Herzberg) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss

    54 min

  2. May 29

    Robert Whitaker on what the largest antidepressant trial actually found

    In this episode — Investigative journalist Robert Whitaker returns for his fourth conversation with Richard. They trace the antidepressant story from the 1980 DSM-III rebrand through the reanalysis of the largest antidepressant trial ever run, the long-term data on children and stimulants, and — at the end — what Whitaker learned from the people who actually recovered. Guest: Robert Whitaker — investigative journalist, founder of Mad in America, author of Anatomy of an Epidemic (2010), Mad in America (2002), and Psychiatry Under the Influence. His 1998 Boston Globe series was a Pulitzer finalist. Chapters * [00:00] The epidemic of isolation * [02:20] Introducing Robert Whitaker * [03:30] The 1980 DSM-III pivot * [05:50] Where the chemical-imbalance idea came from * [12:40] What the public was told instead * [18:30] How the drugs change the brain * [23:10] Patients who’ve been on SSRIs for years * [27:53] STAR*D: the trial reanalyzed * [37:01] Why the press stayed quiet * [39:53] Children on psychiatric drugs * [42:56] The MTA stimulant study * [51:00] “A menace to society” * [55:34] Why informed consent drives him * [57:32] The connection cure Introductory notes - the epidemic of isolation [00:00] The mission of the program: enhancing wellbeing by making connections with the people who live near you, by face and by name. Ninety-five percent of people want to collaborate, not fight. A small group of dominated predators benefits from divisiveness. The current American epidemic is isolation, alienation, and loneliness. The antidote is connection - a theme the conversation returns to in its final movement. Introducing Robert Whitaker [02:20] Whitaker is an investigative journalist and the founder of Mad in America. He is the author of Anatomy of an Epidemic (2010), Mad in America (2002), and Psychiatry Under the Influence. His 1998 Boston Globe series on psychiatric research was a Pulitzer finalist. Of all the people I have interviewed in over twenty years, his work has had the greatest impact on my professional life. The corruption of psychiatry and the DSM-III pivot [03:30] * The forty-five-year story begins in 1980, when the American Psychiatric Association published DSM-III and adopted a disease model. Schizophrenia, bipolar, anxiety, and a new diagnosis called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were each declared distinct illnesses. * The profession said it knew the causes. Depression was too little serotonin. Psychosis was too much dopamine. A second generation of drugs would correct those imbalances, “like insulin for diabetes.” * Prozac arrived in 1988 as a breakthrough that could make you feel “better than well.” * Before DSM-III, American psychiatry felt its legitimacy as a medical specialty was under attack. DSM-III was a rebrand to position psychiatrists as medical doctors treating medical illnesses. “It was pitched to us as a story of science, but it wasn’t a science story. It was a marketing story. It was a rebranding story for American psychiatry, which in the 1970s was feeling that its legitimacy as a real medical specialty was under attack.” — Robert Whitaker What the science actually showed [05:50] * The chemical-imbalance hypothesis came out of the 1960s, working backwards from drug mechanism, not from measurement of patient biochemistry. * Tricyclics and MAOIs both upped serotonergic activity. Researchers inferred that depression might be low serotonin. Antipsychotics block dopamine receptors, so they inferred schizophrenia might be high dopamine. * Direct testing failed. By 1978 researchers weren’t finding it. A 1984 NIMH study concluded that a lesion in the serotonergic system is not a cause of depression. * In 1998, the APA’s own textbook declared the monoamine theory of depression dead. The profession did not tell the public (Moncrieff et al., 2022, Molecular Psychiatry). What the public was told instead [12:40] * Pharmaceutical ads kept selling SSRIs that “fix chemical imbalances.” The APA website told the same story. In 2005 the APA put out a press release calling psychiatrists experts in fixing chemical imbalances in the brain. * Drug companies funded APA education programs, media training, and “key opinion leaders” at Stanford, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Penn. Thought leaders were paid hundreds of thousands, sometimes more than a million, over a few years. * By 1998, when the New England Journal of Medicine wanted a review of antidepressants, it could not find an academic mood-disorders expert who wasn’t already on pharma payroll. My Other Books: * Master Your Mind: Practical Tools to Calm Anxiety, Silence Your Inner Critic and Stop Overthinking * Psychedelic Medicine at the End of Life: Dying Without Fear * Freeing Sexuality: Psychologists, Consent Teachers, Polyamory Experts, and Sex Workers Speak Out * Psychedelic Wisdom: The Astonishing Rewards of Mind-Altering Substances * Psychedelic Medicine: The Healing Powers of LSD, MDMA, Psilocybin, and Ayahuasca * Integral Psychedelic Therapy (co-edited with Jason A. Butler & Genesee Herzberg) How the drugs actually change the brain [18:30] * Before treatment, a patient’s serotonergic system is not operating abnormally. The drug ups activity. The brain dials itself down to compensate (Hyman & Nestler, 1996, AJP). * After long-term treatment, patients do in fact end up with a low-serotonin system, physiologically. “The drug induces the very change that was hypothesized to cause the problem in the first place.” — Robert Whitaker * On withdrawal, the dialed-down system can’t snap back. Patients feel terrible and conclude they are still sick. * A University of Bristol cohort (n=222,121, 10-year follow-up, 2022) found elevated risk of coronary heart disease, cardiovascular events, and all-cause mortality among long-term antidepressant users. What to tell patients already on SSRIs [23:10] I described to Whitaker a patient of mine who has been on an SSRI for twenty years and no longer knows what she is without it. His answer: * Before antidepressants became long-term care, 85% of hospitalized depressed patients recovered within a year. * As long-term medication became standard, the one-year recovery rate dropped. By 1998, the reported stay-well figure on antidepressants was about 15%. * A 2025 systematic review found the median antidepressant trial lasts 8 weeks. The median real-world prescription is 5 years. The science backing five-year prescribing was never built. STAR*D - a $35 million study that became a hoax [27:53] * STAR*D enrolled 4,041 outpatients, the largest and longest antidepressant trial ever conducted. Four chances to remit across four steps. * Reported a 70% cumulative remission rate. Medical school curricula, the New Yorker, and the New York Times cited it. * The protocol specified HAM-D as the outcome scale. The paper used QIDS, which the protocol explicitly said not to use. * 931 of the 4,041 patients weren’t depressed enough at baseline to be eligible. Some scored in remission at baseline. They were counted as remitters anyway. * The protocol said dropouts without remission were treatment failures. The researchers imputed dropouts as remitters at the same rate as those who stayed - roughly 600 imagined remissions. * Psychologist H. Edmund Pigott obtained the protocol via FOIA, then patient-level data under the RIAT Act. Applying the registered protocol, the true cumulative remission rate was 35% (Pigott et al., 2023, BMJ Open). * Of the original 4,041 patients, 108 were in sustained remission and still in the trial at one year. That is roughly 3%. The figure did not appear in the abstract of the 2006 AJP summary paper. “The stay-well rate at the end of one year in the largest and longest trial of antidepressants ever conducted was 3%. We were being told of a stay-well rate of being cured of 70%.” — Robert Whitaker * Two follow-on RIAT reanalyses extended Pigott’s work to the rest of the trial: Step 2 drug-switch arms (medRxiv, Feb 2025) and Step 2/3 augmentation arms (medRxiv, Oct 2025). Both reach the same conclusion: when you score the trial the way the protocol said, the headline numbers collapse. The press silence on STAR*D [37:01] * Mad in America ran a retraction campaign. Pigott sent letters to the AJP. The AJP declined. * The AJP invited a rebuttal. The original authors called Pigott’s work “ad hoc post-analysis.” In fact Pigott had applied the registered protocol. * In October 2024 Pigott’s team formally called on the AJP to retract five articles tied to the original analyses. None have been retracted. * The New York Times was still citing the 70% figure in 2023. “From a newspaper standpoint, this is being handed to them on a plate. They don’t have to dig anything up. They just have to read what the protocol says.” — Robert Whitaker Children on psychiatric drugs [39:53] * Before 1980, major mental disorders were understood as disorders of the mature personality. ADHD as a diagnosis was born in 1980. * 25 to 30% of incoming college freshmen now carry a psychiatric diagnosis and a prescription. * The Social Security Administration’s 2024 disability report: adult mental-illness disability has more than doubled since Prozac entered the market, and disability among children for mental-illness causes has risen more than thirty-fold. “We are taking away from our kids their God-given right to try to make something of themselves, to grow up and try to settle with their mind, to come to grips with their minds.” — Robert Whitaker The MTA stimulant study and informed consent [42:56] * The MTA (Multimodal Treatment of ADHD) study was designed by NIMH to answer a direct question: do stimulants help kids long term? * At 14 months, expert-medicated kids did slightly better on reading and ADHD symptoms (MTA Cooperative Group, 1999). The abstract became the story. * By 3 years, medication status was a marker of deterioration rather than benefi

    54 min

  3. Apr 30

    3,000 ceremonies; 0 hospitalizations

    Sam Believ came to Colombia as a Latvian oil-and-gas engineer with a depression he could not name. Today he runs LaWayra, the highest-rated ayahuasca retreat in South America, and has served close to 3,000 people. I asked him the question I have been trying to answer for my forthcoming book: what does the safety data actually look like when you are not a clinical trial, but a jungle with a shaman and thirty-seven staff. His answer is the most honest field account I have heard. My new book, The Adverse Effects and Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Medicines (Park Street Press), publishes May 5, and Sam's work sits inside it. 00:00 Welcome and the Case for Tribal Community 01:40 From Latvia to Colombia, How Sam Got Here 06:02 Running the Retreat, What's on Sam's Mind 10:59 Running Four Businesses in One Jungle 14:08 Frequency and the Indigenous vs Western Debate 21:53 Dosing, Why You Trust the Shaman Not a Scale 24:10 The Bastardization Argument, Tobacco Cacao Coca 26:17 Adverse Effects, What 3,000 Ceremonies Have Shown 30:58 The Facility, 12 Cabins and a Hospital 10 Minutes Away 33:20 Is Colombia Safe, The Narcos Reframe 39:43 From Oil-and-Gas Engineer to Hippie with a Purpose 43:56 Marxism, AI Unemployment, and Finland's Homeless Solution 52:44 Hydration, Closing, and the Invitation Sam Believ's work: - LaWayra Ayahuasca Retreat — https://ayahuascaincolombia.com - Ayahuasca Podcast with Sam Believ — https://ayahuascapodcast.com - Sam's Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/sambeliev - LaWayra Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/lawayra_ayahuasca Dr. Miller's books: - The Adverse Effects and Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Medicines (Park Street Press, May 5, 2026) — https://www.amazon.com/Adverse-Therapeutic-Potential-Psychedelic-Medicines-ebook/dp/B0FNDPSMJ1 - Master Your Mind — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FHWFZ362 Dr. Miller's website: https://drrichardlouismiller.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drrichardlouismiller This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/subscribe

    56 min

  4. Mar 31

    A conversation about anxiety, connection, and community with Dr. Ellen Vora

    In this insightful interview, Dr. Richard Miller discusses the pervasive issues of loneliness, anxiety, and community with Dr. Ellen Vora. They explore practical habits, the role of spirituality, and innovative models like urban communes to foster connection and well-being. Chapters 00:00 The Importance of Community in Healing 02:57 Understanding Anxiety: A New Perspective 08:55 Differentiating Anxiety and Panic Attacks 14:24 The Role of Fear in Anxiety 18:28 Exploring Grief and Spirituality 23:47 Daily Habits for Wellbeing 26:17 Building Community Through Collaboration 32:51 The Power of Prayer and Intention 40:12 Understanding Anxiety: True vs. False 42:11 Hope in Mental Health: Beyond Medication 44:02 Psychedelics: Purging vs. Blunting Emotions resources The Anatomy of Anxiety by Dr. Ellen Vora - https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Anxiety-Understanding-Physical-Emotional/dp/XXXXXX Season of the Witch by Dr. Ellen Vora - https://www.amazon.com/Season-Witch-Psychiatrists-Guide-Magic/dp/XXXXXX Mind, Body, Health and Politics Podcast - https://mindbodyhealthpolitics.org Dr. Ellen Vora's Website - https://ellenvora.com guest links Twitter - https://twitter.com/ellenvora Instagram - https://instagram.com/ellenvora Website - https://ellenvora.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/subscribe

    47 min

  5. Mar 17

    Why Healing Isn’t Working for So Many People

    In this conversation, Dr. Richard Louis Miller and Tania De Jong explore the growing crisis of mental health and the profound role that connection plays in healing. They discuss the rise of psychedelic assisted therapies and why these treatments are offering new possibilities for people who have not found relief through conventional approaches. Tania shares insights from her work in Australia, where these therapies are now being used in clinical settings, and explains why the combination of medicine and integration is essential for lasting change. The conversation also moves beyond treatment into something deeper. Together, they reflect on the importance of community, the healing power of shared experiences like singing, and the need to reconnect with more tribal ways of living. They examine how modern life has distanced us from one another and how that disconnection contributes to suffering. Throughout the discussion, they return to a central idea: healing is not only about biology, but about restoring connection to ourselves, to others, and to life itself. Takeaways Human beings are fundamentally social and require connection to thrive The current mental health model is not working for many people Psychedelic assisted therapies are showing significantly higher remission rates in some cases The combination of medicine and therapy is essential for meaningful healing Isolation and loneliness are major contributors to psychological suffering Safe, guided environments are critical when working with altered states of consciousness Ancient and indigenous practices still hold valuable insights for modern healing Singing and shared experiences can act as powerful tools for connection and wellbeing Access and affordability remain key challenges in expanding these therapies Healing involves reconnecting to self, others, and a sense of meaning Chapters 00:00 The Crisis of Isolation and Mental Health 03:10 Psychedelic Therapies and New Possibilities 07:45 Medicine and Integration 12:20 Access, Cost, and Ethical Considerations 16:05 The Risks of Underground Treatment 19:40 Indigenous Wisdom and Ancient Practices 23:10 The Healing Power of Singing and Community 26:30 Reconnecting in a Disconnected World 29:15 The Future of Mental Health Treatment 32:40 Restoring Connection as the Path to Healing This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/subscribe

    31 min

  6. Mar 4

    Life Is Still Worth Showing Up For

    In this solo episode, Dr. Richard Louis Miller reflects on the value of life, health, and daily habits that sustain well-being. Drawing on more than fifty years of clinical experience—and his own life at age 87—he shares why exercise, clean living, and human connection remain essential foundations for a meaningful life. Responding to growing pessimism about the future, he offers a simple message: life itself is the gift, and how we care for our bodies and one another can dramatically shape how that gift feels. Takeaways Life itself is the gift, regardless of the hand we are dealt. Daily exercise produces endorphins that naturally improve mood. Even small amounts of physical activity can have meaningful benefits. Health habits like clean air, clean water, good sleep, and proper nutrition matter deeply. Conscious breathing and exercise can help regulate anxiety. Our genetics influence us, but lifestyle choices can significantly modify outcomes. Human connection—friends, family, and community—is essential for well-being. Taking care of the body requires ongoing maintenance. Perspective matters: even a difficult life can be approached with meaning and purpose. Kindness toward others matters because everyone is facing their own struggles. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/subscribe

    5 min

  7. Feb 24

    You Don’t Need a New Life. You Need a New State

    In this conversation, Dr. Richard Louis Miller and Light Watkins explore the significance of community and tribal living, especially in challenging times. They delve into the concept of presence, emphasizing its role in personal fulfillment and the importance of inner work. Watkins shares insights on how to cultivate presence through mindfulness and meditation, highlighting the necessity of rest for the nervous system. The discussion also addresses common challenges like overthinking and disrupted sleep, offering practical tools for improvement. Finally, they provide guidance for beginners looking to embark on their inner work journey, advocating for a less is more approach to meditation and self-care practices. Takeaways Human beings thrive in community and tribal settings. Presence is a key factor in personal and professional success. Meditation is about cultivating presence, not just calmness. Stress is the main barrier to experiencing presence. Inner work involves resting the nervous system to promote healing. Quality of sleep is often compromised by stress and anxiety. Overthinking can be alleviated through consistent meditation practice. Starting with small, manageable meditation sessions is effective. The mind's busyness is often a response to stress, not a failure of will. Happiness and fulfillment are achievable with the right practices. Chapters 00:00 The Importance of Tribal Living 03:15 Understanding Presence 08:45 Cultivating Inner Work and Presence 13:16 The Role of Rest in Inner Work 18:55 Overcoming Overthinking and Stress 24:27 Starting Your Inner Work Journey 26:22 The Skeptic's Journey to Simplicity 27:18 The Anti-Focus Approach to Meditation 29:16 Understanding the Mind's Directionality 30:44 The Mind's Noble Intentions 32:10 The Impact of the Nervous System on Thought 34:01 Creating Inner Calm Amidst Chaos 36:03 Stress vs. Intimacy: The Mind's Dilemma 37:58 Bringing Stress into Intimacy 39:23 Optimizing Inner Work for Consistency 41:03 The Power of Incremental Progress 43:15 Walking: A Simple Path to Wellness 45:26 Best Practices for Inner Work 47:54 Resources for Meditation and Inner Work 48:31 The Possibility of Happiness This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/subscribe

    51 min

  8. Feb 17

    If Psychedelics Are Here to Stay, Let’s Get It Right

    In this conversation, Dr. Richard Louis Miller and Dr. Daniel Kruger discuss the importance of community living for well-being, the adverse effects associated with psychedelic medicine, and the significance of harm reduction strategies. They explore the nature of psychedelic experiences, the role of guides, and the future of psychedelics in therapy. The conversation emphasizes the need for practical advice for first-time users and the importance of addressing misinformation surrounding psychedelics. Takeaways Living tribally enhances physical and emotional well-being. Over 72% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, highlighting financial stress. Many individuals experience adverse effects during psychedelic experiences, but these can vary in intensity. Harm reduction strategies are essential for those choosing to use psychedelics. A significant number of people have experimented with psychedelics, with estimates suggesting millions in the U.S. Best practices for first-time users include mental preparation and creating a safe environment. Testing substances for safety is crucial to prevent harmful experiences. The therapeutic component of psychedelics is vital for maximizing benefits. Misinformation about psychedelics can lead to distrust in legitimate research. Community-sourced advice can provide trustworthy information for safe psychedelic use. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Mind, Body, Health and Politics 01:42 The Importance of Community Living 02:00 Adverse Effects of Psychedelic Medicine 04:27 Understanding Adverse Experiences in Psychedelics 09:15 Harm Reduction and Psychedelic Use 12:06 Lifetime Usage of Psychedelics 13:38 Best Practices for First-Time Users 17:17 Accessing Harm Reduction Resources 20:02 The Role of Guides in Psychedelic Experiences 22:22 Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy vs. Self-Experimentation 26:58 The Future of Psychedelics in Therapy 29:46 Survey Insights on Adverse Effects 31:33 Cost-Benefit Analysis of Psychedelic Use 34:58 Misinformation and Trust in Psychedelic Research 38:30 Advice for Safe Psychedelic Use 40:19 Testing for Safety in Psychedelic Substances 41:36 Exploring Psychedelic Retreats This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/subscribe

    49 min
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4.8
out of 5
24 Ratings

About

Dr. Richard Louis Miller is an American Clinical Psychologist, Founder of Wilbur Hot Springs Health Sanctuary, and broadcaster who hosts the Mind Body Health & Politics talk radio program from Mendocino County, California. Dr. Miller was also Founder and chief clinician of the nationally acclaimed, pioneering, Cokenders Alcohol and Drug Program. Dr. Miller’s new book, Psychedelic Medicine, is based on his interviews with the most acclaimed experts on the topic. Mind Body Health & Politics radio broadcast is known for its wide ranging discussions on political issues and health. The program’s format includes guest interviews with prominent national authorities, scientists, best-selling authors, and listener call-ins. The programs offer a forum and soundboard for listeners to interact with the show and its guests. We invite you to listen to the latest broadcasts below or visit our many archived programs. We’d love to hear from you on political and health issues! www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org

Information

  • Creator
    Richard L. Miller
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    355
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dr. Richard L. Miller
  • Show Website
    Mind Body Health & Politics

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