The Integration Session

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. 3d ago

    How Do We Fix The Placebo Problem? With Dr. Balázs Szigeti

    One of the most pressing challenges in psychedelic science is the placebo problem: the intense subjective effects of psychedelics cause functional unblinding and amplify expectancy effects, undermining the integrity of gold-standard randomized controlled trials. In this episode of The Integration Session, we are joined by Dr. Balázs Szigeti, clinical data scientist at the UCSF Translational Psychedelic Research Program and leading voice on the role of placebo in psychedelic science. Drawing from his work on pioneering self-blinding citizen science and landmark studies comparing psilocybin and antidepressants, Balázs provides a critical evidence-based perspective on how placebo (and nocebo) effects shape therapeutic outcomes, why traditional study designs may not be best suited for the study of psychedelics, and the potential of pragmatic, patient-centered approaches. About Balázs: Balázs studied physics at Imperial College and then earned a PhD in data science from the University of Edinburgh. After graduating, he worked as a biomedical software engineer before starting to research psychedelics. His way into psychedelic research was the invention of 'self-blinding': a novel method to enable self-experimenters to implement their own placebo control without clinical supervision. Using this methodology he led the largest placebo-controlled study on psychedelic microdosing to-date. Since his microdosing study, Balázs has been involved with the analysis of several high-profile psychedelic trials, such as the escitalopram vs. psilocybin and the psilocybin for Parkinson’s disease trial. His interests are centered on how expectancy and placebo effects shape response to psychedelic and other drugs. He is an expert in clinical trial design and analysis. Currently, he is an honorary researcher at Imperial College’s Center for Psychedelic Research and works as a clinical data scientist at UCSF’s Translational Psychedelic Research Program.

    45 min

  2. May 28

    Lived Experience Report: Psilocybin-Assisted Cancer Therapy with Diane Gratton

    Diane Gratton—a retired nurse, educator, and grandmother—was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer with bone metastases in 2021, with an initial prognosis of five years. In this episode, she opens up about her journey with psychedelic therapy: her motivations, fears, how she prepared, her two psilocybin experiences (individual and group), and the profound emotional and existential insights that followed. Diane speaks candidly about the complexities of integration, including the return of depression and the ongoing nature of her healing process. She also offers thoughtful suggestions for clinicians and advice for individuals considering psilocybin-assisted therapy. As a patient partner with The Canadian Network for Psilocybin-Assisted Cancer Therapy (CAN-PACT), Diane is a strong advocate for compassionate, patient-centered cancer care. This conversation serves not only as a reminder of the real-life impacts of psychedelic therapy, but also how much we can learn by listening to those with lived experience.

    45 min

  3. May 14

    Pop Culture, Film & Religion: Psychedelically Speaking with Nathan Keele-Springer

    From the hippie counterculture vibes of the 1960s to the haunting visions of Midsommar, or the optimism of How to Change Your Mind, psychedelics have long shaped (and been shaped by) popular media. But how do these portrayals reflect and influence cultural narratives around altered states, spirituality, and transformation? And in what ways do they borrow from, distort, or reinvent the language of traditional religion and mysticism? In this episode of The Integration Session, we are joined by Nathan Keele-Springer, a PhD student in Religious Studies at the University of Ottawa whose research sits at the fascinating intersection of psychedelics, religion, and pop culture. Nathan is the organizer of uOttawa’s “Psychedelically Speaking” speaker series and the university’s annual Conference on Psychedelics and Spirituality. His interests include how psychedelic experiences intersect with mystical traditions, perennial philosophy, not-self transformation (drawing from Buddhist contexts), and the grammar of altered states. This conversation explores: 1) how psychedelic are interpreted through religious frameworks (and where those tools shine and fall short); 2) the evolving depictions of psychedelics in film, TV, music, and literature; 3) the ways media commodifies, spiritualizes, secularizes, or pathologizes mystical language like “ego death” and encounters with the divine; 4) the tension between individual enlightenment and societal disruption; and 5) why religious studies perspectives remain essential in an increasingly clinical and neuroscientific psychedelic field.

    46 min

  4. Apr 30

    Psychedelic Capitalism: Corporate Capture, Medicalization & Alternative Paths with Kevin Walby & Jamie Brownlee

    Although the therapeutic promise of psychedelics is often highlighted, there is a much larger story at play here: one of corporate power, political ideology, digital surveillance, and fundamental questions about the limits of Western medicine. In this episode of The Integration Session, we step back from treatment breakthroughs to examine the bigger story: the rapid rise of ‘Psychedelic Capitalism.’ We are joined by Kevin Walby, Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Winnipeg and director of the Centre for Access to Information and Justice, and Jamie Brownlee, Professor of Canadian and International Political Economy at Carleton University. Kevin and Jamie and co-authors of the recent book Psychedelic Capitalism (Fernwood Publishing). This conversation pulls back the curtain on how billions in private capital, aggressive patenting, and corporate interests are reshaping the psychedelic landscape. We discuss the risks of corporate capture, whether the Western medical model is truly suited for substances with deep spiritual and community-based dimensions, as well as some uncomfortable intersections, including links with far-right movements, digital surveillance, and the hyper-individualistic wellness industry. Importantly, this discussion doesn’t stop at critique. Kevin and Jamie share more hopeful, just alternatives and explore how psychedelics could be used responsibly as tools for social change.

    48 min

  5. Apr 16

    Why Community is Essential for Psychedelic Integration with Amy Bartlett

    Humans have always needed community to heal, grow, and make meaning in this life - something Indigenous and traditional healing practices have long incorporated alongside psychedelic medicine. Yet Western cultures, steeped in individualism, seem to be only recently rediscovering the importance of community. So, what should the true role of community be in psychedelic integration? More broadly, how does one effectively build community? In this episode of The Integration Session, we are joined by Amy Bartlett, a PhD candidate at the University of Ottawa whose research examines how community shapes psychedelic integration, spirituality, and healing. With nearly two decades of experience in law, social justice, and international work, Amy Bridges theory and practice: she co-coordinates the Ottawa Psychedelic Education Network (OPEN), facilitates bi-weekly community integration circles, and hosts the podcast My Psychedelic Roots, where diverse voices share how psychedelics have shaped their sense of self and world. This discussion covers why community may not just be helpful - but essential - for deep, lasting psychedelic integration; the urgent need to center lived experience in research and policy; practical lessons from years of real-world facilitation; and how storytelling and witnessing serve as powerful, legitimate tools of evidence in a field often dominated by metrics. More About Amy: Amy Bartlett is a curiosity enthusiast on the cusp of completing her PhD at the University of Ottawa. Her research explores the role that community and connection with others play in psychedelic integration, spirituality and healing. Bridging the realms of theory and practice, Amy also helps coordinate the Ottawa Psychedelic Education Network (OPEN) where she has been running community integration circles for several years, and hosts the My Psychedelic Roots podcast. She has a law degree from Queen's University as well as her Masters of Law from Dalhousie, and before returning to school for her PhD in 2020, Amy worked for over 15 years in human rights and social justice causes in Canada and around the world. You can find more information on her work and current research at https://www.psychedelication.com/

    40 min

  6. Apr 2

    Psilocybin for Demoralization Syndrome in Cancer Care with Dr. Carolina Hernandorena

    Demoralization syndrome affects a substantial portion of patients with advanced cancer, but how does it differ from depression? How might psilocybin help patients find relief and peace while facing their own mortality? In this episode, Dr. Carolina Hernandorena, psychiatrist and PhD candidate in neuroscience at Queen’s University, shares her journey from psychiatric training in Argentina to psychedelic research in Canada. She differentiates demoralization from other mental health constructs, and provides insight on the rationale and protocol design for her Health Canada-approved, open-label pilot trial: “Safety and Efficacy of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy for Demoralization Syndrome in Patients Diagnosed With Advanced Stage Cancer.” More broadly, Dr. Hernandorena outlines regulatory and logistical challenges of her research, and offers evidence-informed perspectives on the future of using psychedelics to address existential distress in advanced illness.

    31 min

  7. Mar 19

    Eating Disorders & Drug Use: Real-World Insights with Sarah Rodan

    What can we learn from psychedelic use in people with lived experience of eating disorders? As a population with barely any approved medications, surprising self-reports reveal that cannabis and psychedelics may offer high rates of real-world symptom relief. In this episode of The Integration Session, we are joined by Sarah Rodan, a postdoctoral research associate at the InsideOut Institute in Sydney, Australia and coordinator of a groundbreaking clinical trial of psilocybin for treatment-resistant anorexia nervosa in collaboration with Imperial College London. Sarah shares key findings from her 2025 JAMA Network Open survey on prescription and non-prescription drug use among people with self-reported eating disorders, plus broader insights on the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids and psychedelics for eating disorders. This episode is a timely exploration of lived experiences, risk-benefit realities, and the urgent need for better treatment options in an understudied area of psychedelic science.

    45 min

  8. Mar 5

    Menstrual Cycles, Menopause & Pregnancy: A Psychedelic Research Gap with Dr. Grace Blest-Hopley

    Women’s bodies have long been treated as a ‘variable’ to control for in science, rather than a focus of research inquiry. Psychedelic science is no exception, with major knowledge gaps regarding the menstrual cycle, menopause, and pregnancy. But, what might be discovered if we become more curious about women’s physiology in psychedelic science? In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Grace Blest-Hopley - neuroscientist, Director of Research at Heroic Hearts Projects, and Founder of Hystelica, the world’s first organization dedicated to understanding psychedelics through the lens of female biology.  With over a decade of experience researching cannabinoids and psychedelics, Grace brings an essential perspective to the conversation, including how hormones, reproductive stages, and sex-specific neurobiology may shape psychedelic experiences and psychedelic treatment outcomes. Specifically, she shares: 1) why women’s biology has been historically understudied and why it matters; 2) what current evidence suggests about sex differences in response to psychedelics and how hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle impact mood; 3) early insights from psychedelics research at Hystelica; and 4) how psychedelic research protocols and trial designs could better answer these important questions.  Grace also shares her personal journey into neuroscience, her connection to veterans’ mental health, and how her experience as a woman in the military helped shape her advocacy for more inclusive research practices. This conversation highlights a critical frontier in psychedelic science: designing research and care models that prioritize biological reality over convenience.  Check out Hystelica: https://hystelica.com/

    46 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
    The Centre for Psychedelics Health and Research
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Centre for Psychedelics Health and Research
  • Show Website
    The Integration Session

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