Inner Source

Dr. Sandra Dreisbach

Join Dr. Sandra Dreisbach on Psychedelic Source, your trusted connection to the psychedelic community and the evolving landscape of psychedelic medicine. Each episode features expert discussions on ethical practice, business development, and community building in the psychedelic ecosystem. Whether you're establishing your practice, seeking professional growth, or deepening your understanding of psychedelic medicine, this show serves as a source of community perspectives and practical resources to thrive in this dynamic space.

  1. Ep21 Bárbara Espina—The Crisis Nobody Plans For: Spiritual Emergency Response, Ethics, and Holding Space

    6D AGO

    Ep21 Bárbara Espina—The Crisis Nobody Plans For: Spiritual Emergency Response, Ethics, and Holding Space

    What happens when a plant medicine ceremony goes sideways... and there's no one trained to help? That's the gap Bárbara Espina decided to fill. In this episode of Inner Source, Dr. Sandra Dreisbach sits down with Bárbara — a psychologist, plant medicine practitioner, and co-founder of CERT (Spiritual Emergency Response Team) — calling in from the Sacred Valley of Peru, where she's spent over a decade doing work most people don't even know exists. Bárbara shares how CERT came to life not from a polished plan, but from watching crisis after crisis unfold with no real infrastructure to catch the people falling. She walks through what spiritual emergency actually looks like in practice — how it differs from clinical crisis, why context changes absolutely everything, and what real-time response looks like when someone's documentation is missing, the language barrier is real, and the person in front of you is somewhere far from their ordinary mind. Dr. Sandra brings her own thread into the conversation — specifically around the invisible architecture of transformation, the power of conscious storytelling, and why making the unconscious visible isn't just philosophical. It's the foundation of ethical facilitation. She also shares how tools like the Thyrsus Oracle Deck grew directly from her own process of making those invisible inner threads something she could actually see, hold, and work with. Together, they pull back the curtain on something the plant medicine space rarely discusses openly: the facilitator's own experience. The harm they sometimes absorb. The things they don't say. The quiet isolation of holding space for everyone else while having nowhere safe to land themselves. By the time this episode is over, you'll know how to: → Recognize the difference between a genuine spiritual emergency and a clinical psychiatric crisis — and why getting that distinction wrong can cause serious harm → Prepare before traveling to a plant medicine hub like the Sacred Valley, including what to have in place before anything goes wrong → Identify the subtle ways infantilizing ceremony participants works directly against their transformation — and strips away the very agency that healing depends on → Hold the boundary of non-harm for yourself as a practitioner, not only for the people in your care → Find or build the kind of community support structure that's honest, sustainable, and free from the usual pressures of your regular professional circle Bárbara also opens up about her upcoming retreat, Wisdom of the Holders — a gathering built specifically for plant medicine facilitators who are ready to be seen, supported, and held... for once. If you hold space for others in any capacity — whether professionally or personally — this conversation will change how you think about what sustainable, ethical care actually requires. Find all the show notes and links here:  https://www.innersourcepodcast.com/21

    46 min
  2. Ep20 Marc Aixalà—Healing From the Inside Out, Shadow Work, and the Answers Already Inside You

    MAR 22

    Ep20 Marc Aixalà—Healing From the Inside Out, Shadow Work, and the Answers Already Inside You

    What if the most important thing a psychedelic experience could ever show you... is that you already have everything you need? That's the quiet power running through this conversation between Dr. Sandra Dreisbach and Marc Aixalà — psychologist, Holotropic breathwork facilitator, co-founder of the ICEERS Integration and Support Service, and author of one of the most grounded, respected books on psychedelic integration available today. Marc has supported over 1,000 cases through the ICEERS support line. He's spent years training psychedelic therapists, working within psilocybin clinical trials in Barcelona, and developing integration models that actually give people their power back — rather than creating new dependencies on systems, substances, or practitioners. And in this conversation, he and Dr. Sandra bring their combined experience to some of the questions that don't always get asked. How do you actually define integration in a way that serves your unique journey — not someone else's protocol? Why does beginning with the end in mind matter not just before an experience, but long after it? How do you approach challenging visions, shadow material, and the voice of plant medicine without losing your own discernment in the process? What does it really look like when healing is led from the inside out... rather than handed to you by an expert? Marc also shares the story of how it all began — a heartbroken engineering student reading books in his mother's pharmacy basement, discovering that psychedelics opened something in him that no career path had touched. How Holotropic breathwork gave him the backbone to make sense of scattered experiences. And why the mentors who showed up along the way may have shaped him more than any technique or training ever could. Dr. Sandra brings her background in philosophy, moral psychology, and years of integration training to this conversation — asking with genuine curiosity about parenthood, identity shifts, the danger of over-medicalizing psychedelics, and what it means to truly know yourself before you ask any medicine to show you more. This isn't a clinical overview. It's a real conversation about healing, meaning, community, and the stories we tell ourselves — and what happens when we finally learn to read them differently. If you've had an experience — psychedelic or otherwise — that's still living in you unresolved, this episode is worth your full attention. Find all the show notes and links here:  https://www.innersourcepodcast.com/20

    55 min
  3. Ep19 Dr. Dawn Ella—How a Near-Death Experience, a 3-Day Coma, and Retrograde Amnesia Became a Blueprint for Multi-Dimensional Healing

    MAR 16

    Ep19 Dr. Dawn Ella—How a Near-Death Experience, a 3-Day Coma, and Retrograde Amnesia Became a Blueprint for Multi-Dimensional Healing

    What happens when trauma strips away almost everything you remember about yourself... and what gets left behind turns out to be more powerful than anything you lost? In this episode of Inner Source, Dr. Sandra Dreisbach sits down with Dr. Dawn Ella — visionary entrepreneur, inventor, soul physician, Doctor of Divinity, and living proof that healing is possible from the most unimaginable circumstances. Dr. Dawn Ella's story begins with a near-fatal incident involving a date rape drug, a three-day coma, a near-death experience that delivered a divine assignment, and retrograde amnesia that reset her identity almost entirely. What followed was a 19-year journey of rebuilding — neurologically, spiritually, and creatively — that ultimately gave rise to a science-driven, multi-sensory healing technology called Soul Link, and a nonprofit dedicated to humanitarian innovation. This is not a surface-level wellness conversation. Dr. Dreisbach brings her signature depth, compassion, and integrative lens to draw out insights that are as grounded as they are expansive. By watching or listening to this episode in full, you will learn: How to understand the Bridging Technique — the clinically informed, spiritually revealed methodology at the core of Dr. Dawn Ella's work — and why combining sound, frequency, and immersive visuals creates a healing synergy no single modality can replicate on its own How to identify the soul fragments that are dimming your light and blocking your forward movement, and why recognizing them as mirrors rather than failures changes everything about how you approach personal growth Why retrograde amnesia, rather than being only a loss, became the ultimate reset into present-moment consciousness — and what that teaches all of us about identity, awareness, and the parts of ourselves that are truly permanent How to use multi-sensory therapeutic tools to support neurological healing, emotional transmutation, and elevated states of well-being — with real documented outcomes, including a case where the Soul Link app contributed to someone waking from a coma Why the principle that everything is an inside job is not just a spiritual concept but a practical framework for understanding your own shadow, your own blockages, and your own path to wholeness How to stop thinking small about your life and your impact, and start aligning with the bigger picture of what you are here to contribute What it actually means to give from overflow rather than lack — and how that shift in orientation accelerates both your own healing and your ability to show up fully for others Dr. Dreisbach models in real time what thoughtful, courageous inquiry looks like — asking the questions many hosts wouldn't dare, creating space for nuance around altered states, ethics, memory, identity, and the sacred intersection of science and spirituality. Whether you are brand new to inner work or years into your transformation journey, this conversation will stretch your sense of what is possible from the inside out. Find all the show notes and links here:  https://www.innersourcepodcast.com/19

    42 min
  4. Ep18 Gaia Harvey-Jackson—How to Get Free: Trusting Yourself Even When Life Isn't Okay

    MAR 9

    Ep18 Gaia Harvey-Jackson—How to Get Free: Trusting Yourself Even When Life Isn't Okay

    Most conversations about inner healing stay safely on the surface. This one doesn't. In this episode of Inner Source, Dr. Sandra Dreisbach sits down with Gaia Harvey-Jackson - women's empowerment facilitator, ecstatic dance DJ, private coach, and co-founder of True Nature - for a conversation that goes somewhere most podcast interviews simply won't. Because Sandra wasn't just a colleague who admired Gaia's work from a distance. She was her client. For over a year. That context changes everything. Gaia shares her multidisciplinary approach to what she calls "rewilding" - helping women peel back the layers of conditioning that have quietly pulled them away from their authentic selves. Through embodiment practices, ritual, ecstatic movement, feminine archetypes, and the kind of community that actually sees you... her work creates spaces where new stories become possible. Sandra, in turn, opens up about her own transformation through their coaching relationship - including the energy mapping exercise that made it impossible to keep pretending she wasn't running on empty. And the deeper moment when they uncovered the belief that had been underneath the behavior all along. That receiving had never felt safe. That one realization touched everything. By listening to this conversation in full, you'll learn how to begin identifying where your energy is leaking - and why naming it clearly is often the most powerful first step anyone can take. You'll understand how to recognize the difference between giving from abundance versus giving from depletion, and what it actually takes to shift that pattern from the inside out, not just intellectually understand it. Gaia walks through how she structures her workshops and programs - following an arc not unlike a psychedelic experience itself - and explains why she never teaches a one-size-fits-all approach. She'll help you think about how to find your own authentic expression of this work, whether you're a facilitator in the making or simply someone doing the hard, beautiful work of knowing yourself better. In one of the most grounded sections of this conversation, Sandra and Gaia both make a compelling case for how to build peer support, mentorship, and supervision into your practice - not as a luxury, but as the foundation of ethical, sustainable work. What that actually looks like in real life. And why the willingness to say "I don't have all the answers" is where trustworthy guidance begins, not ends. Gaia also speaks honestly about her own relationship with psychedelics - how her journey moved from recreational to ceremonial, and why so much of her current work is about creating those same profound shifts through entirely different pathways. If you've ever felt like you were giving more than you actually had. If receiving - whether love, money, recognition, or even basic care - has always felt somehow complicated or even threatening. If you're building a healing or facilitation practice and wondering how to stop carrying it all alone... This conversation was made for you. Find all the show notes and links here: https://www.innersourcepodcast.com/18

    49 min
  5. Ep15 Benjamin Malcolm - The Pharmacology of Healing: How Psychedelics Are Transforming Mental Health Treatment

    06/01/2025

    Ep15 Benjamin Malcolm - The Pharmacology of Healing: How Psychedelics Are Transforming Mental Health Treatment

    Most people think psychedelics are about tripping, but what if our "safe" approach is actually hurting people? In this episode of Psychedelic Source, Dr. Sandra Dreisbach sits down with Ben Malcolm, a psychiatric pharmacist and consultant at spiritpharmacist.com, to discuss the complex world of psychedelic use, harm reduction, and the surprising gaps in our understanding. Ben shares his personal story of how a fascination with psychoactive substances as a teenager led him down a path of intellectual curiosity and eventually to specialize in psychiatric pharmacy. He explains how his early experiences made him question established public health policies and drug regulation. Sandra brings her expertise as well, questioning Ben on his professional ethics, and how he navigates helping people in a grounded way, within the means of his profession and maybe outside. Sandra and Ben then talk about: - Why the "one-size-fits-all" approach to psychedelics is failing people. - How current drug policies create more harm than good. - The surprising dangers of mixing psychedelics with certain medications. - Practical harm reduction strategies for people with bipolar disorder. - Why the psychedelic space needs to be more informed and less puritanical. Ben also shares some advice to people considering working with psychedelics in the environment we find ourselves in right now. Ben challenges the common belief that all prescription medications are bad and all "natural" substances are good, pointing out the hypocrisy in the psychedelic community's approach to harm reduction. Tune in to hear Dr. Sandra Dreisbach and Ben Malcolm challenge conventional wisdom and provide a fresh perspective on how we can approach psychedelics in a more informed and responsible way. Ready to expand your mind and challenge your assumptions? Subscribe to Psychedelic Source now and join the conversation! Visit spiritpharmacist.com for more resources from Ben Malcolm. Find all the show notes and links here: https://www.psychedelicsourcepodcast.com/15 **Disclaimer**The information shared on this podcast, our website, and other platforms may be triggering for some viewers and readers and is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical, legal, or therapeutic advice.While we explore topics related to altered states of consciousness, we do not endorse or encourage illegal activities or substance use. Always research your local laws and consult qualified professionals for guidance.The content provided is "as is," and we are not liable for any actions taken based on the information shared. Stay supported and informed, act responsibly, and enjoy the podcast!

    59 min
  6. Ep14 Sergio Rodriguez-Castillo - Psychedelics: Are We Missing the Point? One Therapist's Bold Take

    05/27/2025

    Ep14 Sergio Rodriguez-Castillo - Psychedelics: Are We Missing the Point? One Therapist's Bold Take

    Psychedelics are going mainstream, but are we losing the heart of what they offer? Join Dr. Sandra Dreisbach on Psychedelic Source as she sits down with Sergio Rodriguez-Castillo, a psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience in the psychedelic space. Sergio shares his personal story of finding his way back to his Mexican roots through psychedelic medicine, and challenges the Western view of psychedelics as simply a treatment for trauma. Sergio's story is one of unexpected turns. From his early interest sparked by Jim Morrison and The Doors, to his time at CIIS, and eventually becoming an apprentice to a Mexican healer, Sergio's journey is a testament to the power of the medicine to guide us where we need to go. Sandra brings her sharp insights, questioning the common beliefs about medicine and growth. She highlights the limitations of a Western, human-centered view, pushing Sergio to share his experiences with traditions and the importance of relationship with the plants themselves. Sergio emphasizes the need for well-trained guides, sharing insights from his dissertation research on training programs. He breaks down the key elements of proper training: - Intra-personal: Working on your own "stuff" before guiding others. - Interpersonal: The technical, legal, and ethical aspects of guiding. - Transpersonal: Connecting with spirit and understanding the spiritual aspects of psychedelics. Sergio shares stories of abuse and harm within psychedelic communities, stressing that ethical guidelines are useless without deep personal work. He also shares the traditions, where the focus is on relationship and balance. Sandra and Sergio touch on reciprocity, cultural sensitivity, and the need to honor traditions when working with plant medicine. They discuss the different ways people connect with the divine. Sergio leaves us with a powerful message: "You are okay just the way you are. You are loved beyond belief and things are unfolding exactly as they should." Ready to expand your mind and shift your perspective? Subscribe to Psychedelic Source and join the conversation! Tune in to hear Sandra and Sergio's discussion, and discover a fresh perspective on healing, growth, and the potential of psychedelic medicine. The dissertation that Sergio mentions in the episode: An Integral Blueprint for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy the Training of a General Practitioner of the Soul - ProQuest https://www.proquest.com/docview/3146016346 Find all the show notes and links here: https://www.psychedelicsourcepodcast.com/14 **Disclaimer**The information shared on this podcast, our website, and other platforms may be triggering for some viewers and readers and is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical, legal, or therapeutic advice.While we explore topics related to altered states of consciousness, we do not endorse or encourage illegal activities or substance use. Always research your local laws and consult qualified professionals for guidance.The content provided is "as is," and we are not liable for any actions taken based on the information shared. Stay supported and informed, act responsibly, and enjoy the podcast!

    59 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Join Dr. Sandra Dreisbach on Psychedelic Source, your trusted connection to the psychedelic community and the evolving landscape of psychedelic medicine. Each episode features expert discussions on ethical practice, business development, and community building in the psychedelic ecosystem. Whether you're establishing your practice, seeking professional growth, or deepening your understanding of psychedelic medicine, this show serves as a source of community perspectives and practical resources to thrive in this dynamic space.