The Psychedelic Podcast

Third Wave
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The Psychedelic Podcast

The Psychedelic Podcast connects you to the leaders and pioneers of the psychedelic renaissance. From deep healing to creativity, leadership to spirituality, business, health, human performance, relationships, sexuality, and even culture itself—every aspect of our world is being transformed by psychedelic medicines. Get an inspired, informed, balanced look into how these powerful medicines are already being safely and responsibly used to catalyze both personal and collective transformation. Whether you’re just curious or a seasoned psychonaut, or somewhere in between, you’ll get insightful, practical, cutting-edge conversations from the forefront of the psychedelic movement. Join us as we explore how psychedelics can be integrated into culture for the evolution of humanity.

  1. Victoria Lynn Carroll - Surrender & Storytelling: A Filmmaker's Ayahuasca Journey

    1D AGO

    Victoria Lynn Carroll - Surrender & Storytelling: A Filmmaker's Ayahuasca Journey

    In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Victoria Lynn Carroll, a Los Angeles-based filmmaker who made an unconventional journey from actor to documentary filmmaker. Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-308/?ref=278 Victoria shares how a vision during an ayahuasca ceremony inspired her to create her directorial debut, She Is a Shaman, which provides an intimate look into the personal life of a female ayahuasca shaman in the Peruvian Amazon. She discusses the challenges of filming in the jungle without electricity, the personal transformations that coincided with her creative process, and her decision to release the film for free on YouTube, where it has garnered over 350,000 views. Victoria explores the intersection of sacred storytelling, the role of women in shamanic traditions, and how creating art became a form of surrender for her. Episode Highlights: Receiving the documentary vision during ayahuasca ceremony Filming challenges without electricity in Peru's jungle The paradoxical everyday life of female shamans Navigating ethics while filming sacred ceremonies Personal divorce synchronizing with creative breakthrough Mystery guest's stormy behavior at the center Choosing free YouTube distribution over streaming deals Surrender as the filmmaker's creative process Unknown Canadian refugee drama at the center The translator who fled with bug-bitten lover Selected Links: 'She Is a Shaman on YouTube Victoria's Website Episode Sponsors: Golden Rule Mushrooms - Get a lifetime discount of 10% with code THIRDWAVE at checkout

    52 min
  2. Richard Blake, Ph.D. - Healing Through Breath: Science, Safety & Somatics

    JUN 9

    Richard Blake, Ph.D. - Healing Through Breath: Science, Safety & Somatics

    In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Dr. Richard Blake, a pioneering psychologist and breathwork researcher, to discuss the science and clinical application of Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB). Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-307/?ref=278 Dr. Blake shares key insights from his groundbreaking randomized controlled trial—the largest to date—on the effectiveness of CCB for reducing anxiety. The conversation explores the distinctions between breathwork modalities, how altered states are reached without substances, and why trauma-informed facilitation is essential for safe practice. Paul and Dr. Blake also dive into the pitfalls of mainstream psychotherapy, the overlooked power of lifestyle interventions, and how breathwork compares to both SSRIs and psychedelics in measurable outcomes. Dr. Richard Blake holds a PhD in Transpersonal Psychology and is a pioneering researcher in the field of breathwork, psychedelics, and holistic mental health. He conducted the largest-ever randomized controlled trial on Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB), providing groundbreaking scientific evidence on its effects on anxiety and well-being. Dr. Blake works with RUNGA, where he is dedicated to advancing the evolution of mental health treatments—moving beyond head-centered approaches to include breathwork, psychedelics, nutrition, exercise, and other integrative healing practices. His mission is to help people unlock deeper levels of psychological resilience, nervous system regulation, and self-awareness through embodied and experiential methods. Highlights: Why breathwork is a potent tool for trauma and anxiety Comparing Holotropic Breathwork to newer trauma-informed approaches Facilitator-to-client ratio standards for safety The ethics and economics of group breathwork sessions Inside the largest randomized trial on CCB for anxiety Why 5% adverse effects matters—and how it compares to SSRIs The “pivotal mental states” hypothesis explained Integration of talk therapy and altered states The power of community and connection in healing From peak performance to depth psychology: Dr. Blake’s story Episode Links: Website RUNGA Breathguru Richard on Instagram RUNGA 90-DAY INTENSIVE, START NOW FOR FREE. Episode Sponsons: Golden Rule Mushrooms - Get a lifetime discount of 10% with code THIRDWAVE at checkout

    50 min
  3. Rick Doblin, Ph.D. - MDMA, MAPS & the FDA: What Went Wrong?

    JUN 2

    Rick Doblin, Ph.D. - MDMA, MAPS & the FDA: What Went Wrong?

    In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes back Rick Doblin, Ph.D., Founder and President of MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), for a deeply personal and visionary conversation on the recent FDA rejection of MDMA-assisted therapy. Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-306/?ref=278 Rick opens up about the painful setbacks, internal missteps, and his own process of recovery and renewed hope. He explains why this isn’t the end—but a critical turning point for psychedelic medicine. Rick and Paul unpack the nuances of drug plus therapy, exploring why context, integration, and culture matter as much as pharmacology. They reflect on the future of MAPS, the psychedelic renaissance beyond FDA approval, and how business, politics, and spirituality intersect with healing. The episode also explores Rick’s enduring belief in public benefit models, global collaboration, and the potential of a spiritualized humanity. Rick Doblin, Ph.D., is the Founder and President of MAPS. He received his doctorate in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and has spent nearly four decades advancing the safe and legal use of psychedelics and marijuana through science, education, and advocacy. Highlights: The cost of MAPS' quiet period Why MDMA therapy was rejected by FDA Pharma vs. therapy: What’s best for patients? Drug-only treatments vs. integrated therapy Ibogaine’s role in brain healing and PTSD MAPS’ path forward: Phase 4 vs. Phase 3 What the Dutch got right about MDMA Spiritualized humanity and self-transcendence The global impact of MAPS’ work Business, love, and psychedelic ethics Want to attend this year’s Psychedelic Science 2025 Conference? For our community: Use code THIRDWAVE15 for 15% off registration. Learn more and register at psychedelicscience.org — See you there! Episode Links Psychedelic Science 2025 Conference MAPS Website Psychedelic Science on Instagram MAPS on Instagram Psychedelic Science on LinkedIn MAPS on LinkedIn Psychedelic Science on X Episode Sponsors: Golden Rule Mushrooms - Get a lifetime discount of 10% with code THIRDWAVE at checkout Psychedelic Coacing Isntitute's Intensive for Psychedelic Professionals in Costa Rica - a transformative retreat for personal and professional growth.

    1h 5m
  4. W. Bryan Hubbard - The Ibogaine Initiative: Solutions for Opioid Addiction & Brain Injury

    MAY 26

    W. Bryan Hubbard - The Ibogaine Initiative: Solutions for Opioid Addiction & Brain Injury

    In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Bryan Hubbard, a prominent advocate for psychedelic-assisted therapies, particularly ibogaine in the treatment of opioid addiction and mental health disorders.  Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-305/?ref=278 Update (May 2025): Days before this episode's release, the Texas House approved a Senate-backed bill to fund ibogaine research through a public-private partnership aimed at securing FDA approval. This vote marks a major milestone in the movement Bryan describes throughout this conversation. Bryan shares his journey from leading Kentucky's Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission to spearheading breakthrough ibogaine research initiatives in Texas. He articulates ibogaine's unique neurological properties, discussing how it can reset brain neurochemistry in 36 hours and potentially treat conditions from traumatic brain injury to Parkinson's disease. The conversation explores the spiritual dimensions of ibogaine experiences, the political landscape surrounding psychedelic medicine, and Bryan's ongoing efforts to medicalize ibogaine through FDA drug development trials, highlighting Texas as the next frontier for this life-saving research. W. Bryan Hubbard is the Executive Director of the American Ibogaine Initiative. He is the first and former Chairman and Executive Director of the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission. He concurrently served as Special Counsel to the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control and was its prior Executive Director. He served on the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health, the Kentucky Child Support Guidelines Commission, Mine Safety Review Board, and the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy’s Recovery Ready Communities Advisory Council. He previously served as Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Income Support wherein he led the Commonwealth’s Social Security Disability and Child Support Enforcement systems. He practiced workers’ compensation law representing Walmart, Tyson Foods, and Tennessee Valley Authority for sixteen years. During his practice years, he observed the predacious onset of Kentucky’s Opioid Epidemic amid generational joblessness, poverty, disability, and substance use. He was raised in Virginia’s coalfields and is the proud grandson of two grade-school educated coal miners on whose shoulders he stands. Highlights: Why ibogaine interrupts addiction instantly The Stanford study that changed everything Resetting brain neurochemistry in 36 hours From Parkinson's to PTSD: Ibogaine's broad applications The spiritual awakening dimension of treatment How pharmaceutical interests block breakthrough medicine Kentucky's lost opportunity: $42 million for research Texas as the new frontier for ibogaine medicalization Matrix pharmacology: Ibogaine's intelligent mechanism The political war over life-saving psychedelic medicine Episode Links Website American Ibogaine Initiative Instagram: @w_bryan_hubbard X (Formerly Twitter): @w_bryan_hubbard Linkedin Episode Sponsors: Golden Rule Mushrooms - Get a lifetime discount of 10% with code THIRDWAVE at checkout

    1h 4m
  5. Dr. Pedram Shojai - Strengthen the Vessel: Daoist Energy Practices for Psychedelic Work

    MAY 20

    Dr. Pedram Shojai - Strengthen the Vessel: Daoist Energy Practices for Psychedelic Work

    In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Dr. Pedram Shojai, known as The Urban Monk, a former Taoist monk and doctor of Oriental medicine.  Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-304/?ref=278 Pedram shares his journey from intensive martial arts training under one of the last living descendants of a Daoist monastery to bringing ancient wisdom into modern life. He discusses the challenges of integrating monastic practices into householder living, the relationship between physical vitality and spiritual growth, and offers a balanced perspective on psychedelics. Dr. Shojai explores the importance of strengthening one's vessel before seeking peak experiences, the risks of "shortcut spirituality," and how ancient contemplative practices can help us live with greater presence in today's fast-paced world. Dr. Pedram Shojai is the founder and director of The Urban Monk Academy and the New York Times bestselling author of Rise and Shine, The Urban Monk, The Art of Stopping Time, Inner Alchemy, Exhausted, Trauma, Focus, and Conscious Parenting. He's the producer of the movies Vitality, Origins, Prosperity, and The Great Heist, as well as the docuseries Interconnected, Gateway to Health, Exhausted, Trauma, Conscious Parenting, Hormones Health & Harmony, and Gut Check. He hosts "The Urban Monk" podcast and is a key influencer in the health and personal development space. As a prominent physician in the functional medicine space, he's known for his ability to bring people together around ideas that matter. In his spare time, he's a kung fu–practicing world traveler, a fierce global green warrior, an avid backpacker, a devout alchemist, and an old-school Jedi biohacker working to preserve our natural world and wake us up to our full potential. Episode Highlights:  From Kung Fu to contemplative practice The path of the "fire monk" Strengthening the vessel before spiritual work The life garden: mindful householder practice Vitality as prerequisite for spiritual growth Integrating ancient wisdom into modern life Jing, Qi, and Shen: energy management principles Nervous system preparation for psychedelics Awareness as background process, not app Atlantis origins of contemplative practices Episode Sponsor: These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links. Golden Rule Mushrooms - Get a lifetime discount of 10% with code THIRDWAVE at checkout

    1h 1m
  6. Richard Schwartz, Ph.D. - IFS & Psychedelics: Tapping Into Self Energy for Healing Trauma

    MAY 13

    Richard Schwartz, Ph.D. - IFS & Psychedelics: Tapping Into Self Energy for Healing Trauma

    In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Dr. Richard Schwartz, creator of the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model of psychotherapy. Dick shares how he discovered that psychedelics naturally facilitate access to what IFS calls "Self energy" - the compassionate core within everyone that can heal wounded parts. He explains how medicines like ketamine and MDMA help relax protective parts of our psyche, revealing both Self energy and exiled parts that need healing. Dick reveals his personal journey with psychedelics, including his work with ketamine-assisted IFS therapy, and discusses the relationship between psychedelic experiences and spiritual guides. He emphasizes how reframing "bad trips" as opportunities for exiled parts to be witnessed can transform challenging experiences into profound healing moments. Dick Schwartz began his career as a family therapist and academic at the University of Illinois at Chicago. There he discovered that family therapy alone did not achieve full symptom relief. His patients became his teachers as they described their inner "parts," which formed networks resembling the families he had been working with. He found that when patients separated from these parts, they shifted into a state of curiosity, calm, confidence, and compassion—what he called the Self. From these explorations, the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model was born in the early 1980s. Now evidence-based, IFS has become widely used, particularly for trauma work, offering non-pathologizing techniques for individuals, couples, families, corporations, and classrooms. Dick lives with his wife Jeanne near Chicago. Highlights:  The natural synergy between psychedelics and IFS therapy How psychedelics temporarily quiet protective "manager" parts Understanding how there are “no bad parts” of the psyche The difference between Self and parts in IFS Reconceptualizing "bad trips" as healing opportunities IFS and shadow work How psychedelics accelerate access to exiled parts Moving IFS beyond therapy into leadership and systemic change Legacy burdens: healing inherited trauma collectively Episode Sponsors:  Golden Rule Mushrooms - Get a lifetime discount of 10% with code THIRDWAVE at checkout

    1h 6m
  7. Marlena Robbins - Sacred Reciprocity: Indigenous Perspectives on the Psychedelic Renaissance

    MAY 5

    Marlena Robbins - Sacred Reciprocity: Indigenous Perspectives on the Psychedelic Renaissance

    In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Marlena Robbins, a proud member of the Diné (Navajo) nation and doctoral student at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. Marlena shares her personal journey with psilocybin mushrooms and how they helped reconnect her with her heritage and family. Her research examines the cultural, social, and policy aspects of psilocybin use within Native communities, highlighting differences between urban and rural perspectives to inform educational frameworks, culturally-informed psychedelic assisted therapy models, and public health policy. Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-302/?ref=278 Marlena Robbins is pursuing a Doctor of Public Health degree at UC Berkeley. Her research examines the cultural, social, and policy aspects of psilocybin use within Native communities, highlighting differences between urban and rural perspectives to inform educational frameworks, culturally-informed psychedelic assisted therapy models and public health policy. Robbins is a graduate student researcher at the Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics, focusing on program evaluation. Her residency with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration led to the development of a tribal engagement toolkit, showcasing the significance of psychedelics in spiritual, recreational and conservative contexts among Tribal communities. Recently, Robbins was invited to join the Federally Recognized American Tribes and Indigenous Community Working Group for the Natural Medicine Health Act with the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. This role enables her to advocate for the protection of sacred plants against commercialization and cultural misappropriation. Highlights: Finding sobriety and healthy motherhood through mushrooms First experience of Hozhó: beauty, harmony, and balance Reconnecting with mother through shared psychedelic healing Advocating for indigenous representation in psychedelic research Applying indigenous critical lens to psychedelic policy Personifying medicines as relatives with their own spirits Evaluating psychedelic integration in Native mental health systems Moving beyond capitalism toward reciprocal relationships with medicines Meeting ancestral trauma with courage instead of avoidance Building bridges between indigenous knowledge and Western healthcare Episode Sponsors: Psychedelic Coacing Isntitute's Intensive for Psychedelic Professionals in Costa Rica - a transformative retreat for personal and professional growth. Golden Rule Mushrooms - Get a lifetime discount of 10% with code THIRDWAVE at checkout

    1h 2m
  8. Sam Mandel - 30,000 Infusions Later: Clinical Insights from a Ketamine Pioneer

    APR 28

    Sam Mandel - 30,000 Infusions Later: Clinical Insights from a Ketamine Pioneer

    In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Sam Mandel, co-founder and CEO of Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles (KCLA). Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-301-sam-mandel/?ref=278 Sam shares his journey co-founding KCLA with his father in 2014, pioneering ketamine infusion therapy when few were exploring its potential for mental health. From humble beginnings in a storage closet to becoming a leading mental health center with over 30,000 infusions administered, Sam discusses the challenges and triumphs of building a patient-centric practice. He explains the science behind ketamine's effectiveness compared to alternatives like Spravato, highlights the importance of individualized treatment, and offers a passionate critique of the current mental healthcare system while envisioning what meaningful reform could look like. Co-founder & CEO of Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles (KCLA), Sam Mandel has channeled his lifelong passion for healthcare advocacy into transforming mental health care. From volunteering at a teen-to-teen suicide prevention hotline at twelve to pioneering one of the foremost Ketamine Infusion Therapy clinics in 2014 alongside his father, Dr. Steven L. Mandel, Sam has been featured in Entrepreneur's Top 10 Inspiring Healthcare Entrepreneurs (2023) and earned two 2024 Stevie Awards. Under his leadership, KCLA has provided over 30,000 infusions to more than 6,000 patients with an 83% success rate, establishing gold-standard treatment protocols while expanding services to include General Psychiatry and TMS therapy. Highlights:  The founding story of KCLA and early skepticism from the medical community Why IV ketamine outperforms nasal Spravato in efficacy and cost-efficiency Creating individualized ketamine protocols for optimal patient outcomes How insurance companies create barriers to effective mental healthcare KCLA's 83% success rate compared to 50-70% in controlled research settings Expanding from ketamine to TMS and general psychiatry Preparing for future psychedelic medicines like MDMA and psilocybin The critical flaws in America's mental healthcare system Episode Links:  Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles (KCLA) The difference between Ketamine and Spravato (esketamine) Third Wave’s Ultimate Guide to Ketamine Episode Sponsor: Psychedelic Coacing Isntitute's Intensive for Psychedelic Professionals in Costa Rica - a transformative retreat for personal and professional growth.

    52 min
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About

The Psychedelic Podcast connects you to the leaders and pioneers of the psychedelic renaissance. From deep healing to creativity, leadership to spirituality, business, health, human performance, relationships, sexuality, and even culture itself—every aspect of our world is being transformed by psychedelic medicines. Get an inspired, informed, balanced look into how these powerful medicines are already being safely and responsibly used to catalyze both personal and collective transformation. Whether you’re just curious or a seasoned psychonaut, or somewhere in between, you’ll get insightful, practical, cutting-edge conversations from the forefront of the psychedelic movement. Join us as we explore how psychedelics can be integrated into culture for the evolution of humanity.

Information

  • Creator
    Third Wave
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2025
  • Episodes
    309
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 3W Wellness
  • Show Website
    The Psychedelic Podcast

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