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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.
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Now displaying: 2025
Dec 29, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Giovanni Bartolomeo, founder of Elemental Rhythm Breathwork, about how breathwork can support meaningful personal change and deepen integration after psychedelic experiences.

Find full show notes and links here:
https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-336/?ref=278 

Gio shares his journey from high-pressure entrepreneurship into a more grounded, heart-led approach to life and business. He reflects on how Elemental Rhythm emerged through years of breathwork practice, somatic exploration, and deep work with plant medicine, eventually evolving into a system that blends breath, music, movement, meditation, and guided inquiry.

Together, Paul and Gio explore why accessible practices like breathwork can cultivate real agency rather than dependency, how preparation and integration shape long-term change, and what it means to take responsibility for one’s own growth in both spiritual and entrepreneurial contexts.

Giovanni Bartolomeo is the founder of Elemental Rhythm Breathwork, where he shares breathwork resources and trains others to facilitate breathwork-based transformational coaching. A lifelong entrepreneur, Gio’s own journey through self-discovery led him to create a grounded, embodied approach to personal and professional transformation. Today, he teaches workshops, trainings, and retreats internationally.

Highlights:

  • From serial entrepreneur to inner-led leadership
  • Growing beyond inherited belief systems
  • How Elemental Rhythm emerged through plant medicine work
  • Breathwork as a tool for agency and clarity
  • Preparation and integration in psychedelic work
  • Empowerment versus dependency in facilitation
  • Responsibility as a cornerstone of transformation
  • Ethical questions in entrepreneurship and healing spaces
  • Insights from the Microdosing Practitioner Certification beta
  • Daily breathwork and nervous system resilience

Episode Links:

Episode Sponsors:

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.

Disclaimer: Third Wave occasionally partners with or shares information about other people, companies, and/or providers. While we work hard to only share information about ethical and responsible third parties, we can’t and don't control the behavior of, products and services offered by, or the statements made by people, companies, or providers other than Third Wave. Accordingly, we encourage you to research for yourself, and consult a medical, legal, or financial professional before making decisions in those areas. Third Wave isn’t responsible for the statements, conduct, services, or products of third parties. If we share a coupon code, we may receive a commission from sales arising from customers who use our coupon code. No one is required to use our coupon codes.

This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization.

Dec 22, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with human connection specialist and Create The Love founder Mark Groves about how psychedelics reveal the hidden patterns shaping our relationships.

Find full show notes and links here:
https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-335/?ref=278 

Mark shares how heartbreak, honesty, and plant medicine helped him move from external validation to inner truth. Together, they explore emotional safety, attachment wounds, technology’s influence on agency, and the growing overlap between relational healing and psychedelic integration.

Mark Groves is a human connection specialist, author, speaker, coach, podcast host, and founder of Create The Love. For over a decade, he has helped individuals and organizations transform relationships through emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and radical honesty.

Highlights:

  • Psychedelics and relationship patterns
  • Attachment wounds and emotional safety
  • Honesty as integration practice
  • Technology, agency, and attention
  • Personal sovereignty in partnership

Episode Links:

Episode Sponsors:

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.

Disclaimer: Third Wave occasionally partners with or shares information about other people, companies, and/or providers. While we work hard to only share information about ethical and responsible third parties, we can’t and don't control the behavior of, products and services offered by, or the statements made by people, companies, or providers other than Third Wave. Accordingly, we encourage you to research for yourself, and consult a medical, legal, or financial professional before making decisions in those areas. Third Wave isn’t responsible for the statements, conduct, services, or products of third parties. If we share a coupon code, we may receive a commission from sales arising from customers who use our coupon code. No one is required to use our coupon codes.

This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization.

Dec 15, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Ashley Carmen, LMFT, psychotherapist and founder of the Psychedelic Guide Network (PGN). Ashley offers insight into Austin’s rapidly growing psychedelic landscape and the ethical foundations needed to support safe, grounded facilitation.

Find full show notes and links here:
https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-334/?ref=278

Paul and Ashley explore sovereignty, accountability, dual relationships, and the subtle dynamics that arise in non-ordinary states. They also discuss how PGN’s Wisdom Circles help facilitators deepen their practice through honest reflection and community-based support. Together they consider how ethics can function as medicine—clarifying power, strengthening boundaries, and honoring the integrity of the work.

Ashley Carmen, M.S., LMFT is a psychotherapist and founder of the Psychedelic Guide Network. She supports both licensed clinicians and community facilitators as they incorporate psychedelic modalities into ethical practice. Ashley trained with MAPS in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and completed psilocybin guide training through the School of Consciousness Medicine, influenced by Mazatec traditions of Huautla de Jiménez, Oaxaca. Her work centers on fostering diversity, accountability, and ethical maturity within the expanding psychedelic field.

Highlights:

  • Austin's emergence as a psychedelic hub
  • Sovereignty and responsibility in facilitation
  • Dual relationships and clean boundaries
  • Power dynamics and sexual projection
  • Inside PGN's peer Wisdom Circles
  • Support for licensed psychedelic practitioners
  • Scope guidance for non-clinical facilitators
  • Ethics as a core healing practice

Episode Links:

Episode Sponsors:

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.

Disclaimer: Third Wave occasionally partners with or shares information about other people, companies, and/or providers. While we work hard to only share information about ethical and responsible third parties, we can’t and don't control the behavior of, products and services offered by, or the statements made by people, companies, or providers other than Third Wave. Accordingly, we encourage you to research for yourself, and consult a medical, legal, or financial professional before making decisions in those areas. Third Wave isn’t responsible for the statements, conduct, services, or products of third parties. If we share a coupon code, we may receive a commission from sales arising from customers who use our coupon code. No one is required to use our coupon codes.

This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization.

Dec 8, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin reconnects with longtime Buddhist practitioner and former Synthesis co-founder Martijn Schirp, founder of Upāyosis. They explore his journey from pioneering modern psilocybin retreats to creating A Path Between Worlds, a year-long contemplative training that integrates Buddhist practice, ecological ethics, and psychedelic skillful means.

Find full show notes and links here:
https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-333/?ref=278 

Martijn shares lessons from Synthesis’s rise and collapse, how time in the Himalayas reshaped his contemplative path, and why “ego porousness” may offer a healthier frame than “ego death.” He and Paul discuss how Buddhist principles like interdependence and skillful means can guide responsible psychedelic work — and why awakening today must include service to a planet in crisis.

Martijn Schirp is a longtime Buddhist practitioner and founder of Upāyosis, where he leads A Path Between Worlds, a yearlong contemplative training blending Buddhist practice, ecological ethics, contemplative science, and optional psychedelic components. Previously, he co-founded the Synthesis Institute, helping pioneer modern, medically supervised psilocybin retreats and training programs. He writes, teaches, and mentors at the intersection of Buddhist wisdom, contemplative science, and psychedelic practice.

Highlights:

  • From Synthesis to spiritual renewal in the Himalayas
  • Lessons from crisis: leadership, burnout, impermanence
  • What Buddhism can teach the psychedelic field
  • The fifth precept and “skillful means”
  • First principles of skillful psychedelic use
  • Ego porousness vs. ego dissolution
  • Ecological ethics as spiritual practice
  • A Path Between Worlds: a contemplative year of service

Episode Links:

Episode Sponsors:

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.

Disclaimer: Third Wave occasionally partners with or shares information about other people, companies, and/or providers. While we work hard to only share information about ethical and responsible third parties, we can’t and don't control the behavior of, products and services offered by, or the statements made by people, companies, or providers other than Third Wave. Accordingly, we encourage you to research for yourself, and consult a medical, legal, or financial professional before making decisions in those areas. Third Wave isn’t responsible for the statements, conduct, services, or products of third parties. If we share a coupon code, we may receive a commission from sales arising from customers who use our coupon code. No one is required to use our coupon codes.

This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization.

Dec 6, 2025

In this special AMA episode, Paul F. Austin answers the most common, and most nuanced questions emerging from recent trainings, webinars, and community sessions. Drawing from a decade of experience in microdosing, facilitation, and practitioner training, Paul explores how to choose the right microdosing protocol, the relationship between nervous system health and performance, the role of psychedelics in coaching, and the ethical boundaries practitioners must uphold. He also discusses SSRI tapering, creativity, leadership, and how to guide clients through integration with clarity and skill.

Highlights

  • How to choose a microdosing protocol
  • Why nervous system health comes first
  • Microdosing vs. macrodosing for integration
  • SSRIs, tapering, and safe sequencing
  • Creativity and leadership with microdosing
  • Embodiment as the key to integration
  • Coaching vs. therapy in psychedelic work
  • Ethical boundaries for practitioners

Episode Links

Dec 1, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Dr. Michael Ryoshin Sapiro, a Zen Buddhist monk, psychologist, and psychedelic psychotherapist whose new book Truth Medicine explores how awakening and clinical science meet through the heart.

Find full show notes and links here:
https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-332/?ref=278 

They discuss how Zen simplicity informs psychedelic work, the nuances between psychedelic-assisted and psychedelic psychotherapy, and how Dr. Sapiro tailors ketamine sessions for trauma recovery in first responders and veterans. Together they unpack the art of surrender, the role of spirituality in therapy, and why genuine healing begins with nervous-system regulation long before medicine is introduced.

Dr. Sapiro is teaching a seven-week live video course, “Truth Medicine,” at The Shift Network starting January 6, 2025. This course will offer a deeper journey into conscious living, authenticity, and the principles explored in his new book.

Michael Ryoshin Sapiro, PsyD is an ordained Zen Buddhist monk, clinical and first-responder psychologist, psychedelic psychotherapist, author, and meditation teacher. He serves as integrative psychologist at Boise Ketamine Clinic, runs international transformational retreats, and appears in the documentary An Act of Service on ketamine treatment for first responders (featured by The New York Times). His work within the special-operations and first-responder communities centers on trauma recovery, ethical service, and awakened leadership. His book Truth Medicine: Healing and Living Authentically Through Psychedelic Psychotherapy is available now.

Highlights:

  • Zen Buddhist ordination and early training
  • How Zen shapes psychedelic psychotherapy
  • Assisted therapy vs. psychedelic psychotherapy
  • Ketamine dosing nuance and “golden hour”
  • Working with first responders and veterans
  • Non-dual states and “I am love” experiences
  • Spiritual ethics in psychedelic care
  • Nervous-system preparation for medicine
  • Community, retreats, and the sacred heart

Episode Links:

Episode Sponsors:

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.

Disclaimer: Third Wave occasionally partners with or shares information about other people, companies, and/or providers. While we work hard to only share information about ethical and responsible third parties, we can’t and don't control the behavior of, products and services offered by, or the statements made by people, companies, or providers other than Third Wave. Accordingly, we encourage you to research for yourself, and consult a medical, legal, or financial professional before making decisions in those areas. Third Wave isn’t responsible for the statements, conduct, services, or products of third parties. If we share a coupon code, we may receive a commission from sales arising from customers who use our coupon code. No one is required to use our coupon codes.

This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization.

Nov 24, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Chen Lizra, founder of the Power of Somatic Intelligence. A somatic coach, TED Speaker, and plant medicine facilitator, Chen bridges embodiment, trauma healing, and shamanic wisdom to help high achievers reconnect with the body’s innate intelligence.

Find full show notes and links here:
https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-331/?ref=278 

Drawing from her own healing journey and decades of work in the Amazon, Chen shares how somatic intelligence allows us to regulate the nervous system, dissolve ancestral imprints, and reclaim authentic power. She and Paul explore how movement, breath, and plant medicine can open pathways to emotional mastery and feminine embodiment.

Chen Lizra is the founder of The Power of Somatic Intelligence, a somatic coach, TED Speaker, professional dancer, and plant medicine facilitator helping high achievers heal their nervous systems and release emotional blocks. With more than 30 years of experience blending embodiment, somatics, and shamanic wisdom, Chen guides clients toward inner alignment and authentic expression. She also leads retreats in the Amazon with a shamanic maestra, combining plant medicine, dieta, and somatic coaching for deep transformation.

Highlights:

  • How trauma lives in the body—and how to release it
  • The five pillars of somatic intelligence
  • Why nervous system regulation precedes spiritual awakening
  • Integrating shamanic plant medicine with embodiment work
  • Healing ancestral imprints through somatic awareness
  • Balancing divine feminine energy and grounded power
  • Moving from survival patterns to inner alignment
  • The art of “feeling safe enough to feel”

Episode Links:

Episode Sponsors:

Disclaimer: Third Wave occasionally partners with or shares information about other people, companies, and/or providers. While we work hard to only share information about ethical and responsible third parties, we can’t and don't control the behavior of, products and services offered by, or the statements made by people, companies, or providers other than Third Wave. Accordingly, we encourage you to research for yourself, and consult a medical, legal, or financial professional before making decisions in those areas. Third Wave isn’t responsible for the statements, conduct, services, or products of third parties. If we share a coupon code, we may receive a commission from sales arising from customers who use our coupon code. No one is required to use our coupon codes.

This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization.

Nov 17, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin sits down with Jeff Stevens and David Shisel, co-founders of Psyched Wellness, the first publicly traded company in North America to bring an Amanita muscaria extract to market.

Find full show notes and links here:
https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-330/?ref=278 

Together, they discuss the mushroom’s unique pharmacology, Psyched Wellness’ multi-year path through Health Canada’s safety testing, and the broader implications for the future of functional fungi. Paul also explores the tension between innovation and regulation, as Jeff and David share insights from operating in the gray area between supplements and psychedelics.

Jeff Stevens and David Shisel are the co-founders of Psyched Wellness. With backgrounds spanning capital markets, legal compliance, and product development, they’ve led the effort to bring Amanita muscaria into mainstream wellness through rigorous science and education.

Highlights:

  • Understanding Amanita muscaria’s active compounds
  • Why Health Canada approval took three years
  • How Psyched Wellness rebranded a controversial mushroom
  • What separates Amanita from psilocybin
  • Legal gray zones and ethical entrepreneurship
  • Microdosing Amanita: early findings and consumer safety
  • Building trust through transparency and research

Episode Links:

Episode Sponsors:

  • The Practitioner Certification Program by Third Wave’s Psychedelic Coaching Institute.
  • The Microdosing Practitioner Certification by Third Wave’s Psychedelic Coaching Institute helps you master Paul F. Austin’s microdosing protocol and build a meaningful, profitable coaching practice in just 4 months.
    Early Bird pricing ends November 23. Program begins January 6, 2026.
Nov 10, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Jay Fiset, best-selling author and founder of The Psychedelic Coach Accelerator.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-329/?ref=278 

Jay shares how psychedelics have transformed his marriage, business, and view of leadership—offering a look into what he calls Functional Psychedelics, a practice of intentionally using medicine to expand awareness, connection, and creativity. Together they discuss how to hold trauma-informed space, translate insights into everyday leadership, and why integration is the true measure of transformation.

Want to join The Psychedelic Coach Accelerator? Get a special discount with code THIRDWAVE. Go Here.

Jay Fiset is a psychedelic educator, advocate, and guide. A best-selling author, global speaker, and mastermind mentor, he has helped thousands of entrepreneurs expand both their businesses and consciousness. Through The Connection Experience and The Psychedelic Coach Accelerator, Jay and his wife Cory train psychedelic guides and coaches to integrate medicine work into leadership and relational growth.

Highlights:
• What “Functional Psychedelics” really means
• How couples’ journeys deepen emotional intelligence
• Integration as innovation in business
• The importance of trauma-informed facilitation
• Building ethical, scalable psychedelic leadership
• Balancing achievement with embodiment
• Why business can be a spiritual practice

Episode Links:

Episode Sponsors:

  • The Practitioner Certification Program by Third Wave’s Psychedelic Coaching Institute.
  • The Microdosing Practitioner Certification by Third Wave’s Psychedelic Coaching Institute helps you master Paul F. Austin’s microdosing protocol and build a meaningful, profitable coaching practice in just 4 months.
    Early Bird pricing: $4,000 (until November 16). Program begins January 6, 2026.
  • Golden Rule Mushrooms - Get a lifetime discount of 10% with code THIRDWAVE at checkout
Nov 3, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Elina Teboul, author of Feminine Intelligence: Visionary Leaders Reshaping Business. A former corporate attorney turned leadership coach, Elina explores how psychedelics and altered states can reconnect leaders to empathy, purpose, and environmental stewardship.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-328/?ref=278

Drawing on her background in law, psychology, and mindfulness, Elina shares how “feminine intelligence” can help leaders balance logic with intuition and reimagine business through love, creativity, and service.

Elina Teboul is a leadership expert and executive coach with degrees in psychology and law from Columbia University. She founded Light Up Lab, serves as an executive coach with The Preston Associates, and sits on the advisory board of the Earth Law Center. Her work bridges corporate leadership with spiritual and ecological awareness, offering a transformative model for conscious capitalism.

Highlights:

  • From Big Law to psychedelic leadership
  • Integrating empathy and purpose in business
  • Psychedelics as tools for wholeness
  • Positive psychology for high-stress professions
  • Conscious capitalism and planetary stewardship
  • Ethical frameworks for psychedelics at work

Episode Links

Episode Sponsor

  • The Practitioner Certification Program by Third Wave’s Psychedelic Coaching Institute.
  • The Microdosing Practitioner Certification by Third Wave’s Psychedelic Coaching Institute helps you master Paul F. Austin’s microdosing protocol and build a meaningful, profitable coaching practice in just 4 months.
    Early Bird pricing: $4,000 (until November 16). Program begins January 6, 2026.
  • Golden Rule Mushrooms - Get a lifetime discount of 10% with code THIRDWAVE at checkout
Oct 27, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Dr. Conor H. Murray, a neuroscientist at UCLA whose research explores how psychedelics affect the brain.

Find full show notes and links here:
https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-327/?ref=278 

Conor shares insights from his placebo-controlled LSD microdosing study revealing measurable increases in neural complexity, suggesting unique neurological benefits even at sub-perceptual doses. He and Paul discuss what these findings mean for depression, addiction, and brain plasticity, as well as the future of citizen neuroscience through Conor’s platform Psynautics. They also touch on his ongoing psilocybin study for cocaine use disorder and why low-dose research may hold keys to understanding consciousness itself.

Interested in participating in Dr. Murray’s Microdosing Study? Get 10% Off Your Enrollment!
Use code WAVE3 to receive 10% off your study kit. https://www.psynautics.com/microdosing

Conor Murray is a neuroscientist specializing in altered states of consciousness at UCLA. He is also the founder of Psynautics, the world's first citizen neuroscientist platform built for testing hypotheses related to altered states of mind and brain, from meditation to microdosing. His scientific expertise spans from the neurobiology of addiction to the effects of cannabis and psychedelics on the brain.

Highlights

  • How Dr. Murray entered psychedelic research by chance
  • What LSD microdosing reveals about neural complexity
  • The “sweet spot” around 13 micrograms for mental clarity
  • Why placebo effects don’t fully explain brain changes
  • Microdosing vs macrodosing in neuroplastic outcomes
  • BDNF, inflammation, and the mechanisms of healing
  • Psilocybin’s potential for cocaine use disorder
  • How environment influences addiction and relapse
  • The rise of citizen neuroscience and DIY EEG studies
  • Where psychedelic science is headed next

Episode Links

Episode Sponsors

Oct 20, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Jay Campbell, five-time bestselling author, men’s physique champion, and founder of BioLongevity Labs.

Find full show notes and links here:
https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-326/?ref=278 

Together they explore how peptides, hormones, and energy form a new model of regenerative health. Jay explains how these signaling molecules work at the cellular level and why coherence and self-awareness are essential to sustainable vitality. The discussion bridges scientific rigor with personal transformation—redefining what it means to be “optimized.”

Jay Campbell is a bestselling author, athlete, and co-founder of BioLongevity Labs. Recognized for his expertise in hormone and peptide science, he blends decades of physical training experience with a deep understanding of consciousness and energetic alignment.

Highlights:

  • Peptides as a bridge between biology and consciousness
  • Why emotional regulation supports physical health
  • The “God Stack” for daily optimization
  • How light and sound technologies aid healing
  • The future of energy-based medicine
  • Love and service as true performance enhancers

Episode Links:

Episode Sponsors

Oct 13, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Kevin Cannella, co-founder and executive director of Thank You Life, a nonprofit removing financial barriers to psychedelic therapy. Kevin shares his path from early mystical experiences and time at a Peruvian retreat center to becoming a licensed professional counselor and MAPS-trained therapist, then building a pay-it-forward fund that partners with clinics nationwide.

Find full show notes and links here:
https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-325/?ref=278 

Kevin explains how Thank You Life works with 120+ ketamine clinics, why group programs matter for cost and connection, and what’s realistic about insurance coverage today. He also explores integration support, community pods, and how state partnerships could expand access for veterans, first responders, and more.

Kevin Cannella is the co-founder and executive director of Thank You Life, a 501(c)(3) psychedelic therapy access fund. A licensed professional counselor and MAPS-trained psychedelic therapist, Kevin founded the organization with Dr. Dan Engle to eliminate the financial barriers that prevent many from accessing psychedelic healing. Thank You Life partners with over 120 ketamine clinics in 35 states, offering financial assistance and group support programs to individuals in need. Rooted in his own transformative journey with meditation, intensive retreat work, and psychotherapy, Kevin is dedicated to advancing health equity, reciprocity, and compassionate care in the psychedelic field.

Highlights:

  • Service-driven path into psychedelic care
  • Founding Thank You Life as a pay-it-forward fund
  • Partnering with 120+ ketamine clinics nationwide
  • Group ketamine care: cost and community benefits
  • Insurance realities: Spravato vs. generic ketamine
  • Integration support through clinics and community pods
  • Scaling access via philanthropy and state partnerships

Episode Sponsors:

Oct 6, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin sits down with meditation teacher and social entrepreneur Dr. Fleet Maull to explore how Neuro-Somatic Mindfulness (NSM) intersects with psychedelic therapy.

Find full show notes and links here:
https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-324/?ref=278 

Fleet shares his journey from a 14-year federal prison sentence—where he founded the first prison hospice program and led daily meditation groups—to developing NSM, a radically embodied, neuroscience- and trauma-informed approach to practice.

He explains how NSM trains five key brain networks, why embodiment quiets a noisy mind more reliably than “thinking about” the breath, and how pairing NSM with ketamine or psilocybin can help shift insights from state to trait. The conversation offers a grounded roadmap for practitioners and seekers who want deeper stability, safety, and integration in expanded-state work.

Fleet Maull, PhD, CMT-P is an author, meditation teacher, mindset coach, and social entrepreneur working at the intersection of personal and social transformation. He is the founder & CEO of Heart Mind Institute, which integrates Western science with contemplative wisdom across trauma healing, resilience, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, and conscious entrepreneurship. While serving a 14-year federal sentence (1985–1999), he founded Prison Mindfulness Institute and National Prison Hospice Association, catalyzing national movements in contemplative rehabilitation and end-of-life care. A senior Dharma teacher in Tibetan Buddhism and a Zen Roshi, Dr. Maull developed Neuro-Somatic Mindfulness (NSM), a deeply embodied, trauma-informed practice for healing and awakening.

*This October 14–19, 2025, Paul will also co-host Heart Mind Institute’s free online Microdosing & Psychedelic Retreats Summit, featuring 35+ global leaders including Paul Stamets, Deepak Chopra, and James Fadiman. Register free via the links below.

Highlights

  • Why embodiment beats “thinking about” the breath
  • Prison as practice: hospice, service, and sobriety
  • What is Neuro-Somatic Mindfulness (NSM)?
  • DMN vs. task-positive network in practice
  • Training five neural networks for resilience
  • From state to trait: integration by design
  • NSM with low-dose ketamine: retreat outcomes
  • Rigidity, chaos, and the Goldilocks zone

Episode Links

Episode Sponsors:

Sep 29, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin sits down with medicine woman and transpersonal psychotherapist Lena Franklin to explore grief as a doorway to the sacred, bridging clinical training with embodied spirituality, and the ethics of honoring indigenous lineages in modern practice. 

Find full show notes and links here: http://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-323?ref=278

Lena shares “The Method,” a 90-day psilocybin-supported program (three ceremonies + twelve sessions), and reflects on lessons learned from founding and composting EAST Institute. She also previews a new global initiative for advanced, root-cause healing centers and closes with an embodied playbook for leaders.

Lena Franklin is a Medicine Woman, Transpersonal Psychotherapist, and transformational speaker bridging ancient medicine and modern technology for global healing. Raised in a Buddhist/Christian home, she integrates Eastern philosophy with Western neuroscience across meditation, energy medicine, longevity, human optimization, plant medicine, shamanism, and ecosystem consciousness. Formally trained in psychology (B.S.) and clinical social work (M.S.) at the University of Georgia, Lena weaves lineages from Mahayana Buddhism, Mopan Maya Ancient Medicine, Q’ero Peruvian shamanism, and Shipibo wisdom into ceremonial and teaching work worldwide. She founded The QUINTESSENCE Approach for activating Revolutionary Medicine Woman leadership, The BEING Method for mindfulness-based human potential, and The Meditation Membership of audio/video teachings. Her work has been featured in Vogue, The New York Times, Telegraph, and more. 

Highlights:

  • Grief as a sacred portal
  • Clinician and mystic, not either/or
  • Lineage stewardship and councils of elders
  • “Harm reduction is bi-directional”
  • Lessons from founding EAST Institute
  • The 90-day, three-ceremony Method
  • From psycho-emotional to psycho-spiritual
  • Why assessment must stay rigorous
  • Vision for root-cause healing centers
  • Daily grounding for embodied leadership

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Sep 22, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes researcher and entrepreneur Sterling Cooley to explore xenon—the noble gas with surprising psychedelic-like effects. Sterling shares how his own health crisis led him from nitrous oxide to xenon, and why he believes gaseous anesthetics open a unique window into consciousness.

Find full show notes and links here:
https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-322/?ref=278

Sterling connects xenon to microtubule research (Orch OR), contrasts it with ketamine and nitrous, and discusses harm-reduction considerations, trip reports, and integration. The discussion bridges Sterling’s personal journey with emerging scientific theories, offering a thoughtful look at xenon’s potential role in consciousness and healing.

Guest Bio
Sterling Cooley is a researcher and biotech entrepreneur working in ultrasound neuromodulation and noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation. Over the past decade, he has collaborated with Dr. Stuart Hameroff on microtubules, quantum consciousness, and novel anesthetics. Sterling is focused on xenon, a noble gas with both anesthetic and psychedelic-like properties. Through his community at Skool.com/Ultra, he supports safe, informed exploration of xenon’s therapeutic and consciousness-expanding potential.

Highlights:

  • What xenon is and why it fascinates researchers
  • Sterling’s personal health journey with gaseous anesthetics
  • Microtubules, Orch OR, and models of consciousness
  • Xenon vs. ketamine vs. nitrous: similarities and differences
  • Harm-reduction guidance for gaseous psychedelics
  • Visionary and higher-self experiences on xenon
  • Potential applications for pain and PTSD
  • Why microtubules may bridge mind, matter, and ideals

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Disclaimer: Third Wave’s content is for educational and informational purposes only. We do not provide medical or legal advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making decisions about your mental or physical health. Nothing here is intended as encouragement to use any substance, and we do not advocate for illegal activity.

Sep 15, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Lana Pribic, ICF Professional Coach, co-founder of Kanna Wellness, and host of the Modern Psychedelics Podcast. Lana shares her deep reverence for African medicines—iboga and kanna—and why she resists quick-fix narratives in psychedelic culture.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-321/?ref=278 

She opens up about her ceremonies in Baja, the long arc of iboga integration, and the role of preparation, intention, and patience in this work. The conversation also explores kanna as a gentle daily ally and the cultural roots of both medicines.

Lana Pribic, M.Sc., is an ICF Professional Coach, co-founder of Kanna Wellness, and producer & host of the Modern Psychedelics Podcast. With over 230 hours of professional training and four coaching certifications, Lana specializes in psychedelically-informed coaching, guiding individuals through profound inner transformation. Based in Ontario, she merges the power of psychedelics, consciousness, and self-discovery to facilitate deeply impactful experiences. When she's not immersed in her work, you'll likely find her dancing to electronic beats, creating art in the kitchen, practicing patience with her cat, curating her dream wardrobe, or diving into a book.

Highlights:

  • How iboga differs from classic psychedelics
  • Preparation as the overlooked key to safe journeys
  • How to craft meaningful questions for iboga
  • Rejecting the quick-fix narrative in psychedelic work
  • Facing shadow material in ceremony
  • The long arc of iboga integration
  • Kanna as a subtle, supportive ally
  • Safety concerns around microdosing iboga
  • The cultural inseparability of iboga and Bwiti
  • Balancing medicalization with ancestral reverence

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Sep 8, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Jonny Miller, founder of Nervous System Mastery and host of the Curious Humans podcast.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-320/?ref=278 

Jonny shares how the loss of his fiancée led him into grief work, psychedelics, and the study of stress physiology. Their conversation explores the three pillars of nervous system mastery—interoception, capacity, and emotional fluidity—and how these skills can prepare and support deeper psychedelic experiences. Jonny also reflects on the risks of hypoarousal and dissociation in psychedelic and breathwork practices, the role of relational health in nervous system regulation, and how high performers can shift from burnout-driven “dirty fuel” toward cleaner sources of creativity and joy.

Jonny Miller is the founder of Nervous System Mastery, a five-week experiential training that helps high performers cultivate calm, resilience, and embodied aliveness. His approach blends evidence-based protocols with practices drawn from breathwork, meditation, and stress physiology. Jonny also co-created the Stateshift App and designed the Calm Cards Deck, practical tools for daily nervous system regulation. Jonny hosts the Curious Humans podcast, where he explores themes of resilience, embodiment, and curiosity with leading thinkers. His work centers on making nervous system literacy accessible for both personal growth and psychedelic preparation.

Highlights:
• How grief and loss opened Jonny to psychedelics
• The three pillars of nervous system mastery
• Safety as the foundation for psychedelic depth
• Breath as a brake or accelerator in journeys
• Why he separates psychedelics from intense breathwork
• Mapping different medicines to nervous system skills
• The risks of shutdown and dissociation in high doses
• Re-regulating after destabilizing psychedelic experiences
• Relational health as nervous system nourishment
• Shifting from burnout to clean energy in leadership

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Sep 1, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Dr. Brian Tierney, a licensed somatic psychologist and professor of neuroscience. 

Find full show notes and links here:
https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-319/?ref=278

Dr. Tierney unpacks the emerging paradigm of network neuroscience and how our brain’s default mode, salience, and task networks interact with trauma, attention, and healing.

Dr. Tierney is a somatic psychologist, neuroscience and psychopharmacology professor, and psychotherapist with a passion for integrative healing. Specializing in trauma resolution, couples therapy, and somatic experiencing, he blends cutting-edge science with ancient practices to create transformative healing experiences. He is the host of the Boundless Body podcast and the author of the upcoming book Visionary Somatics.

Highlights:

  • What is network neuroscience?
  • How trauma disrupts brain network coordination
  • Understanding the salience, default mode, and task networks
  • Why somatic healing involves connective tissue, not just cognition
  • The dangers of spiritual bypassing through “idealized embodiment”
  • “Character armoring” and body-held trauma patterns
  • How imagination serves as a ground for healing
  • The death–rebirth archetype in psychedelic experiences
  • Transcendence vs. transformation in modern healing culture
  • Why safety and grounding are non-negotiable for deep work

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Aug 25, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin is joined by James Fadiman, PhD, and Jordan Gruber, JD, co-authors of the new book Microdosing for Health, Healing, and Enhanced Performance.

Find full show notes and links here:
https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-318/?ref=278

Widely recognized as the father of modern microdosing, Jim returns alongside Jordan to challenge outdated pharmaceutical paradigms and share what a decade of real-world microdosing reports reveals about physical health, emotional wellbeing, and performance enhancement.

James Fadiman, PhD, is a leading voice in psychedelic research, widely known as the “father of microdosing.” With a career spanning over 60 years, Jim has explored psychedelics’ effects on creativity, mental health, and human potential. His landmark book, The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide, remains a foundational text in the field. In recent years, he’s spearheaded citizen science efforts on microdosing, gathering thousands of real-world reports to better understand its therapeutic and performance-enhancing effects.

Jordan Gruber, JD, MA, is a writer, editor, and former attorney whose work bridges psychology, spirituality, and personal development. Founder of Enlightenment.Com, Jordan has collaborated on books covering everything from finance to forensic audio to transformational healing. He co-authored Your Symphony of Selves with Fadiman in 2020 and now returns as co-author of their latest work. Together, their partnership blends rigorous inquiry with lived insight—shaping a new paradigm for how psychedelics can enhance everyday life.

Highlights:

  • Why microdosing works for both healing and performance
  • The real-world shift from symptom-treatment to systemic wellbeing
  • How citizen science is driving the microdosing movement
  • Microdosing vs. psycholytic dosing: Key distinctions
  • Why mainstream research may be missing the sweet spot
  • Comparing protocols: Fadiman vs. Stamets vs. intuitive dosing
  • The myth of the serotonin hypothesis and what comes next
  • Heart risk debates and what the data actually says
  • Microdosing for autism, ADHD, and chronic pain
  • What an ideal regulatory future could look like

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Aug 18, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Mariah Gannessa, founder of Four Visions, a plant medicine platform rooted in sacred reciprocity and indigenous partnership. 

Find full show notes and links here:
https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-317/?ref=278

Mariah shares her decade-long apprenticeship with the Inga people of Colombia and her journey creating Four Visions as a reverent bridge between Amazonian healing traditions and modern seekers.

The conversation explores the Four Visions of the Yahé tradition, the nuances of cultural appropriation vs. cultural exchange, and the responsibilities of Western entrepreneurs engaging with indigenous medicines. Mariah also discusses how Four Visions reinvests in indigenous communities and why the concept of sacred reciprocity is central to her mission.

Join Paul F. Austin and Mariah Gannessa on August 21st at 10am PT / 1pm ET for Hapé 101 for Practitioners, Coaches & Guides, a free live webinar hosted through the Psychedelic Coaching Institute. Whether you're new to hapé or looking to deepen your practice, you'll gain practical, respectful guidance on working with this sacred Amazonian snuff—personally and professionally.

Mariah Gannessa has spent the last decade immersed in the healing cultures of the Amazon and has dedicated her life’s work to the plants and indigenous peoples of the rainforest. Her healing journey during her decade-long apprenticeship in study and service with the Inga tribe of Putumayo was a catalyst for her evolution as an entrepreneur, philanthropist and musician.
Mariah acts as a bridge in the sharing of plant medicines with the world in order to support humanity’s healing. She is the founder of Four Visions, a global leader in supporting indigenous communities through direct commerce partnerships, donations, and sponsoring charitable initiatives. In partnership with her teacher, world-renowned healer and Ingano Botanist, Taita Juanito, she founded MAGIC Fund, spearheading projects to preserve the Amazonian peoples, their cultures, and lands. Her work in service is fully inspired by a vision to leave a legacy of a better Earth for future generations.

Highlights:

  • How the Four Visions of Yagé shape healing
  • Redefining sacred reciprocity in a globalized world
  • A Western entrepreneur’s path through plant medicine apprenticeship
  • Why cultural exchange is not always appropriation
  • The role of reverence in spiritual entrepreneurship
  • Bridging Amazonian wisdom with Western healing needs
  • Building a mission-driven e-commerce platform
  • Plant allies for the heart, grief, and dreaming
  • Remembering ancestral wisdom in a disoriented world
  • The medicine path as both business and spiritual devotion

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Aug 11, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, host Paul F. Austin welcomes cultural historian and acclaimed author Mike Jay.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-316/?ref=278

Together they explore the untold history of nitrous oxide, psychedelic experimentation in the Romantic era, and the deeper cultural and philosophical roots of psychedelic science.

Mike shares insights from his latest book, Free Radicals, highlighting how figures like Humphry Davy and William James helped shape psychedelic thought long before the 1960s. The conversation weaves through ancient San Pedro rituals, colonial attempts to suppress peyote use, and the divergent paths of modern psychedelic medicine.

From poetic self-experimentation to medicalized models, Mike unpacks the historical tensions between grassroots healing and institutional control—and what this means for the future of psychedelic culture.

Mike Jay is a British author and cultural historian who has written widely on the history of drugs, consciousness, and medical science. His books include Mescaline: A Global History of the First Psychedelic, Psychonauts: Drugs and the Making of the Modern Mind, and Free Radicals: How a Group of Romantic Experimenters Gave Birth to Psychedelic Science. Mike contributes regularly to The London Review of Books, The New York Review of Books, and The Wall Street Journal.

Highlights:

  • How early scientists used nitrous oxide for inner exploration
  • Romantic poets as the original psychedelic self-experimenters
  • Parallels between Humphry Davy and Alexander Shulgin
  • What William James learned from nitrous, not mescaline
  • Colonial suppression of peyote and indigenous resilience
  • The enduring symbolism of San Pedro in Andean ritual
  • How the counterculture reinterpreted Native practices
  • Why modern psychedelic medicine may be repeating history
  • The role of finance in shaping current therapy models
  • Looking ahead: divergent futures of psychedelic healing

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Aug 4, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, host Paul F. Austin welcomes Brian Robertson—creator of Holacracy and founder of Ledgeway Sangha—for a thought-provoking conversation at the intersection of organizational design, spiritual community, and psychedelic practice.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-315/?ref=278

Best known for reimagining how companies structure authority through Holacracy, Brian now brings his systems-level insight into the realm of psychedelic spirituality. He shares the origin and mission of Ledgeway Sangha, a legal psychedelic church rooted in peer-to-peer healing, communal practice, and non-dogmatic love. Together, Paul and Brian explore how this innovative model bypasses conventional hierarchy, integrates softer entheogens like 2C-B and 6-APB, and builds a path toward legal protection for churches operating outside mainstream psychedelic frameworks.

Brian Robertson is best known for creating Holacracy, the most comprehensive framework in the world today for running self-managed companies using a decentralized power structure in lieu of a traditional management hierarchy. He’s founded and built many organizations over the past 30 years as an entrepreneur, including HolacracyOne, which helps companies use self-management to unleash creativity and empowered leadership, and the software company GlassFrog, which helps both traditional and self-managed companies drive organizational transparency, agility, and alignment to purpose.

To date, tens of thousands of companies in over 50 countries have embraced his pioneering methods and ideas, and his frequent public speaking seamlessly weaves between business, management, consciousness, and love. Brian is currently focused on building Ledgeway Sangha, an entheogenic church and community-building organization that’s harnessing psychedelics to help people release judgments and resistances into loving acceptance of all that is.


Highlights:

  • From Holacracy to entheogenic spirituality
  • Why Ledgeway Sangha has no doctrine or belief system
  • Love as the norming force in community
  • 2C-B and 6-APB as self-integrating medicines
  • The case for subtle, sovereign psychedelic journeys
  • A new model of psychedelic integration through consistency
  • Why hierarchy undermines safe psychedelic containers
  • Legal strategies under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act
  • Creating a church for mystics, not priests
  • Poetry, presence, and redefining spiritual transmission

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Jul 28, 2025

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Dr. Vass Eliopoulos, co-founder of Longevity Health and a pioneer at the intersection of regenerative medicine, longevity science, and psychedelics.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-314/?ref=278

Dr. Vass shares his journey from emergency medicine to a proactive, prevention-based approach to health optimization for high performers.

Dr. Vass shares why today’s healthcare system fails to address the root causes of disease, the synergistic potential of psychedelics, stem cells, peptides, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and how chronic stress and inflammation underlie many modern conditions. He also outlines why psychedelics may be essential in reversing chronic inflammation and treating neurodegenerative diseases—and how prevention, not pathology, should guide the future of medicine.

Dr. Vassily Eliopoulos (Dr. Vass) is the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Longevity Health, a cutting-edge regenerative medicine clinic in Boulder, Colorado. A former ER physician and Peace Corps volunteer, Dr. Vass now helps high performers optimize their health through advanced diagnostics, regenerative therapies, and personalized plans. A black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, avid climber, and kayaker, he brings deep experience in resilience and recovery to his clinical work.

Highlights:

  • Why Vass left emergency medicine for longevity health
  • COVID as a catalyst for self-directed wellness
  • The failure of “sick care” to promote true health
  • Psychedelics as first-line treatments for mental health
  • Chronic stress, inflammation, and disease progression
  • Synergies between psychedelics, stem cells, and peptides
  • Prevention vs. pathology in modern medicine
  • Neurodegeneration as chronic brain injury
  • Future directions for regenerative and psychedelic therapies

Curious about becoming a certified psychedelic coach? Join Paul F. Austin Thursday, July 31 2025, 10:00 AM PT for a free info session exploring the Psychedelic Coaching Institute’s Practitioner Certification Program—an immersive training that blends science, ceremony, and real-world coaching to help you lead others through lasting transformation. Learn More.

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Jul 25, 2025

Following our recent conversation with Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris on the neuroscience of SSRIs and psychedelics, this bonus episode takes the next step—focusing on clinical realities, tapering strategies, and patient safety.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-313b/?ref=278

Dr. Dave Rabin—a board-certified psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and co-founder of Apollo Neuro—joins Paul F. Austin for a candid, protocol-driven conversation. Together, they unpack why combining SSRIs with psychedelics can be dangerous, how to safely taper with support tools like ketamine and CBDA, and how to prepare clients for deeper psychedelic work.

If you’re a facilitator, therapist, or simply someone navigating antidepressants and interested in microdosing, this episode offers practical, medically-grounded insights.

Highlights:

  • How SSRIs blunt emotional range and alter awareness
  • The neuroscience of serotonin and psychedelic receptors
  • Serious risks of serotonin syndrome when mixing with SSRIs
  • Ketamine’s role in tapering and unlocking neuroplasticity
  • Practical tools to regulate the nervous system during SSRI withdrawal
  • Recommended psilocybin strains for sensitive or anxious clients
  • How long-term SSRI use may (or may not) affect psychedelic response
  • Safety-first protocols for psychedelic integration
  • The future of microdosing as a sustainable antidepressant approach

Episode Links:

Curious about becoming a certified psychedelic coach? Join Paul F. Austin Thursday, July 31 2025, 10:00 AM PT for a free info session exploring the Psychedelic Coaching Institute’s Practitioner Certification Program—an immersive training that blends science, ceremony, and real-world coaching to help you lead others through lasting transformation. Learn More.

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