Shows
Psychedelic Divas30. Psychedelic Journalist, Harm Reduction Activist, Community BuilderIn Episode 30, Psychedelic Divas welcomes Annie Harrison, a pioneering journalist, harm-reduction advocate, and founder of the Women's Visionary Congress and co-founder of Lucid News. We explore Annie's decades-long contributions to drug reporting including her current role as Editorial Director at Lucid News, her commitment to risk reduction and education and her heart-centered leadership within an array of psychedelic communities. In this episode, Annie discusses: Her psychedelic origin story, including her early psychedelic safety education from Grateful Dead shows, Rainbow Gatherings and Burning Man starting in 1996 The founding of the Women's Visionary Congress, with its commitment to...
2026-01-3058 min
Psychedelic Divas29. Psilocybin Politics in New MexicoEpisode 29 features New Mexico State Representative Andrea Romero (House District 46) in a hopeful conversation about psychedelics, policy, and community healing. We discuss how New Mexico is leading the way with groundbreaking psilocybin legislation—and why this moment matters far beyond state lines. In this episode, we explore: The passage of SB219, New Mexico's bipartisan bill decriminalizing psilocybin for therapeutic use How psilocybin will be used to treat treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, substance use disorders, and end-of-life distress What it really took to build bipartisan support—and lessons learned from Oregon and Colorado The importance of New Mexico...
2026-01-0850 min
Psychedelic Divas28. Honoring the Sacred, Psychedelic GoddessEpisode 28 welcomes Cassidy Rosenblum, founder and editor-in-chief of Thunder Perfect Mind magazine, for a deep conversation about the intersection of psychedelics, the divine feminine, and cultural and religious transformation. In this episode, you'll hear: Cassidy sharing her journey from a hippie upbringing (her parents named her after Neal Cassady from On the Road.) to reporting on psychedelics for Rolling Stone. The inside story of a transformative group mushroom ceremony with former Mormon women. How Mormon women are choosing ketamine and nitrous over alcohol, which is forbidden by their religion. How Rick Perry (former Governor of Texas and Secretary...
2025-12-1956 min
Psychedelic Divas27. Moms on Mushrooms: Breaking the StigmaI'm your host, Carla Detchon, and in episode 27 of Psychedelic Divas, I welcome Tracey Tee, founder of Moms on Mushrooms, for a candid conversation about motherhood, microdosing, and breaking the stigma around plant medicine. Tracey shares her personal journey from comedy to community building, and how psychedelics have transformed her approach to parenting, wellness, and self-discovery. Highlights: Tracy's first psychedelic experience and how it changed her life The mission behind Moms on Mushrooms and creating safe spaces for mothers Destigmatizing psychedelics for moms and challenging the "wine mom" narrative Navigating motherhood, boundaries, and self-care w...
2025-11-131h 06
Psychedelic Divas26. How to Connect with Your GuidesIn past episodes, I've often mentioned accessing information in psychedelic sessions from my spirit guides. But what does that really mean? I'm your host, Carla Detchon, and in Episode 26, I share my personal experiences over the past 30+ years of learning to access and work with a range of spirit guides from ancestors to angels, to gods and humans and even my pets. I first learned to access non-ordinary guidance by working with world-renowned Shamanism expert, Michael Harner, and my long-term psychedelic teacher, Ralph Matzner. I share my first encounters of accessing guidance through drumming and meditative states, the process...
2025-10-2330 min
Psychedelic Divas25. A Trip Through Psychedelic HistoryEpisode 25 with Marsha Rosenbaum, PhD, is a journey back through the psychedelic time machine. Marsha started her medicine journey back in the 1970s, both as an underground explorer of psychedelics and an above-ground researcher for the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). For nearly 20 years, she was the Principal Investigator on grants from NIDA to study women heroin addicts, cocaine, methadone maintenance treatment, and MDMA. She then moved to drug policy and education at the Drug Policy Alliance in San Francisco (where she is Director Emerita) where she founded the Safety First drug education project. Back when Marsha, got...
2025-10-0948 min
Psychedelic Divas24. Sacred Lessons from the Psychedelic UndergroundHey Diva listeners—this episode does contain descriptions of suicide and overdosing. If this would be difficult or challenging for you to hear, please take care of yourself and skip this episode. In episode 24, we are swimming in the sacred wisdom of the psychedelic underground with author, Rachel Harris, PhD as our guide. Rachel is a psychologist, researcher, and author of "Listening to Ayahuasca" and "Swimming in the Sacred: Wisdom from the Psychedelic Underground." In this episode: Rachel discusses her formative years at the Esalen Institute in the late 1960s, reflecting on the wild, un...
2025-09-2558 min
Psychedelic Divas23. Ethics: The Moral Compass of Psychedelic WorkHey Diva listeners—this episode does discuss a sexual abuse story. If this would be difficult or challenging for you to hear, please take care of yourself and skip this episode. In Episode 23 of Psychedelic Divas, we explore the critical role of ethics in psychedelics with Dr. Sandra Dreisbach—an ethicist, educator, and leader in the psychedelic community. As a former bioethics professor, tech industry veteran, and founder of EPIC (Ethical Psychedelic International Community), Sandra's unique perspective is grounded in real-life experience. In this episode: Sandra shares her journey from philosophy and bioethics to beco...
2025-09-111h 00
Psychedelic Divas22. I Told My 95-Year-Old Mom I Do PsychedelicsFor over a year, I've been creating Psychedelic Divas quietly, without fanfare or a lot of promotion. I told myself I was doing the work my guides had asked me to do — launching the podcast — but deep down, I knew I was still hiding. Hiding from visibility. Hiding from judgment. And, surprisingly, hiding from my 95-year-old mother. In this deeply personal solo episode, I talk about how I shared my psychedelic path with my mother for the first time. For years, I kept this part of my life hidden from her, assuming she'd never understand or accept it. Wi...
2025-07-2422 min
Psychedelic Divas21. Psychedelic Advocacy for Liberation and Racial JusticeHeads up—this episode does discuss street violence and sexual abuse in context of our criminal justice system. If this would be difficult or challenging for you to hear, you might want to skip this episode. In episode 21 I share my recent experience at the Psychedelic Science Conference in Denver where I got to hang out with many of the guests on this podcast. It's also where I met today's guest Sia Henry. Sia is deeply dedicated to liberation and racial justice, with extensive work in criminal legal system reform and abolition. She is a Senior Policy Ass...
2025-07-101h 05
Psychedelic Divas20. The Current State of Psychedelics: An Insider's PerspectiveWe are celebrating the one-year anniversary of the podcast with a cornerstone of the psychedelic renaissance: Amy Emerson. Amy is a respected leader in the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy. She was Lykos Therapeutics CEO for an important period in advancing MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder as a drug with the FDA. In 2003, she began volunteering with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), assisting with clinical research monitoring. Her expertise was instrumental in establishing MAPS' clinical department and managing the MDMA Clinical Development Program. When MAPS founded its Public Benefit Corporation in 2014 to develop and commercialize MDMA-assisted therapy, A...
2025-06-1952 min
Psychedelic Divas19. Exploring End of Life with PsilocybinHey Diva listeners—this episode marks our one-year anniversary! Thank you all so much for being part of that and for all your support and kind words! In Episode 19, I'm chatting with Kat Kurner, an end-of-life guide and somatic practitioner. At age seven, Kat's Cherokee grandfather told her she had healing hands and would work some day as a healer. While it took her some time to manifest that vision, it has definitely come true today. Kat describes her extensive experience with psychedelic medicines, starting with a vision quest with mushrooms when she was 13, her many peyote ci...
2025-06-0555 min
Psychedelic Divas18. What the Heck is a Psychedelic Container?In Episode 18, we break down the various elements that make up a psychedelic container: The overall physical, emotional and energetic structure that holds a psychedelic journey. Starting with safety (because it's always a good idea to start with safety), this episode dissects the aspects that make up a well-held container such as facilitator expertise, intentions, the right setting, sacredness and emotional well-being. We also get practical with insights into preparing one's emotional landscape, selecting a conducive physical setting, and ensuring proper integration post-journey. Finally, I share a personal story about my own experiences in the jungles of Peru, which...
2025-05-1526 min
Psychedelic Divas17. Psychedelics 101: Healing, Integration, and Inner Transformation In this special episode, I'm sharing a conversation that originally aired on Modern Latina in Midlife with Sonia Flores, who invited me on for an open-hearted introduction to psychedelics, plant medicine, and the healing journey. This episode was created with beginners in mind. Those who are curious but maybe don't know where to start. Sonia and I explored the deep, transformational power of psychedelics. It was such a soulful, grounded conversation, and I'm honored to bring it to the Psychedelic Divas community. We talk about what psychedelics are (spoiler: not all are plant-based), how they...
2025-04-2446 min
Modern Latina in Midlife54. Psychedelics 101: Healing, Integration, and Inner Transformation What if the medicine you're looking for isn't in a bottle… but in a ceremony? In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Carla Detchon, integration coach and host of the Psychedelic Divas podcast, to explore the healing potential of psychedelics and plant medicine—especially for women in midlife navigating transformation, grief, and personal growth. Carla shares her journey of over 40 years working with psychedelics, including two decades studying under psychedelic pioneer Ralph Metzner. Together, we explore what these sacred tools really are (spoiler: not all are "plant-based"), how they can be used for intentional heal...
2025-04-1449 min
Psychedelic Divas16. A Healing Journey from Trauma to TranscendenceIn episode 16, we go deep with Coltrane Lord. Coltrane is a psychedelic integration specialist, artist, and healer. We trace Coltrane's personal journey from trauma to transcendence, her transformative experiences with plant medicines, and the founding of the Wonderland Project, a nonprofit organization that connects marginalized women suffering from PTSD due to domestic violence, rape, and sexual exploitation to trauma-informed psychedelic care. We look at the importance of safe and sacred psychedelic practices, honoring indigenous cultures, and the broader implications for women's healing and empowerment through psychedelics. Coltrane also shares the inspiration behind her Eden Experience, an artistic project aimed...
2025-04-101h 03
Psychedelic Divas15. Seeding Consciousness with Tricia EastmanAncestral wisdom meets psychedelic healing with this week's guest on Psychedelic Divas. In episode 15, I interview Tricia Eastman, a medicine woman and pioneer in the psychedelic movement. Tricia shares her rich ancestral background, including her family's traditions of Afro-Mestiza shamanism and wisdom passed down through generations. Together we explore Tricia's personal journey with plant medicines including the transformative impact of Iboga and Ibogaine. This episode delves into the powerful healing potentials of psychedelics, especially for treating substance abuse and deep emotional trauma, while emphasizing the critical role of proper preparation and integration in psychedelic therapy. The c...
2025-03-271h 04
Psychedelic Divas14. Building a New Foundation on the Shulgin LegacyIn episode 14 of Psychedelic Divas, my guest is Wendy Tucker, daughter of psychedelic pioneer Ann Shulgin, who was married to ground-breaking psychedelic chemist Sasha Shulgin. Wendy shares her extensive history within the psychedelic community, including hosting the infamous Friday Night Dinners that began as a family gathering and evolved into a critical hub for underground psychedelic culture. Wendy discusses Ann and Sasha's legendary work, including Sasha's resynthesis of MDMA along with 200 novel compounds and Ann's seminal therapeutic contributions within the psychedelic community. Wendy also discusses the creation of the Shulgin Foundation, whose goal is to preserve the historic Shulgin...
2025-02-201h 00
Psychedelic Divas13. Honoring the Legacy of Ralph MetznerIn this episode, I interview a dear psychedelic sister, Cathy Coleman, who was married to my teacher, Ralph Metzner for 31 years. Cathy is the author of the recently released book, Ralph Metzner, Explorer of Consciousness—The Life and Legacy of a Psychedelic Pioneer. This book contains over 60 tributes, essays and stories from people who were deeply influenced by Ralph's work (spoiler alert, I'm one of the contributors). In addition to being Ralph's wife, Cathy earned a doctorate in East-West Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies where she also served as Director of Student Services and later Dean of...
2025-02-061h 07
Psychedelic Divas12. Let's Talk Core Wounds! In this episode, we dive into the concept of "core wounds"—those deep psychological injuries formed in early childhood that shape our self-beliefs and behaviors. I share my personal psychedelic experiences and coaching insights, while also discussing the significance of identifying and healing these wounds for expanded self-awareness and personal growth. I share my personal core wound story, as well as looking into the protective, defensive mechanisms that our younger selves build as a protection from further harm. I also discuss some ways you can do your own safe exploration and healing around your own core wound, ideally with th...
2025-01-2325 min
Psychedelic Divas11. Unlocking the Hero's Journey with PsychedelicsMareesa Stertz, visionary filmmaker, storyteller, and co-founder of Lucid News and the Global Psychedelic Society, shares her transformative journey with psychedelics, which began at a young age in Las Vegas with many challenging, yet enlightening, experiences. Mareesa discusses the pivotal role psychedelics have played in healing her trauma, the importance of community and storytelling in fostering collective healing, and her upcoming projects, including a comprehensive online storytelling workshop and a large-scale art installation at Burning Man. Mareesa emphasizes the significance of realistic expectations for those seeking psychedelic-assisted healing and provides practical advice for individuals with trauma looking to explore...
2025-01-1056 min
Psychedelic Divas10. How Cool—I'm on Somebody Else's Show!My dear friend, Alan Levin, interviewed me for his podcast Crossing the Boundary. I first met Alan in a Ralph Metzner circle, and we have been dear friends for decades now, sharing many, deep transformational moments together both on and off the mat. It was an honor to be featured on his podcast and to share tales of our time together with Ralph. Alan's connection with Ralph predates mine by many years, and it was fun to journey back in time together to reminisce about one of our most important teachers. Here's what Alan wrote i...
2024-12-261h 03
Psychedelic Divas9. Transforming Addiction with MicrodosingIn this episode, Danielle Nova, co-founder of Flow State and the Microdosing Facilitator Training, shares her personal story of overcoming a 15-year addiction with the help of psychedelics. She offers her thoughtful insights into addiction recovery as the founder of Psychedelic Recovery, the critical role microdosing can play in healing addictive patterns, and her deeply personal familial healing journey. We also discuss the Microdosing Facilitator Training, co-created by Danielle, which Carla joined as a participant. Our conversation touches on the broader implications and applications of microdosing, its potential for personal transformation, and the hurdles faced in promoting such educational...
2024-12-121h 09
Psychedelic Divas8. The Seat of the GuideMy guest for this episode of Psychedelic Divas is Valeria McCarroll, PhD, LMFT, a psychedelic educator, writer, and speaker who teaches courses on psychedelic humanities at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Having been in the field of psychedelics for over a decade, Valeria has developed and taught curriculum for the training of psychedelic guides as well as serving as a consultant in the synthesis of ethical codes and navigating rupture and repair processes. Valeria and I first met at an underground psychedelic gathering in 2015, and that fortuitous meeting has grown into a long-term friendship i...
2024-11-281h 02
Psychedelic Divas7. What's It Like to Trip in a MRI?What's it like to trip in a MRI? That question would send most people running for the emergency exits, but not this week's guest Executive Coach, Author and Speaker, Amy Wong. Amy shares her experience as a participant in a cutting-edge psilocybin study led by renowned researcher Robin Carhart-Harris at UCSF's Neuroscape Neuroscience center. Combining images and information from the MRI machine, an EEG cap, simultaneous feedback via a handheld device while in the MRI and detailed interview notes, the study aimed to capture real-time brain signatures alongside subjective experiences during psilocybin trips. ...
2024-11-141h 10
Psychedelic Divas6. Live (Sort of) From Santa Cruz!I'm your host, Carla Detchon, and this episode is a little different in that it's a live talk I gave at Psychedelic First Friday, a monthly event hosted by the Santa Cruz Psychedelic Society, which is held at Green Magic Yoga. In this episode, I'm the one being interviewed by the lovely Dr. Jen Christian, who I originally met on the Clubhouse App. Over the hour, Jen and I covered a lot of territory, and I shared some (hopefully) entertaining stories. We chatted about: · My historical psychedelic perspective (historical as in dating ba...
2024-10-311h 02
Psychedelic Divas5. Sex, Drugs & Consciousness with Britta LoveAdvisory: There is a brief, non-graphic mention of sexual harm/assault contained in this podcast. We are exploring the depths in this episode. You know, those parts that we're not supposed to talk about in polite society: sex, drugs, consciousness. Today's guest embodies them all. This episode features Britta Love, an advocate for sex workers' rights and the decriminalization of drugs and sex work. We begin our discussion with a deep dive into the divine feminine, reclaiming feminine power and breaking binaries. The conversation delves into trauma, femininity, balancing masculine and fem...
2024-07-251h 01
Psychedelic Divas5. Restoring the Sacred with Dream MullickIn this episode of Psychedelic Divas, the multi-talented Dream Mullick shares her diverse experiences and insights spanning writing, teaching, producing, and death coaching. Dream shares her journey from co-producing the Psychedelic Integration Conference at Esalen to her upcoming documentary on Rick Doblin's mission to legalize MDMA. Our conversation touches on psychedelic experiences, their impact on trauma, the significance of sacred ceremonies, and Dream's personal encounters with death, grief and near-death experiences. Dream offers practical advice on integrating ceremony into everyday life and underscores the importance of safely navigating psychedelic journeys. https://www.dreammullick.com/
2024-07-111h 02
Crossing the Boundary - with Alan LevinPsychedelic Diva - Carla DetchonMy conversation with Carla Detchon, Integration Coach and wise woman of all things psychedelic. Carla and I were participants for many years in ceremonial circles with a very unique and masterful psychedelic guide, Ralph Metzner. Here Carla shares about her journey from privileged, middle-class girl to San Francisco psychedelic party tripper, to entering the inner worlds with shamanic practices. You can learn more about Carla at Psychedelic Divas: https://psychedelicdivas.com/ Her integration coaching practice at: https://carladetchon.com/
2024-06-301h 05
Psychedelic Divas4. From Menstruation to Menopause - Psychedelic Women's Health with Melissa WhippoIn this episode, we explore the role psychedelics, especially ketamine, can play in women's health from menstruation to menopause. Psychotherapist Melissa Whippo shares her history working with women both before and after birth to help them with anxiety, depression and other mood disorders. Melissa was behind the first study to determine whether ketamine was safe for lactating mothers. We discuss how psychedelics might mitigate hormonal fluctuations during PMS and perimenopause, addressing issues such as feminine rage and how ketamine can often soften challenging mood swings. We take a dive into the more "real" side of m...
2024-06-271h 09
Psychedelic Divas3. When The Medicine Says No In this episode, I dive into the recent developments in the psychedelic world, exploring the FDA advisory panel's surprising vote against the use of MDMA for treating PTSD. Join us as I unpack the implications of this decision and reflect on what it means for the future of psychedelic therapy. To put it in context, I provide a little historical back story on how MDMA became a Schedule I drug. I then discuss the history of MAPS and their tireless work to bring MDMA back into the therapeutic world as a legal medicine. I talk...
2024-06-1333 min
Psychedelic Divas2. How Guided Psychedelic Journeys Changed My Life with Sheri SalataWhat's a nice girl from the Midwest doing with an underground psychedelic guide? (Thanks for the inspiration, Michael Pollan!) The good, the bad and the transcendent—Sheri discusses her various journeys and the messages she received. Sheri and Carla discuss the various merits of snorting versus smoking 5-meO-DMT The power of integration. Sheri shares how she integrated the messages and visions from her journeys in order to uplevel her vibration—and her life! Sheri Salata is a world-class producer and transformation guide who leads women around the globe in creating limitless lives...
2024-05-301h 00
Psychedelic Divas1. Confessions of a Psychedelic DivaIn this inaugural episode of Psychedelic Divas, Carla Detchon speaks to the painful two-year process behind the creation of Psychedelic Divas. Follow along as she details her journey from terror to triumph as she perseveres in finally integrating the message the Universe handed her two years ago. RECEIVE YOUR FREE GUIDE: "PSYCHEDELIC SAFETY TIPS INCLUDING WHAT TO DO WHEN THINGS GO WRONG: https://psychedelicdivas.com/
2024-05-3026 min
Psychedelic DivasWelcome to Psychedelic DivasWelcome to Psychedelic Divas where we demystify the world of psychedelics through the wisdom of the divine feminine. In each episode you'll hear from amazing psychedelic filmmakers, doctors, authors, researchers, educators, storytellers, ceremonialists, underground guides, long-term keepers of the psychedelic flame and more. Our intention with this podcast is to provide a safe haven, a sanctuary for open-hearted individuals seeking personal growth, spiritual expansion, and a deeper connection with themselves and the world around them. Thanks for listening--We look forward to growing together.
2024-05-0702 min