Shows
Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersZen Master Genpo Roshi | Zen practice meets Western psychotherapy, enlightenment, and psychedelic awakeningsSend us a textIn today’s episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, we’re talking with Zen Master, Genpo Roshi. Roshi has been one of the pioneers of Zen throughout the U.S. and Europe. He’s known for his development of the Big Mind process, a method that combines Zen practice with Western psychological principles to facilitate personal transformation and insight. We discuss his early life experiences that set him on this path, the concepts of awakening and enlightenment, the nature of the mind, human being vs. doing, the judicious use of psychedelic tools, and th...2025-06-031h 06Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersCounterintuitive truths and paradoxes about healingSend us a textIn today’s episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, we’re talking about a few counterintuitive ideas or paradoxes that one might encounter on their personal growth or healing journey. Due to their paradoxical nature, these ideas can be difficult to accept. Ideas like, “only when I accept myself as I am do I then have the freedom to change” can be confusing at first glance. Reid and I attempt to clarify a few of the most common and important paradoxes in today’s episode and we hope you find it useful. For tho...2025-04-0844 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersAdult development | Waking up vs growing up, enlightenment, and the midlife crisis (Rebroadcast)Send us a textIn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss adult development. That’s right, folks. Developmental stages aren’t just for the kids. Reid and Steve explore different theories on adult development, particularly Ken Wilber’s integral theory and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. They talk a bit about their own approaches to personal development and how they help clients on this journey. They also discuss the phenomenon of the so-called midlife crisis, waking up vs growing up, how to zero in on your values and live...2025-02-111h 10Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersGrist for the mill: Ram Dass Legacy Retreat report with Jeremy Robison and John PattersonSend us a textReid has recently returned from the Ram Das Legacy Retreat in Maui run by the Love Serve Remember Foundation. In today’s episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast we sat down for a trip report with Reid’s brother, Jeremy Robison, and our friend, John Patterson, who also attended the retreat. We discuss the theme of the retreat (“grist for the mill”), their motives for going, their experiences at the retreat, the healing power of music, aversions to gurus, how life’s challenges can become our guru, the life of Ram Dass, psychedeli...2024-12-261h 00Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersPsychedelic studies, interpreting results, and the future of psychedelic researchSend us a textThere is a lot of exciting research going on right now in the world of psychedelic medicine. So much, in fact, that it can be difficult to keep track of it all. Where do you go for reliable information? How do you interpret results? How is it that studies with similar hypotheses can have contradictory findings? In today’s episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, we’re going to discuss these questions while we walk you through a few studies that Reid and I found interesting. Expect to learn what psilocybin does to t...2024-07-231h 09Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersWhat is shadow work?Send us a textHas there ever been a time when you didn’t feel like yourself? Maybe somebody did or said something to you and you overreacted in a way that left you feeling embarrassed or confused? Well, today we’re going to examine experiences like this through the lens of what Swiss psychotherapist, Carl Jung, called the shadow. You’re listening to Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers–the podcast devoted to exploring the frontiers of psychedelic medicine and what it takes to cultivate a healthy mind, body, and spirit. Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers is brought to you by Numinus...2024-07-1752 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersKnow thyself: Unlock the power of self-awarenessSend us a textIn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison talk about the importance and power of self-awareness. The phrase “know thyself” is often attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates, but the invitation to examine one’s self is found in many wisdom traditions. Reid and Steve explore the concept from a few angles today. They discuss what the “self” is that we’re seeking to know, various methods of self-inquiry, how psychedelics can be used as a tool for self-exploration, some challenges of developing self-awareness, and much mor...2024-01-1659 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersDealing with uncertaintySend us a textIn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss the challenge of dealing with uncertainty. This is a challenge we all deal with to some extent and is a source of existential dread for many. Reid and Steve discuss the constant and unavoidable nature of uncertainty, sources of uncertainty, what actions people tend to take to rid themselves of uncertainty and the pros/cons of those actions, how to embrace and cope with uncertainty, and much more. Learn more about our podcast at ht...2023-12-2653 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersAdult development | Waking up vs growing up, enlightenment, and the midlife crisisSend us a textIn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss adult development. That’s right, folks. Developmental stages aren’t just for the kids. Reid and Steve explore different theories on adult development, particularly Ken Wilber’s integral theory and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. They talk a bit about their own approaches to personal development and how they help clients on this journey. They also discuss the phenomenon of the so-called midlife crisis, waking up vs growing up, how to zero in on your values and live...2023-11-281h 10Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersPsychedelics and the pursuit of human flourishing with Jonathan RosembergSend us a textIn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison are joined by Jonathan Rosemberg to discuss his recent paper entitled, “Psychedelics and the Pursuit of Human Flourishing: An Examination of Research and Potential Psychological Mechanisms”. Jon is a consultant for Numinus and recently defended this paper as his capstone project for his masters of applied positive psychology at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania. Jon helps Reid and Steve explore the concept of human flourishing, self-transcendence, self-distancing, spiritual intelligence, meaning-making, compassion, beginner’s mind, and several other topics...2023-09-261h 13Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersPeople-pleasing, attachment styles, and making yourself a prioritySend us a textIn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss the topic of people-pleasing. Reid and Steve confess their own struggles with people-pleasing and what they’ve done to mitigate it. They explore the relationship between people-pleasing and attachment style, why being nice isn’t always so nice, how to set better boundaries, how self-compassion can help heal the wounds that lead to maladaptive people-pleasing, why selfishness can be a good thing, and much more.Learn more about our podcast at https://numinusnetwork.com/lear...2023-09-121h 05Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersParts work, IFS, and working with parts in psychedelic therapySend us a textIn today’s episode of Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss the concept of parts work, particularly through the lens of internal family systems or IFS. They explore the concept of internal parts, how this so-called symphony of selves operates, how parts work can help us live well and flourish, how parts manifest during psychedelic experiences, and much more.Come and attend the MAPS Psychedelic Science 2023 conference, Numinus is offering an exclusive 20% discount code to our PTF Podcast listeners. To get 20% off the registration price, click thi...2023-06-1349 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersAttachment styles and using psychedelics to heal attachment woundsSend us a textIn today’s episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss attachment styles and how psychedelic therapy might be used to address issues related to attachment wounding.Come and attend the MAPS Psychedelic Science 2023 conference, Numinus is offering an exclusive 20% discount code to our PTF Podcast listeners. To get 20% off the registration price, click this link (https://bit.ly/3kzoofk) and use the code NWI20 at checkout.Learn more about our psychedelic training programs at HERE and use code PTF10 at...2023-05-1650 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersHow to hold space for others, yourself, and in psychedelic therapySend us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison talk about holding space. They discuss what it means to hold space for others, why holding space is a gift when done well, how to hold space for yourself, and they explore the power that skillful space-holding has in a psychedelic therapy session.Come and attend the MAPS Psychedelic Science 2023 conference, Numinus is offering an exclusive 20% discount code to our PTF Podcast listeners. To get 20% off the registration price, click this link (https://bit.ly/3k...2023-04-1847 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersWhat is happiness?Send us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison ask the question, “what is happiness?”. They try to define the term, explore ancient wisdom and modern research on happiness, and talk about why the pursuit of happiness kind of defeats the purpose. They also dip into how psychedelic experiences effect happiness, and even reveal some of the details behind their own personal struggles with happiness.Come and attend the MAPS Psychedelic Science 2023 conference, Numinus is offering an exclusive 20% discount code to our PTF Podcast list...2023-04-111h 00Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersPerfectionism isn't what you think it isSend us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison talk about "perfectionism". They discuss the light and shadow sides of perfectionism, talk about the difference between obsessive compulsive disorder and obsessive compulsive personality disorder, how to address perfectionism from an internal parts or IFS perspective, the value of failure, and much much more. (3:07) SXSW psychedelic panel recap(5:17) Rick Doblin legality panel recap(9:01) MAPS success(13:24) Steve intros perfectionism(18:34) The NEO Personality Inventory Test(20:17) Examples of perfectionism(30:03) Enoughness(33:17) From a...2023-04-0456 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersCrisis of faith: How to survive religious faith deconstructionSend us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss how to navigate a crisis of religious faith.(2:30) Why it's hard to talk about religious belief (5:10) The "nones" and the secularization of the West(8:52) What's at stake with a religious faith transition(13:57) The risk of your moral character being questioned(17:30) How to support a loved one who is going through a faith deconstruction (20:55) Thriving and Building Community After a Faith Crisis TEDx Talk(22:15) Mistrust of your own instincts...2023-02-211h 00Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersGrit, resilience, and learning from failureSend us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss grit, resilience, and learning from failure. They explore the difference between growth and fixed mindsets, how attribution style affects resiliency, tips on how to reduce your fear of failure, and much more. (1:33) How Batman deals with failure(3:59) How our beliefs about failure affect how we cope with it(7:23) Explanatory/attribution styles and fixed vs growth mindsets(10:15) Mindset, by Carol Dweck(11:44) How to develop a growth mindset(16:38) How to expand...2023-02-1439 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersWho am I? Authenticity, honesty, and living your truthSend us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss authenticity. They talk about what it means to live one’s truth, the relationship between values and authenticity, what congruence has to do with it, why being authentic can be risky, and much more. (1:34) Les Miserables (4:28) What does it mean to be authentic?(6:46) Authenticity vs transparency, prosocial lies vs antisocial lies(9:58) Are Reid and Steve authentic on the podcast?(13:22) The components of authenticity (14:48) The fluidity of who you "really are"2023-02-0747 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersParenting, attachment, and not screwing up our kidsSend us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss parenting. They talk about how difficult parenting is, how parenting styles affect childhood and later adult attachment styles, being an emotion coach as a parent, how to raise resilient kids, genetics, and much more.(1:33) Parenting is hard(6:20) Spanking (7:00) Good Inside, by Dr. Becky Kennedy and being "home base" for your child(10:03) The value of consistency(11:55) Generational differences and improving on the parenting you received (14:02) Repairs and apologies (16:13) The W...2023-01-3155 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersWhat's love got to do with it?Send us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss the many facets of love. They explore what love is, how it’s extended and received, the concept of unconditional positive regard, why it’s so important to feel seen and understood, the role feelings of love play in psychedelic medicine…and much more.(1:22) The core need of being seen(3:29) Unconditional positive regard and Carl Rogers(4:58) The first duty of love is to listen(7:11) Love in parenting(9:31) Validate before reassuring or fix...2023-01-2533 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersThe shadow side of psychedelic therapy with Dr. Chantelle ThomasSend us a textIn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer, Dr. Reid Robison, and Dr. Joe Flanders welcome clinical psychologist, clinical trial researcher, and psychedelic therapist, Dr. Chantelle Thomas to the show for an important conversation about the shadow side of psychedelic therapy. They discuss how therapists harm their clients, the high bar of competence and self-awareness that psychedelic therapists need to clear in order to do this work, the limitations and potential pitfalls of psychedelic therapy training programs, the importance of good supervision and being open to feedback, the dangers...2023-01-171h 42Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersNew Year's intentions, discipline, self-compassion, and the middle waySend us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss setting intentions for the new year. They explore how to set values-based intentions vs goals, the struggle of walking the middle path between ambition and contentment, the value of journaling, and much more. (2:00) New Year's resolutions and how our values change(3:41) Essentialism by Greg McKeown and setting an essential intent for the year(4:57) The backlash against "hustle culture" and balancing on the middle way(9:12) Discipline, self-compassion, and play(12:00) Giving yourself "...2023-01-1046 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersWhat you need to know about ketamine-assisted therapySend us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss what you need to know about ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. (1:43) Ram Dass's family dinner (4:27) What is ketamine?(7:05) What does ketamine feel like?(11:29) Ketamine as a psychotomimetic (12:53) Ego dissociation as a therapy (14:54) The limitations of ketamine therapy(16:00) The different approaches to ketamine therapy(23:10) Ketamine dosing strategies (27:05) Psychedelic, psycholytic, and psychiatric uses of ketamine (28:30) The advantages of combining ketamine and psychotherapy(33:17) Typical course of ketamine treatment (37:20) Spravato and the...2023-01-0346 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersManifesting, the placebo effect, and how beliefs shape your lifeSend us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss the power of belief, the placebo effect, manifesting and the law of attraction, and how these things are relevant for psychedelic-assisted therapy and life. (0:52) Childhood fears and scary movies (4:00) The conflict between rational thought and felt sense(5:08) Why do people believe what they believe?(7:22) How beliefs are related to mental illness (9:45) Cognitive biases and the scientific method(13:45) Evolutionary basis of beliefs(16:36) The placebo effect(27:30) Manifesting and the law...2022-12-2050 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersControl vs surrender in psychedelic therapy and in lifeSend us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss the paradox of control and surrender in psychedelic assisted therapy and in life. (1:45) A poem about control vs surrender written by an AI chat bot(4:24) The Serenity Prayer(5:50) Avoidance and our attachments to control are at the root of many types of suffering(9:29) Allowing and the wisdom to know when to stop(13:29) Radical Acceptance, by Tara Brach (14:19) Acceptance, the comfort zone, and struggle(17:41) Ceremony as a way to...2022-12-1351 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersHow to set boundaries for better relationships and better mental healthSend us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss how to set healthy boundaries so your relationships can be energizing and your mental health can flourish. (2:00) Boundaries are important in many facets of life(4:00) Our basic need for belonging(4:40) Transcend, by Scott Barry Kaufman(7:21) Don't take on what isn't yours(10:25) Setting boundaries isn't the same as selfishness (13:55) Boundaries allow you to be generous (15:51) The challenges of changing your boundaries (21:08) Types of boundaries(22:55) Borderline personality disorder2022-11-2957 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersSelf-care strategies for the psychedelic therapistSend us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss self-care strategies for the psychedelic therapist. (1:30) Self-care vs self-indulgence (3:02) Why is self-care a necessity for therapists(6:05) The therapist is an important part of the setting(8:45) Managing the long sessions typical of psychedelic therapy sessions(11:40) How much of this work can a therapist handle?(13:18) Staying attuned when the client is still and quiet(15:00) Modeling good self-care for clients(17:45) Logistical support for the psychedelic therapist (19:19) What Reid and S...2022-11-2243 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersMusic as medicineSend us a textOn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer, Dr. Reid Robison, and Dr. Joe Flanders discuss the healing power of music. They share their personal journeys with and connections to music, childhood piano lessons, the powerful effect music has on emotion, how they use music in psychedelic therapy, and much, much more. (1:55) Reid's music journey(4:00) Steve's music journey(7:05) Joe's music journey(10:00) Why we pair music with psychedelic therapy(13:52) What kind of music pairs well with psychedelic therapy(16:20) East Forest and Trevor Hall...2022-11-1556 min
The Mindspace Podcast: Inspiring WellbeingJon Hopkins on Music for Psychedelic Therapy“As if in each of us
There once was a fire
And for some of us
There seem as if there are only ashes now
But when we dig in the ashes
We find one ember
And very gently we fan that ember
Blow on it
It gets brighter
And from that ember we rebuild the fire
Only thing that's important is that ember
That's what you and I are here to celebrate”
Ram Dass quote, lyri...2022-11-081h 06Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersHow to prepare for a psychedelic journeySend us a textIn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss how to prepare for a psychedelic journey.(2:35) Terminology: harm reduction vs. conscious preparation(4:00) Preparation might be the most overlooked aspect of the psychedelic experience(4:30) Importance of long-term, intermediate, and short-term prep(6:45) Physical preparation: contraindications, the potential need to taper off medications, nutrition…(8:00) Reid’s story of the Buddha doing yoga before starting on his path in order to be able to sit still long enough to actually attain enlightened states...2022-10-2545 minPsychedelic Therapy FrontiersCan psychedelics make you more psychologically flexible?Send us a textIn this episode of Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison explore how psychedelic medicine might make one more psychologically flexible. They discuss what psychological or cognitive flexibility means, how it’s implicated in mental health, how psychedelics influence it, the concept of entropy applied to the brain, and much more. (1:29) Strength and flexibility (3:29) The REBUS model and entropic brain theory (4:04) Neuroplasticity (8:38) The transdiagnostic benefits of psychedelics (9:28) Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)(11:14) Mindfulness and equanimity (17:14) Resistance leads to suffering(19:20) Living Untethered, by...2022-10-1935 min
Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersMescaline: history, uses, and researchSend us a textIn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison talk about the history, mechanisms of action, and therapeutic applications of the psychedelic Mescaline. (4:11) Introduction to the topic(7:35) Why we started the podcast(8:05) Yoga tangent (12:30) What is mescaline?(14:25) History of mescaline(16:02) Psychedelic dog study(28:29) Mescaline research(36:23) Aldous Huxley's trip description(38:48) Subjective effects survey(42:51) Humans are evolutionally wired for survival Email us questions and feedback at psychfrontiers@novamind.ca Learn more about our podcast at ht...2022-09-2748 min
Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersMDMA-Assisted Therapy: indications, research, and practiceSend us a textIn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison discuss MDMA-assisted therapy. They explore the following topics: (2:00) Making this year the best year yet(3:57) The early history of MDMA with Alexander "Sasha" Shulgin and Merck (7:00) The pioneering work of Sasha and Ann Shulgin(9:32) Why MDMA became illegal and the repercussions (10:23) MDMA study with couples(11:00) Chemical structure and mechanisms of action in the brain(13:20) Why does MDMA help with PTSD and post-traumatic growth(19:40) Is MDMA the same as ecst...2022-09-2052 min
Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersIbogaine: psychedelic treatment for substance use disorders with Dr. Bruno RasmussenSend us a textIn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison are joined by Dr. Bruno Rasmussen MD to talk about the psychedelic, ibogaine. Bruno is an internal medicine physician, gastroenterologist, and the CMO of Beneva Clinics in São Paulo, Brazil. Bruno has spent the last 20 years working with ibogaine to treat substance use disorders with incredible success.Beneva Clinics website: https://clinicabeneva.com/en/Beneva Clinics Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benevaclinics/(1:55) Bruno introduces himself and to how ibogaine is used i...2022-09-131h 10
Psychedelic Therapy FrontiersQ&A Episode with Steve and ReidSend us a textIn this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison answer your questions! This is the first of what will be many Q&A episodes, so if you like the show and want Reid and Steve to answer your questions, email them to psychfrontiers@novamind.ca (1:54) Introduction to the topic(4:36) What are the pros and cons of legalizing psychedelic therapy?(13:22) Is there a preferred therapy modality to use with psychedelic therapy?(17:58) Episode on the essential qualities of a psychedelic therapist(21:46) What...2022-09-0659 min