Mind State Podcast

Abraham La Montagne joins the podcast to share his perspective built from a diverse background in biochemistry research, military service, Latin dancing, and of course jiu-jitsu. Abe has carved out a notable niche as a rapidly progressing Jiu-Jitsu athlete under the guidance of John Danaher. Through our discussion, Abe shares insights into his accelerated learning approach in Jiu-Jitsu, grappling's yin and yang, and the mindset behind his success. His unique views on the dance-like push and pull of jiu-jitsu and its mental challenges shed light on an often-overlooked aspect of the sport - mental health. The conversation takes a fascinating turn as we dive into the realm of philosophy, consciousness, and the use of psychedelics. From their potential in combating addiction to catalyzing personal transformation, Abe reveals his experiences and insights. Join us as we explore the intersection of martial arts, mental health, and psychedelics, and delve into the primal, tribal activities that keep us grounded yet propel us towards uncharted territories of the mind.

Matt Mormello joins the show to share his own path with the medicine and practice of Ayahuasca. We start out with Matt sharing his chance encounter with the power of plant medicines after watching a documentary about them. In that moment he knew with clarity that he had to pursue deeper investigation. Part of Matt's personal story is one of overcoming an extremely rare cancer at an young age of 19 years old followed by years of opiate addiction.  Early in his plant medecine journey he met a kindred spirit in his now wife, Jeanae, who is an integral component of what they have built with New Life Ayahuasca. He shares the astonishing serendipity of how things fell into place and have led to the retreat offerings they make available today.  Finally, we spend some time talking about what newcomers to ayahuasca can expect as they embark on their own healing journey with Ayahuasca including how they can prepare to get the most from their experience and take it back home into their lives post-retreat.  This particular episode is special in that we recorded it down here in Costa Rica at the end of a retreat I myself was in attendance at. I'm forever grateful for the work and guidance that Matt, Jeanae, Craig and Lina offered all of us. 

Caitlin joins the podcast in this episode to share her extensive experience with plant medicine including over 50 ayahuasca ceremonies and seven iboga experiences. She first turned to psychedelic medicine seeking relief from chronic undiagnosed illness. It's not the typical story of one and done, transcendence and healing all in a single session. It's been a long road and hard work. That's not to say progress has not been made though. Armed with deep insight and intermittent physical relief, Caitlin forges onward and shares her story.  These days her focus remains strongly tied to the psychedelic community. We discuss the Psychedelic Society of Texas which she co-directs as well as the work being done by Decrim ATX which is focused on the deprioritization of sacred plant medicines by law enforcement. 

Derek DuChesne (dew-shane) is the co-founder of Better U Care, a psychedelic-assisted therapy company currently specializing in ketamine treatment with both at-home and in-clinic models.  We start out with Derek sharing his own story of encountering ketamine after a bout of depression and suicidal ideation. Experiencing the transformation firsthand led to a deepening interest in the power of these medicines. This experience unfolded into an eventual collaboration with clinicians from Stanford's Psychedelic Science Center and Depression Research Clinic to explore ways to increase accessibility to psychedelic medicine. Join us for this episode to learn more about how you can find healing and inspiration in your own life.

Massy comes to the show to share her personal experience with Ayahuasca. She talks about how she and her husband serendipitously discovered the medicine in the aftermath of a hurricane and the profound effects it has had on her life. She provides a beautiful narration of her first encounter as well as her life afterwards. We wrap up by spending some time talking about her latest venture, Incubate.X, which is a women led and mission driven NFT launchpad. Their first project, Onanya, is focused on building an Ayahuasca center in Peru that will incorporate the shamans that led her through her own healing journey. 

David has a razor sharp mind and a powerful story to share. We warm things up by discussing his early life experience as a professional poker player and I attempt to draw some correlations between success in the game and a background of trauma. David convinces me that ultimately poker is about having a sound strategy and sticking to it over the longterm.   After this introduction we dig into the primary focus of the episode which is David's experience with MDMA assisted therapy and how he handled the discovery of a deep pattern of childhood sexual abuse. Despite the difficult nature of such a personal topic David does a tremendous job of opening his heart and sharing the story of his journey of transcending the shame and challenges associated with it.   While the discussion of his traumatic experience is a major focus this story is about much more than the past. David is bringing his story and that of others to the world with the intention of helping anyone who is suffering to find the healing they seek. He is doing this through his candor talking with me in this episode, but more importantly through his new podcast T is for Trauma, which you can find on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Youtube, and all major podcasting platforms.

Tatyana is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner on Faculty at UT Austin with the Psych Nurse Practitioner program. She also has a private practice where she treats mental health using a combination of meds and psychotherapy. She has recently added ketamine treatment to her private practice and came to the show to share her insights and thoughts on the subject. She comes to the table with a wealth of knowledge, experience, and skill for explaining the current state of mental health treatment, spending nearly two hours digging into the benefits and ways that ketamine can be used in conjunction with existing tools. Tatyana is an eloquent speaker, all around friendly person, and was a joy to have this conversation with. Please enjoy!

In this impromptu episode Derrick and I catch up on what we've been working on lately and then meander into some touchy subjects like pronouns, gun control, and polyamory. Despite coming to the table with different ideas and experiences I think we both learned a bit from each other. Check it out and let me know your thoughts on this stuff!

I have a quick solo episode for you this week! Just some quick updates on the direction I'm headed with the podcast and what I've been up to lately in my personal life.  Hint: Lots of upcoming content on psychedelic therapy and things of that nature!

Jon is a life long martial artist specializing in nogi jiu-jitsu and MMA. In addition to his background in the arts he is a deeply thoughtful and philosophical conversationalist.   We talk about his perspective on martial arts in general and cover some of his background including training at Greg Jackson's gym as a teenager. Jon also shares his excitement for 10th Planet Austin where he now trains full time.   We wrap things up by digging into psychedelics and how they have the power to shift our appreciation for life in such profound and impactful ways.

Michael is a retired Navy SEAL who spent 30 years on the teams. He is now the Director of Operations for the Mission Within, a psychedelic treatment program focusing on special operations and other clients with TBI, PTS, and mild addictions. He is also the Director of Programs San Diego for the Honor Foundation, which is an executive transition program for special operations personnel.   Michael recounts his own path to the medicine including his experiences and outcomes. The Mission Within leverages ibogaine and 5-meo-dmt in their treatment protocol so we focus heavily on the way these medicines work.   I'm incredibly excited about this episode and this topic in general. It's an honor to play a role in bringing this information to you. Expect much more on this topic to come in the future!

Ryan makes his second appearance on the podcast! We talk more about martial arts including the risk and danger of concussions, learning, teaching, and visualization.  We also talk about Ryan's own adventures and path of discovery for his spirituality and how he makes sense of the world. Before wrapping up we meander through some recent psychedelic experiences that will entertain and perhaps terrify.  It was great to catch up with my brother on the podcast and be able to get some more of his thoughts and stories recorded to share with all of you!

Adam is a lifetime martial artist with black belts in BJJ and Karate. Also an avid competitor, martial arts school owner and instructor, fire fighter, and more. We talk about Adam's "why" and the importance of doing things for the right reasons. 

Dana comes to the world bursting at the seams with energy and excitement for what she does. We dig into the relationship between eating amazing food and performing at the highest level. She also shares stories from life working on sail boats, training jiu-jitsu with Anthony Bourdain, and some key optimizations we can all make to eat better and be happier.

I asked 7 people the same 6 questions about NFTs, Crypto's strength and weaknesses, the missing killer feature, the metaverse, and the one thing they'd change about all of it.  Huge thanks to each of them for answering my questions!  Leon Flaksin Bryce Haggar Matt Chessco  Anthony Delacarpinery James Putra Daniel Moser Elizabeth Irazary

I want to know about you, the listener! This week is a short episode. Check it out to learn how to get involved in some badass giveaways and get involved by sharing some feedback. Then I wrap up the last half with a story from last week that will give some of you parents out there an insight that was a bit of  a breakthrough for me.

Harry is a co-founder at Othership which, is changing the game in the breath work space. They have a stellar app available packed with over 300 guided breath work experiences as well as a stunning physical location in Toronto, Canada.  We talk about how breath work can be used to prepare athletes and individuals to quickly change their state simply by getting intentional with their breath. Harry is an authentic and deeply kind man that will brighten your day and perhaps your life with the work he is doing. 

Melanie is a cofounder at Mindlight, an emotional training company based in Austin, TX. She is also a trainer, coach, entrepreneur, public speaker, and astute commenter on the many topics we covered.  In this episode you'll learn how you can identify the stories that rule your life and begin the work towards rescripting the narrative to be more in alignment with your true nature and purpose. 

Dr. Robb Kelly is a renowned addiction consultant who believes in treating the problem of addiction rather than the symptoms.  In this episode Dr. Robb shares some incredible stories that led to his life's work of treating alcoholism and substance abuse.  I had an absolute blast during this conversation and I know you'll walk away from this episode a better person.  

David is a lifetime martial artist, BJJ brown belt, holistic wellness coach and consultant, mental health advocate, public speaker, and meditation teacher.  He brings a wealth of knowledge to the table and is genuinely committed to making the world a better place, as you'll see when you listen to his story, his mission, and the way he views our existence as humans.  We touch on a ton of topics around the general themes of health, martial arts, wellness, consciousness, nootropics, mental health, substance abuse and beyond.

That's right, I'm the guest! My friend and fellow podcaster, Derrick Garza, took the reins and interviewed me! ​ We discuss my background, the crazy story about meeting my wife and getting married in less than 6 months, living and traveling in our skoolie, tiny life, and a glimpse into my approach to parenting. Derrick doesn't shy away from asking me about my view on psychedelics and their use in therapy nor my own experience using psychedelics to accelerate therapeutic breakthroughs. Finally, we talk about what this podcast is all about and where it's headed.  Strap in and enjoy the ride!

Brady was a bantamweight finalist on the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter. In this episode we catch up on what it was like being on the show, fighting through injury, and having to face a local friend from the same home town in his first fight for the season. We also spend some time talking about the mindset it takes to pull off amazing things in life and Brady shares the importance of belief in oneself as a cornerstone to success at the highest levels. Of course, we spent a little time talking about his teammate, Juliana Peña, and her recent championship win over Amanda Nunes for the UFC women's bantamweight belt. Brady is a great guy and will remind you of a younger Georges St-Pierre without the accent. He is utterly humble, incredibly friendly, and above all else – a true martial artist.

This week is a quick solo episode with the main topic being accountability. After some quick updates I talk about the number one thing I've found that is helping me make enormous progress on some massive goals. The best part for you is that admission is currently open and as of now there is zero charge. The only requirement is that you're working on a project or a business with the goal of bringing some win-win outcomes to the world. Give it a listen to learn more! Naval Ravikant - How to get rich without getting lucky. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-get-rich-every-episode/id1454097755?i=1000460753835 Unfold Mastermind: https://www.unfoldfest.com/mastermind

​Jason is a 1st degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Co-owner of Renzo Gracie Austin, former police officer, and co-founder of Invictus. This was a very interesting episode where we are able to dig into the intricacies of law enforcement and the important, but challenging need to better implement martial arts training for officers. Jason has a wealth of knowledge and brings unique and enriching insight to the many questions I asked him.

Chris is building a community just outside of Reno, Nevada that is focused on sustainable living, self-reliance, and supporting each other. We talk about the roadmap and challenges with such an ambitious project. Chris is a no-nonsense, straight shooting guy. I'm confident you will appreciate his approach to building a life worth living and his authentic style of discussion that leaves no room for needing to guess at his opinion.

Ryan Mulvihill is a 1st degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Marcelo Alonso. He cut his teeth in the MMA game amassing a winning record of 25-10 overall with 24 of those fights at the professional level. We discuss martial arts, his friend Juliana Peña's huge championship win for the women's UFC bantamweight title, bow hunting, psychedelics, the meaning of life, business and much more. 

Dr. Amanda Simonton has a wealth of knowledge on the topics of childhood trauma, substance abuse disorder, and psychiatry. She is also a very tough blue belt in jiu-jitsu. We talk a bit about what it is like training as a woman, how she manages her own mental health, and much more. There are some sensitive topics in here so if you have past traumatic experiences I encourage you to listen with some caution. 

Kicking off the year with a solo podcast to get everything caught up on the schedule changes. I also share my big resolutions for the year, talk about monetization plans, future content, make a huge commitment to an event in December and wrap things up with a few recommendations that made my 2021 awesome. 

In this episode Patrick's ocean of knowledge about innovation and knowledge management takes center stage as he pulls back the curtain to explain this industry from an insider's perspective. He also shares his experience with real estate investing, trying new things, his discomfort with questions about what it all means and much more. 

This was a fun one! We get things started talking about Hernando's philosophy and approach to jiu-jitsu for himself as well as his students. Then we dig into the topic of Christianity which was the most fun because of how far apart our views on the topic are. As you'll see, Hernando is a proud Christian. I think we both did a good job of approaching the subject with enough respect and appreciation for one another to actually have a fruitful discussion. Finally, we close out the show talking about business and the tactics and strategies Hernando, his wife/co-owner Amanda, and the rest of their team use to run and grow Alpha Jiu Jitsu + Fitness in Post Falls, Idaho. 

Kyle is an insightful, thoughtful, budding entrepreneur that is focusing on ventures with a community focus. In this episode we talk a bit about what got him moving in this direction and of course where things are headed. We learn about a few of the key techniques and resources he uses to stay charged up while taking on life and business. 

Derrick is a third degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Ricardo “Franjinha” Miller. We talk about the trials and tribulations of opening his academy, Dark Clan Fight Lab, and its recent closure. This opens a conversation about the ways in which our path in life sets up our expectations and response to challenges as adults. We also spend some time on the topic of talk therapy and how it can be stigmatized in our culture, especially for men. It was so much fun to sit down and have a deep conversation through a variety of topics with a long time friend and incredibly talented and interesting individual. 

Zeek is an incredible athlete with a moving story to share. He woke up one day and realized being 250 lbs with a 44 in the waist and XXL to 3XL shirt wasn't the life he wanted for himself. It all started with hitting the gym and changing his diet. Then he discovered sea moss and really hit his stride. In this episode Zeek shares his personal story and deep experience with using this supplement regularly. We had a fun time talking about jiu-jitsu and learning about the various types of sea moss and how to integrate it into my own life as well as yours. Thanks for listening!

In this episode I start by telling a story about my own life's entanglement with alcohol and my eventual victory over it. Then I share some options for how you can potentially change your own perspective and relationship with the oh so common substance. I briefly share some thoughts on A.A., discuss two books that were fundamental in my own development, and finally chat about some options with psychedelic approaches to recovery.  It gets personal at times, but I'm hopeful sharing my story will help someone else see some similarities in their own life and feel empowered to make a change if they think it makes sense for them.

In this episode I share some new info on the first four episodes. I promise there is some good stuff in here and if you've checked out the previous episodes this will be useful!  Also spend a little time talking about the future of the podcast. The main announcement being that I'm switching to bi-weekly format for the rest of 2021. Then Jan 3rd I plan to be back on the weekly schedule. More details inside, give it a listen!

You've certainly heard of the flow state before. First formalized into psychology in the 80s by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi this state of mind is characterized by effortless action where the balance between skill and challenge is dialed in, time warps to your advantage, and it is utterly exhilarating and enjoyable. In this episode I'll cover the aspects that characterize this sought after state and then dig into some actionable ways we can improve our aptitude for attaining it.

What are they good for? Do they work? How do they work? In this episode I'll answer these questions and more as I explore this controversial topic. I touch on the history really quick and then cover some of the main ingredients you'll find in them and how they affect the mind and body. 

Peptides are one of the most exciting compounds coming to light the last few years. They've been around forever, but actually getting access to them is relatively new. In this episode I focus on three peptides that are hailed for their benefits with injury recovery. I talk about BPC-157, MK-677, and TB-500 and share the top level info you need to know to decide if these make sense for you. 

Diving into the topic of Kratom as a supplement. I share info about the legal landscape, reasons people use it, potential side effects, and some personal stories and opinions about it. After listening this you'll know a heck of a lot more about Kratom and if you should give it a try yourself. 

This is a solo episode where I cover the main points you will want to know about to better understand the nuances in TRT. I discuss the benefits, the potential side effects, pre-existing conditions that don't play well, and much more.