Podcasts about fireside project

We're back with a brand new topic! In this episode we sit down with sex and relationship psychotherapist Nicole Thompson, an expert in psychedelic integration therapy and non-monogamous relationship structures.

Imagine you're in the middle of a psychedelic journey—things are getting intense, and you just need someone to talk to. That's whereFireside Project comes in. As the world's first psychedelic peer support line, Fireside is redefining how we care for each other in altered states, offering a space where anyone can find guidance, validation, and a steady voice in uncertain moments. But beyond the helpline, Fireside is also an incredible entry point for those looking to work in the field of psychedelic support. If you're a practitioner, facilitator, or simply curious about holding space for others, this conversation is for you.In this episode, Fireside Executive Director Joshua White breaks down the essential skills for psychedelic peer support, from understanding the differences between coaching, therapy, and crisis intervention to mastering theart of presence. We explore whyvalidation is often more powerful than de-escalation, the growing importance ofintegration coaching, and the pitfalls ofself-abandonment in the psychedelic industry. Plus, we dig into what it really means toheal the wounded healer—the emotional labor of this work and how to care for yourself while caring for others.Joshua White is the Founder and Executive Director of Fireside Project, a nonprofit dedicated to making psychedelic support accessible and culturally attuned at scale. Through itsPsychedelic Support Line, Fireside provides real-time help for those navigating challenging experiences, while itsFireside-Certified Psychedelic Coaching Program offers deeper, long-term integration support. Before founding Fireside, Joshua was a Deputy City Attorney for San Francisco, where he fought against businesses exploiting vulnerable communities and co-taught a nationally recognized Yale Law School clinic. Now, he's bringing his passion for advocacy, harm reduction, and healing to the psychedelic space—reshaping how we support one another on these journeys.Timetamps(04:38) Joshua White's Personal Journey(09:00) The Art of Presence(11:48) Distinguishing Peer Support, Coaching, and Psychotherapy(21:07) Fireside Project's Approach to Support(35:46) The Future of Psychedelic Support and AI(41:41) The Need for Long-Term Support in Psychedelic Therapy(47:07) Challenges in the Psychedelic  Industry(52:37) Balancing Personal Well-being and Professional Commitment(59:12) The Importance of Peer Support(01:08:16) Joshua White's Transition AnnouncementLinksFireside Project: Psychedelic Coaching & Peer Support LineFireside Project (@firesideproject)Curious about becoming Fireside's new ED?

Welcome back to The Trip Report Podcast, a production of Beckley Waves.Today, we're speaking with Josh White, the founder and executive director of Fireside Project, an innovative nonprofit that offers psychedelic coaching and real-time peer support for people navigating psychedelic experiences.After a career as a lawyer representing the city and county of San Francisco, he shifted his focus to the mental health space and ultimately combined his two passions—psychedelics and crisis support—into Fireside Project.Fireside Project is best known for its free, confidential psychedelic support line, offering assistance to people during and after their experiences. Since launching in 2021, the hotline has facilitated over 30,000 conversations, helping individuals process everything from mystical awakenings to difficult trips. Now, Josh and his team are expanding their work through Fireside Certified Psychedelic Coaching, a service designed to provide long-term, nonclinical support to those integrating profound psychedelic insights into their daily lives.In this conversation, we discuss:* The origins of Fireside Project and its mission* How the support line works and the types of calls they receive* The launch of Fireside's coaching program and the growing need for structured psychedelic guidance* The difference between harm reduction and transformational support* How psychedelic support fits into the future of mental health care* And much more.And now, I bring you my conversation with Josh White.Listen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.Credits:* Hosted by Zach Haigney* Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari* Find us at thetripreport.com* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTubeTheme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com

This episode of the Plant Medicine Podcast welcomes Dr. Angela Carter (they/them) to discuss the intersection of the LGBTQIA2S+ community and psychedelics. Dr. Carter is a queer, transgender, and genderqueer naturopathic primary care physician who also works as a midwife, sexual assault examiner, and health equity advocate in Portland, Oregon. They also serve as both the vice-chair and the equity in training subcommittees co-chair of the Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board. In addition to these positions, Dr. Carter serves as the chair of the Transgender Health Program Community Advisory Board at Oregon Health & Science University. They also volunteer with many organizations including the Fireside Project, Black Rock City Emergency Services, and Queerdome.  Dr. Carter begins this conversation by sharing exciting new research currently being conducted which involves LGBTQIA2S+ individuals and psychedelic therapies. While this particular area of research remains small, it is growing and the fruits of these studies will be an important step for better understanding how these new therapies can serve gender and sexuality minorities, and help facilitators understand the unique concerns of people in the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Dr. Carter illustrates these types of concerns by discussing the prevalence of gender binaries within psychedelic spaces. They describe how in a clinical setting it is prevalent to have both a male and a female facilitator, but this leaves no room for gender-nonconforming people to guide experiences—something which could be preferable if the patient themselves shares this identity.  Dr. Carter also discusses this gender binary in traditional contexts. It is common for ayahuasca ceremonies to provide separate spaces for men and women, again leaving no space for gender-nonconforming people. This reification of the gender binary and the often patriarchal organization of the ayahuasca ceremony can have serious impacts on the set and setting, especially for people in the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Dr. Carter emphasizes the importance of making space for folks in the community so that they are able to receive therapy, attend ceremonies, and participate in integration with others who share similar identities. This shared identity, they emphasize, ensures that LGBTQIA2S+ people don't feel out of place in contexts that ought to be healing. Dr. Carter closes by discussing how members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community experience disproportionate rates of mental illness, further illustrating the crucial importance of equity in accessing psychedelic medicine.    In this episode: Problems of representation and access for LGBTQIA2S+ individuals in the psychedelic space Current research being done on the intersection between psychedelic therapies and unique issues faced by gender and sexuality minorities Preparations to take before guiding a psychedelic experience for LGBTQIA2S+ people, particularly if you do not come from the community How plant medicines could have unique benefits for the LGBTQIA2S+ community Issues of poverty faced by marginalized peoples and how to support equity of access to emerging psychedelic therapies   Quotes: “For some people that idea of melding, of becoming one and losing all of those unique pieces of themselves, doesn't fit their paradigm of a spiritual connecting experience.” [10:47]  “It's precious, that centering of our community—to be able to sit with people who just understand.” [19:42]  “Psychedelics offer the opportunity for connection of the self to something greater, something outside, a bigger community, spirituality, and really do a huge amount to heal peoples' relationships with substances.” [25:20]  “Marginalized communities have been really impacted, largely, by the war on drugs, which has put millions of people in jail for drug offenses and stolen their ability to make income, stolen their ability to connect with community and we really need to heal that.” [33:34]   Links: Chacruna Institute Queering Psychedelics 2019 Conference Queerdome on Facebook  Portland Psychedelic Society Psychedelic Medicine Association Porangui

There comes a moment in every seeker's journey where the path forward demands not just intention, but a guiding hand. Our latest episode answers one of the questions we get a lot from beginners. 'Can I trip solo or do I need a guide?' Choosing a sitter or guide for psychedelic journeys, is a choice almost as critical as the experience itself. We share heartfelt narratives that illuminate the emotional intricacies of such decisions, discussing how relationships evolve and how these transformations can affect the sense of security one feels with a trip sitter. Unspoken bonds, trust, and the financial realities that often lead to non-professional support all come under our thoughtful gaze. We're not just talking about safety nets here; we're revealing the soul connections that make or break transformative experiences.As we wade into the waters of our consciousness, the ripples of our psychedelic journeys extend far beyond the shores of the experience itself. We unravel the importance of integration, a journey that continues long after the effects of the substances have faded. It's a discussion that extends a hand to those who find it hard to ask for help, highlighting the power of surrendering to the care of a community. Each unique integration process is like a thread woven into the fabric of our lives, sometimes subtle like the benefits of microdosing, other times profound and life-altering. Our conversation takes a compassionate look at the lifelong dance of integrating insights into the everyday, a ballet of the soul that requires grace, patience, and the courage to be vulnerable.Our exploration doesn't end at the boundaries of the mind; it spans to the significance of surrounding oneself with the right people. We reflect on what to look for in a trip sitter — someone who brings calm to the chaos, who lets emotional expressions flow uninhibited, and whose own inner work shines like a beacon in the tempest. The episode isn't just a guide; it's a companion piece to those seeking to embrace their quirks and the weirdness that makes us wonderfully human. We discuss resources like the Fireside Project for those in need, and through it all, a message is clear: the right support person isn't just valuable; they're essential, lending their serenity to our inner turmoil and aiding in the journey toward healing.https://firesideproject.org/ Colors Use code OTHERSIDE15 for 15% off of our favorite mushroom gummies!Support the Show.Our Website:https://linktr.ee/seeyouontheothersidepodcast

On today's episode we have Cy (They/Them) join us for a conversation about the transformative power of community. Together we talk about exploring psychedelics for pleasure, creating more equitable access through gardening, and how our kinky buttons change. If you enjoyed today's podcast, then please subscribe, leave a review, or share this podcast with a friend! To learn more, head over to the website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.modernanarchypodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And if you want to connect deeper with the Modern Anarchy Family, then join the movement by becoming a part of the conscious objectors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is what powers this work and the larger societal change we are creating! Let's continue to challenge our assumptions and grow together. Join the community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/user?u=54121384⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Transcript : https://www.modernanarchypodcast.com/post/144-queering-psychedelics-consent-and-community-with-cy Intro and Outro Song: Wild Wild Woman by Your Smith Modern Anarchy Community: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.modernanarchypodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/modernanarchypodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/user?u=54121384⁠ CY's Community: Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/queerly_psychedelic/ Resource to Learn More: Sana Healing Collective : https://sanahealingcollective.org/ Fireside Project : https://firesideproject.org/ Dance Safe: https://dancesafe.org/ Bunk Police : https://bunkpolice.com/

In this episode – with the 2024 edition of Vital announced and officially on sale – we're launching another series of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, with David hosting Jasmine Virdi: Vital instructor, writer, educator, and activist who works at Synergetic Press and volunteers for Fireside Project; and Tabata Gerk: Vital student, psychotherapist, and facilitator. As always, they discuss what they think the most vital conversation should be right now, largely expressing concerns over the medicalization of psychedelics and the idea of a ‘traumadelic culture,' where psychedelics are often only seen as healers of trauma and not doorways to mysticism and new ideas. And they point out another concern: the romanization of Indigenous culture and not recognizing that these are contemporary cultures that are affected by the same Western, capitalist paradigms that affect us all. They also discuss the concept of epistemic injustice and needing to respect other ways of knowing; hyper-individualism and why we became so reductionist as a society; the role of money (who defines the problem and the solution?); concerns over who decides who is allowed to use these substances; the power of small steps of change; and, through talking about Gerk's recent Amazonian ayahuasca experience, they dig into what it is about these experiences and surrounding communities that make them so special. Could we take some of that and effectively incorporate it into our Western models? Click here to head to the show notes page. 

In this episode, Xochitl sits down with Entheogenic Recovery Counselor, Becca Evans, to explore the connection between addiction, healing, and the use of sacred plant medicines. Becca shares her personal journey of addiction, recovery, and transformation, highlighting the importance of community and embracing one's true identity, especially within the context of the queer community. Becca shares an alternative perspective to addiction recovery using sacred earth medicines as a support tool, challenging traditional views of addiction as a "brain disease" and advocating for a more empathetic and supportive path to healing. Becca Evens identifies as a queer, former IV-heroin user, and is a certified addiction counselor. Becca is also a integration coach with a 7-year ongoing intentional relationship with sacred plant and fungi medicines, and uses a harm reduction approach in their work with folks across the broad spectrum of recovery. Becca sees community, close relationship to Earth, and self-empowerment as vital components to healing as a queer person in today's system. Becca believes in each person's ability to access and empower their inner healer, and utilizes a variety of perspectives, research and approaches to tailor their approach to the individual. Becca is a mother of 2 amazing children, one who is gender expansive. Becca is a volunteer with Fireside Project's free psychedelic support line, and is also a facilitator for Psychedelic Recovery, founded by Danielle Negrin of San Francisco Psychedelic Society. If you enjoyed this podcast episode, please consider leaving us a review, which is an amazing zero-cost way to support the creators of this podcast. Connect with Becca: www.mycophoria.org ⁠Instagram: @mycoforia Connect with Xochitl: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.XochitlAshe.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign-up for Xochitl's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our Sponsors: Teona Retreat Center (currently called Magical Medicine Journeys), offers legal psilocybin retreats in beautiful San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast listeners can take $150 off their next retreat when they apply⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Microdosify⁠⁠⁠⁠ offers FREE community led support groups dedicated to helping you integrate your psychedelic experiences. Click on 'Get Support' to sign-up, and listen to the end of the podcast for a 10% off shop code. (00:00) Welcome to Sacred Psychedelics (00:45) Who is Becca Evans? (02:02) Becca's personal story with addiction (06:33) Motherhood's role in transitioning into adulthood (09:13) The Sacred Mushroom as a spiritual discovery tool in healing addiction (15:19) Addiction is not a brain-disease (20:31) SPONSOR: Teona Retreats (21:24) SPONSOR: Microdosify (21:29) An Indigenous Worldview on addiction (23:59) Sacred medicines as a healing tool for addiction (26:37) Healing addiction through the lens of harm reduction (28:04) The need for a Queer Psychedelic Society (34:50) Modern health crisis: a poisoned drug supply (35:42) Sacred mushrooms for addiction disruption (38:54) One final piece of wisdom (40:36) Viewer Zero-Cost Support: Leave us a review (40:56) SPONSOR Thank you: Microdosify - use code 'Sacred' for 10% off --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sacredpsychedelics/message

This revolutionary service is designed to cater to individuals who find themselves in the midst of a psychedelic experience or in need of vital integration support.The Fireside Project is a shining beacon in the expanding landscape of psychedelic research and advocacy. It stands as a testament to the growing recognition of the importance of providing compassionate and informed assistance to those who choose to explore the profound realms of psychedelics outside of clinical settings. Joshua White's leadership in spearheading this initiative underscores the urgency and significance of creating a safe space for individuals to turn to during their psychedelic journeys.One of the key points of discussion in this episode is the critical role of a helpline specifically tailored for nonclinical psychedelic users. With the resurgence of interest in psychedelics as a therapeutic tool, many individuals are embarking on personal journeys without the guidance of medical professionals. This reality emphasizes the need for accessible and empathetic support, ensuring that anyone who chooses to explore these substances can do so with a sense of security and trust in the process.To learn more about Fireside, visit: firesideproject.org.

Elizabeth J.O. is a Holistic Dietitian Nutritionist and Change Coach with 15 years of clinical experience. Since graduating from Bastyr University, she has studied: coaching, human behavior, psychology, yoga, flow states, and mindfulness-based therapies. In her free time, she offers peer support in online forums and volunteers at festivals providing psychedelic harm reduction with N.E.S.T, Zendo Project, Fireside Project, RestPit, and Sanctuary. Elizabeth co-founded Altered States Integration in 2012 to reduce the barriers accessing integration services. She is a director at Psychedelic Society of Texas or PsyT and organizes their online chapter. She has also authored Breaking Emotional Addiction: Neurohacking BPD with Ibogaine, detailing her personal healing journey. Elizabeth is passionate about reducing barriers to finding compassionate support for processing non-ordinary states of consciousness. She is currently studying coaching at Lumia.Episode Highlights▶ Elizabeth challenges conceptions about Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) being contraindicated in the use of psychedelics▶ How iboga provided her significant relief from ruminations and addictive tendencies, which were symptoms of her own BPD▶ The importance of a baseline of emotional well-being before engaging with psychedelics▶ Altered States Integration, co-founded by Elizabeth, which focuses building community through peer integration coaching▶ Elizabeth's holistic background as a dietician and the nutrition course she is developing to compliment psychedelic work▶ Her book, "Breaking Emotional Addiction: Neurohacking BPD with Ibogaine", which showcases her personal healing journey▶ The risks of the unregulated psychedelic market in Colorado, where products lack testing and labeling standards▶ Inadequate support and integration for individuals undergoing ketamine therapy ▶ Common challenging psychedelic experiences: recreational use gone wrong, lack of substance testing, and unskillful guidance ▶ The pitfalls of ego inflation and spiritual bypassing in the psychedelic space▶ The need for community, accessibility and ethical standards in the field Elizabeth J.O.'s James's Links & Resources▶ Website: www.AlteredStatesIntegration.com▶ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alteredstatesintegration/ ▶ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlteredStatesIntegration▶ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/71800223/admin/feed/posts/

In this episode, Raquel and Jennifer speak with guest Shelby Terrell, a queer, non-monogamous Sex and Relationship Therapist who works primarily with the LGBTQIA+ population, specializes in kink and is training to be a psychedelic therapist. She is also an intimacy coordinator for film and television where she acts as a liaison between the actors and directors to ensure boundaries and consent are being upheld, as well as create a culture of consent and work with the production team to help tell responsible and accurate stories of sex. How did a Mormon from Utah become a sex educator, consent advocate, and intimacy liaison? Listen to find out! #sex #sexuality #sexeducation #intimacy #kink #BDSM #consent #psychadelics #egodeathWhere to find Shelby:IG: @theshelbyterrellSIECUS : https://siecus.orgNPR - The History of Marriage: https://www.npr.org/transcripts/584531641Dr.Zhana : https://www.instagram.com/drzhana/Fireside Project: https://www.instagram.com/firesideproject/Gul Dolen MD, PhD: https://neuroscience.jhu.edu/research/faculty/23MAPS: https://www.instagram.com/maps__org/ Magazine: https://www.instagram.com/doubleblindmag/Brooklyn Psychedelic Society: https://www.instagram.com/brooklynpsychedelicsociety/ Psychedelics Today: https://www.instagram.com/psychedelicstoday/ John & Rachel's  BD$M Pre-Scene Consultation: https://rachelwrightnyc.lpages.co/landing-page-pre-scene-consult/Mary Casimono: https://hopkinspsychedelic.org/cosimanoLet Raquel and Jennifer know what you think about this and other episodes of Madness Cafe on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at madnesscafepodcast@gmail.com.And don't forget to rate and review the show wherever you listen!Thanks for listening and responding!

In this episode of the Psychedelic Medicine Podcast, Joshua White returns to discuss the role of peer support in the psychedelic ecosystem. Joshua (he/him) is founder and executive director of Fireside Project and has prior experience as a volunteer counselor on a hotline and as a volunteer at the Zendo Project. He has also practiced law as a deputy city attorney at the San Francisco City Attorney's Office, where he focused on suing business exploiting vulnerable communities. He also co-taught a nationally-renowned clinic at Yale Law School. In this conversation, Joshua shares updates from the first two years of Fireside Project, the psychedelic peer support hotline. He mentions that the hotline has grown nearly 1,000% since their first month, with the number receiving 1,500 calls this past month. Joshua also discusses the intricacies of peer support, sharing why he thinks this form of support is particularly well-suited to psychedelic experiences and how he understands the relationship between psychotherapy and peer support. In closing, Joshua reminds listeners that Fireside Project is available to take calls from anyone working through a psychedelic experience—whether they are in the midst of an altered state of mind or seeking to integrate a past experience.    In this episode: When to call the psychedelic peer support hotline The history of peer support and when it may be helpful Why Joshua believes its important for peer support volunteers to have had their own psychedelic experiences The ways peer support and psychotherapy differ The limits of peer support How peer support is similar to the methods used in MDMA-assisted therapy Critiques of peer support Joshua has heard and his responses The relationship between peer support and theoretical frameworks in psychotherapy    Quotes: “In non-psychedelic peer support, often the peer-ness starts with a pathology—alcohol use disorder, tobacco use disorder, etc. Psychedelic peer support, the idea is that having had a psychedelic experience by itself is the layer of peer-ness that's needed to go deeper with someone regardless of other aspects of your identity you may have.” [8:55] “One of the, I think, key parts of peer support is that we don't interpret a caller's experience for them. We are present with them so that they can interpret their experience and we can create a safe and non-judgmental space for them to engage in that kind of interpretation.” [18:32] “I think especially with an experience as vast as the type that can be precipitated by psychedelics, having multiple forms of support is essential.” [22:23]   Links: Fireside Project website Fireside Project on Instagram Fireside Project on Twitter Previous episode: Insights Gained from the First Year of Fireside Project with Joshua White Previous episode: Fireside Project: The World's First Psychedelic Hotline with Joshua White and Hanifa Nayo Washington Psychedelic Medicine Association Porangui

In this episode, David interviews two founding members of Fireside Project: activist, healing justice practitioner, musician, and Chief Ambassador, Hanifa Nayo Washington; and lawyer, aspiring researcher, and Executive Director, Joshua White, Esq. Fireside Project was created after White volunteered for a help line for years and realized a few things: that follow-up calls made a big difference; that the state of mental health in the U.S. was a disaster (he was talking to some of the same people for years); and that while psychedelics were becoming popular, they would likely only be accessible to the wealthy. Alongside Washington, they realized the most effective thing they could do would be creating a free help line where people could call for peer support during a psychedelic experience, and receive support in integrating that experience afterward. They've focused on finding volunteers who may be marginalized or who have been persecuted from the war on drugs, but most importantly, have real experience and true compassion (rather than letters after their name proving their credentials). They are on track to receive 10,000 calls over their first two years. They discuss Fireside's Burning Man origin story; the serendipity they've seen in the organization's beginnings and so many calls; where the name came from; how they prepare volunteers; what true equity looks like; and how, while it's a common challenge for therapists and facilitators to hold back and not try to fix a problem, that may be even more important here. Fireside Project takes calls every day from 11am – 11pm PST, and while there is an app you can download, they recommend saving their number in your phone for when you need it (62-FIRESIDE). And to destroy the notion of being afraid to ask for help, they encourage everyone to share their stories on social media: the times that you've used Fireside Project or the times you had a challenging experience and wish you had known about them. Many newcomers have no idea this support exists, and it could truly be life-changing for them. www.psychedelicstoday.com

Have you ever wondered if psychedelic experiences are safe or how to make them safer? How can we support each other better to get through challenging situations? We'll discuss all this and more with Hanifa Washington and Joshua White, leaders of Fireside Project, the psychedelic peer-support hotline. We'll explore the healing power of community and the beauty of being present to listen to someone else while they navigate unknown territory under the hood of their consciousness car. Discover how Fireside Project is revolutionizing peer support and creating safe space for navigating and unpacking psychedelic journeys by checking out their website (https://firesideproject.org) or calling 62-FIRESIDE. Tune in to this episode of The Psychedelic Report to invite more community, empathic listening, and self-compassion into your life.

People have been experiencing altered states of consciousness since the dawn of humanity, whether it's through plant medicine, meditation, spiritual practices, or spontaneously (in experiences that often get labeled as "psychosis"). We are now starting to understand that altered states of consciousness, no matter the origin, have the capacity to be deeply healing. In this episode, with my good friend and colleague, Katrina Michelle, a psychotherapist specializing in spiritual integration, we discuss different kinds of spiritual experiences, why psychedelic therapies often are faster and more effective than talk therapy, and how people can heal from trauma through altered states. Also in this episode: types of spiritual awakenings and mystical experiences psychiatrization of mystical/spiritual states psychedelic assisted therapy, mdma therapy, and how and why it works harm reduction with psychedelics Katrina Michelle, PhD, LCSW earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from The Institute of Transpersonal Psychology at Sofia University and her Master's in Social Work from Stony Brook University. For her doctoral research she conducted a heuristic study on Exploring Resistance to Spiritual Emergence. Her Master's research focussed on spiritual development within higher education. Katrina worked as the director of harm reduction for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) at the Zendo Project and served for three years as the executive director of The American Center for the Integration of Spiritually Transformative Experiences (ACISTE). Katrina has served as graduate faculty at New York University's Department of Applied Psychology, Columbia University's School of Social Work, Fordham University's School of Social Services, and The Institute for the Development of Human Arts. Katrina is a member of the Emergent Phenomenology Research Consortium (EPRC) and currently working with an international team on research to elucidate adverse psychedelic experiences in order to contribute to evidence-based and trauma-informed integration practices. She is also a founding member of the advisory board for The Fireside Project, a psychedelic peer-support line. Katrina is the founder and director of The Curious Spirit, a New York-based psychotherapy and coaching practice. She is also creator and producer of When Lightning Strikes, a documentary in progress intended to demystify the awakening process and help create a cultural context for understanding mystical phenomena while normalizing the often challenging elements of this natural human experience. Research & Links: http://www.thecuriousspirit.org/ Spiritual Emergency by Stanislav & Christina Grof - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/638137.Spiritual_Emergency https://maps.org/ https://zendoproject.org/ https://aciste.org/ Support Katrina's Research : https://challengingpsychedelicexperiences.com/ https://www.lucid.news/ https://psychedelic.support/ https://psychiatryinstitute.com/psychedelic/ Book a session with Jazmine: www.jazminerussell.com/book

Hanifa Nayo Washington, co-founder of Fireside Project, joins Paul F. Austin to discuss belonging, equity, & psychedelic peer support. Hanifa Nayo Washington thrives at the intersection of mindfulness, belonging, and healing justice to co-create organizations, gatherings, and experiences rooted in the values of beloved community so all people can heal from the emotional, physical and spiritual impacts of systems of oppression, trauma, and disconnection.  Hanifa Nayo is the Co-founder and Organizing Principal of One Village Healing, an online BIPOC centered healing, resilience, and psychedelic wellness space. She is also the Co-founder and Chief of Strategy at Fireside Project the nonprofit that runs the Psychedelic Peer Support Line that is helping people minimize the risks of their psychedelic experiences while democratizing access to free high-quality emotional support during and after any psychedelic experience. The line has supported over 5,000 callers since launching in 2021. For episode links, summary, and transcript go here. Highlights: Hanifa's life of discovery and service that led her to co-found Fireside Project. Her insights about belonging, and how psychedelics influenced them. Defining—and challenging—the term 'Psychedelic Space' and how to "make equity real” in the context of psychedelics. Spiritual Resilience and Sacred Activism. Hanifa's upcoming plant medicine retreat for black women. Episode Links: Hanifa's Website Hanifa's Instagram Fireside Website Fireside Instagram Fireside Facebook Fireside Twitter Fireside LinkedIn One Village Healing Niyonu Spann, Beyond Diversity 101 Hanifa's Colors Within Retreat at Nina Wasi 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. This podcast is brought to you by Third Wave's Mushroom Grow Kit. Get the tools you need to grow mushrooms along with an in-depth guide to finding spores.  

On this episode of the Psychedelic Medicine Podcast, Juliana Milligan joins to discuss her recent article (co-authored with Joshua White of Fireside Project) on warning signs when selecting a psychedelic facilitator. Juliana is an ibogaine specialist who has been working in the ibogaine treatment community for 10 years. Having been formerly opioid-dependent and incarcerated herself, she currently works at the Center for Optimal Living where she runs the psychedelic education and training program. Juliana additionally works with clients doing preparation and integration of Ibogaine treatments through her business Inner Vision Ibogaine. In this conversation, Juliana discusses each of the 10 red flags she identified in her article. First, she discusses potential issues around sexual misconduct on the part of facilitators, emphasizing that this is a topic which always requires careful and explicit discussion well prior to the psychedelic experience. One ought to also do some individual research, as potential allegations against a facilitator are also a red flag to take seriously. Next, Juliana talks about the importance of facilitators doing a thorough medical intake. This involves getting a medical history from a potential client and checking if there are any contraindications for this person to take a psychedelic, such as dangerous interactions with prescription medications. In a similar vein, Juliana also stresses the necessity of facilitators testing the psychedelics their clients will be consuming whether they themselves provided the psychedelics or if the client brought their own substances. Willingness to test the substances in the presence of the client is definitely a good sign and shows that the facilitator values both transparency and safety.  In terms of training, Juliana highly recommends ensuring that a facilitator is trauma-informed before committing to a journey under their guidance. Knowing that a guide will be conscientious and empathetic around issues of trauma helps to ensure that the psychedelic experience doesn't itself turn in a traumatic direction. Similarly, Juliana emphasizes that facilitators should be open about the training they've received—even underground facilitators should ideally have mentors and be involved in a community of practitioners that encourages continued training. In closing, Juliana discusses the dangers of having inflated and unrealistic expectations around the healing potential of psychedelics. Facilitators who use hyperbolic language like “ten years of therapy in one night” may actually be setting up clients for more difficult experiences than they otherwise may have had due to these fantastical claims. Juliana emphasizes that psychedelic healing is a cooperative endeavor, and neither the substance nor the facilitator is solely responsible for any healing that results from the experience. Ultimately, it is the person themselves who does this work, so Juliana highly recommends finding a facilitator who acknowledges their role as primarily supportive of this healing journey, rather than someone who presents themselves as a miracle worker responsible for these positive results.   In this episode: Why having a trauma-informed facilitator is important, and what this means The dangers of psychedelic narcissism The importance of the harm reduction practice of chemically testing psychedelics Trusting your intuition and building this capacity Having healthy and reasonable expectations around the healing potential of psychedelics   Quotes: “Once you are on a psychedelic, you cannot properly consent to touch—it must be established in advance. And if [a facilitator] is saying ‘well no I need freedom in my work, I need to use my intuition' that is a major red flag.” [7:19] “It's really important that the facilitator knows exactly what is contraindicated with the medicine they're administering, and if they're not evaluating for this and if they're not familiar with medical conditions and how they interact with the medicine they're giving then they're not properly trained to be giving this medicine.” [10:14] “The only person that can really heal you is yourself and a facilitator is just there to help empower you and support you in guiding yourself. It's a collaborative relationship.” [13:44] “If a person isn't willing to be receptive to feedback, self-reflective, and take accountability, psychedelics aren't necessarily going to make them do that. And so you give psychedelics to somebody with those kinds of narcissistic traits and it can just make the narcissism worse.” [20:15]   Links: Juliana's Article with Fireside Project: Warning Signs When Selecting a Psychedelic Facilitator  Inner Vision Ibogaine: Guide to Finding an Ibogaine Clinic The Root Ibogaine Collective The Psychedelic Program at The Center for Optimal Living Juliana on Instagram Previous episode: Navigating Psychedelic Narcissism with Adam Aronovich Previous episode: Harm Reduction Through Testing Your Psychedelics with Mitchell Gomez Previous episode: When *Not* to Proceed with a Planned Psychedelic Journey with Rick Barnett, PsyD Previous episode: Fireside Project: The World's First Psychedelic Hotline with Joshua White and Hanifa Nayo Washington Previous episode: Insights Gained from the First Year of Fireside Project with Joshua White Psychedelic Medicine Association Porangui

Hanifa is the Co-founder and Chief of Strategy at Fireside Project a nonprofit that is creating systemic change in the field of psychedelics in three key domains: safety, diversity, and equitable access. Through their Psychedelic Peer Support Line, Fireside Project has created a nationwide safety net that has substantially decreased 911 calls and hospitalizations while democratizing access to free high-quality care. The line has supported thousands of callers since launching in April of 2021. A burgeoning thought leader in the field of psychedelic activism, Hanifa, serves as an advisor for the American Psychedelic Practitioners Association, Alma Institute, Reconsider, and East Forest's latest project Journey Space.Hanifa is also the Co-founder and Organizing Principal of One Village Healing, an online BIPOC centered healing, resilience, and psychedelic wellness space. In 2017 Hanifa released her 3rd album Mantras for the Revolution. Hanifa offers this soulful, connective, kirtan-style, collective practice as medicine in this time of revolution that is both- within us and around us.Hanifa is a native of Detroit, Michigan. She currently lives in Portland, Oregon.https://www.handsofhanifa.com/Tour - Catch East Forest LIVE - TICKETS: http://eastforest.org/tourJune 25 - Doubleblind Festival, Ojai, CA July 1-4 - Retreat: Esalen Institute Hot Springs, Big Sur, CA (sold out)July 15-17 - Arkadia Festival, Apline, WYNov 15 - London, UKAugust 24-28 -  Retreat: Love Serve Remember Retreat, NC Dec 9-12 - Retreat: Esalen Institute Hot Springs, Big Sur, CA (coming soon)+ JOURNEY SPACE LIVE - Exclusive world premiere listening events of new East Forest psychedelic guidance music and online facilitation with JourneySpace.com, June 18. Join our East Forest COUNCIL on Patreon.  Monthly Zoom Council, podcast exclusives, live-streams, and more. Listen to East Forest music:  "IN" - the latest full album  release from East Forest - LISTEN NOW: Spotify / AppleListen to East Forest guided meditations on Spotify & AppleOrder a vinyl, dad hats, sheet music, original perfume oils, and more: http://eastforest.orgPlease rate Ten Laws with East Forest in iTunesAnd on Spotify★★★★★Sign up to learn about new retreats, shows in your area, and to join the community.Stay in the flow:Mothership:  http://eastforest.org/IG:  https://www.instagram.com/eastforest/FB:  https://www.facebook.com/EastForestMusic/TW:  https://twitter.com/eastforestmusicJOIN THE COUNCIL - PATREON: http://patreon.com/eastforest**Disclaimer: Please act responsibly - East Forest is not offering medical advice or condoning illegal activity.  Blessings.

In this episode of the Psychedelic Medicine Podcast, Joshua White returns to discuss the first year of the psychedelic peer-support line, Fireside Project. Joshua (he/him) is founder and executive director of Fireside Project and has prior experience as a volunteer counselor on a hotline and as a volunteer at the Zendo Project. He has also practiced law as a deputy city attorney at the San Francisco City Attorney's Office, where he focused on suing business exploiting vulnerable communities. He also co-taught a nationally-renowned clinic at Yale Law School. Joshua begins this conversation by sharing the success of Fireside Project in its first year of operation. The peer support line has been called over 3,100 times in the 14 months since the launch of Fireside Project, where callers have been able to receive open-ended support from compassionate peers as they navigate a psychedelic experience or attempt to integrate a previous experience.  Joshua also shares some details about the kinds of calls the line has received, such as which psychedelic substances were involved in the caller's experience, how callers were describing their experiences, and what mental health conditions callers self-reported. In terms of substances, psilocybin was the most commonly used by callers, though a wide range of different psychedelics were reported. For mental health conditions, PTSD stood out as the most frequently mentioned, though depression and anxiety were also common. Joshua mentions that he's hopeful that this data may be incredibly useful in further developing harm reduction strategies, as the dataset may help uncover previously unknown correlations.  Another aspiration for Fireside Project is ensuring equity through their Equity Initiative, which allows callers to process past psychedelic experiences with someone of a similar background. Joshua shares that this initiative will also produce original research on this topic, showing for example the kinds of benefits a caller from the BIPOC community might get through having the opportunity to integrate a past experience with a BIPOC peer.  Joshua closes this conversation with powerful words about integration and harm reduction, saying that integration is a form of harm reduction. To that end, Joshua is hopeful Fireside Project can continue offering crucial harm reduction and integration services as the organization grows and reaches beyond the niche of psychedelic enthusiasts.    In this episode: Who has been calling the peer-support line and what kind of support they are seeking How Fireside Project could potentially offset the burden on emergency services in the case of negative psychedelic experiences The diversity of Fireside Project volunteers The problems of facilitator abuse and neglect in the psychedelic space The future of Fireside Project   Quotes: “Reflective listening—which is the core, the foundation of holding space—this is really a skill that we can continue to cultivate.” [8:03] “My hope is that there's no barrier, there's no stigma, and there's no shame to reaching out.”  [12:53] “All of the lessons we learn, we really just want to share those with the public in the hope that this will lead to less risky and more fulfilling psychedelic experiences.” [17:30] “One of the things that I've noticed is—that we've noticed is—even though every single call is different in its own way, especially when someone reaches out to us in a heightened state, really validation, normalization, and reassurance often happen at the very beginning.” [25:34] “It's amazing how some of our calls are just so short because someone just wants to know that we are there.” [28:44] “As a psychedelic community, people need to stop saying that psychedelics are ten years of therapy in one night. It's just not true, and it sets people up for serious disappointment and can even be really dangerous for that reason.” [30:01]   Links: Fireside Project website Fireside Project app Fireside Project Instagram Fireside Project Twitter Fireside Project Tik Tok Psychedelic Medicine Association Porangui

Hanifa Nayo Washington, she/her/hers, is an award winning cultural producer and healing justice practitioner with 20 years in nonprofit leadership.As a co-founder and the Chief Strategy Officer for Fireside Project, Hanifa supports the design, facilitation, and communication of Fireside Project's mission, vision, strategic initiatives and future goals.Hanifa is a master facilitator, reiki practitioner, and community organizer who has dedicated her life to creating organizations, gatherings, spaces, and experiences rooted in the values of beloved community. Hanifa Nayo is also the Co-founder and Organizing Principal of One Village Healing, an online BIPOC centered healing, resilience, and psychedelic wellness space and is in her 4th year as a lead facilitator of the New Haven Community Leadership Program whose mission is to equip, support and inspire the practice of values-based collaborative leadership.In this episode, Hanifa Nayo Washington and Beth Weinstein discuss …How feeling a sense of belonging in community can impact your wellnessUnderstanding your personal pain points to better discern which medicines to useBroadening the definition of “medicine” to include all forms of nourishment you take inHanifa's “Year of Yes” during which she attended Burning Man of the first time and met the founder of The Fireside ProjectThe Fireside Project, a safe, diverse, and equitable organization providing culturally attuned psychedelic care and educationThe Fireside Project's psychedelic peer support line, a free national hotline that offers support for people experiencing challenges during a psychedelic experience or who need help integrating past psychedelic experiencesThe Fireside Project's collaboration with UCSC on a study exploring whether psychedelic peer support is an effective risk reduction toolPreliminary findings from this study which suggest that the hotline is successfully diverting people from calling emergency services, which saves public funds and helps people in need avoid potentially traumatizing interactions while in a psychedelic experienceThe Fireside Project's “affinity group” initiative, which offers callers an opportunity to speak to someone with whom they might feel a close affinity, such as a transgender person, a veteran, etc.The Fireside Project's plan to support the affinity volunteer cohort to start careers in the field after they finish their year of serviceHow there is no requirement for volunteers to have specific training, as the point is for them to be true peers – not doctors, psychotherapists, etc.How systems of oppression at play in the world create biases and blind spots, and what it means to be in community reflecting on these issuesThe origin of the name “The Fireside Project”, which is rooted in wanting to provide a sense of warmth to people in the psychedelic space who are seeking care and acceptanceHanifa Nayo Washington's Links & ResourcesWebsite: https://www.handsofhanifa.com/Website: https://firesideproject.orgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehandsofhanifa/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firesideproject/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onevillagehealing/Mantras For The Revolution: https://open.spotify.com/album/2jOqQU9jcGF8HqlA3LYKpr?si=LDtagDk_Rb2MXCf7S7lRBg

How do we as leaders cultivate a deeply caring, resilient, just/equitable, and loving community? Perhaps the answer lies in “sacred activism”. I brought on sacred activist, Hanifa Nayo Washington who has been working at the forefront of mindfulness, place-making, and social justice to cultivate organizations, gatherings, spaces, and experiences rooted in the values of beloved community. As the Co-founder and Organizing Principle of One Village Healing, an online BIPOC centered healing, resilience, and psychedelic wellness space, and the Fireside Project, a nonprofit that is creating systemic change in the field of psychedelics in three key domains: safety, diversity, and equitable access, Hanifa knows how to lead courageously with her heart in collaboration with plant medicine, inner guidance, and her community. In this episode I ask Hanifa about how to embody sacred activism and spiritual resilience. You will learn how to truly be there for someone else through deep and reflective listening. We explore our relationship with power, how to utilize our energy in conscious co-creation, and how to work with rage in a healthy way.  Hanifa is the Co-founder and Chief of Strategy at Through their Psychedelic Peer Support Line, Fireside Project has created a nationwide safety net that has substantially decreased 911 calls and hospitalizations while democratizing access to free high-quality care. The line has supported thousands of callers since launching in April of 2021.    Key TakeawaysUnderstanding our relationship to power is vital in creating a just and equitable society. Gratitude is a great place to start becoming aware of our relationship with power. Then where is the pain? We have to start with self inquiry. Being with another, in their full expression is real peer-support and is a deep practice of ally-ship, without trying to fix or heal them, nor move them away from their present experience.    https://lauradawn.co/free-music-playlists/ (4 Free Playlists For Psychedelic Journeys & Beyond) https://lauradawn.co/free-microdosing-course/ (Free 8 Day Microdosing Course) https://instagram.com/livefreelaurad (Follow @LiveFreeLauraD on Instagram) Resources Mentioned http://www.handsofhanifa.com/ (Hanifa's Website) https://www.bd101.org/ (Beyond Diversity Workshops) http://www.lauradawn.co/52 (…more resources on my website at www.lauradawn.co/52) Featured Musichttp://www.lauradawn.co/52 (Episode #44 of the Psychedelic Leadership Podcast) features a song called "River" by Hanifa Nayo Washington. https://open.spotify.com/artist/53PgA4rDdV78JzOjFaeIA8?si=lfcLC_9SQB-3_niwJWuPvA (Listen on Spotify) https://music.apple.com/us/artist/hanifa-nayo-washington/1289800949 (Listen on Apple Music) Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"I love Laura Dawn and The Psychedelic Leadership Podcast.”

Whom do you call when you're having a “bad trip,” or just need to process a psychedelic experience that's now behind you? The Fireside Project is a psychedelic peer support line, co-founded by Hanifa Nayo Washington and Joshua White, that has been well received in the rapidly growing psychedelic community. I was curious to learn how and why it emerged, how's it going, why Hanifa thinks there are no “bad trips," and the role of psychedelics in the Black community. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison are joined by Dr. Erica Baiden, MD. Erica is a family medicine physician who is passionate about providing evidence-based care using an integrative, patient-centered approach. They explore issues related to diversity, equity, representation, and inclusion in mental healthcare broadly and in psychedelic medicine specifically. They discuss the following topics:(2:36) Erica introduces herself(4:32) Serving underserved populations and the need for diverse representation among medical/mental healthcare professionals(5:30) How Erica developed her passion for safe, compassionate, humane, and destigmatizing healthcare (10:25) How do we decide what to pathologize and being sensitive to neurodiversity (13:13) Educating clinicians in cultural competence(15:34) Generational differences in cultural sensitivity and mental health stigma (18:16) Erica's medical practice philosophy (19:39) Your Symphony of Selves, by James Fadiman(20:49) BIPOC history of medicinal, spiritual, and ceremonial use of psychedelics (24:00) Should we change the name "psychedelic" to something that better represents what these substances do?(25:25) Dr. Carl Hart and the war on drugs(26:37) The importance of representation among psychedelic therapy facilitators(30:17) Being Black: Zen and the Art of Living with Fearlessness and Grace, by Angel Kyodo Williams(33:06) The People of Color Psychedelic Collective (POCPC)(33:09) Psychedelic Liberation Collective(33:25) Maria Sabina(34:18) Fireside Project(34:23) The Ancestor Project(34:26) Women on Psychedelics(37:00) The potential professional risks of working in the psychedelic medicine space(39:01) Claudio Naranjo(42:50) Diversity and representation in clinical trials Email us questions and feedback at psychfrontiers@novamind.ca Learn more about our podcast at https://www.psychedelictherapyfrontiers.com/Learn more about Novamind at https://www.novamind.ca/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drstevethayer/https://www.instagram.com/innerspacedoctor/https://www.instagram.com/novamind_inc/Disclaimer: The content of this podcast does not constitute medical advice or mental health treatment. Consult with a medical/mental health professional if you believe you are in need of mental health treatment.

The Fireside Project is operating the World's First Psychedelic Peer Support line. Katie Bourque is the Operations and Outreach Director at the Fireside Project. Wesley Thoricatha is a supervisor at the Fireside Project. Support the Fireside Project by donating to their current fundraiser (ends 11/30/21) https://www.every.org/fireside-project Check out the FiresideProject.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/cesar-jaquez8/message

I am always available for psychedelic service. When I am called to serve, there's nowhere I'd rather be than sitting calmly beside someone going through the challenging journey known colloquially as a "bad trip." I recently had the opportunity to offer psychedelic peer support, also called "trip sitting," at a party. Although I've covered trip sitting before in episodes with Sara Gael of MAPS' Zendo Project and the TeaFaerie a legendary tripsitter, I thought it would be instructive to share a story of my firsthand experience of offering peer support in the wild. If you'd like to learn more about trip sitting, I highly recommend the Zendo Project which offers trainings, and the Fireside Project, the first ever psychedelic peer support hotline (dial 62-FIRESIDE). If you'd like to hear more about my own background and the history of psychedelic peer support, check out the article I wrote about Zendo and trip sitting back in 2015 called “I Did Psychedelic First Aid at a Festival in Costa Rica.” May we all have opportunities to serve and be served. The psyche you calm… may be your own. Links I Did Psychedelic First Aid at a Festival in Costa Rica: https://medium.com/@eamonarmstrong/i-did-psychedelic-first-aid-at-a-festival-in-costa-rica-edf0d96eaeeb Zendo Project: https://zendoproject.org/ Fireside Project: https://firesideproject.org/ Sara Gael (Zendo Project) on Life is a Festival” https://www.eamonarmstrong.com/lifeisafestival/sara-gael The TeaFaerie on Life is a Festival: https://www.eamonarmstrong.com/lifeisafestival/the-teafaerie Fireside Project on the Psychedelic Therapy Podcast: https://www.mayahealth.com/podcast/fireside-project

Season 2 is bringing so much wisdom and useful information! In episode 4 we are joined by Dr. Angela Carter, our dear friend and trusted mentor. Dr. Angela Carter (they/them) is a white, transgender, genderqueer, queer, neuroqueer, disabled, dirt worshiping naturopathic physician living in Portland, Or. They manage Oregon's measure 110 substance use decriminalization and recovery program. They are also the Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board vice chair and co-chair of the Equity and Training subcommittees. Angela is deeply committed to health equity and justice work, and ensuring that trauma informed care and racial and social justice are imbued into the fabric of our culture and government. They enjoy the company of cats, crocheting, and getting lost in the woods looking for mushrooms. Links mentioned in our conversation: Contact Angie: angelacarternd@gmail.com What's in this episode: Angie's background (3:29) Beginning Naturopathic Medicine (4:22) Queer Activism (5:30) Burner Community Work (8:30) Sitting with folks experiencing psychedelic journeys (8:55) Fireside Project and Oregon Psilocybin Program (9:45) Unified vision (12:00) Working from a de-colonized perspective (13:55) The limitations of a western medicine mindset (15:40) We should be asking the community (19:18) Building trust to encourage community engagement (21:04) Listening sessions (24:10) Accessibility to information for marginalized communities (26:40) Following through on lip-service (30:04) The lack of trust from folks in the underground (32:01) The spectrum of people on the board (33:00) The intersections between measure 109 and 110 (36:10) “Harm reduction” - “Benefit Maximization” (38:12) Provide a structure for people to relate to themselves (39:55) Learning how to get out of the way (41:55) Importance of the inner work (43:00) Assessment for facilitators without shared experience (43:30) No fast-track for personal decolonization (44:35) Implement a restorative justice process and continuing education (50:30) Dreamy dream (52:40) What does healing mean to you? (55:37) Huge thank you to the forever inspiring Angie Carter for joining us. What a gift. Follow them on Instagram at @clitocybe_nuda. And special thank you to the people behind the scenes who help make the Fruiting Bodies podcast possible. Be sure to send them some love! · Podcast Editor, Sydney Bogan · Studio space, Mariah Makalapua & Medicine Collective · Equipment & support, Joe Izzo from Conscious Cloud Podcast · Our awesome volunteer team: Yicela Alvarado, SunMee Sandusky, and Allison Holmes · Our sponsors, Dr. Bronner's, Mimosa Therapeutics, and Psychedelics Today · All of our incredible supporters, collaborators, and listeners Stay connected by following us on Instagram @fruitingbodiesco. Visit our website to find past show notes, become a supporter, and join our email list. Thank you for supporting our shared mission! -Elan & Becca --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/fruitingbodies/support

We talk with Dr. James Fadiman — independent researcher, psychologist, and author of the "Psychedelic Explorer's Guide." We discuss personal transcendent experiences, how often to macrodose, and the guide debate.Highlights— THE NUGGET: the DEA is being sued for legalization of plant medicine (0:35)— THE NOODLE: Preventive care psychedelics for healthy people (1:27)— Thank you, Jim (2:14) — What 2021 Jim would say to 1966 Jim (3:22)— The "George Bush Mission Accomplished" moment for psychedelics (5:06)— What does society look like with ubiquitous plant medicine (7:41)— Jim and Ray's profound experiences on high dose sessions (9:19)— When you return from transcendence (12:12)— When you understand time and the true nature of reality (14:08)— How he discovered the Fadiman microdosing protocol (16:09)— How often to engage larger doses (18:07)— Does everyone need a guide for bigger doses? (21:43)— Integrating with your internal personas (25:58)— SOUL SEARCH: the psychedelic Mt. Rushmore, alien invasions, psychedelic effects in the bedroom, and the meaning of life (28:14)— SLAP and a CLAP: Compass Pathways & Fireside Project (31:56)BioDr. James Fadiman, PhD, holds degrees from Harvard and Stanford, and wrote his dissertation about LSD-assisted therapy. As well as holding consulting, training, counseling and editorial jobs, he has taught psychology and design engineering at San Francisco State, Brandeis, and Stanford and, for three decades, taught Sufism and other classes at Sophia University that he co-founded. He has published textbooks, professional books, a self-help book, a novel, a produced play and videos including: "Drugs: the children are choosing" for National Public Television. He was featured in a National Geographic documentary and had three solo shows of his nature photography. He has been involved in researching microdosing psychedelics since 2010. In addition to the "Psychedelic Explorer's Guide," he most recently wrote "Your Symphony of Selves: Discover and Understand More of Who We Are" (with Jordan Gruber).Find Jim here:https://www.jamesfadiman.com/ ---See the inspiration behind the Psychedelic Diaries here:https://www.textpert.ai/post/the-psychedelic-macrodose-diary-what-you-learn-when-you-journey-inward

Season 2, Episode 65623-473-7433 with Joshua WhiteThis week, Jay chats with Joshua White, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Fireside Project. The Fireside Project seeks to help people minimize the risks and fulfill the potential of their psychedelic experiences in ways including providing compassionate, accessible, and culturally responsive peer support, educating the public, and furthering psychedelic research, while embracing practices that increase equity, power sharing, and belonging within the psychedelic movement. They do this through a peer support line, which you can call at 623-473-7433 or download the app https://firesideproject.org/app. Joshua also answers a few listener questions and helps clarify the term 'bad trip'. Learn more at https://firesideproject.org/.Obviously the title of this week's episode is the Fireside Project number! But if you know what calling the episode this is an homage to, let me know and you'll win a Choose Your Struggle tank top!Today's Good Egg: give Jay some love (he's stressed) and check out the Fireside peer support line. TUNE IN TO ROCK BOTTOM STORYTELLERS III ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25TH AT 8:30 EST! Looking for someone to wow your audience now that the world is reopening? My speaking calendar is booking up fast! But if you're interested in bringing me to your campus, your community group, your organization or any other location to speak about Mental Health, Substance Misuse & Recovery, or Drug Use & Policy, reach out to my strategist Ryan Holzhauer at ryan@jayshifman.com. Tank Tops are in! You can see what they look like on the website (thanks to Jay's wife for modeling the women's cut). Reach out through the website to order. If you're looking for something a little less expensive, magnets are in too! Check them out on the website or Instagram. Patreon supporters get a discount so join Patreon! Support the Podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ChooseYourStruggle Leave us an audio message to share feedback and have a chance to be played on the show: https://podinbox.com/CYS Review the Podcast: https://ReviewThisPodcast.com/Choose-Your-Struggle. Support the Podcast, a different way: https://podhero.com/401017-ikv. Learn more about the Shameless Podcast Network: https://www.shamelessnetwork.com/ Our Partner Bookshop (Support Local Book Stores and the Podcast in the Process!): https://bookshop.org/shop/CYS Our Partner Road Runner (Use Code CYS for 10% off): www.roadrunnercbd.com/ref/CYS As always, you can find more at our links: https://jay.campsite.bio ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Holding a vision for something that doesn't yet exist and taking inspired action to transmute that inner vision into reality is true creative leadership.  Joshua White had an idea to launch the first-ever  Psychedelic Peer Support Phone Line in the US and dedicated himself to making that vision a reality.  He is now the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Fireside Project, which operates the first-ever national peer support line specifically aimed at helping people navigate psychedelic experiences. Fireside has now been featured in major publications like the Rolling Stones Magazine, Forbes, and has prominent people like Michael Pollen tweeting about his support for the project.  Joshua deeply believes in the power of peer support and in the role of support lines as key components of an equitable community mental health ecosystem.  In this candid conversation, Joshua shares what it takes as a leader to launch an unprecedented project and the key importance of holding a “bigger than you” vision to get you through the tougher times. https://firesideproject.org/ (Fireside Project ) https://firesideproject.org/app (Download Fireside Project app) Dial 62-Fireside for psychedelic peer support  PsychedelicLeadership Resources http://www.meetdelic.com/ (Use code "DAWNNAUT" for a discount to MEET DELIC conference ) https://livefreelaurad.com/music-playlists (4 Music Playlists for Psychedelic Journey's & Beyond) https://www.livefreelaurad.com/free-microdosing-course (Free 8-Day Microdosing Course) Featured MusicEpisode #32 features a song called https://riverbearmedicine.bandcamp.com/track/thank-you-for-the-people (Thank you for the people by Riverbear Medicine) https://www.instagram.com/riverbear_medicine/ (Connect with Riverbear Medicine here)

Hanifa is a certified Usui/Holy Fire Reiki Master Practitioner who graduated from Beloit College in 2001 with a B.A. in Communications & Russian & Soviet Studies. Hanifa is the Principal Organizer & Co-Founding Practitioner of One Village Healing , a wellness and resilience initiative dedicated to creating spaces, gatherings, and programming, rooted in the values of the healing justice movement so all people can heal from the emotional, physical and spiritual impacts of systems of oppression. She also currently works with Co-Creating Effective and Inclusive Organizations as the Director of Community Engagement and is a leader of the New Haven Community Leadership Program. In November of 2020 Hanifa joined the founding team of Fireside Project as the Cultivator Of Beloved Community. Fireside Project developed and launched first national Psychedelic Peer Support Line in April 2021. As a sacred activist Hanifa views her creative gifts as radical tools for liberation, healing, and community building. In 2017 she released her 3rd album Mantras for the Revolution. In December 2018 Hanifa received a Phenomenal Women Arts Award from the Arts Council of Greater New Haven for her contributions and achievements in the arts.https://www.handsofhanifa.com/https://firesideproject.org/

Jemie has more than 15 years of extensive digital and marketing experience including successful brand planning and viral campaigns for global brands including Amazon, Disney, H&M, Intel, Nestle, Coca-Cola, Salesforce, Toyota, Taco Bell, and YouTube. A serial entrepreneur, Jemie designs projects rooted in corporate social responsibility. She leverages consumer insights, data, and analytics to sustainably scale businesses efficiently and effectively - resulting in the creation of industry-first new business totaling $250M+. Jemie holds a Bachelor's Degree at the University of California, Irvine in International Studies and Sociology with a minor in Business Management and is currently working on her Master's Degree in Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Jemie serves on the Executive Board of the American Heart Association and enjoys traveling, cooking, yoga, hiking, and meditation.Topics discussed in this episode ...Jemie's traumatic childhood and how she found healing through psychedelics as an adultPsychable's intention is to match individuals on the healing path with psychedelic assisted therapy practitioners and other trustworthy psychedelic support peopleIntegrity, trust, safety and accessibility are at the core of Psychable's missionThe Psychable platform is the first of its kind, and everything on the site its 100% legalPsychable is community led and community driven - similar to "Yelp"The platform also offers a safe and encrypted space where community members can share freelyAny practitioner can list themselves on the site as long as their services are legalJemie recommends that every psychedelic entrepreneur check out the North Star Ethics PledgeYou can raise money if you have a solid plan and a great team - but can you raise it from people that share your vision for accessibility and affordability?As entrepreneurs in psychedelics our job is to be tech enabled healersDon't build a moat around your business - we can operate from a spirit of abundance - there's plenty of room for new companies in the psychedelic spaceSustainability, reciprocity, advocacy with respect to indigenous communities has been build into Psychable's DNA from day oneThere haven't been any major innovations in mental healthcare in 5 decades - it's time for a paradigm shiftThe future lies in how we live out our values through our actionPsychedelics open us up to a very delicate psychic space and we trained psychedelic support people that can provide true safetyJemie strongly recommends The Fireside Project, a free hotline that provides real time psychedelic supportYou need clear values and you need to work with people who embody clear values - this is critical for a company's successPsychable is working toward becoming a platform where people can directly book appointments for psychedelic supportNow is the time for the mind and heart to come together and birth a shift into a higher collective consciousnessResourcesWebsite: www.psychable.comClubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/club/psychable)Facebook: PsychableInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychabledotcom/Twitter: https://twitter.com/psychabledotcomLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/psychableJoin the Psychable community for free: www.psychable.com

Heard of the potential of psychedelics for new ideas on leadership and supporting your creativity as an entrepreneur or executive? Meet my guest and expert on this today! It is Jonathan de Potter, the founder of Behold Retreats a special legal, vetted and safe retreat for leaders, executives and entrepreneurs. And btw, a portion of Beholds revenues is going to Fireside Project - the free psychedelic harm reduction hotline. Jonathan talks to me about the psychedelic CEO, how integration of the psychedelic experience is on of the most important topics after the psychedelic experience itself, how new ideas for a company can come out of an experience all together. But also how much the, often stressed and high pressured personal life of a CEO is connected to all of this and that there is no end of evolution for your consciousness, even if you try so hard to achieve it. So if you you are an entrepreneur , CEO or in a leadership position and you know that the top down fear based hierarchy in companies is in the process of being replaced by a more servant leadership. And that we need new ideas, new structures and new insights for our world, not only in business. https://www.behold-retreats.com/ https://firesideproject.org/

This episode of the Plant Medicine Podcast welcomes Dr. Angela Carter (they/them) to discuss the intersection of the LGBTQIA2S+ community and psychedelics. Dr. Carter is a queer, transgender, and genderqueer naturopathic primary care physician who also works as a midwife, sexual assault examiner, and health equity advocate in Portland, Oregon. They also serve as both the vice-chair and the equity in training subcommittees co-chair of the Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board. In addition to these positions, Dr. Carter serves as the chair of the Transgender Health Program Community Advisory Board at Oregon Health & Science University. They also volunteer with many organizations including the Fireside Project, Black Rock City Emergency Services, and Queerdome. Dr. Carter begins this conversation by sharing exciting new research currently being conducted which involves LGBTQIA2S+ individuals and psychedelic therapies. While this particular area of research remains small, it is growing and the fruits of these studies will be an important step for better understanding how these new therapies can serve gender and sexuality minorities, and help facilitators understand the unique concerns of people in the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Dr. Carter illustrates these types of concerns by discussing the prevalence of gender binaries within psychedelic spaces. They describe how in a clinical setting it is prevalent to have both a male and a female facilitator, but this leaves no room for gender-nonconforming people to guide experiences—something which could be preferable if the patient themselves shares this identity. Dr. Carter also discusses this gender binary in traditional contexts. It is common for ayahuasca ceremonies to provide separate spaces for men and women, again leaving no space for gender-nonconforming people. This reification of the gender binary and the often patriarchal organization of the ayahuasca ceremony can have serious impacts on the set and setting, especially for people in the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Dr. Carter emphasizes the importance of making space for folks in the community so that they are able to receive therapy, attend ceremonies, and participate in integration with others who share similar identities. This shared identity, they emphasize, ensures that LGBTQIA2S+ people don't feel out of place in contexts that ought to be healing. Dr. Carter closes by discussing how members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community experience disproportionate rates of mental illness, further illustrating the crucial importance of equity in accessing psychedelic medicine.    In this episode: Problems of representation and access for LGBTQIA2S+ individuals in the psychedelic space Current research being done on the intersection between psychedelic therapies and unique issues faced by gender and sexuality minorities Preparations to take before guiding a psychedelic experience for LGBTQIA2S+ people, particularly if you do not come from the community How plant medicines could have unique benefits for the LGBTQIA2S+ community Issues of poverty faced by marginalized peoples and how to support equity of access to emerging psychedelic therapies   Quotes: “For some people that idea of melding, of becoming one and losing all of those unique pieces of themselves, doesn't fit their paradigm of a spiritual connecting experience.” [10:47] “It's precious, that centering of our community—to be able to sit with people who just understand.” [19:42] “Psychedelics offer the opportunity for connection of the self to something greater, something outside, a bigger community, spirituality, and really do a huge amount to heal peoples' relationships with substances.” [25:20] “Marginalized communities have been really impacted, largely, by the war on drugs, which has put millions of people in jail for drug offenses and stolen their ability to make income, stolen their ability to connect with community and we really need to heal that.” [33:34]   Links: Fruiting Bodies Collective Chacruna Institute Queering Psychedelics 2019 Conference Queerdome on Facebook  Portland Psychedelic Society Psychedelic Medicine Association Porangui

A difficult psychedelic experience once meant a hospital visit… or worse. Now, in the spirit of the Zendo Project and other psychedelic peer support organizations, we have a new hotline called the Fireside Project (call or text 62-FIRESIDE) and there's a lot that psychedelic therapists can learn from leaders like Hanifa Nayo Washington and Adam Rubin. On the show, we discuss the influence of ceremonial medicine and legacy psychedelic support organizations in informing Fireside. We talk about the value of community in mental health and how Fireside nurtures their own cohort of volunteers. We review the data from the first 18 days of operation and discuss potential legal issues. Finally as always, Hanifa and Adam share their advice to psychedelic therapists. Fireside Project Co-founder, Adam Rubin is a psychedelic harm reduction activist and crisis counselor. He has worked over 45 events around the world since 2015 with many different organizations including the Zendo Project, White Bird Rock Med, RGX Medical, and Take 3 Presents. He has given trainings to peer support volunteers, local psychedelic communities, and event medical teams. He has also written a series of zines titled “The It's Okay Psychedelic Harm Reduction Series” and distributes them for free. Hanifa Nayo Washington is Fireside Project's Cultivator Of Beloved Community. She is an award-winning cultural producer and the Principal Organizer & Co-Founding Practitioner of One Village Healing, a wellness and resilience initiative. Hanifa has been combining arts, healing, and activism to make the world a better place for 20+ years and in 2017 she released her 3rd album Mantras for the Revolution. In December 2018 Hanifa received a Phenomenal Women Arts Award from the Arts Council of Greater New Haven for her contributions and achievements in the arts. Links Fireside Hotline: 62-FIRESIDE Fireside Project The Stormy Search for the Self Hanifa Nayo Washington Adam Rubin Timestamps :04 - Hanifa's background in ceremonial psychedelic medicine and community building :13 - Adam's experience with Zendo Project and other psychedelic peer support groups :17 - Psychedelic peer support is not shamanism :21 - The value of holding space in community and the challenges with doing that over a phone line. :30 - How Fireside supports their beloved community of volunteers :41 - Skills earned in psychedelic peer support :45 - Data collected by Fireside :50 - The legal status of organizations like Fireside :58 - Advice to psychedelic therapists

In this episode of the Psychedelic Spotlight podcast, we speak with Joshua White, who is the Co-Founder and Director of Fireside Project; the first Psychedelic Peer Support Line. Joshua speaks about the creation of Fireside Project and the future of the organization.*To learn more about the company featured in this episode and the work they're doing, visit their website: FiresideProject.org*Get the latest industry news around all things psychedelics by visiting our website and be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to never miss a thing. Visit our Website: PsychedelicSpotlight.comSubscribe to our YouTube ChannelFollow us on InstagramLike us on FacebookFollow us on Twitter*This episode was recorded on April 22, 2021.

Presented by Psychedelic Grad.In our very first episode of Curious to Serious, we interview Joshua White of the Fireside Project, a psychedelic peer support hotline.Fireside Project just officially launched as of April 2021!To learn more about the project, check out FiresideProject.orgTo learn more about Psychedelic Grad, go to psychedelicgrad.com.

Join us for a conversation on the psychedelic peer support line & why we need it with Hanifa Nayo Washington, award winning cultural artivist and the Cultivator of Beloved Community for the Fireside Project, which aims to help people fulfill the potential of their psychedelic experiences by providing compassionate, accessible, and culturally responsive peer support, educating the public, and furthering psychedelic research.

Join us for a conversation on the psychedelic peer support line & why we need it with Hanifa Nayo Washington, award winning cultural artivist and the Cultivator of Beloved Community for the Fireside Project, which aims to help people fulfill the potential of their psychedelic experiences by providing compassionate, accessible, and culturally responsive peer support, educating the public, and furthering psychedelic research.

We all experience grief differently, but divorce and separation does create feelings of loss and loneliness. That's what Matt Godfrey found when he separated from his partner and mother to his one year old son. At the time, he found the only support available was around custodial rights. What he really wanted was emotional support, a sense that there was light at the end of the tunnel. So now he's created The Fireside Project to do just that. He explains why having a safe space for divorced dads to grieve and grow is so important.