Meadow Podcast

In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, Mike Townsend speaks with Anne Harris, a licensed therapist and psilocybin facilitator, about trauma, nervous system regulation, psychotherapy, and psychedelic-assisted healing. They explore how modern life drives chronic stress and emotional dysregulation, and why lasting healing often requires both clinical insight and embodied awareness.

Anne shares her path from trauma therapy and s...

In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, hosts Mike Townsend and Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend, MD explore stress, trauma, consciousness, and human potential through a grounded lens. They unpack how modern life keeps us stuck in chronic stress states, why our nervous systems become dysregulated, and how our relationship to pain, identity, and meaning shapes our experience of suffering.

They discuss the difference between pain and suf...

In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, hosts Mike Townsend and Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend, MD explore anxiety, depression, trauma, meditation, and consciousness with a grounded and human perspective. They unpack why our minds get stuck in fear and rumination — future‑focused anxiety and past‑focused depressive patterns — and how we can cultivate presence and healing through mindful practices.

They discuss how meditation help...

In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend, MD and Mike Townsend share a behind-the-scenes look at Meadow’s recent growth, evolving systems, and the philosophy guiding their work. From expanding their physical space to building a mission-driven team, they reflect on what it really takes to scale a legal psilocybin service center while staying grounded in care, safety, and integrity.

They explore the ...

In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, host Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend, MD sits down with Ayahuasca Curandera Tatiana Aya Tupinambá to explore the deeper meaning of medicine, healing, and humanity’s relationship with nature. Tatiana shares her powerful journey from growing up in the Amazon jungle to navigating trauma, addiction, and depression — and ultimately returning to the jungle to train in traditional ayahuasca practi...

In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, host Mike Townsend sits down with psilocybin facilitator and lifelong Buddhist Michael Kelly to explore how psychedelic therapy can guide people through major life transitions—from career changes and divorce to facing the end of life with peace and presence.

Michael shares his personal journey from decades in the tech industry to becoming a trauma-informed facilitator, highlightin...

In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, host Mike Townsend sits down with psilocybin facilitator and trauma-informed guide Nitai Aleksiewicz to discuss the healing power of psychedelics. Nitai shares his journey from working with trauma survivors to becoming a psilocybin retreat facilitator, highlighting how grief, loss, and resilience shaped his path.

They explore the essential role of psilocybin therapy in Oregon, how to pr...

In this episode, Mike sits down with Andrew Conley, cofounder of Althea, to explore what it takes to build a psychedelic startup. Althea’s software powers much of the psilocybin services sector, and together they discuss the business of psychedelics along with the political and economic forces shaping society and drug policy.

📚 Books & Thinkers Referenced

• The Lessons of History by Will & Ariel Durant<...

In this episode, we dive into one of the most important topics for anyone considering psychedelic therapy: SSRI tapering.

Dr. Tracy Townsend (Harvard-trained orthopedic surgeon, now psilocybin facilitator and co-founder of Meadow Medicine) and Mike Townsend explore what it really takes to safely reduce or discontinue antidepressants before a psychedelic journey.

You’ll learn about:
• Why tapering is essential...

In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend and Mike Townsend dive deep into the realities of marriage, parenting, and running a startup together. They share candid reflections on conflict, communication, emotional intelligence, and what it takes to nurture a resilient partnership through the challenges of modern life.

Drawing on marriage research, personal struggles, and their work with psilocybin facilita...

In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend and Mike Townsend explore the first pillar of the Meadow Method—physical health—with a focus on food, nutrition, and our evolving relationship with what we eat. They share candid stories from childhood, college, and adulthood, reflecting on sugar, processed foods, alcohol, and cultural influences.

The conversation also examines generational differences...

In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, Mike Townsend speaks with Keith Gilmore, President of the Portland Psychedelic Society and men’s coach. They explore the evolving landscape of psychedelics, the risks of ideology, the rise of AI, and the deeper questions of consciousness. Keith shares insights from his leadership journey, his experiences with lucid dreaming and DMT, and why he sees psychedelics as both a sacred technolog...

In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend and Mike Townsend explore the differences between SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and psilocybin therapy. 

They examine the history of antidepressant use, the chemical imbalance theory, and the challenges of tapering off SSRIs.

This discussion offers a nuanced perspective on how microdosing may serve as a bridge therapy and what individ...

In this inaugural episode of the Meadow Podcast, hosts Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend and Mike Townsend dive into the story behind founding Meadow, a legal psilocybin service center in Oregon. They discuss their personal and professional evolution with psychedelics, the challenges of launching a heart-centered business, and their vision for the future of mental health care.

Resources:
Books
Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality W...

In this episode, Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend is joined by Dr. Kathryn Kloos, ND, a naturopathic physician specializing in women’s healthcare, pelvic floor therapy, and uterine massage. Dr. Kloos is also a seasoned facilitator in ceremonial plant medicine, bringing decades of experience with ayahuasca and psilocybin mushrooms.

In this episode, we explore:

- Dr. Kloos’ transformative first encounters with psyched...

Welcome back! I'm Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend, and in this episode, I sit down with Amy Wong Hope, a clinical social worker and trauma therapist based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Amy is trained in MDM-assisted therapy through MAPS and founded the Psychedelic Studies Certificate Program at Southwestern College, aimed at educating healthcare professionals in psychedelics. She’s also the coauthor of Small Doses of Awareness: A Microdosi...

Welcome back to the podcast! I’m Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend, and in this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Balazs Szigeti. With a background in physics and a PhD in data science, Dr. Szigeti has pioneered "self-blinding," a unique methodology allowing self-experimenters to create their own placebo control. He led the largest placebo-controlled study on psychedelic microdosing and is currently a clinical data scientist at UCSF's Tr...

In this episode, host Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend is joined by Dr. Neus Pelegri, an expert in neuro-regeneration and holistic healing. Together, they explore integrating scientific knowledge with alternative approaches to wellness, highlighting the connection between emotional and physical health. Dr. Pelegri also shares her journey of navigating career transitions post-PhD, overcoming burnout, and embracing a more authentic professiona...

Tracy Townsend, MD, sits down with one of her friends Jin Sol to do a Q&A session about psychedelics as medicines. They cover the therapeutic potential of these powerful substances for mental health and personal growth, preparing for psychedelic experiences, and understanding the nuances of dosing and integration. With personal stories, cultural insights, and practical advice, this conversation is a great way to start your expl...