In this episode of Divergent States, we talk with Joshua White, founder and executive director of the Fireside Project, a nonprofit creating a revolutionary model of psychedelic support through free, real-time emotional care and integration coaching.
What happens when someone takes too much LSD and needs someone to talk to—right now? What if someone is trying to process an ayahuasca ceremony months later, but feels disconnected or judged in traditional therapy settings? Fireside Project offers a lifeline—through voice, text, and now coaching—for people navigating the psychological highs, lows, and revelations that come with non-ordinary states.
Topics we explore:
- Joshua’s journey from attorney to psychedelic peer support pioneer
- The fusion of festival harm reduction (Zendo Project) and therapeutic models
- The challenges and beauty of being vulnerable on psychedelics
- Why peer support is not about fixing the trip—but honoring it
- Fireside’s efforts to center marginalized voices and create culturally attuned care
- The importance of long-term integration, not just “bad trip” triage
- The launch of Fireside’s certified coaching program: preparation, integration, and affordable access to trained support
- Training 600+ volunteers and building a new generation of psychedelic-informed supporters
- The hard truth about fundraising and outreach in the psychedelic nonprofit space
- How to get involved, support, or train with Fireside
We also discuss the deeper existential questions around psychedelics: Why do humans have the capacity for these experiences in the first place? What does it mean to embrace anxiety, rather than suppress it? And how do we build a post-prohibition world rooted in compassion, not commercialization?
Whether you’re preparing for your first journey, working through a past one, or just curious about what a post-psychedelic-care model could look like, this conversation offers a grounded, humble, and hopeful roadmap.
🔗 Learn more or volunteer: firesideproject.org
📱 Download the Fireside app (iOS & Android): Just two buttons—Call or Text.
💬 Support the show: patreon.com/divergentstates
🎧 Music by Flintwick
00:12 – Intro & Fireside Project Overview
02:33 – Joshua’s Journey: From Law to Psychedelics
08:37 – The Four Problems in the Psychedelic Field
12:12 – What a Fireside Support Call Is Like
14:08 – Anxiety, Acceptance, and “The Obstacle Is the Path”
17:32 – Who’s on the Other End of the Line?
20:45 – Volunteer Training & Community Structure
22:46 – Fireside’s Harm Reduction Impact
24:56 – Culturally Attuned Support & Identity-Based Care
26:56 – Fireside’s Biggest Challenge: Fundraising
31:04 – The Fireside Coaching Program Explained
32:45 – First-Time Users & Psychedelic Prep
35:17 – The Fireside App for Trippers
38:01 – Final Thoughts, Get Involved
Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE
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