The Acid Queen: Susannah Cahalan on Rosemary Leary, the Forgotten Icon of the Psychedelic Revolution

In this episode of Shifting Perceptions, Jay Alders sits down with New York Times bestselling author and investigative journalist Susannah Cahalan (Brain on Fire, The Great Pretender). Susannah’s latest book, The Acid Queen, uncovers the extraordinary and largely forgotten story of Rosemary Woodruff Leary—Timothy Leary’s partner, accomplice, and muse—who helped him escape prison before vanishing underground for 25 years.

We explore:

• The hidden role of women in the psychedelic revolution

• How Rosemary became a counterculture icon—and why history erased her

• Susannah’s personal connection to altered states and psychosis

• The dangers and revelations of ego death, set & setting, and spiritual narcissism

• The discipline and rituals behind Susannah’s writing process

Susannah’s groundbreaking memoir Brain on Fire was adapted into a Netflix film and translated into more than 30 languages. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The New York Post, and beyond. This conversation dives deep into the psychedelic movement, creativity, legacy, and the fragile nature of the self—with lessons that remain urgent today.