Trauma, Psychedelics and Buddhism

Sharon Niv, Cognitive Psychologist, the co-founder of Joyous, a public benefit company helping make psycholytic, or low-dose, ketamine assisted care more accessible and affordable than ever before discusses her passion to improve health care for all.

https://www.joyous.team/

Special Thanks to:

Konstantin Alexander (KAStudiosHQ.com) - Podcast Production

Ryan Bell (@IG bellphoto11.com) - Logo Design

David Starfire (davidstarfire....

Dr. Radhikesh Das is a physician-turned-astrologer who bridges modern medical science with ancient Vedic wisdom. After earning his Doctorate of Medicine in 1999 and serving over two decades in clinical and executive roles, he followed his family’s multigenerational lineage of Ayurvedic doctors and astrologers into the study of Vedic and Medical Astrology. Now a full-time astrologer, meditation teacher, and international lecturer, h...

Note: This episode contains audio glitches due to technical issues during recording.

In this enlightening conversation, Reverend Kokyo shares his journey through Zen Buddhism and the integration of his prior experiences with psychedelics into his spiritual practice. He discusses the profound impact of both Zen teachings and psychedelic experiences on his understanding of self, trauma, and healing. Kokyo emphasizes the importance of...

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival, or Nine Emperor Gods Festival, is a Taoist ritual held each October in southern Thailand. Though known for its strict vegetarianism and purification practices, it is equally defined by trance and mediumship. Ma Song (“spirit horses”) enter altered states believed to be deity or ancestor possession, performing acts like cheek-piercing or fire-walking without pain—seen as devotion and purification.

Psyc...

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival, or Nine Emperor Gods Festival, is a Taoist ritual held each October in southern Thailand. Though known for its strict vegetarianism and purification practices, it is equally defined by trance and mediumship. Ma Song (“spirit horses”) enter altered states believed to be deity or ancestor possession, performing acts like cheek-piercing or fire-walking without pain—seen as devotion and purification.

Psyc...

In this powerful conversation, audio/video producer & musical artist Konstantin Alexander joins me to share how he discovered that trauma therapy—not cannabis—was the true elixir on his healing path.

We explore:

• How self-medication can mask deeper pain

• Why anxiety sometimes increases before healing begins

• The courage it takes to turn toward trauma instead of away from it

• How authentic transformation starts with self-acceptan...

In this episode, I speak with Jake Dimmock, a longtime Seattle resident, U.S. Merchant Seaman turned cannabis pioneer, and co-founder of one of the nation’s first medical marijuana dispensaries—the Northwest Patient Resource Center.

Jake reflects on his unexpected journey from working tugboats on both U.S. coasts to becoming a leader in medical cannabis. He shares how his perspective shifted beyond the idea of “just getting high” to...

In this episode, Dharma teacher Erin Treat shares her perspective on the ever-changing nature of healing. She likens the process to surfing a wave—calling for presence, adaptability, and courage to stay on its leading edge. Erin encourages us to move beyond fixed methods and instead bring curiosity, innovation, and deep listening into our practice. Together, we explore how mindfulness, compassion, and spiritual practice help us nav...

In this episode, trauma therapist and Buddhist practitioner Tom Faupl shares his powerful experience in a high-dose psilocybin clinical trial. He describes it as both the hardest and most transformative day of his life, revealing the profound healing potential of psychedelics when held in a trauma-informed way.

Tom and Karen explore the importance of sustained integration support and the role of the subtle body—an energetic, psychos...

In this episode, I speak with David Weinstein—founding teacher of the Rockridge Meditation Community, teacher at the Pacific Zen Institute, and psychotherapist. David shares his unexpected entry into Buddhism and psychedelics, beginning with childhood mind experiments, LSD in college, and a chance encounter in a German bar that led him across Nepal, Afghanistan, Japan, and beyond.

He describes how the teachings of Lama Zopa and Lama...