This week on The Intersect, Cory begins by asking what may seem like a wild question: Can AI really sit with you through a psychedelic trip? What could go right (and wrong) when we invite technology into some of our most vulnerable emotional experiences?
Even in 2025, women’s biology, which includes the daily fluctuations of hormone cycles, has largely been left out of psychedelic research (and most medical research and clinical trials for that matter …) This has large implications not just for women’s health, and for science in general, and Dr. Grace Blest-Hopley, a neuroscientist is working to change that through her company called Hystelica, which is dedicated to understanding how women’s biology intersects with psychedelic medicine.
Cory and Grace discuss the wide-ranging impacts of women’s hormones and the brain, the possibilities and limitations of AI as a psychedelic “trip sitter,” and how medical research can be more inclusive, and therefore more accurate.
Topics Covered:
- Why women’s biology can’t be treated as “niche” in psychedelic research
- How tech and AI tools might empower women to track, understand, and advocate for their health
- The possibilities and pitfalls of using AI in psychedelic preparation, integration, and beyond
- Why trust, safety, and human presence still matter most in the middle of the journey
About Grace Blest-Hopley:
Dr. Grace Blest-Hopley is a Neuroscientist with 12 years experience researching cannabis, cannabinoids, and psychedelics. Grace completed her PhD in Neuroscience at King's College London and currently serves as the Chief Scientific Officer at NWPharma Tech. She is the Research Director at Heroic Hearts Project, a charity that supports combat veterans with mental health challenges resulting from trauma and is also the founder of Hystelica, a community focused on understanding women's biology for safe and effective psychedelic use. In addition to her research and professional roles, she serves as an officer in the British Army Reserve. Dr. Blest-Hopley advocates for the therapeutic potential of these substances and strives to advance the field of psychedelic research. Her work contributes to improving the well-being of individuals in need, particularly combat veterans, while also promoting a better understanding of women's biology in relation to psychedelics.
Follow Grace on Instagram @hystelica and @drblesthopley
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