Psymposia Podcast

Psymposia Podcast

Psymposia is a 501(c)(3) research non-profit with a mission to educate the public on psychedelic science and harm reduction. We offer critical perspectives on drugs, politics, and culture. The podcast is co-hosted by Psymposia co-founder Brian Normand, psychedelics researcher and ethicist Neşe Devenot, evolutionary ecologist Brian Pace, and journalist Russell Hausfeld.

Episodes

December 20, 2025 119 mins
Psymposia senior writer Russell Hausfeld sits down with author Bitter Karella to discuss their debut novel "Moonflow," their micro-fiction and text adventure projects, psychedelic mushrooms, writin...
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On June 6, Psymposia reported on the presenter contract for MAPS' Psychedelic Science 2023. The contract includes clauses that limit when and where presenters can speak, and a "MAPS Reputation" clause that warns speakers to not "tarnish" the organization's "reputation and goodwill." After our reporting, MAPS announced that all presenters would be released from the radius clause of the contract. Concerns with the "MAPS reputation" ...

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In this episode, Psymposia Senior Writer Russell Hausfeld interviews Church of Psilomethoxin co-founder Greg Lake. Hausfeld and Lake discuss recent chemical analysis of the Church's sacrament which indicates that it is not the drug the Church has claimed.

 



Footnotes:

 



Fungi Fiction: Analytical Investigation into the Church Of Psilomethoxin's Alleged Novel Compound Usi...

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In this episode, the Psymposia team speaks with writer Travis Kitchens about his recent piece "A Channel for Magic: Ralph Hood's Mysticism Scale and the Occult Roots of the Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Program"

 

Watch: 

https://youtu.be/Ued8NNIraFs

 

 

 

Support the show:

 

☼Patreon: http://patreon.com/psymposia

☼Donate: https://www.psymposia.com/donate/

 

...

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In this episode, Psymposia senior writer Russell Hausfeld interviews independent reporter Sasha Sisko about being kicked out of Wonderland Miami 2022. Sisko discusses their history with conference organizer Microdose Psychedelic Insights, appearing on stage at Wonderland Miami 2021, and being removed from Wonderland Miami 2022.  

 

Footnotes: 

Rick Perry Texts:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/25/politics/rick-perry-mark-meadows-text

h...

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November 23, 2022 124 mins

On November 3rd, the "Wonderland Miami" psychedelic conference banned the entire Psymposia team from the event. Compass Pathways consultant Hamilton Morris then took to the stage to distort and misrepresent our research. This podcast was edited for clarity from a YouTube livestream recorded on November 15, 2022.

 

Watch it here:
https://youtu.be/ckxKJQedx1c

 

If you're not terminally online, here's a bit more context:

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We're back…mostly. In this episode we ramble about the Psychedemia conference, the serpent handler researcher who helped legitimize Johns Hopkins' psychedelic research, Steve Jobs' guru "Toxic Bob", hot psilocybin patent garbage, Mind Medicine Australia's utterly cringe appearance on ABC's Four Corners documentary "Psyched Up", popping psychedelic hype bubbles, and Dave's new studio that's covered in fractal horses.

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This talk was presented live by Dr. Brian Pace and Dr. Neşe Devenot at the UW–Madison Transdisciplinary Center for Research in Psychoactive Substances. This talk was presented on April 28 as part of the "Psychedelic Humanities" speaker series, organized by Dr. Lucas Richert.



Public discourse concerning psychedelics and the emerging industry in psychedelic-assisted therapy has extended beyond the potential benefits of novel treatm...

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In part two of this deep dive, Psymposia and Thought Slime analyze Jordan Peterson's fascination with psychedelics as an example of the reactionary, right-wing ideologies that have been developing within psychedelia in recent decades. Reacting to a 2021 podcast of Peterson's, we discuss the significance of Peterson's popularity among some prominent psychedelic researc...

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In part two of this deep dive, Psymposia and Thought Slime analyze Jordan Peterson's fascination with psychedelics as an example of the reactionary, right-wing ideologies that have...

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In part one of this deep dive, Psymposia and Thought Slime analyze Jordan Peterson's fascination with psychedelics as an example of the reactionary, right-wing ideologies that have...

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Both underground and above-ground therapists and practitioners present their psychedelic services in service to "healing." Why, then, is it so hard to get them to acknowledge the harms taking place in their communities? Why do institutions seem more concerned with preserving their reputations than addressing the numerous harmful dynamics that have persisted for years? If the psychedelic movement intends to heal trauma...

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March 19, 2022 80 mins

When it comes to psychedelics, there's a lot we don't know. The same is true of the practitioners, institutions, and communities that have sprung up around psychedelic therapy and guiding. We explore the intersecting professional and social relationships of a few different guides and institutions. We also discuss Michael Pollan's impact on the current psychedelic landscape.

 

This episode i...

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March 13, 2022 68 mins

What's going on with the MAPS narratives? How is it possible that Mel, Leah, and Meaghan's experiences have been so at odds with the "standard story" we've heard about psychedelic clinical trials? Why can't we seem to get straight answers to simple questions? The Psymposia team drills down into the questions raised by the revelations in "Political Science" in an attempt to highlight some of the dynamics at the heart o...

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March 6, 2022 60 mins

The Psymposia team discusses the reticence of psychedelic advocates to consider cases of unequivocal abuse and neglect of participants in MAPS clinical trials. We provide background on the gap between the public image of MAPS and the experiences shared by Meaghan, Mel, and Leah in New York Magazine's Cover Story Season 1, Power Trip.

 

Watch:

https://youtu.be/EQRttVF7Dy8

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We talk drugs and anti-capitalism with anthropology PhD candidate, Hilary Agro. Ranging from prohibition to psychedelic clinical trials and beyond, we explore the overlaps and differences in our analyses of the current psychedelic (and broader drug policy) landscape.

 

Watch:

https://youtu.be/s6Puq_8lBnM

 

Support:

☼Patreon: http://patreon.com/psymposia

☼Donate: https://www.psymposia.com/donate/

 

Thank you to our Patreon podcast s...

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January 18, 2022 76 mins
We continue our discussion about Brian Pace and Neşe Devenot's recently published paper: "Right-Wing Psychedelia: Case Studies in Cultural Plasticity and Political Pluripotency

 

Abstract: Recent media advocacy for the nascent psychedelic medicine industry has emphasized the potential for psychedelics to improve society, pointing to research studies that have linked psychedelics to increased environmental concern and liberal poli...

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January 10, 2022 46 mins
We discuss Brian Pace and Neşe Devenot's recently published paper: "Right-Wing Psychedelia: Case Studies in Cultural Plasticity and Political Pluripotency" 

 

Abstract: Recent media advocacy for the nascent psychedelic medicine industry has emphasized the potential for psychedelics to improve society, pointing to research studies that have linked psychedelics to increased environmental concern and liberal politics. However, researc...

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January 2, 2022 94 mins

What the hell is going on in this house full of shit? And where do we go from here? We don't have answers, but we have ideas and plenty of questions to unfold. Power Trip 5 was a montage of stories that illustrate a bigger picture. This episode of Power Tripping offers a complementary platter of ideas. From the structural features of the psychedelic therapy marketplace, to the cognitive biases that encourage conformit...

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December 29, 2021 47 secs

Dear Plus Three listeners, 

 

Thanks so much for your continued support throughout the year. We couldn't do it without y'all. Psymposia is a small 501(c)(3) non-profit entirely funded by people who believe in our work. We're a volunteer organization and 100% of the funds we raise go into operating costs, which add up quickly. Please consider supporting us monthly on Patreon or making a one-time donation. All donations made by Decem...

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