Episode 106
“Love is our blueprint, choice is our power, life is our school.”
Listen in to a moving conversation with Dr. Dan Engle, a pioneer in integrative psychiatry, who shares deeply about how psychedelics have helped him heal himself and inspired him to support others to safely use them to explore all aspects of themselves - shadow and light - and discover their true dharma.
The conversation tracks Dr. Dan’s journey from traditional psychiatry to the jungles of South America, where ayahuasca helped him uncover the deeper layers of his own healing. Michaela and Dr. Dan discuss the challenges of integrating ancestral wisdom into modern mental health practices and how psychedelic therapies can help guide individuals to navigate personal challenges, foster deep interconnection, and align with their unique life purpose.
Dr. Dan Engle is a psychiatrist with a clinical practice that combines aspects of regenerative medicine, psychedelic research, integrative spirituality, and peak performance.
His medical degree is from the University of Texas in San Antonio. His psychiatry residency degree is from the University of Colorado in Denver, and his child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship degree is from Oregon Health & Science University.
Dr. Engle is an international consultant to several global healing centers facilitating the use of long-standing indigenous plant medicines for healing and awakening. He is the founder of Full Spectrum Medicine, a psychedelic integration and educational platform; and Thank You Life, a non-profit funding stream supporting access to psychedelic therapies.
Dr. Engle is the author of The Concussion Repair Manual: A Practical Guide to Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injuries, as well as his new book, A Dose of Hope: A Story of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy.
Episode Highlights
Dr. Dan’s shift from conventional psychiatry to psychedelic medicine
Healing generational trauma in service to future generations
A broken neck and a life-changing realization about authenticity and purpose
Dr. Dan’s first ayahuasca experience and its profound impact on his life
Lessons from the jungle: learning to listen deeply through plant medicine
Preparing for transformation: tools to regulate the mind and body during healing
How ayahuasca’s teachings align with modern scientific discoveries
Finding your dharma: aligning with your unique purpose in life
Personal loss as a catalyst for expanding the psychedelic healing mission
The web of life and our shared responsibility to embrace interconnection
Infusing life with meaning through daily practices
Navigating identity shifts on the spiritual path and redefining relationships
Building compassion by understanding others' lived experiences and struggles
Dr. Dan’s Links
Website: www.drdanengle.com
Website: www.thankyoulife.org
Website: www.fullspectrummedicine.com
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Book: Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
Book: The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk
Book: The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling by Stephen Cope
Book: The Biology of Transcendence: A Blueprint of the Human Spirit by Joseph Chilton Pearce
Book: Dark Night of the Soul by John of the Cross
Spiritual Writer: Thomas Moore
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Special thanks to Jeremy Colbert (Taragápe) for the original podcast theme music.
You can find out more about Jeremey’s work here:
taragape.com and @taragape