Conversations that
inspire, engage, illuminate & heal
Psychedelic literally means ‘soul revealing’. What reveals the soul to oneself is psychedelic.
Mother earth is psychedelic. Her body is covered with psychoactive, Sacred medicine. Can Earth medicines help us become more conscious partners, lovers, parents and leaders?
The Psychedelic Mom Podcast is a podcast to inspire, transform, and awaken you to a part of the movement that's transforming the world.
I invite you to join me in deep conversations that explore the beauty, wisdom, practices, and challenges of waking up, and personal stories of others on this wild path including; wise women and men across disciplines including elders, authors, historians, psychologists, mothers and fathers and medicine keepers to understand the current times we are living in and why waking up to our true essence is crucial to the rebalancing of our world.
Episode 49
Join Michaela Carlin for an inspiring episode with Peg Peters, a storyteller who advocates for a community model that brings together the realms of psychedelics and spirituality. Peg vulnerably shares about his own psychedelic-assisted transformation and highlights the limitations of the Western model of individualistic “pill-taking”.
Peg emphasizes the need for longer-term integration and community support during work with psychedelic medicines, and speaks about the development of the Gathering Group Model, where he has witnessed remarkable improvements in mental health and a deeper sense of self and belonging.
Michaela and Peg also discuss Peg’s film, “Dosed 2”, which follows the journey of a woman with a terminal cancer diagnosis and reveals the power of psychedelics in facing mortality and living authentically.
Episode 48
What does it feel like to live in a non-dual reality? And what exactly does “non-dual” mean? On today’s episode of the Psychedelic Mom, Michaela Carlin takes a deep dive into the topic of self-realization with Nargis Alegria, a non-dual speaker and integrative counselor. Nargis shares about the evolution of her consciousness into an awakened state and what it is like to live in the emerging moment in pure presence.
A central theme in the conversation is that by staying present to our shadow and tuning into the wisdom of our bodies, we can unlock deep-seated emotional patterns and experience greater well-being. Nargis also touches upon the role of psychedelics in the awakening process, urging individuals to approach them with intention and respect, being cautious not to use them as a spiritual bypass.
Episode 47
Join Michaela Carlin for a captivating conversation with Joe Moore, host of the longest running podcast on the topic of psychedelics – Psychedelics Today – which explores the intersection of psychedelics, medicine, healing, drug policy, and much, much more.
Joe calls for a holistic approach to psychedelics, advocating for more research and funding while addressing the need for drug policy reform. He emphasizes the importance of responsible use and regulation, parallels the challenges in assessing the safety and benefits of psychedelics to that of alcohol and tobacco, and advocates for individual sovereignty and choice. Looking to the future, Joe believes psychedelics have the potential to reshape society as a whole and imagines a day when LSD will be available in the pharmacy at your local Walmart.
Episode 46
Can a plant-based medicine provide a breakthrough in addiction recovery? Join Michaela Carlin with Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Practitioner and Psychedelic Integration specialist, Jen Bruce, as Jen shares her remarkable story of transformation from the depths of alcohol addiction to finding healing and purpose through the power of Ibogaine.
Jen shares her personal exploration of addiction, the power of community, and the profound impact of Ibogaine on her physical and emotional well-being. Her experience highlights the importance of addressing trauma and embracing holistic wellness in addiction recovery.
Discover how this plant-based medicine not only alleviated Jen’s pain and fatigue, but also ignited a renewed sense of connection and purpose in her life as a mother. Don't miss this inspiring conversation that reveals the potential of ibogaine while raising critical questions about some missing elements in the industry.
Episode 45
Can the secret to our spiritual awakening be found within the delicate petals of a flower? Anyone who has experienced the power of plant medicine knows that plants have healing wisdom. In today’s episode of The Psychedelic Mom, Michaela Carlin, interviews Elizabeth Blake, a spiritual teacher and guide who has had a transformative journey using plants for inner alchemy and spiritual embodiment.
Michaela and Elizabeth discuss the unique qualities of ayahuasca, blue lotus and rose, and illuminate the reality that whether “visionary” or not, plants possess a consciousness and intelligence that can support our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Elizabeth teaches that by honoring and respecting the plants around us, we can tap into their healing power and experience a greater sense of harmony and balance in our lives.
Episode 44
In Part 2 of The Psychdelic’s Mom’s exploration of The Shadow, Michaela Carlin offers a guided somatic journey into hidden aspects of ourselves to help illuminate and integrate them into our wholeness.
Guiding us through a mesmerizing shadow work exercise, Michaela leads us to find a tranquil space, close our eyes, and attentively focus on bodily sensations so that we can begin to contact and connect to different dimensions of our shadow. By exploring uncomfortable sensations and emotions with open acceptance, compassion, and curiosity, we invite them to be felt without judgment.
Throughout this exercise engaging in a dialog with our unconscious and subconscious, Michaela highlights the significance of embracing all parts of ourselves, including resistant protector parts. Delving into memories, images, and emotions that surface, we gain insight, while working with child parts nurtures the holistic healing of deep wounds.
Episode 43
In the first of a two-part series on The Shadow, The Psychedelic Mom, Michaela Carlin, guides us towards an understanding of why meeting the aspects of ourselves we are not conscious of is critical to both our personal and collective healing and transformation.
The shadow refers to those parts of ourselves that we unconsciously suppress or disassociate from, yet influence our lives in profound ways. It develops from a young age as we adapt to societal and familial expectations, creating personas to fit in and hiding rejected aspects of ourselves. Michaela reveals that by iIlluminating and integrating the exiled parts of ourselves through shadow work, we can move towards a deeper inner coherence and freedom from suffering.
Episode 42
This week Dr. Gabrielle Pelicci returns to the Psychedelic Mom to share even more deeply about her journey healing from childhood trauma through therapy, earth medicines and personal growth work. Dr. Gabby candidly speaks to her process facing her early wounding and the profound grief and healing that confronting it catalyzed.
Through her story, she highlights the therapeutic value of writing, nature connection and self-care practices for integration, especially after immersive healing experiences. Dr. Gabby also previews her upcoming book, a companion piece to her memoir, All This Healing is Killing Me, where she will share in detail about her experiences with different earth medicines and the power of plants for healing and transformation.
Episode 40
Can psychedelic integration coaching help us unlock true transformation?
Listen in to today’s episode of the Psychedelic Mom as Michaela Carlin dives into the world of psychedelic integration coaching with Deanne Adamson, CEO and founder of the global coaching and training platform, Being True to You. Being True to You offers transformational coaching for people from all walks of life who sincerely desire change and are ready to stop looking outside of themselves for solutions and “do the work”.
Being True to You’s comprehensive coach training program is geared towards stakeholders in the psychedelic space, including sitters, guides, facilitators, therapists, medical professionals, and clinic and retreat owners. With an emphasis on character and communication, it covers many dimensions of personal growth and spiritual development and is a profoundly transformative process for trainees. Michaela herself is a graduate of Being True to You’s coach training program.
Episode 39
Today on The Psychedelic Mom, Michaela offers a Q&A episode exploring the profound world of magic mushrooms: dosing, benefits, safety… and how psilocybin brings us into intimate contact with our shadow and also our beauty.
She begins by addressing common questions surrounding psilocybin mushrooms and their growing popularity. Are they legal? Are they safe? How much should you take? In what context and with what support?
Michaela also shares with clarity and inspiration about the ability of psilocybin mushrooms to enhance creativity, support the release of traumatic memories and emotions, and help us shed unhealthy patterns while gaining a deeper understanding of ourselves, our relationships and our world.
Episode 38
In this rich conversation with Stuart Adam and Stepfanie Cohen, Michaela Carlin leads an exploration of the alchemy of prayer, the power of the heart, and the significance of being present to the suffering we can create through our inner narratives.
Stuart shares about his personal awakening to the consciousness of the heart and its profound impact on his life. He suggests that by bringing our mental stories into the heart we can more easily access the alchemical magic that lies within us. Stepfanie, who is Michaela’s collaborator in medicine work and also a client of Stuart's, offers her own perspectives on what it means to orient more towards the heart.
Stuart guides us through a meditation that helps focus on the vortex of the heart, enabling us to dive deeper into our own awareness and tap into the wisdom and guidance that reside within. He also highlights the significance of stories and agreements in our relationships and the need to cultivate self-worth and learn from our experiences, regardless of their outcomes.
As a healer, Stuart's facilitation work has included medicines like ayahuasca and kambo as well as subtle plants such as blue lotus and rose. With respect to kambo, Stuart explains how the power of prayer in combination with the power of the medicine can create a deeper healing. He approaches kambo not just as a physical medicine but as a metaphysical movement of energy, capable of clearing the darkness of disease and anxiety.
Episode 37
Join Michaela Carlin and Dr. Gabrielle Pelicci as they discuss Gabrielle’s unique healing journey and the transformative power of earth medicines in trauma recovery. Gabrielle helps us understand that unlike traditional modalities, earth medicines offer a unique type of healing by reframing the context of trauma through a direct connection to source wisdom.
Gabrielle's rich and adventurous journey ultimately led her to discover her true identity through writing her book, All This Healing is Killing Me. Drawing from her own experiences growing up in a challenging environment of domestic violence, mental illness and addiction, Gabrielle emphasizes the significance of forgiveness and self-acceptance in the healing process, at the same time cautioning against an excessive focus on healing work.
Ultimately, Gabrielle's story serves as inspiration to explore the transformative potential of earth medicines, embrace one's true self, and nurture a supportive community on the healing journey.
Episode 36
Can a plant hold the key to both personal transformation and cultural preservation? Today on the Psychedelic Mom, Michaela Carlin delves into the work of the organization Blessings of the Forest with its co-director, David Nassim. Blessing of the Forest’s mission is to reclaim and restore areas of the forest in Gabon, Africa affected by aggressive agriculture while empowering local communities to cultivate iboga using traditional methods.
Central to this conversation is the vital importance of listening to and involving the Gabonese people in the decision-making process. Blessings of the Forest recognizes that the traditional wisdom and practices associated with iboga are deeply rooted in Gabonese culture and must be protected. By engaging and respecting the local communities, the organization seeks to create a context that acknowledges their traditions and ensures their active participation in the preservation and sustainable use of iboga.
David Nassim emphasizes the need for a gradual and mindful approach to working with iboga, rather than rushing to exploit its potential. He highlights the profound effects that iboga can have on individuals, including reevaluations of beliefs and behaviors. This transformative power underscores the importance of approaching iboga with reverence as well as caution, ensuring its use is guided by respect for the plant and the cultural heritage it embodies. cological importance.
Episode 35
How can somatic therapy help us move from embodying our wounding to embodying our wisdom? Join Michaela Carlin in conversation with Dr. Carista Luminare, a psychotherapist who has spent over 40 years exploring this very question using her unique, holistic approach. Carista shares about how she works with the most common wounds that show up in her practice – unworthiness, shame, abandonment, and feeling insecure and unsafe in relationship – and the importance of expressing authentic emotions in real-time to help release stored trauma in the body.
Carista and Michaela also touch on the potential of working with plant medicines in the healing process, the roots of addiction, adaptive vs. maladaptive ‘parts’, and the role of early conditioning in shaping our lives. The interview wraps up with an exploration of Carista's comprehensive assessment methods with her clients, a deeper look into the concept of 'big T' and 'small t' traumas, and the overarching notion of healing as a journey of self-discovery.
Episode 34
Can we truly understand the value of sacred plant medicines without understanding the indigenous cultures who have been holding them for millena? Listen in as the Psychedelic Mom, Michaela Carlin, explores this question and more with Andrea Valeska and Ana Medina, two women of indigenous ancestry who are deeply embedded in the movement for the decriminalization of sacred plant medicines in Colorado.
The pair express disappointment about the lack of consultation with indigenous people in the development of Colorado’s Proposition 122, “Access to Natural Psychedelic Substances”. They underscore the need for awareness, inclusivity, and respect for indigenous traditions in the psychedelic renaissance, urging listeners to reconnect with the land and develop decriminalization and legalization policies from a place of love and connection to the earth.
This episode can be considered a wake-up call to the importance of respecting indigenous voices and seeking permission when working with sacred plant medicines. Ana and Andrea make a case for the need to decolonize our thinking, slow down, and learn from indigenous elders before attempting to work at scale with “natural psychedelic substances”.
Episode 33
What happens when we tap into the deepest layers of our consciousness, and what role might psychedelics play in this exploration? Join The Psychedelic Mom, Michaela Carlin, in conversation with Dr. Angelo Dilullo, a highly respected non-dual teacher, as they discuss awakening and the synergy between psychedelics and consciousness, offering novel perspectives on reality, self and healing.
Dr. Angelo emphasizes dismantling the illusion of separateness – a shift away from the conventional "fixing" model of healing towards accepting and integrating all experiences. By challenging the perception of self as a fixed entity and acknowledging the value of personal exploration, Dr. Angelo invites us to navigate beyond the conditioned mind to discover true freedom.
Episode 32
Join Michaela Carlin and Tyson Adams as they engage in a profound discussion on porn addiction, sexual trauma, and the therapeutic use of psychedelics. Tyson shares about his history with pornography and how it led to a deeper understanding of his sexuality, He shares intimate details of his practice involving sacred sexuality and the deliberate and mindful engagement in sexual practices.
Tyson’s personal journey of porn addiction beginning at a tender age and how it became normalized during his college years. He highlights the impact of pornography on men's perception of women and how it can outsource pleasure to the women, thereby deflecting men's responsibility for their own pleasure.
Tyson's approach involves dealing with unattached burdens and energies through unique methods, such as N,N-DMT mirror work, which he attests led him to one of his most profound ego death experiences. He also uses tools like Internal Family Systems and bioelectric massage machines to address porn addiction and sexual trauma, coupled with micro or macro doses of mushrooms. His approach is rooted in the belief that trauma is stored in specific parts of the body and in decommodifying ourselves to truly understand our worth as soul beings.
Episode 30
What is it like to receive an extended dose of intravenous DMT? Listen in as Alexander Beiner candidly shares about his recent experiences doing just this as part of a research study at Imperial College London.
In this conversation, Alexander unpacks some of the symbolism embedded in these wild and profound psychedelic journeys, connecting them to our collective need to engage with the intricacies of “complex” systems – both micro and macro – with a flexible and curious approach.
His participation in the DMT study reveals his awe at the possibilities of deriving knowledge from alternate states of consciousness. Reflecting on his encounters with various intelligences during his DMT experiences, Alexander highlights the spiritual teachings he received, especially the centrality of love.