Tag: psychedelics

Psychedelic Mushrooms & Depression

Alex Kwan, Dept of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine.  Image courtesy of Yale School of Medicine.

In this How on Earth episode, we learn about the latest research on psychedelic mushrooms (psilocybin) and their potential for treating depression.   Jill Sjong speaks with Alex Kwan, a neuroscientist and Associate Professor in Psychiatry at Yale University’s School of Medicine, who studies dendritic plasticity in mice using advanced optical methods.   Dr. Kwan explains how psilocybin changes the brain, how these changes last long after the psychedelic effects have worn off, and how these results may lead to future treatments for depression.

Host:   Jill Sjong
Executive Producer:   Beth Bennett

Listen to the show:

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:47 — 36.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Science of Psychedelics

How to Change Your Mind PollanWe present another part of our interview with Michael Pollan about his book “How to Change Your Mind:  What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression and Transcendence”.  It is an investigation into the medical and scientific revolution taking place around psychedelic drugs, and the spellbinding story of his own life-changing psychedelic experiences.  Books like “How to Change our Mind” are starting to “alter the state” of awareness about modalities that are outside the conventional box of standard medical treatments for mental health problems.  And there are other ways this wave of new awareness is heading into our communities.

will-bio-photoWe also talk with Boulder Psychiatrist Dr. Will Van Derveer, who leads the Integrative Psychiatry Institute.  They will hold a professional conference this October 19-21 in Boulder. Their goal is to educate more health practitioners about how body imbalances, such as gut challenges and mold infections, along with undiagnosed trauma often underlie much of what leads people to seek psychiatric health.  One of the modalities that will be discussed at this professional conference is psychedelics.

Hosts: Shelley Schlender, Joel Parker
Producer / Engineer: Joel Parker
Executive Producer: Joel Parker

Listen to the show:

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:25 — 26.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS