Amber Capone, co-founder and CEO of Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS), joins us to share the powerful story behind her husband Marcus Capone’s recovery from combat-related PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI) through Ibogaine treatment. When traditional therapies failed, Amber took a leap of faith: one that led to a psychedelic intervention outside the U.S. that changed everything. In this episode, we explore the science and controversy surrounding Ibogaine, the limitations of VA mental health care, and how VETS is working to make psychedelic therapy like MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine accessible for veterans.

Whether you’re interested in psychedelic medicine, veteran mental health, or the future of trauma treatment, this conversation cuts through the hype and gets to what actually works.

Key Points:

• Amber’s journey from military spouse to CEO of VETS.
• The transformative power of Ibogaine for PTSD and TBI treatment.
• Challenges faced by veterans and military families post-service.
• Psychedelic therapy’s potential to redefine mental health care.
• Risks and considerations of medical tourism for psychedelic therapy.
• Bipartisan support for psychedelic treatment initiatives.
• The critical role of careful vetting, integration, and support systems in psychedelic therapy.

Chapter Markers:

• 00:00 – Introduction & why Amber’s story matters
• 05:56 – What was happening behind the scenes at home
• 07:57 – The struggle after service: Marcus’ decline
• 10:59 – Turning point: discovering Ibogaine
• 14:57 – What changed after treatment
• 20:20 – Starting VETS to help other families
• 25:06 – Not just Ibogaine: the expanded toolbox
• 31:21 – Addressing TBI and polytrauma
• 35:43 – The importance of screening, context, and preparation
• 41:46 – VETS’ evolving role in advocacy and support
• 45:16 – Bipartisan support and shifting cultural norms
• 51:54 – What “success” really means for healing veterans
• 57:57 – Where to learn more and get involved

Send us a text

Support the show

Special Thanks to our Macrodosers and Heroic Dosers on Patreon, Super D and Lucy!

https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

What happens when the most hunted man in psychedelic history walks free and joins us for a conversation?

In this deeply reflective episode of Divergent States, I sit down with William Leonard Pickard: chemist, philosopher, author of The Rose of Paracelsus, and the man once called the “Acid King.” After decades behind bars, Pickard returns with revelations about time, memory, suffering, redemption, and the spiritual cost of psychedelic pursuit.

We discuss the rise and fall of the most infamous LSD lab in history, Pickard's views on Ibogaine and modern psychedelic commercialization, and how prison reshaped his consciousness. He speaks of literature, inner stillness, shadow organizations, and the unfathomable lessons buried in the folds of silence.

A mythic guest, a poetic mind, and perhaps the most important voice in the psychedelic space today.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• The "Acid King" Speaks: For the first time in-depth post-release, Leonard Pickard reflects on his time at the center of what authorities called the largest LSD operation in history, and what he believes was really happening behind the scenes.
• Prison as a Psychedelic Experience: Pickard describes incarceration not as a void, but as a radically altered state, where time dilates, silence becomes sacred, and the mind either breaks or transcends.
• Ibogaine, Compassion, and the Future: He voices strong views on the therapeutic use of Ibogaine, its dangers when misused, and its misunderstood spiritual potential.
• The Rose of Paracelsus as Code: More than a memoir, Pickard hints that The Rose is layered with veiled truths and archetypes meant for those “with ears to hear”, especially those seeking refuge from commercialized psychedelia.
• The Invisible Networks: He suggests there are forces: academic, clandestine, spiritual, that have shaped and continue to shape psychedelic culture in ways the mainstream never sees.
• Redemption Through Stillness: Pickard doesn't romanticize his past. Instead, he presents a philosophy of quiet redemption, where introspection, myth, and suffering converge into what he calls “the sacred cost.”
• Warnings to the Psychedelic Industry: He offers a cautionary tale to today’s entrepreneurs and enthusiasts: be wary of glamorizing chemical mysticism, and remember that true wisdom comes not from flash, but from depth.

00:00 – Introduction: The Acid King Returns

3:06 – From Secrecy to Spotlight

06:00 – Psychedelic Culture: Then and Now

10:53 – Ibogaine and Healing Work

12:44 – On Commercialization and Ceremony

16:46 – What About the Sacred?

19:46 – Medicalization vs. Freedom

24:53 – What They Never Ask

26:22 – Second Life Reflections

33:16 – What Prison Taught Me

38:15 – Ergot Wine and LSD Myths

43:01 – Machine Elves and Other Planes

44:13 – Star Trek and the Pickard Rumor

45:07 – Outro and Patreon Preview

Send us a text

Support the show

Special Thanks to our Macrodosers and Heroic Dosers on Patreon, Super D and Lucy!

https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

What if healing didn’t have to be a solo journey?

In this episode of Divergent States, host 3L1T3 sits down with Dr. Anne Wagner, clinical psychologist, researcher, and founder of the Remedy Centre in Toronto, to explore how MDMA-assisted psychotherapy is transforming PTSD treatment by working with couples, not just individuals. From groundbreaking clinical trials to the lived reality of dyadic integration, Anne shares what she’s learning at the cutting edge of relational healing.

This conversation goes deep: into trauma, intimacy, conflict, neurodivergence, and how thinking "psychedelically" may just change everything, even outside the medicine space.

🎧 Plus: updates from Psychedelic Science 2025, upcoming guests like Leonard Pickard and Reggie Watts, and why the future of therapy might come in pairs.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Couples Therapy with MDMA is groundbreaking: 5 of 6 couples in the pilot no longer met PTSD criteria.
• Dyadic healing is multidimensional: it's not just about one partner’s trauma but transforming the relationship itself.
• Integration as a couple is complex, but powerful: shared experiences provide a unique scaffolding for long-term growth.
• CPT + MDMA shows promise: combining established PTSD therapies with psychedelic medicine could reshape treatment models.
• Ethical training is non-negotiable: Anne cautions against unqualified practitioners marketing “psychedelic couples therapy.”
• Neurodivergence and CPTSD are viable focuses: MDMA appears uniquely helpful for communication and emotional access.

⏱️ Chapters:

00:00 – Intro & Conference Check-In
04:22 – Meet Dr. Anne Wagner
04:38 – Misunderstandings About MDMA Therapy
07:13 – Empathy and Connection on MDMA
09:05 – Pilot Study Results from MDMA + CBCT
14:08 – Unexpected Dyadic Challenges
16:31 – Why Couples Therapy vs Solo MDMA Work
20:09 – Shifting Toward CPT + MDMA
24:18 – Preview of Anne’s Panels at PS25
28:57 – Defining Integration for Couples
32:35 – Will Dyadic Integration Become Its Own Field?
34:52 – Power Dynamics, Communication & Conflict on MDMA
37:22 – MDMA, Neurodivergence, and CPTSD
40:38 – Future of MDMA in General Relationship Work
42:13 – Ethical Guardrails for Psychedelic Couples Therapy
44:50 – Risks of Untrained Psychedelic Facilitators
45:44 – Training Models for Dyadic Psychedelic Therapists
47:20 – Access, Regulation & Stigma Barriers
49:20 – Anne’s Origin Story: Psychedelics, Trauma & Relationships
51:23 – Most Unexpected Lesson from the Work
53:09 – How to Connect with Remedy Centre
54:02 – Final Thoughts & Psychedelic Science Plans
59:09 – Outro: PTSD Breakthroughs & Upcoming Guests

Music by Flintwick

Send us a text

Support the show

Special Thanks to our Macrodosers and Heroic Dosers on Patreon, Super D and Lucy!

https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod