Welcome to the Psychedelic Conversations Podcast!

Episode 165:
In this episode, we speak with Keith Kurlander to explore the intersection of mental health, spirituality, and psychedelic therapy. We discuss his personal journey into psychotherapy, how psychedelics helped reveal complex trauma in his own life, and why he views these medicines as powerful interventional tools that can sometimes bring hidden material to the surface. We also explore spiritual emergency, set and setting, and the challenges of navigating psychedelic healing safely and responsibly. Keith shares insights from his work as co-founder of the Integrative Psychiatry Institute, one of the leading education platforms in integrative mental health and psychedelic therapy, as well as Integrative Psychiatry Centers. Together, we reflect on the future of psychedelic therapy, public education, and how these treatments may become more mainstream.

About Keith:
Keith Kurlander, MA, LPC, is a licensed psychotherapist, speaker, and authority on mental health whose work is shaped by his early struggle with severe mental illness — a turning point that led him to devote his life to understanding real psychological change. For over twenty-five years, he has helped individuals confront the pressures, patterns, and blind spots that stand between them and meaningful transformation. As Co-Founder of the Integrative Psychiatry Institute — recognized by Inc. 5000 as one of the top 100 fastest-growing companies in the U.S. — Keith has trained more than 10,000 professionals in cutting-edge approaches, including psychedelic-assisted therapy. His perspective blends personal experience, clinical expertise, thousands of hours of client work, and the lived reality of building a leading mental-health education company. People seek Keith for the insight they can’t get anywhere else: clarity that reveals the deeper forces shaping their lives. As a speaker, he brings depth, humor, and disarming honesty that leave audiences engaged, challenged, and changed.

Stream the Higher Practice podcast here:
- https://psychiatryinstitute.com/podcast/

Connect with Keith:
- https://keithkurlander.com/
- https://psychiatryinstitute.com/
- https://www.instagram.com/keithkurlander.ma/

Thank you so much for joining us!

Psychedelic Conversations Podcast is designed to educate, inform, and expand awareness.

For more information, please head over to https://www.psychedelicconversations.com

Please share with your friends or leave a review so that we can reach more people and feel free to join us in our private Facebook group to keep the conversation going. https://www.facebook.com/groups/psychedelicconversations

This show is for information purposes only,
and is not intended to provide mental health or medical advice.

About Susan Guner:
Susan Guner is a holistic psychotherapist with a mindfulness-based approach grounded in Transpersonal Psychology, focusing on trauma-informed, community-centric processes that offer a broader understanding of human potential and well-being.

Connect with Susan:
Website: https://www.psychedelicconversations.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susan.guner
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-guner/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/susanguner
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/susanguner
Blog: https://susanguner.medium.com/
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/susan-guner

#PsychedelicConversations #SusanGuner #KeithKurlander #PsychedelicPodcast #PsychedelicScience #PlantMedicines #PsychedelicResearch

Welcome to the Psychedelic Conversations Podcast!

Episode 164:
In this episode, we speak with Andy Roberts, author of Albion Dreaming, to explore the hidden history of LSD in Britain and its far-reaching influence on culture, music, ecology, spirituality, and society. We discuss how LSD shaped the British counterculture, why its UK story is often overlooked, and how Andy came to document this history through years of research and interviews. Together, we reflect on LSD’s unique nature, its potential for insight, healing, fun, and transformation, as well as the importance of respect, set and setting, and safe use. We also talk about modern attitudes toward psychedelics, misconceptions created by drug propaganda, and Andy’s upcoming research into illicit LSD laboratories in Britain.

Find Andy's book 'Albion Dreaming' here:
https://a.co/d/0cHBkoZ4

About Andy:
Andy Roberts is a British author, researcher, and historian of Britain’s psychedelic culture, with a particular focus on the social and cultural history of LSD in the UK. He is the author of 13 books across subjects including psychedelia, folklore, UFOs, and Earth mysteries, and is best known for Albion Dreaming, his landmark study of how LSD shaped British society and culture from the early 1950s onward. His other notable works include Acid Drops, Divine Rascal, and In Search of Smiles. Roberts has been involved with Breaking Convention since its inception, where he has contributed talks, book launches, and support for the event’s book and merchandise stall. Drawing on decades of personal experience, archival research, and interviews with key figures from Britain’s psychedelic underground, Andy brings rare depth, historical insight, and lived perspective to conversations about LSD, culture, and consciousness.

Thank you so much for joining us!

Psychedelic Conversations Podcast is designed to educate, inform, and expand awareness.

For more information, please head over to https://www.psychedelicconversations.com

Please share with your friends or leave a review so that we can reach more people and feel free to join us in our private Facebook group to keep the conversation going. https://www.facebook.com/groups/psychedelicconversations

This show is for information purposes only,
and is not intended to provide mental health or medical advice.

About Susan Guner:
Susan Guner is a holistic psychotherapist with a mindfulness-based approach grounded in Transpersonal Psychology, focusing on trauma-informed, community-centric processes that offer a broader understanding of human potential and well-being.

Connect with Susan:
Website: https://www.psychedelicconversations.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susan.guner
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-guner/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/susanguner
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/susanguner
Blog: https://susanguner.medium.com/
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/susan-guner

#PsychedelicConversations #SusanGuner #AndyRoberts #PsychedelicPodcast #PsychedelicScience #PlantMedicines #PsychedelicResearch

Welcome to the Psychedelic Conversations Podcast!

Episode 163:
In this episode, we speak with Stephan Kerby, co-founder of Mindscape Psychedelic Institute and author of Trauma-Informed 5-MeO-DMT Facilitation, to explore the rising interest in 5-MeO-DMT and the importance of approaching it with care. We discuss Stephan’s personal healing journey, how he came to facilitate this work, and why trauma-informed preparation, screening, and integration are so essential. Together, we unpack the differences between dose-dependent experiences, non-dual states, “offline” experiences, reactivations, and the potential risks of destabilization. We also explore harm reduction, the role of trained facilitators, informed consent, and the importance of asking the right safety questions before engaging with this medicine. This is a thoughtful conversation on ethics, responsibility, and healing in psychedelic practice.

About Stephan:
Stephan Kerby, known simply as Kerby, is a leading voice in the evolving field of psychedelic facilitation, education, and integration. As the founder of Mindscape Psychedelic Institute, he trains facilitators, therapists, and guides in trauma-informed and nondual approaches to working with 5-MeO-DMT and other entheogens. Kerby’s work bridges science, spirituality, and embodiment—offering a grounded, integrity-based framework for those called to serve in the psychedelic space. His teaching emphasizes that facilitation is not about creating mystical experiences but cultivating the safety, presence, and awareness that make true transformation possible. Through his books—The 5-MeO-DMT Facilitation Manual, The 5-MeO-DMT Embodiment Protocol, and the forthcoming Field Notes from the Infinite—Kerby invites readers into a living dialogue between awakening and integration. His writing and courses challenge facilitators to embody wisdom, not perform it; to guide from experience, not ideology. A respected educator and sought-after speaker, Kerby’s mission is to raise the standard of psychedelic facilitation worldwide—reminding us that how we hold space matters, and who we are within that space matters even more.

Connect with Stephan:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kerby.healing/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindscapeinstitute/
Website: https://mindscapeinstitute.org/

Thank you so much for joining us!

Psychedelic Conversations Podcast is designed to educate, inform, and expand awareness.

For more information, please head over to https://www.psychedelicconversations.com

Please share with your friends or leave a review so that we can reach more people and feel free to join us in our private Facebook group to keep the conversation going. https://www.facebook.com/groups/psychedelicconversations

This show is for information purposes only,
and is not intended to provide mental health or medical advice.

About Susan Guner:
Susan Guner is a holistic psychotherapist with a mindfulness-based approach grounded in Transpersonal Psychology, focusing on trauma-informed, community-centric processes that offer a broader understanding of human potential and well-being.

Connect with Susan:
Website: https://www.psychedelicconversations.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susan.guner
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-guner/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/susanguner
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/susanguner
Blog: https://susanguner.medium.com/
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/susan-guner

#PsychedelicConversations #SusanGuner #StephanKerby #PsychedelicPodcast #PsychedelicScience #PlantMedicines #PsychedelicResearch

Welcome to the Psychedelic Conversations Podcast!

Episode 162:
In this episode of Psychedelic Conversations, we welcome back Lee Kaiser to explore the profound and complex realities that can arise when working with plant medicines. Together, we discuss Lee’s deeply personal experiences with extended altered states following ayahuasca and peyote ceremonies, what he describes as moments "when the ceremony doesn’t end.” We examine the differences between psychedelic-induced psychosis and spiritual emergency, and the challenges of navigating these experiences across both indigenous and Western clinical frameworks. Lee shares insights from his healing journey, including community support, integration, and the importance of caution and respect when engaging with powerful medicines. This conversation highlights the unpredictable and transformative nature of psychedelic exploration, reminding us that these experiences can open profound existential processes far beyond simple healing or symptom relief.

Our previous conversation:
https://youtu.be/7ir2B-qT9C4?si=qdI899TJijlk_thA

About Lee:
Lee Kaiser is a wildlife biologist and plant medicine explorer who has spent years living and working in Latin America, collaborating with indigenous communities and engaging with traditional ceremonial practices. After undergoing two profound altered-state experiences following plant medicine ceremonies, Lee has become an advocate for deeper conversations around psychedelic integration, spiritual emergency, and mental health. He currently lives in Argentina, where he focuses on community projects, music, and land-based living.

Connect with Lee:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leewkaiser/?hl=en
Website: https://mckenna.academy/mka-programs/when-the-ceremony-doesnt-end-2/

Thank you so much for joining us!

Psychedelic Conversations Podcast is designed to educate, inform, and expand awareness.

For more information, please head over to https://www.psychedelicconversations.com

Please share with your friends or leave a review so that we can reach more people and feel free to join us in our private Facebook group to keep the conversation going. https://www.facebook.com/groups/psychedelicconversations

This show is for information purposes only,
and is not intended to provide mental health or medical advice.

About Susan Guner:
Susan Guner is a holistic psychotherapist with a mindfulness-based approach grounded in Transpersonal Psychology, focusing on trauma-informed, community-centric processes that offer a broader understanding of human potential and well-being.

Connect with Susan:
Website: https://www.psychedelicconversations.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susan.guner
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-guner/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/susanguner
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/susanguner
Blog: https://susanguner.medium.com/
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/susan-guner

#PsychedelicConversations #SusanGuner #LeeKaiser #PsychedelicPodcast

Welcome to the Psychedelic Conversations Podcast!

Episode 161:
In this episode of Psychedelic Conversations, we speak with psychedelic ceremonial facilitator and educator Ehren Cruz to explore the deeper calling behind this work. We discuss his journey from studying indigenous traditions to creating sacred spaces and guiding transformational rites of passage. Together, we reflect on timing, both personal and collective, and how psychedelics can catalyze remembrance, spiritual awakening, and self-actualization. We explore the evolving relationship between science and indigenous wisdom, the importance of integration and embodiment, and how true transformation ripples through families and communities. Ehren shares insights into creating sanctuary, navigating shadow work, and supporting others through intentional, harm-reduction-based facilitation. This is a rich conversation about devotion, responsibility, and how we can collectively steward the psychedelic frontier with integrity and care.

About Ehren:
Ehren Cruz is a psychedelic ceremonial facilitator, ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), and founder of The SpArc, a 12-phase soul mentorship and psychedelic Rites of Passage program devoted to self-actualization and sacred service. For over 17 years, Ehren has pursued the mindful study and intentional use of entheogenic compounds as tools for healing, peak performance, and servant leadership. As a certified harm reductionist, he has guided over 200 high-dose individual journeys and numerous group experiences, each grounded in rigorous assessment, preparation, integration, and ethical ceremonial practice. Previously an award-winning festival producer generating over $100 million in sold-out events worldwide, Ehren now focuses on transformative mentorship and immersive experiences. He co-founded Communitas Sanctuary in North Carolina and is preparing to launch The Quest, a public benefit corporation merging art, storytelling, and self-discovery. Above all, he is devoted to healing, growth, and sacred service as a husband and father of three.

Connect with Ehren:
Website: https://thesparc.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehrencruz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ehrenthesparc/

Thank you so much for joining us!

Psychedelic Conversations Podcast is designed to educate, inform, and expand awareness.

For more information, please head over to https://www.psychedelicconversations.com

Please share with your friends or leave a review so that we can reach more people and feel free to join us in our private Facebook group to keep the conversation going. https://www.facebook.com/groups/psychedelicconversations

This show is for information purposes only,
and is not intended to provide mental health or medical advice.

About Susan Guner:
Susan Guner is a holistic psychotherapist with a mindfulness-based approach grounded in Transpersonal Psychology, focusing on trauma-informed, community-centric processes that offer a broader understanding of human potential and well-being.

Connect with Susan:
Website: https://www.psychedelicconversations.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susan.guner
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-guner/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/susanguner
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/susanguner
Blog: https://susanguner.medium.com/
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/susan-guner

#PsychedelicConversations #SusanGuner #EhrenCruz #PsychedelicPodcast

Welcome to the Psychedelic Conversations Podcast!

Episode 160:
In this episode of Psychedelic Conversations, we speak with artist, choreographer, and psychedelic guide Jodi Lomask to explore the intersection of creativity, consciousness, and nature. We discuss her decades-long journey working with psychedelics, how they’ve shaped her motion sculptures and performances through her nonprofit Capacitor, and how she now guides others through her Creative Journey program in wild natural settings. We dive into the importance of integration, why the true creative opportunity happens after a psychedelic experience, and the role of integrity and service in psychedelic guidance. Together, we reflect on psychedelic consciousness, cultural shifts, decriminalization, and the deeper existential insights these medicines can reveal. This conversation is a grounded, expansive look at art, transformation, and living in flow with your muse.

About Jodi:
Jodi Lomask is an internationally recognized artist, choreographer, director, and creative guide whose work bridges art, movement, science, and consciousness. She is the founder and Artistic Director of Capacitor, an award-winning non-profit arts organization that creates interdisciplinary performances combining dance, sculpture, circus, and new media in collaboration with scientists and technologists, exploring themes from neuroscience to the natural world. Her motion sculptures, designed to be completed through human interaction, have toured globally and been commissioned by institutions including Apple, NASA, TED, and the California Academy of Sciences. Jodi's work has been featured in Nature Magazine, Wired, The New York Times, NPR and more. Beyond performance, she leads Creative Journey, a psychedelic-informed embodiment and leadership practice that helps individuals unlock creative potential through nature-based, integrative experiences.

Connect with Jodi:
- Website: https://jodilomask.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jodilomask/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodilomask

Thank you so much for joining us!

Psychedelic Conversations Podcast is designed to educate, inform, and expand awareness.

For more information, please head over to https://www.psychedelicconversations.com

Please share with your friends or leave a review so that we can reach more people and feel free to join us in our private Facebook group to keep the conversation going. https://www.facebook.com/groups/psychedelicconversations

This show is for information purposes only,
and is not intended to provide mental health or medical advice.

About Susan Guner:
Susan Guner is a holistic psychotherapist with a mindfulness-based approach grounded in Transpersonal Psychology, focusing on trauma-informed, community-centric processes that offer a broader understanding of human potential and well-being.

Connect with Susan:
Website: https://www.psychedelicconversations.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susan.guner
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-guner/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/susanguner
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/susanguner
Blog: https://susanguner.medium.com/
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/susan-guner

#PsychedelicConversations #SusanGuner #JodiLomask #PsychedelicPodcast

Welcome to the Psychedelic Conversations Podcast!

Episode 159:
In this episode of Psychedelic Conversations, we welcome back writer and researcher Adam Miezio for a wide-ranging and timely discussion. Together, we explore whether the psychedelic renaissance is slowing down or simply maturing, reflecting on shifts away from overconsumption toward deeper integration and education. We discuss the legacy of psychedelic elders, the importance of archives, and the balance between individual and collective healing. We also dive into the evolving landscape of conferences like Psychedelic Science, censorship on social media, LinkedIn’s unique role in the space, decentralization, and the need to democratize access through global events. Finally, we examine AI’s growing influence, its risks, and the psychological parallels between cult dynamics and emerging technologies. Join us as we reflect on education, discernment, and why connection truly is the medicine.

Our previous conversation:
https://youtu.be/uqsoJyzmym0?si=OKZ_c6KPNdBrs4a0

About Adam:
Adam Miezio is a writer in the psychedelics field. Born in Chicago, he received his master’s degree from Northeastern Illinois University, completing a thesis about the Heaven’s Gate cult. He enjoys writing about mental health, psychedelics, psychology, shamanism and fringe ideas on the fuzzy periphery of consciousness. He now resides in Oaxaca, Mexico, and enjoys learning about Indigenous cultures, hiking in national parks and exploring ancient ruins. He believes a good street taco with salsa verde and a Victoria is a peak experience.

Connect with Adam:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adammiezio
Substack: https://adammiezio.substack.com/

Thank you so much for joining us!

Psychedelic Conversations Podcast is designed to educate, inform, and expand awareness.

For more information, please head over to https://www.psychedelicconversations.com

Please share with your friends or leave a review so that we can reach more people and feel free to join us in our private Facebook group to keep the conversation going. https://www.facebook.com/groups/psychedelicconversations

This show is for information purposes only,
and is not intended to provide mental health or medical advice.

About Susan Guner:
Susan Guner is a holistic psychotherapist with a mindfulness-based approach grounded in Transpersonal Psychology, focusing on trauma-informed, community-centric processes that offer a broader understanding of human potential and well-being.

Connect with Susan:
Website: https://www.psychedelicconversations.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susan.guner
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-guner/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/susanguner
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/susanguner
Blog: https://susanguner.medium.com/
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/susan-guner

#PsychedelicConversations #SusanGuner #AdamMiezio #PsychedelicPodcast

Welcome to the Psychedelic Conversations Podcast!

In this episode of Psychedelic Conversations, we speak with visionary cannabis pioneer Philip Wolf for a rich and honest conversation to close out our series. We explore Philip’s journey into cannabis and plant medicine, his work in shaping cannabis hospitality, and why Colorado has become a powerful epicenter for psychedelic and natural medicine reform. Together, we discuss stigma, social justice, and the lessons learned from cannabis legalization, especially where systems have failed marginalized communities. We also dive into right relationship with plant medicines, cannabis as a lifestyle and introspective ally, feminine and household wisdom, addiction, integration, and conscious use. This episode invites us to imagine a future where plant medicines are approached with humility, imagination, and responsibility, while encouraging deeper self-inquiry and cultural healing.

Connect with Philip:

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philip_wolf_/

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipwolf1111

- CashoM Website: https://cashom.org/

- Cultivating Spirits Website: https://cultivatingspirits.com/

Thank you so much for joining us!

About Philip:Philip Wolf is a pioneering leader in cannabis hospitality, education, and conscious consumption. He is the founder of Cultivating Spirits, the first company in the United States to offer legal cannabis pairing dinners, and the creator of CashoM, a certification program for cannabis hospitality professionals. With over 15 years in the legal cannabis space, Philip is a respected voice on plant medicine, social justice, and cultural integration. His work focuses on helping individuals and communities build a healthy, intentional relationship with cannabis while shaping thoughtful pathways for how plant medicines can responsibly evolve within society.

Thank you so much for joining us!

Psychedelic Conversations Podcast is designed to educate, inform, and expand awareness.

For more information, please head over to https://www.psychedelicconversations.com

Please share with your friends or leave a review so that we can reach more people and feel free to join us in our private Facebook group to keep the conversation going. https://www.facebook.com/groups/psychedelicconversations

This show is for information purposes only, and is not intended to provide mental health or medical advice.

About Susan Guner:Susan Guner is a holistic psychotherapist with a mindfulness-based approach grounded in Transpersonal Psychology, focusing on trauma-informed, community-centric processes that offer a broader understanding of human potential and well-being.

Connect with Susan:Website: https://www.psychedelicconversations.com/Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susan.gunerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-guner/Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/susangunerTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/susangunerBlog: https://susanguner.medium.com/Podcast: https://anchor.fm/susan-guner

#PsychedelicConversations #SusanGuner #PhilipWolf #PsychedelicPodcast #CannabisCommunity