In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Sam Mandel, co-founder and CEO of Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles (KCLA).

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-301-sam-mandel/?ref=278

Sam shares his journey co-founding KCLA with his father in 2014, pioneering ketamine infusion therapy when few were exploring its potential for mental health. From humble beginnings in a storage closet to becoming a leading mental health center with over 30,000 infusions administered, Sam discusses the challenges and triumphs of building a patient-centric practice. He explains the science behind ketamine's effectiveness compared to alternatives like Spravato, highlights the importance of individualized treatment, and offers a passionate critique of the current mental healthcare system while envisioning what meaningful reform could look like.

Co-founder & CEO of Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles (KCLA), Sam Mandel has channeled his lifelong passion for healthcare advocacy into transforming mental health care. From volunteering at a teen-to-teen suicide prevention hotline at twelve to pioneering one of the foremost Ketamine Infusion Therapy clinics in 2014 alongside his father, Dr. Steven L. Mandel, Sam has been featured in Entrepreneur's Top 10 Inspiring Healthcare Entrepreneurs (2023) and earned two 2024 Stevie Awards. Under his leadership, KCLA has provided over 30,000 infusions to more than 6,000 patients with an 83% success rate, establishing gold-standard treatment protocols while expanding services to include General Psychiatry and TMS therapy.

Highlights:

• The founding story of KCLA and early skepticism from the medical community
• Why IV ketamine outperforms nasal Spravato in efficacy and cost-efficiency
• Creating individualized ketamine protocols for optimal patient outcomes
• How insurance companies create barriers to effective mental healthcare
• KCLA's 83% success rate compared to 50-70% in controlled research settings
• Expanding from ketamine to TMS and general psychiatry
• Preparing for future psychedelic medicines like MDMA and psilocybin
• The critical flaws in America's mental healthcare system

Episode Links:

• Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles (KCLA)
• The difference between Ketamine and Spravato (esketamine)
• Third Wave’s Ultimate Guide to Ketamine

Episode Sponsor:

• Psychedelic Coacing Isntitute's Intensive for Psychedelic Professionals in Costa Rica - a transformative retreat for personal and professional growth.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Dr. Simon Ruffell, a psychiatrist, ayahuasca researcher, and student of curanderismo.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-300/?ref=278

Simon shares his transformative journey from being a skeptical Western psychiatrist to embracing the spiritual dimensions of plant medicine after experiencing what he describes as an "ontological shock" during an ayahuasca ceremony. He discusses his ongoing apprenticeship with Shipibo curanderos in the Amazon, his research into ayahuasca's effects on mental health and epigenetics, and his work bridging indigenous wisdom with Western scientific understanding. Dr. Ruffell explores the differences between Western medical approaches and traditional healing practices, highlighting how the Shipibo focus on harmony and balance rather than fixing specific problems. Through his organization Onaya, he conducts reciprocal research with indigenous communities, studying how ayahuasca affects veterans with PTSD and examining the epigenetic changes that may explain its profound healing effects.

Dr. Simon Ruffell is trained across three modalities: Western medicine (as a medical doctor specializing in psychiatry), research psychology (with a PhD in Amazonian ayahuasca and mental health), and traditional plant medicine (as a student of curanderismo). He is the Chief Medical Officer of MINDS, a nonprofit research organization exploring the potential of psychedelics and consciousness practices to address humanity's greatest challenges.

Since 2015, his work has focused primarily on exploring ayahuasca while collaborating with indigenous communities in the Amazon basin. He is the CEO of Onaya and founded the nonprofit Onaya Science, which researches the effects of ayahuasca in naturalistic Amazonian settings. Dr. Ruffell's work seeks to understand plant medicines from both Indigenous and Western perspectives, and he is currently training in Shipibo Shamanism under Don Rono Lopez.

Highlights:

• A spiritual attack during ceremony that shifted his perspective on reality
• Bridging indigenous wisdom with Western scientific research
• The difference between psychedelic guides and trained shamans
• Ayahuasca and epigenetics: clearing ancestral trauma
• How traditional medicine evolves and adapts over time
• Remarkable PTSD treatment outcomes with veterans
• Approaching healing as returning to harmony
• EEG research during ceremonial Icaros singing
• Shamans as navigational experts of the psychedelic realm
• When to choose Western medicine vs. traditional approaches

Episode Links:

• Dr. Simon Ruffell's Website
• Onaya
• Onaya Science

Episode Sponsor

• Psychedelic Coacing Isntitute's Intensive for Psychedelic Professionals in Costa Rica - a transformative retreat for personal and professional growth.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Dr. Katelyn Kalstein, a licensed naturopathic doctor, acupuncturist, and psychotherapist specializing in integrative mental health and psychedelic medicine.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-298/?ref=278

Dr. Kalstein shares her journey from growing up with natural remedies to her transformative experiences in India and Brazil, where she first encountered ayahuasca and joined the Santo Daime church. She discusses her unconventional career path through naturopathic medicine, neurofeedback at 40 Years of Zen, and as Clinical Director at Field Trip Health in Los Angeles. Dr. Kalstein offers valuable insights on the importance of community in healing, the limitations of current medical models, and why psychoanalytic theory remains essential in psychedelic work.

Through her experiences with various modalities, she illuminates the path toward a more integrated approach to mental health that honors both traditional wisdom and modern science.

Dr. Katelyn Kalstein is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor, acupuncturist, and psychotherapist specializing in ketamine assisted psychotherapy. The former Clinical Director of Field Trip Health in Los Angeles, Dr. Kalstein has seen hundreds of patients through ketamine treatment, both as a prescriber and a therapist. She is certified in Psychedelic Therapy and Research (CIIS) and looks forward to utilizing MDMA and psilocybin therapy when they become legally available.

Starting her career in primary care medicine, Dr. Kalstein is passionate about an integrative approach to mental health care - treating mind, body and spirit. In addition to formal training, Dr. Kalstein has over 20 years of personal experience with psychedelics and meditation, traveling to India, Peru and Brazil for over a decade in order to study with various spiritual teachers and shamans. She has a deep respect for indigenous knowledge and mindfully integrates these teachings into her modern clinical practice.

Driven by a passion for the safe and ethical use of psychedelics, she views these medicines as powerful catalysts for personal and planetary change.

Highlights:

• Her grandfather's natural medicine influence
• First ayahuasca experience—in an Indian ashram
• The Santo Daime church experience
• Shaving her head and following a guru
• Disillusionment with conventional medicine
• Neurofeedback vs. psychedelic experiences
• Field Trip's clinical model challenges
• Psychoanalysis in psychedelic integration
• Understanding healthy ego development
• Nashville's emerging psychedelic community

Episode links:

• Website
• Instagram: @drkatelynkalstein
• Simply Being Therapy (Nashville)

Episode Sponsor:

• The Intensive for Psychedelic Professionals in Costa Rica - a transformative retreat for personal and professional growth.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes New York Times bestselling author Norman Ohler.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-297/?ref=278

Norman shares his deep research into the hidden history of LSD, revealing the untold connections between Arthur Stoll (CEO of Sandoz), Nazi Germany, and the CIA's MKUltra program. He explains how LSD's development as a mental health medicine was derailed by intelligence agencies seeking a "truth drug" for interrogations, and how the substance traveled from Swiss laboratories to Nazi concentration camps and eventually to American universities. Norman also discusses his personal connection to psychedelics through his mother's Alzheimer's treatment with microdosing, and offers thoughtful reflections on the current psychedelic renaissance.

Norman Ohler is one of Germany's best living writers: a New York Times Bestselling author, translated into over 30 languages. His books include "Blitzed", "The Bohemians", and "Tripped". He has 2 children and lives in Berlin.

Highlights:

• Welcome & introduction
• Who is Arthur Stoll, the grandfather of psychedelics?
• The Nazi Germany and LSD connection
• Albert Hoffman's complicated relationship with LSD
• The pharmaceutical politics behind psychedelic suppression
• Reflections on the modern psychedelic renaissance
• The challenges of psychedelics in a globalized society
• From "Blitzed" to "Tripped": Norman's research journey
• Norman's personal connection: Microdosing for Alzheimer's
• The mysterious story of JFK and LSD

Episode Links:

• Website
• Instagram: @normanohler
• Norman’s book "Tripped: Nazi Germany, the CIA and the Dawn of the Psychedelic Age"
• Norman’s previous book "Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich"
• Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" by William Shirer

These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Dr. Tracy Townsend, a Harvard-trained physician who left orthopedic surgery to become a licensed psilocybin facilitator in Oregon.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-296/?ref=278

Dr. Townsend shares her journey from conventional medicine to psychedelic facilitation, describing how her own transformative experiences with plant medicines led her to question the limitations of Western healthcare. She discusses the Oregon psilocybin model, challenges within the current regulatory framework, and draws fascinating parallels between physical surgery and the "mind surgery" of psychedelic experiences. Dr. Townsend also explores emerging research on psychedelics for autoimmune conditions and shares her hopes for policy changes that could expand access to these powerful healing modalities.

Dr. Tracy Townsend is a Harvard trained medical doctor, licensed psilocybin facilitator, and vitality coach. She has an undergraduate degree in biochemistry, as well as a medical degree, both from the University of Virginia. She completed orthopedic surgical training at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA and a fellowship in pediatric orthopedic surgery at Boston Children's Hospital of Harvard University. She is a graduate of the Innertrek Psilocybin Facilitator training program. After personally experiencing transformative healing with psychedelic medicines, Tracy went on to become the Co-Founder and CEO of Project Circle, a legal psilocybin service center and practice based in Portland, Oregon.

Highlights:

• From surgeon to psychedelic facilitator: Tracy's journey
• The parallels between surgery and psychedelic "mind surgery"
• Navigating Oregon's legal psilocybin framework
• Addressing necessary regulatory improvements
• Psychedelics and psychiatric medications
• The mind-body connection in autoimmune healing
• Hope for psychedelic policy under new HHS leadership

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Ava Johanna, founder and CEO of The Academy of Breath.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-295/?ref=278

Ava shares her journey from corporate burnout and weekend escapism to discovering breathwork as a powerful, accessible tool for transformation. She discusses how breathwork provided the same ecstatic states she once sought through substances, but in a healing, sustainable way. Beyond the practice itself, Ava offers valuable insights for coaches and practitioners looking to build successful businesses in the wellness space, emphasizing the importance of creating "bulletproof offers," trauma-aware sales approaches, and exceptional client experiences.

Ava Johanna is the author of upcoming book, Your Vision Board Life, set to be released in April 2025 and the founder and CEO of The Academy of Breath™ an online education brand for entrepreneurs and coaches bridging the gap between neuroscience and spirituality in the realm of breathwork and meditation. After working with brands like Yoga Journal, Mindbodygreen and Wanderlust, Ava built The Academy of Breath™ that has now certified over 700 students across the globe. Blending science, mysticism and business, The Academy of Breath™ is blazing a trail in the breathwork industry making the practices more accessible than ever before while providing teachers with the tools to be able to lead with integrity, make a global impact, and safely facilitate lasting transformation in their client's lives.

Highlights:

• Corporate burnout to breathwork: Ava's transformational journey
• How breathwork creates substance-free ecstatic states
• Building a sustainable coaching business: from 0 to 100K
• Creating "bulletproof offers" that can't be commoditized
• Trauma-aware sales approaches for wellness practitioners
• The power of exceptional client experiences
• Transitioning from hourly sessions to value-based packages
• Breathwork as an accessible gateway to spiritual connection
• Trusting your intuition as an entrepreneur

Episode Links:

• Website
• Academy of Breath
• Ava on Instagram
• Icons with Ava Johanna Podcast
• Pre-order Ava Johanna's Book

These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links.

Episode Sponsor:

• The Practitioner Certification Program by Third Wave’s Psychedelic Coaching Institute.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul welcomes Dr. Austin Perlmutter, a board-certified internal medicine physician, New York Times bestselling author, and researcher.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-294/?ref=278

Dr. Perlmutter shares his perspective on how psychedelics can help "unstick" the brain from harmful patterns, explores the relationship between inflammation and mental health, and discusses his current research on ayahuasca's effects on epigenetics and the microbiome. From understanding the biological basis of our mental states to finding balance in a modern world that often works against our wellbeing, this conversation offers valuable insights on integrating psychedelics with healthy lifestyle practices for optimal brain function and mental health.

Dr. Austin Perlmutter is a board-certified internal medicine physician, New York Times bestselling author, published researcher and international educator. His mission is to help people improve their health by targeting the biological basis of "stuckness" in our brains and bodies. His writing, presentations, podcasts, and online educational programs have reached millions. Dr. Perlmutter has been featured on PBS, Rolling Stone, Newsweek, NPR and other media outlets. He is a co-producer of the Alzheimer's, the Science of Prevention series, and host of the Better Brain Blueprint series. Dr. Perlmutter currently serves as the managing director at Big Bold Health, a food-as-medicine company where he published a pioneering study on plant nutrients and human aging through epigenetics. He also consults with the Helfgott Research Institute, researching the effects of ayahuasca on epigenetics, metabolism, microbiome and immune function.

Highlights:
The biology of mental health and decision-making
Inflammation's crucial role in brain function
How psychedelics create perspective shifts
Balancing psychedelic use with lifestyle practices
Breaking the cycle of chronic inflammation
Understanding the autonomic nervous system's response
The microbiome's connection to brain health
Research on ayahuasca's epigenetic effects
The importance of post-psychedelic environments
Moving beyond the "psychedelic as panacea" mindset

Episode Sponsors:

• The Practitioner Certification Program by Third Wave’s Psychedelic Coaching Institute.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Nick Musica, founder and CEO of Optics In and psychic animal communicator.

Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-293/?ref=278

Nick shares his fascinating journey from SEO expert to animal communicator, bridging the worlds of technical analysis and spiritual connection. He discusses how plant medicine experiences and meditation opened channels of communication with animals, particularly through his relationship with his cat Chucky. The conversation explores the intersection of consciousness, communication, and how animals can serve as profound teachers in our lives. Nick also offers insights into the evolving landscape of SEO in the age of AI, drawing parallels between pattern recognition in both digital and spiritual realms.

Nick Musica is an SEO expert, plant medicine enthusiast & psychic animal communicator.
He had his first psychic and psychedelic experiences in his early 20s, twenties, though it would take nearly 25 years for these experiences to resurface. In fact, much of his adult life was what most people would consider "normal".

This changed when Nick began exploring consciousness through plant medicine and work with a spiritual teacher. The connection that opened continued to grow and evolve. After visiting a psychic medium who told him he would communicate with animals and that it would be easy, Nick discovered - following a few false starts - that she was right.

Today, Nick communicates with other people's animals and helps individuals develop their own intuitive gifts.

Highlights:

• The DMV.org Story: Building and Losing a Digital Empire
• From SEO Expert to Animal Whisperer: A Transformational Journey
• How San Pedro Medicine Opened New Channels of Perception
• Understanding Mixed Signals: Why Animals Mirror Our Energy
• The Profound Teacher-Student Dynamic with Cats
• Dolphins and Family Bonds: Insights from Cabo
• Practical Steps for Developing Animal Communication
• The Hidden Language: Reading Beyond Animal Behavior

Episode Sponsors:

• The Practitioner Certification Program by Third Wave’s Psychedelic Coaching Institute.