In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, host Mike Townsend sits down with psilocybin facilitator and trauma-informed guide Nitai Aleksiewicz to discuss the healing power of psychedelics. Nitai shares his journey from working with trauma survivors to becoming a psilocybin retreat facilitator, highlighting how grief, loss, and resilience shaped his path.

They explore the essential role of psilocybin therapy in Oregon, how to prepare for a psychedelic journey, and why integration practices are crucial for long-term transformation. Nitai breaks down how facilitators create safe and supportive environments for those seeking healing from trauma, depression, anxiety, and grief.

If you’re curious about legal psilocybin therapy in Oregon, how to approach psychedelics responsibly, or the deeper philosophy of healing and integration, this episode is for you.

→ Download our free dosing guide: https://meadowmedicine.org/dosing-guide/
→ Apply for psilocybin services at: https://meadowmedicine.org

In this episode, Mike sits down with Andrew Conley, cofounder of Althea, to explore what it takes to build a psychedelic startup. Althea’s software powers much of the psilocybin services sector, and together they discuss the business of psychedelics along with the political and economic forces shaping society and drug policy.

📚 Books & Thinkers Referenced

• The Lessons of History by Will & Ariel Durant
• Principles by Ray Dalio
• The Changing World Order by Ray Dalio
• Judy Faulkner (founder of Epic Systems)
• Rick Doblin (MAPS, early MDMA research)
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (environmental law, psychedelics)
• Bill Gates (Microsoft, antitrust reflections)
• Elon Musk (entrepreneur, political influence)
• Mitt Romney (healthcare reforms in Massachusetts)

Althea - Psychedelic Care Navigation
https://withalthea.com/

→ Download our free dosing guide: https://meadowmedicine.org/dosing-guide/
→ Apply for psilocybin services at: https://meadowmedicine.org

In this episode, we dive into one of the most important topics for anyone considering psychedelic therapy: SSRI tapering.

Dr. Tracy Townsend (Harvard-trained orthopedic surgeon, now psilocybin facilitator and co-founder of Meadow Medicine) and Mike Townsend explore what it really takes to safely reduce or discontinue antidepressants before a psychedelic journey.

You’ll learn about:
• Why tapering is essential before macrodosing
• How micro-dosing can be helpful for SSRI tapering
• The challenges people face when reducing antidepressants
• What the science and our clinical experience tell us

Whether you’re preparing for psychedelic therapy, supporting someone who is, or simply want to understand this growing field better, this conversation will give you practical insights and guidance.

📍 Learn more at: https://meadowmedicine.org

→ Download our free dosing guide: https://meadowmedicine.org/dosing-guide/
→ Apply for psilocybin services at: https://meadowmedicine.org

In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend and Mike Townsend dive deep into the realities of marriage, parenting, and running a startup together. They share candid reflections on conflict, communication, emotional intelligence, and what it takes to nurture a resilient partnership through the challenges of modern life.

Drawing on marriage research, personal struggles, and their work with psilocybin facilitation, Tracy and Mike explore how relationships can be both a container for healing and a mirror for personal growth. From conflict resolution to emotional processing, they offer vulnerable insights into what helps them stay grounded as a couple while serving others through Meadow Medicine.

📚 Books & Thinkers Referenced
The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi & Fumitake Koga
Carl Rogers (psychologist, on active listening)
John & Julie Gottman (Gottman Institute, on predictors of divorce)

→ Download our free dosing guide: https://meadowmedicine.org/dosing-guide/
→ Apply for psilocybin services at: https://meadowmedicine.org

In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend and Mike Townsend explore the first pillar of the Meadow Method—physical health—with a focus on food, nutrition, and our evolving relationship with what we eat. They share candid stories from childhood, college, and adulthood, reflecting on sugar, processed foods, alcohol, and cultural influences.

The conversation also examines generational differences in food culture, the impact of industrial agriculture, the role of psychedelics in healing disordered eating, and how to cultivate healthier, more intentional approaches to nourishment.

📚 Books & Thinkers Referenced
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
Insights from Dr. Zach Bush, Andrew Huberman, Mark Hyman, Dr. Rhonda Patrick, Paul Saladino, and Sadhguru
🎙 Podcasts Referenced
The Aubrey Marcus Podcast (episode featuring Sadhguru)

→ Download our free dosing guide: https://meadowmedicine.org/dosing-guide/
→ Apply for psilocybin services at: https://meadowmedicine.com

In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, Mike Townsend speaks with Keith Gilmore, President of the Portland Psychedelic Society and men’s coach. They explore the evolving landscape of psychedelics, the risks of ideology, the rise of AI, and the deeper questions of consciousness. Keith shares insights from his leadership journey, his experiences with lucid dreaming and DMT, and why he sees psychedelics as both a sacred technology and a path to human flourishing.

This conversation dives into the intersections of philosophy, spirituality, and technology—offering a vision for how love, art, and psychedelics can guide us through one of humanity’s most transformative times.

Resources & References Mentioned:

📚 The Gaian Project – essay by Keith Gilmore on AI and consciousness

→ https://keithgilmore.com/the-gaian-project-honeybees-humanity-the-inevitable-ascendance-of-ai/

📚 The Red Book by Carl Jung

→ https://www.google.com.ph/books/edition/The_Red_Book/mdVAAQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0

📚 Works by Terence McKenna

📚 Works by Alan Watts

🎙 Sam Harris ’Making Sense Podcast'

→ https://www.samharris.org/podcasts

🎙 Portland Psychedelic Society

→ https://www.portlandpsychedelic.org/

→ Download our free dosing guide: https://meadowmedicine.org/dosing-guide/
→ Apply for psilocybin services at: https://meadowmedicine.com

In this episode of the Meadow Podcast, Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend and Mike Townsend explore the differences between SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and psilocybin therapy.

They examine the history of antidepressant use, the chemical imbalance theory, and the challenges of tapering off SSRIs.

This discussion offers a nuanced perspective on how microdosing may serve as a bridge therapy and what individuals need to consider before combining psychedelics with antidepressants.

→ Download our free dosing guide: https://meadowmedicine.org/dosing-guide/
→ Apply for psilocybin services at: https://meadowmedicine.org

In this inaugural episode of the Meadow Podcast, hosts Dr. Tracy Kim Townsend and Mike Townsend dive into the story behind founding Meadow, a legal psilocybin service center in Oregon. They discuss their personal and professional evolution with psychedelics, the challenges of launching a heart-centered business, and their vision for the future of mental health care.

Resources:
Books
Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion by Sam Harris
The Immortality Key by Brian C. Muraresku
Womb Awakening by Azra & Seren Bertrand
Social Business by Muhammad Yunus
Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore
Podcasts
Sam Harris’ Making Sense: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts
Mike Townsend’s Around The Coin: https://www.aroundthecoin.com

→ Download our free dosing guide: https://meadowmedicine.org/dosing-guide/
→ Apply for psilocybin services at: https://meadowmedicine.com