In this episode I talk with Noah, who was diagnosed with OCD when he was 10 years old and can not remember a time after that when his mind was at rest. During his psychedelic journey at Fractal, EPIC Healing’s Portland location, Noah experiences ego death and rebirth into a self with more confidence and the ability to quiet his thoughts. Noah calls his psychedelic journey one of the best experiences of his life where he learns that he can’t control everything that happens, that he will still fail and make mistakes, and when he does, he no longer needs to obsess about his actions. Noah believes that psychedelic mushrooms deserve a prominent place in the treatment of OCD. Although they may not offer a complete cure for the disorder, they offer opportunity for healing and a path forward towards a quieter mind for a mental illness that has limited treatment options that are often scarce and inaccessible.

In this episode, I have a conversation with Caroline, who has struggled with self-acceptance and anxiety for as long as she can remember and has used technology and alcohol as a form of escape. When she was younger, Caroline underwent breast augmentation surgery, which she later reversed, but the procedure left her with both physical and emotional scarring. During her psychedelic journey at EPIC Healing in Eugene, Oregon, Caroline is visited by generations of women who embrace her for who she is and give her the gift of forgiveness for the trauma and pain of her past. Caroline is also decapitated by a Hindu goddess, merges with a Chinese Dragon, and is given visions of the universe by court jesters. Ultimately, through all of this, Caroline experiences the deep understanding that she no longer needs the distraction of her phone and alcohol as an escape from anxiety and that the only thing that matters in life is the time she spends fully engaged in the present moment with family and friends.

• In this episode I have a conversation with Peter, who has experienced generational trauma that has had a significant impact on his family and his mental health resulting in food and alcohol addiction as well as suicidal ideation. He credits his years of conventional therapy as preparing him for his psychedelic journey at Epic Healing, where he is able to revisit and reevaluate the generational trauma that has impacted his entire life. Peter ends his journey feeling truly relaxed for the first time. He is able to let go of a lifetime of self-doubt and insecurities and discovers a new ability to love himself and feel confident that he has the tools to live a healthier life for himself and his family.