Power Tripping #9: The Complainers Group

April 4, 2022

Both underground and above-ground therapists and practitioners present their psychedelic services in service to “healing.” Why, then, is it so hard to get them to acknowledge the harms taking place in their communities? Why do institutions seem more concerned with preserving their reputations than addressing the numerous harmful dynamics that have persisted for years? If the psychedelic movement intends to heal trauma, it must begin at home.

Power Tripping #9: The Complainers Group

Both underground and above-ground therapists and practitioners present their psychedelic services in service to “healing.” Why, then, is it so hard to get them to acknowledge the harms taking place in their communities? Why do institutions seem more concerned with preserving their reputations than addressing the numerous harmful dynamics that have persisted for years? If the psychedelic movement intends to heal trauma, it must begin at home.

Plus Three|April 4, 2022

Both underground and above-ground therapists and practitioners present their psychedelic services in service to “healing.” Why, then, is it so hard to get them to acknowledge the harms taking place in their communities? Why do institutions seem more concerned with preserving their reputations than addressing the numerous harmful dynamics that have persisted for years? If the psychedelic movement intends to heal trauma, it must begin at home.

Join Our Newsletter

Independent reporting. Critical analysis. In your inbox.

Previous episodes


#20 – The LSD Silo Bust (Everything You Wanted to Know and a Few Things You Didn’t)

In response to the unexpected early release of William Leonard Pickard from prison, we discuss some of the characters and stories surrounding the case. Having served twenty years of a double life sentence for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and dispense LSD— charges which he disputes— Pickard has never spoken publicly about the specifics of his case, and some of the drug-media coverage of this story has evidenced glaring omissions. Using court documents, lesser-known first-person accounts, and excerpts from Pickard's book, The Rose of Paracelsus: On Secrets & Sacraments, we call attention to some of the murkier aspects of this story in an attempt to paint a fuller picture of what is, perhaps, the most notorious psychedelic story of the 21st century.

#19 – MDMA, PTSD, ACAB

In this episode, we explore the implications of MAPS’ main political strategy: demonstrating affinity for and utility to the police, the military, the far right, and individuals who have repeatedly upheld violent white supremacism. Unpacking a recent article by David Nickles, we examine the “ends justifies the means” logic that has become pervasive in psychedelic research.

#18 – Seizing the Doors of Perception

In this episode, we unpack some of the characters and dynamics of the psychedelic “arm” of the Intellectual Dark Web. We use Neşe Devenot’s recently released video on Jamie Wheal, Lucian Tarnowski, and other affiliates of the Rebel Wisdom media platform to explore questions of power, class, and ahistorical theories of social change. Just how much sense do these self-labelled "sensemakers" make?

#17 – Psychedelic Capitalists Part 2: Pandemic Profiteers and Non-Cooperative Actors

Brian, Dave, and Russell continue their conversation about neoliberals in psychedelia, including companies using the coronavirus pandemic to promote psychedelics for mental health. They also deconstruct non-profit vs. for-profit rhetoric and propose more pragmatic frameworks for examining the implications (and material realities) of psychedelic corporations and their operating structures, such as cooperative vs. non-cooperative.

#16 – Psychedelic Capitalists Part 1: Psilocybin and Gold and Lithium, oh my!

Brian and Dave are joined by Psymposia writer Russell Hausfeld to discuss capitalist logic in psychedelia, the principles of open science, and the increasing eagerness of extractive industry players (including gold and lithium mining outfits and traders) looking to capitalize on psychedelics.

#15 – Psychedelics, Sex, Power, Silence

In this episode, Lily Kay Ross joins us to discuss Olivia Goldhill’s story, “Psychedelic therapy has a sexual abuse problem.” Ross recently completed her doctorate studying social responses to sexual violence. She brings both her personal experience with sexual violence and poor community responses in psychedelic spaces and her academic insights to bear on the myriad of questions highlighted by Goldhill’s reporting.

#14 – Douglas Rushkoff on the Parallels Between Psychedelic and Digital Mainstreaming

Plus Three is joined by author and host of the Team Human podcast, Douglas Rushkoff, to discuss some of the parallel trajectories between psychedelic and digital mainstreaming. Will COVID-19 be to psychedelics as 9/11 was to surveillance capitalism? September 11th became the excuse to implement a surveillance state and surrender digital technologies to corporations. Will we see psychedelic medicines become the go-to recovery option for COVID-related mental health fallout? We also explore what a true psychedelic renaissance might look like.

#13 – Dear Psychedelic Researchers

On the one hand, psychedelics hold promise for personal healing and transformative individual change, and when psychedelics are eventually accepted by mainstream medicine, they will likely impact mental health outcomes for the better. But the broken systems highlighted by the coronavirus pandemic offer insight into why mental health has reached epidemic proportions in the first place.

#12 – Capitalism can’t save us from coronavirus. Neither can psychedelics.

In the midst of increasing global engagement with the fallout of the novel coronavirus, we examine some responses to the pandemic within the "psychedelic community.” Recognizing that the US has a longstanding history of privatizing profits while socializing costs, we also discuss the normalization of a "capitalist animism"—treating social phenomena like markets or financial capital as living entities—that fixates on "economic health" at the expense of public health. As this unprecedented situation continues to unfold, we explore some considerations for this sudden period of social isolation within a broader culture of social alienation.

#11 + Alan Piper: Strange Nazis

Alan Piper is a maverick historian of ideas with a penchant for unique, deep dives into rich veins of psychedelia. Piper’s 2015 monograph, Strange Drugs Make for Bedfellows: Ernst Jünger, Albert Hofmann, and the Politics of Psychedelics was foundational for the critique explored in Brian Pace’s controversial Lucy in the Sky with Nazis: Psychedelics and the Right Wing. In this interview, Pace interviews Piper about Hofmann tripping buddy and Wehrmacht Captain Jünger, LSD and ideology— clarifying concepts and dispelling myths.

Previous episodes


#20 – The LSD Silo Bust (Everything You Wanted to Know and a Few Things You Didn’t)

In response to the unexpected early release of William Leonard Pickard from prison, we discuss some of the characters and stories surrounding the case. Having served twenty years of a double life sentence for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and dispense LSD— charges which he disputes— Pickard has never spoken publicly about the specifics of his case, and some of the drug-media coverage of this story has evidenced glaring omissions. Using court documents, lesser-known first-person accounts, and excerpts from Pickard's book, The Rose of Paracelsus: On Secrets & Sacraments, we call attention to some of the murkier aspects of this story in an attempt to paint a fuller picture of what is, perhaps, the most notorious psychedelic story of the 21st century.

#19 – MDMA, PTSD, ACAB

In this episode, we explore the implications of MAPS’ main political strategy: demonstrating affinity for and utility to the police, the military, the far right, and individuals who have repeatedly upheld violent white supremacism. Unpacking a recent article by David Nickles, we examine the “ends justifies the means” logic that has become pervasive in psychedelic research.

#18 – Seizing the Doors of Perception

In this episode, we unpack some of the characters and dynamics of the psychedelic “arm” of the Intellectual Dark Web. We use Neşe Devenot’s recently released video on Jamie Wheal, Lucian Tarnowski, and other affiliates of the Rebel Wisdom media platform to explore questions of power, class, and ahistorical theories of social change. Just how much sense do these self-labelled "sensemakers" make?

#17 – Psychedelic Capitalists Part 2: Pandemic Profiteers and Non-Cooperative Actors

Brian, Dave, and Russell continue their conversation about neoliberals in psychedelia, including companies using the coronavirus pandemic to promote psychedelics for mental health. They also deconstruct non-profit vs. for-profit rhetoric and propose more pragmatic frameworks for examining the implications (and material realities) of psychedelic corporations and their operating structures, such as cooperative vs. non-cooperative.

#16 – Psychedelic Capitalists Part 1: Psilocybin and Gold and Lithium, oh my!

Brian and Dave are joined by Psymposia writer Russell Hausfeld to discuss capitalist logic in psychedelia, the principles of open science, and the increasing eagerness of extractive industry players (including gold and lithium mining outfits and traders) looking to capitalize on psychedelics.

#15 – Psychedelics, Sex, Power, Silence

In this episode, Lily Kay Ross joins us to discuss Olivia Goldhill’s story, “Psychedelic therapy has a sexual abuse problem.” Ross recently completed her doctorate studying social responses to sexual violence. She brings both her personal experience with sexual violence and poor community responses in psychedelic spaces and her academic insights to bear on the myriad of questions highlighted by Goldhill’s reporting.

#14 – Douglas Rushkoff on the Parallels Between Psychedelic and Digital Mainstreaming

Plus Three is joined by author and host of the Team Human podcast, Douglas Rushkoff, to discuss some of the parallel trajectories between psychedelic and digital mainstreaming. Will COVID-19 be to psychedelics as 9/11 was to surveillance capitalism? September 11th became the excuse to implement a surveillance state and surrender digital technologies to corporations. Will we see psychedelic medicines become the go-to recovery option for COVID-related mental health fallout? We also explore what a true psychedelic renaissance might look like.

#13 – Dear Psychedelic Researchers

On the one hand, psychedelics hold promise for personal healing and transformative individual change, and when psychedelics are eventually accepted by mainstream medicine, they will likely impact mental health outcomes for the better. But the broken systems highlighted by the coronavirus pandemic offer insight into why mental health has reached epidemic proportions in the first place.

#12 – Capitalism can’t save us from coronavirus. Neither can psychedelics.

In the midst of increasing global engagement with the fallout of the novel coronavirus, we examine some responses to the pandemic within the "psychedelic community.” Recognizing that the US has a longstanding history of privatizing profits while socializing costs, we also discuss the normalization of a "capitalist animism"—treating social phenomena like markets or financial capital as living entities—that fixates on "economic health" at the expense of public health. As this unprecedented situation continues to unfold, we explore some considerations for this sudden period of social isolation within a broader culture of social alienation.

#11 + Alan Piper: Strange Nazis

Alan Piper is a maverick historian of ideas with a penchant for unique, deep dives into rich veins of psychedelia. Piper’s 2015 monograph, Strange Drugs Make for Bedfellows: Ernst Jünger, Albert Hofmann, and the Politics of Psychedelics was foundational for the critique explored in Brian Pace’s controversial Lucy in the Sky with Nazis: Psychedelics and the Right Wing. In this interview, Pace interviews Piper about Hofmann tripping buddy and Wehrmacht Captain Jünger, LSD and ideology— clarifying concepts and dispelling myths.

Psymposia is a 501(c)(3) non-profit media organization that offers critical perspectives on drugs, politics, and culture. We reject corporate advertising and rely on contributions from our readers and listeners. Click here to donate today.

Privacy. Terms of Use. © Psymposia, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Psymposia is a 501(c)(3) research non-profit with a mission to educate the public on psychedelic science and harm reduction.

Privacy Terms of Use

shiftnav-1