#15 – Psychedelics, Sex, Power, Silence

May 18, 2020

Sexual abuse in psychedelic therapy (above and underground) is a long-standing, documented, and enduring reality maintained through cultures of silence, coercion, and victim blame. The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) has received complaints about therapists affiliated with their clinical trials and integration list. In spring 2019, MAPS published a Code of Conduct which outlines sexual boundaries, use of touch, and erotic transference, which are necessary but not sufficient. Addressing sexual misconduct requires comprehensive, evidence-based prevention education strategies and clear avenues for holding therapists to account.

In this episode, recorded in February, Lily Kay Ross joins us to discuss Olivia Goldhill’s article, “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.

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Plus Three goes deep into the world of drugs, from local decriminalization and emerging psychedelic corporations, to leftist politics and mass incarceration. Each week we attempt to make sense of the complex connections between drugs, science, capitalism, policy, and culture.

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Previous episodes


#41 – We (Still) Hope Michael Pollan Changes His Mind

The crew reviews Michael Pollan’s recent New York Times Op-Ed "How Should We Do Drugs Now?”

#40 – Part Two: Has Atai Taken the Psychedelic Throne from MAPS? (The Murderous Dictator Episode)

In Part Two Normie, Dave, Russell, and Sarvesh continue their conversation about Atai Life Sciences and how the introduction of for-profit psychedelic pharmaceutical corporations have shifted capital away from non-profits. This episode gets extra wacky and dark as they dive into Atai Founder & Chairman Christian Angermayer's role on Rwandan president Paul Kagame's Advisory Council.

#39 – Part One: Has Atai Life Sciences Taken the Psychedelic Throne From MAPS?

Brian Normand, David Nickles, and Russell Hausfeld are joined by new team member, Sarvesh Ramprakash, to discuss Atai Life Sciences' recent IPO on Nasdaq. They also discuss and provide updates on Russell's previous 2020 report exploring how the introduction of for-profit psychedelic pharmaceutical corporations has shifted capital away from non-profits.

#38 – Part Two: The Psychedelic Capitalism Debate That Wasn’t

In Part Two, the Psymposia crew continues to deconstruct a conversation between two self-described entrepreneurs who recently discussed psychedelics and medicalization during an event called Psychedelic Capitalism with Alexander Beiner [Rebel Wisdom] and Lars Wilde [COMPASS Pathways, Atai Life Sciences]— while studiously avoiding a debate of capitalism altogether.

#37 – Part One: The Psychedelic Capitalism Debate That Wasn’t

The Psymposia crew deconstructs a conversation between two self-described entrepreneurs who recently discussed psychedelics and medicalization during an event called Psychedelic Capitalism with Alexander Beiner [Rebel Wisdom] and Lars Wilde [COMPASS Pathways, Atai Life Sciences]— while studiously avoiding a debate of capitalism altogether.

#36 – Ioan Grillo – Pt. 2 – Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels

In this episode we sit down with journalist Ioan Grillo to discuss his newest book, Blood Gun Money, which is a look at how the illegal gun and drug trades are intertwined, and how U.S. gun laws result in firearms making their way into black market in Mexico and Latin America, including into the hands of drug cartels.

#35 – Ioan Grillo – Pt. 1 – Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels

In this episode we sit down with journalist Ioan Grillo to discuss his newest book, Blood Gun Money, which is a look at how the illegal gun and drug trades are intertwined, and how U.S. gun laws result in firearms making their way into black market in Mexico and Latin America, including into the hands of drug cartels.

#34 – Psychedelic Anarchy with Thought Slime

Psymposia sits down with Thought Slime to chat about carving out a leftist space in psychedelia.

#33 – Queering psychedelics and tripping out on gender with Jae Sevelius

Psymposia advisory board member and psychedelic researcher, Jae Sevelius, joins us to talk about queer theory, psychedelic research with transgender and gender diverse people, and what happens when political assumptions go unexamined in both research contexts and the world at large. Drawing on the work of Dr. Sevelius, as well as Dr. Devenot and Dr. Ross, we discuss some of the ways that research and social relations reproduce the logic of mainstream culture, and how queering acts as barrier to and disruption of that reproduction.

#32 – It’s All Red Flags: 5-MeO-DMT with Dr. Martin Ball

Psymposia editors discuss Dr. Martin Ball’s “session info” document that the retired 5-MeO-DMT practitioner sent to Psymposia. Dr. Ball has referenced the document in defense of his practices and cites it as evidence that his clients consented to him touching their genitals or vomiting on them while under the influence of 5-MeO-DMT.

Previous episodes


#41 – We (Still) Hope Michael Pollan Changes His Mind

The crew reviews Michael Pollan’s recent New York Times Op-Ed "How Should We Do Drugs Now?”

#40 – Part Two: Has Atai Taken the Psychedelic Throne from MAPS? (The Murderous Dictator Episode)

In Part Two Normie, Dave, Russell, and Sarvesh continue their conversation about Atai Life Sciences and how the introduction of for-profit psychedelic pharmaceutical corporations have shifted capital away from non-profits. This episode gets extra wacky and dark as they dive into Atai Founder & Chairman Christian Angermayer's role on Rwandan president Paul Kagame's Advisory Council.

#39 – Part One: Has Atai Life Sciences Taken the Psychedelic Throne From MAPS?

Brian Normand, David Nickles, and Russell Hausfeld are joined by new team member, Sarvesh Ramprakash, to discuss Atai Life Sciences' recent IPO on Nasdaq. They also discuss and provide updates on Russell's previous 2020 report exploring how the introduction of for-profit psychedelic pharmaceutical corporations has shifted capital away from non-profits.

#38 – Part Two: The Psychedelic Capitalism Debate That Wasn’t

In Part Two, the Psymposia crew continues to deconstruct a conversation between two self-described entrepreneurs who recently discussed psychedelics and medicalization during an event called Psychedelic Capitalism with Alexander Beiner [Rebel Wisdom] and Lars Wilde [COMPASS Pathways, Atai Life Sciences]— while studiously avoiding a debate of capitalism altogether.

#37 – Part One: The Psychedelic Capitalism Debate That Wasn’t

The Psymposia crew deconstructs a conversation between two self-described entrepreneurs who recently discussed psychedelics and medicalization during an event called Psychedelic Capitalism with Alexander Beiner [Rebel Wisdom] and Lars Wilde [COMPASS Pathways, Atai Life Sciences]— while studiously avoiding a debate of capitalism altogether.

#36 – Ioan Grillo – Pt. 2 – Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels

In this episode we sit down with journalist Ioan Grillo to discuss his newest book, Blood Gun Money, which is a look at how the illegal gun and drug trades are intertwined, and how U.S. gun laws result in firearms making their way into black market in Mexico and Latin America, including into the hands of drug cartels.

#35 – Ioan Grillo – Pt. 1 – Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels

In this episode we sit down with journalist Ioan Grillo to discuss his newest book, Blood Gun Money, which is a look at how the illegal gun and drug trades are intertwined, and how U.S. gun laws result in firearms making their way into black market in Mexico and Latin America, including into the hands of drug cartels.

#34 – Psychedelic Anarchy with Thought Slime

Psymposia sits down with Thought Slime to chat about carving out a leftist space in psychedelia.

#33 – Queering psychedelics and tripping out on gender with Jae Sevelius

Psymposia advisory board member and psychedelic researcher, Jae Sevelius, joins us to talk about queer theory, psychedelic research with transgender and gender diverse people, and what happens when political assumptions go unexamined in both research contexts and the world at large. Drawing on the work of Dr. Sevelius, as well as Dr. Devenot and Dr. Ross, we discuss some of the ways that research and social relations reproduce the logic of mainstream culture, and how queering acts as barrier to and disruption of that reproduction.

#32 – It’s All Red Flags: 5-MeO-DMT with Dr. Martin Ball

Psymposia editors discuss Dr. Martin Ball’s “session info” document that the retired 5-MeO-DMT practitioner sent to Psymposia. Dr. Ball has referenced the document in defense of his practices and cites it as evidence that his clients consented to him touching their genitals or vomiting on them while under the influence of 5-MeO-DMT.

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