The word revolution can be separated into the words “re-evolution” (meaning to re-evolve). This forum consists of a panel that will explore the past, present, and future potentials of psychedelics in regards to the progress of our species. Avenues of exploration include current research on psychedelics; national legalization and local decriminalization; the evolution of consciousness; psychotherapeutic healing; and indigenous wisdom. Those on the panel are situated in unique roles for helping psychedelics both safely and consciously integrate into society, and their professions in the field of psychedelics enable them to offer worthy and diverse contributions to the conversation. Psychedelics have played important roles in each of their lives and they are each committed to integrate these medicines into society in the best ways possible. These medicines-which are catalyzing paradigm shifts in medicine, psychology, philosophy, art, ecology and beyond-are being accepted by conventional culture (exemplified by Michael Pollan’s recent best-seller and projections that MDMA will be medically rescheduled by 2021 and psilocybin by 2022) and may impact virtually every field of human endeavor. This panel will present the current state of psychedelics from several perspectives and speculate on the approaching psychedelic (R)evolution.
Dr. Natalie Metz is a Licensed Naturopathic Doctor, and serves as Core Faculty in the Integrative Health Studies program and the Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research at CIIS. She also holds a degree in Philosophy, Cosmology and Consciousness from CIIS, and the focus of her graduate work centered around an exploration of the therapeutic potential of psychedelic experiences, with special attention to the constructs which optimize the potential for a safe and beneficial experience. In her private practice she offers compassionate medical care and helps individuals and groups to integrate beyond-ordinary life experiences. She is a Core Founder of ERIE: Entheogenic Research, Integration and Education, serves on the board of the Limina Foundation, and looks forward to the rescheduling of psychedelic medicines in the near future. She is a life-long lover of art, travel, dance, education, and all things purple. Please visit www.drnataliemetz.com and www.liminafoundation.com for more information
Brad Burge is Director of Strategic Communications at the non-profit Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). Brad earned his B.A. in Communication and Psychology from Stanford University in 2005 and his M.A. in Communication from the University of California, San Diego in 2009. He began working with MAPS in 2009, where he engages daily with journalists and media producers around the world to enhance public knowledge about psychedelic research, while also helping develop and evolve MAPS' brand and outreach strategy. Brad is passionate about finding healthier, more effective, and more compassionate ways for humans to work with the pharmaceutical and digital communications technologies of the 21st century. When he’s not plugged in, you’ll find him in the mountains, carrying a backpack, somewhere down a long trail.
Danielle Negrin is the Executive Director of San Francisco Psychedelic Society, and a leader in Decriminalize Nature. Danielle specializes in the fusion of addiction recovery and psychedelic integration. Danielle was brought to this entheogenic advocacy work by experiencing a profound transformation overcoming dependency to substances and personal history getting off of psychiatric drugs. By discovering a unique path utilizing psychedelic medicine to heal herself, Danielle overcame a 12 year addiction and has dedicated her life to helping others with.compassion and first-hand experience. Danielle facilitates psychedelic therapeutic use peer support groups and started a Psychedelic Recovery meeting network in the Bay Area for those using entheogens to aid and accelerate mental health, trauma recovery, personal development and freedom from problematic substance abuse behaviors.
Jahan Khamsehzadeh is a doctoral candidate in the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness program at the California Institute of Integral Studies. His dissertation work is on psychedelics, with a specialization in psilocybin mushrooms within an ecological and evolutionary context. He earned his Masters in Consciousness and Transformative Studies from John F. Kennedy University and Bachelors from the University of Arizona with a major in Philosophy and minors in Physics and Psychology. Jahan is a Hakomi (a mindfulness-based somatic psychotherapy program) graduate and assisted in the CIIS Psychedelic Psychotherapy Certificate Training for two years. He was trained in the Mazatec mushroom tradition and facilitates legal psilocybin mushrooms ceremonies in Jamaica with Atman Retreats.
Filmed at the California Institute of Integral Studies December 11th, 2019.