The New Frontier Of Psilocybin Legalization (Odyssey)
A conversation with the founding team of the first Psilocybin retreat in U.S. history
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Many people are talking about the acceleration of human consciousness on the planet right now.
There’s probably many contributing factors to this.
Most we likely don’t know or understand, but some are pretty easy to point out.
One of the obvious trends that seems to be supporting this shift is the legalization of psychedelics.
For many, psychedelics can be the door-opener that catalyzes someone’s consciousness journey. This is what happened to me when I first tried Ayahuasca almost 6 years ago.
As these substances become more accessible and less taboo, I imagine many more people will have similar experiences.
The biggest door opener in the United States seems like legalization. So many people I know are interested in trying these things, but feel a sense of angst due to how they’ve been treated by our institutions.
Right now psilocybin assisted therapy is legal in Oregon and Colorado, and ketamine therapy is becoming more mainstream across the country.
I was interested to understand the developing state of things so was excited to connect to the founding leadership team of Odyssey, Gabe Charalambides (CEO) and Aaron Nesmith-Beck (COO), previously Atman.
Odyssey was the first legal psilocybin retreat in US history. It’s located in Oregon. As the literal first mover, their team has seen a lot unfold and have a good pulse on what’s happening.
In this conversation, we explore this new frontier of psilocybin legalization and what it means for the future of mental healthcare in America. This episode was less about what a psilocybin journey is like, and more about what is going on in the U.S. from a policy and implementation perspective. We get down to the brass tax of what you’re allowed to do and what you can’t, along with the implications of this.
Overall, I was actually pretty excited and surprised about some of the ways Oregon has rolled psilocybin out. I thought there might be a lot of barriers to people getting help, but as it currently stands, there isn’t much connection to the medical system which can create complexity. This means that it’s up to retreat operators to screen and treat patients in an ethical way. Gabe and Aaron both share their perspective on the positive and negative aspects of this setup.
We also talk about how different states seem to be treating the rollout of this differently. For example, Colorado seems to be taking more of an umbrella posture that may make it easier for subsequent plant medicines like ayahuasca or ibogaine to be legalized.
Other interesting discussion points:
The challenges and opportunities within the current legislative landscape for psilocybin
The considerations involved in the facilitation of psychedelic experiences by conventional mental health practitioners
How this shift from directive to non-directive methods in psychedelic facilitation challenges traditional Western therapeutic frameworks
Why as it currently stands, the future looks pretty bright for the industry
One of the things I found fascinating is how few people know that psilocybin guided therapy is actually legal in two states in the US.
I’m wondering how rapidly this will change in the coming years or whether this will seemingly fly under the radar like it has for the past few years.
I guess time will tell. I hope you enjoy this one!
- ❤️ Scott
If you liked reading or listening to this, feel free to click the ❤️ or 🔄 button on this post so more people can discover it on Substack 🙏
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Episode Transcript
Show notes:
00:00 - The Backstory of ODYSSEY: Pioneering Legal Psilocybin Retreats
03:03 - Personal Journeys: Gabe and Aaron's Path to Mental Health and Psychedelics
13:11 - Navigating the Legislative Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities
33:38 - The Intersection of Western Therapeutic Frameworks and Psychedelic Facilitation
36:45 - The Importance of Space and Integration in Psychedelic Experiences
55:33 - Excitement and Potential: The Emerging Psychedelic Industry
If you haven’t already heard of her, check out Mikaela de la myco
Probably worth mentioning in this context that many psychedelics are already legal for religious purposes (under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, since that was its original purpose). So there are already legal ayahuasca retreats like this one: https://pachamamasanctuary.org/