Mind Body Health & Politics

Robert Whitaker is a journalist and author of two books about the history of psychiatry, Mad in America and Anatomy of an Epidemic, and the co-author, with Lisa Cosgrove, of Psychiatry Under the Influence. He is the founder of madinamerica.com.Robert will be joining the program again live in the coming weeks, and I want my audience to be up to speed on his groundbreaking journalism. In his pulitzer prize nominated articles for the Boston Globe, Robert Whitaker discovered an extreme potential danger of prescription drugs such as SSRIs and antipsychotics in the treatment of depressed, anxious and mentally-ill. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyhealth.substack.com

4th in a series on government This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyhealth.substack.com

Many of you know that I have been active in founding the COVID Response Network (CRN) on the Northern California Coast. We must be prepared to stop this and all future pandemics, and I believe that an effective response begins at the local level.Here in Mendocino County, where I broadcast weekly, we are lucky to have a dedicated Board of Supervisors which responds to the needs of our residents. I recently sat down and spoke with Ted Williams – Supervisor for the 5th District of Mendocino County – about several issues of pressing national concern. Chief among these issues is the on-going COVID pandemic, the rollout of the vaccine, and how much longer we will need to continue measures such as social distancing and mask-wearing.It's rare to hear a public official speak as openly and transparently as Ted did with me. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyhealth.substack.com

We are all aware that we are living in extraordinary historical times. Austrian-born former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger likened last week’s storming of our American Capitol, during which 5 people were killed, with Kristallnacht – the night of the broken glass. In 1938, the Nazis infamously attacked Jewish people, broke their store windows and began a two-day pogrom.Our current President initiated the attack on the Capitol and the House of Representatives responded with impeachment proceedings, making him the first American President to be impeached twice. To offer guidance in navigating these challenging waters, our guests on this program are Mendocino County Sheriff Matt Kendall and former four-time Governor Jerry Brown. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyhealth.substack.com

Dr. Richard Miller interviews Dr. Stanislav Grof, M.D​., the world's foremost scientist regarding LSD, the founder of Holotropic Breathwork and the Spiritual Emergency Network This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyhealth.substack.com

As I continue my series of interviews with the "Psychedelic Elders" with Wisconsin-based psychologist, Dr. Allan Ajaya.Allan received his PhD from the University of California at Berkeley. He followed this with a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin, in the Psychiatry Department.Early experiences with psychedelics led him to discover how transcendent experiences can free one from identifying with his contracted personality. He reports having taken over 150μg of LSD on more than 900 occasions, and once accidentally ingested a mega-mega-dose of 5,000μg (Warning: do NOT try this at home).However, he discovered that the ability to see beneath the veneer of consensual reality, to the archetypal realm, and to experience the underlying unity of all that exists, using psychedelics (even very large doses) is short lived.He turned toward spiritual practices as a way of remaining in transpersonal awareness. He studied with with Eastern spiritual teachers, notably, Chogyam Trungpa, Swami Satc

TODAY ON MBH&P our guest will be Charlie Deist, who has intriguing things to say about free speech, the Free Speech Movement, and the Free Speech Radio Network, of which my program is a part."Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."What does that mean in the 21st century? Tune in to find out. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyhealth.substack.com

My guests this week, Drs. Genesee Herzberg and Jason Butler, are the co-founders of the pioneering Sage Institute – our country’s first psychedelic psychotherapy clinic for the economically disadvantaged.Sage Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides high-quality training, accessible psychedelic therapy, and innovative research, fostering effective and culturally-responsive mental health treatment for underserved communities.Among other services, Sage Institute houses a sliding scale clinic in Oakland offering low fee ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and trauma-focused depth psychotherapy.Both Jason and Genesee are licensed clinical psychologists, who specialize in working with trauma and integrating psychedelic experiences.I have had the privilege of getting to know Jason and Genesee, and am honored to be a collaborator with them on a forthcoming volume of essays entitled Psychedelic Psychotherapy to be published by the Routledge publishing house.Tune in LIVE, Tuesday at 9am PA

If this feed falters, go to mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/listen-liveMy guest this week is founder of the Third Wave, Paul F. Austin. Paul struggled with anxiety and depression for years before he discovered microdosing.Yes, microdosing. With psychedelics.Stay with me, because this could help you or someone you know.New research shows that microdoses of psychedelics turn off the “ruminating” brain areas – giving the user the neurological space to make new choices, think new thoughts, and create new habits. But there’s a catch... As I've talked about for years on my program, you can’t just pop a pill and expect it to change your life.It is vital to use microdosing in an intentional, structured way so you build new neural pathways rather than fall back into old patterns.Third Wave offers a course that explains the right way to microdose – step-by-step – with an emphasis on using psilocybin safely to treat depression and anxiety. Paul is offering listeners to this program a

Following my delightful interview with New York City psychoanalyst Charley Wininger, during which he openly spoke about his decades of responsible, recreational experimentation with psychedelic medicines, I am inspired to conduct a series of interviews with prominent psychotherapists, authors, and other public figures on their personal use of psychedelics, entitled “Confessions of Psychedelic Elders.”On Tuesday, December 15, 2020 (9am PACIFIC), we will hear the confessions of two nationally-known doctors, David Geisinger and Howard Levene. Dr. David L. Geisinger, is the 82-year-old author of Kicking It: The New Way to Stop Smoking and Permanently Going The Distance: Finding and Keeping Lifelong Love, written with his life partner, Dr. Lonnie Barbach.Dr. Howard I. Levene – 85-year-old former Commander and medical officer in the U.S. Navy – is founder of Diabasis House, and a faculty member at the C.G. Jung Institute of San Francisco and Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Medical School. Thi

My guest on Mind Body Health & Politics is Charley Wininger, LP, LMHC – a licensed psychoanalyst and mental health counselor specializing in relationships and communication skills – about his new book Listening to Ecstasy. Recognized as “The Love Doctor” by the New York Times, he’s been treating couples and individuals in his Manhattan and Brooklyn offices for 30 years. Although Charley does not use MDMA in his practice, he is open about his own personal, "responsible recreational" usage, and he lays out the guidelines for such use in the book.Our discussion will focus on the "chemical connection" produced by MDMA, how it can strengthen marriages and relationships, as well its potential for aiding in the process of graceful aging.Finally, we will revisit the question of how a renewal of psychedelic research and experimentation can alleviate the loss of community in our modern world. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get acce

My guest on Mind Body Health & Politics in this episode is Dr. Gabor Maté– a physician and bestselling author of four books, published in twenty-five languages, including:In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters With Addiction;When the Body Says No; Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection; Scattered: How ADD Originates and What You Can Do About It; andHold on to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers Renowned for his expertise on addiction, trauma, childhood development, and the relationship of stress and illness, his book on addiction received the Hubert Evans Prize for literary non-fiction. For his groundbreaking medical work and writing he has been awarded the Order of Canada, his country’s highest civilian distinction.Our discussion focuses on the diagnosis known as ADD. When does it help? When does it harm? What can people with this diagnosis do to live life as normally and productively as possible?To learn more about Dr. Maté, subscribe to his e-newslette

Last week, we featured two prominent scientists on the topic of COVID-19. Two studies were mentioned: the Duke mask study, examining the efficacy of different kinds of masks in a physics laboratory, and the recently-release Danish mask study (DANMASK) – the largest controlled study of masks since the beginning of the pandemic. This week, I am joined by lead researchers on each study – Dr. Eric Westman of Duke University, and Dr. Henning Bundgaard of the University of Copenhagen.Creon Levit and Dr. Nick Cozzi also return to offer their commentary. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyhealth.substack.com

As we turn the corner into winter, it's more important than ever to have an honest, science based, perspective on COVID-19. I will be interviewing prominent, professional scientists on how to reduce your risk of receiving or transmitting the virus, and how to protect yourself and your family. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyhealth.substack.com

Dear Neighbors:In 1974, I was living at Wilbur Hot Springs and I heard about a man, my age, named Jerry Brown, who was a candidate for governor of California. I learned that his family had lived “down the road a piece” from Wilbur since 1857.I did some research and discovered that, more than any other politician, Jerry Brown represented my social and economic views.Soon after, for the first time in my life, I attended a political fundraiser, met the candidate, Jerry Brown, and donated $500 (present value $2,639), a great deal of money for me. I have been a fan of his ever since. Later that year he was elected to his first of four terms as Governor of California. I opine that Jerry Brown may be the only honest politician in America.He tells the truth.This year, Jerry Brown retired after his second 8-year term as Governor of California. He moved back to the family farm in Colusa County, and once again we are neighbors.This past New Year's Eve Jerry and his wife Anne spent the evening with Jolee and

Every frog has his shadow self… How much more varied are we as human beings!If you have been operating under the illusion of the “Single Self Assumption,” prepare to shift your consciousness and get attuned to 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑆𝑦𝑚𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑛𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑆𝑒𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠.Get the book https://amzn.to/3grHP2a and listen to this conversation between author Dr. Jim Fadiman and fellow psychologist Dr. Richard Louis Miller, as they going beyond psychedelic exploration into the deep inner space of our non-pathological multiple personalities.Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/0qquZ1Bcj94 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyhealth.substack.com

Host, Dr. Richard Miller Interviews Ken Paul Rosenthal discussing his film "Whisper Rapture". Ken Paul Rosenthal's award winning films re-envision the way we think, speak and feel about mental distress and wellness in today's chaotic world. His transformative films offer new maps for navigating madness with insight healing and hope. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyhealth.substack.com

Guest Host, Charles Bush, Executive Director of the Fort Bragg Senior Center, interviews Mind Body Health & Politics Host, Dr. Richard Miller, on his recently published book: Psychedelic Medicine. Embracing the revival of psychedelic research and the discovery of new therapeutic uses, Dr. Richard Louis Miller discusses what is happening today in psychedelic medicine–and what will happen in the future. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyhealth.substack.com

Host Dr. Richard Louis Miller interviews Dr Richard Gaines, founder of the Gainswave, which purports to be a ground breaking method of treating erectile dysfunction by using sound waves to create new blood supplies to the penis. Research by the National Institute of Health has supported the use of sound waves for treating erectile dysfunction. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyhealth.substack.com

Host Dr. Richard Louis Miller interviews Paul Austin MD, Founder of the Third Wave of Psychedelics which he writes will "usher in the dawn of a new psychedelic age and will change the perception of psychedelics by Western civilization." Paul is committed to changing the cultural conversation about psychedelics. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyhealth.substack.com