Ending the War at Home: Saving the Lives of Our Veterans with Psychedelic Therapy

I never saw war coming. Not 9/11, not the conflicts overseas, and certainly not the war that would begin in our own home when we transitioned out of the SEAL teams. The “war after the war” first began between Marcus and me. We were in regular opposition: confused, misinformed—passionate, but misaligned. I was great at shame, guilt, and threats, not realizing that no one wanted to change more than Marcus himself. He was great at lashing out and checking out,... Continue Reading

My Life-Saving Ayahuasca Journey: Healing the Warrior Within

As the sun started to rise, I woke up covered in sand and bug bites, hungover, and overflowing with anxiety; I had spent the night on the beach. It was the morning after Thanksgiving and my whole family was in town. The dinner had gone well, fueled by good friends and family, old stories, and, of course, a lot of alcohol. That night, however, provoked a flare-up of anxiety supported by the already stressful family reunion and the disinhibitions of... Continue Reading

Keeping What’s Sacred, Sacred Through Unity

This conservation initiative is an intergenerational bridge. The wise ones are getting old and they still know about nature and stories and the natural ways and songs. We need to be the bridge for sacred knowledge—it is of essence and we have a responsibility to be this bridge and pass things on for a brighter tomorrow for our children and grandchildren. Continue Reading

One Mother’s Journey to Healing Depression with Plant Medicines

“What are the moms at school going to say about this?” I thought last December, as I prepared to submit paperwork in support of Decriminalize Nature DC, a ballot initiative that would decriminalize natural psychedelics like psilocybin and ayahuasca in Washington, DC. Those moms knew me as the Budget Officer for DC’s Department of Energy & Environment—or simply as a fellow mother of young children struggling to keep up. What would they think if they knew of my activism on... Continue Reading

A Case for Legally Regulated Psilocybin Therapy

We have some good news to share. A growing body of research suggests that “psilocybin”—a natural compound found in many species of mushrooms—can, as part of therapy, help relieve a variety of mental health issues, including depression, existential anxiety, addictions, and the lingering effects of trauma.Continue Reading