In part two of our three-part Petrie Dish series, Psychedelics and the Texas Trip, host Bonnie Petrie and reporter Robin Berghaus explore the science and history of psychedelic therapies.
Our Texas trip takes us from Austin, where we spent much of our first episode, to San Antonio and Houston, where we dive more deeply into our discussions with veterans who have left the United States to try psychedelic therapies to treat their depression, PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and substance use disorders. With so many patients finding relief, why do psychedelic therapies mostly remain illegal in the U.S., and how do psychedelics actually work?
In Houston, we also speak with Dr. Lynnette Averill, who is leading a psilocybin clinical trial for veterans with PTSD at Baylor College of Medicine and the Menninger Clinic. Averill explains how psychedelics work on the brain to produce healing effects.
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine
Director of Research, The Menninger Clinic
Clinical Research Psychologist, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
We speak with Ryan Roberts and Gabe Gonzalez, U.S. veterans who were at their breaking point. They share why they pursued ibogaine and psilocybin therapies, what that process entails, and how they’re doing today.
Then, Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine reveals the political reasons and Nixon-era legislation that hindered psychedelic therapy research in the U.S. for decades and what could be done to support research today.
This special series is supported by a Ferriss — UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship.
Baylor College of Medicine is looking for volunteers for its study investigating the potential of psilocybin-assisted therapy for veterans with PTSD. If you are a U.S. Veteran with PTSD between 21 and 64 years old, you may be eligible for this study. Participants are compensated for their time, which runs about 8 weeks. You can pre-screen yourself for eligibility here, email the team at emerging@bcm.edu, or scan the QR code below.
