# PT 649 - Melissa Lavasani and Jay Kopelman

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/psychedelics-today-777076/pt-649-melissa-lavasani-and-jay-kopelman
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/psychedelics-today-777076/pt-649-melissa-lavasani-and-jay-kopelman.md
Podcast: [Psychedelics Today](https://stenobird.com/podcast/psychedelics-today-777076)
Published: 2026-02-19T19:56:00+00:00
Episode link: https://psychedelicstoday.libsyn.com/pt-649-melissa-lavasani-and-jay-kopelman
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/psychedelicstoday/PT_649_-_Mission_Within_and_PMC.mp3?dest-id=381511
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/psychedelics-today-777076/episodes/pt-649-melissa-lavasani-and-jay-kopelman
Duration seconds: 4201

## Resource

Melissa Lavasani & Jay Kopelman join our podcast to discuss how psychedelic policy is actually moving in Washington, DC. Lavasani leads Psychedelic Medicine Coalition , a DC-based advocacy organization focused on educating federal officials and advancing legislation around psychedelic medicine. Kopelman is CEO of Mission Within Foundation , which provides scholarships for veterans and first responders seeking psychedelic-assisted therapy retreats, often outside the United States . The conversation centers on veterans, the VA , and why that system may be the first realistic federal pathway for psychedelic care. Early Themes Lavasani describes PMC's work on Capitol Hill , including hosting events that bring lawmakers, staffers, and advocates into the same room. Her focus is steady engagement. In DC, progress often happens through repeated conversations, not headlines. Kopelman shares his background as a Marine and how his own psychedelic-assisted therapy experience led him to Mission Within. The foundation has funded more than 250 scholarships for veterans and first responders seeking treatment for PTSD, mild traumatic brain injury, depression, and addiction. They connect this work to pending veteran-focused legislation and explain why the VA matters. As a closed health system, the VA can pilot programs, gather data, and refine protocols without the pressures of private healthcare markets. Core Insights A recent Capitol Hill gathering, For Veteran Society, brought together members of Congress and leaders from the psychedelic caucus. Lavasani describes candid feedback from lawmakers. The message was clear: coordinate messaging, avoid fragmentation, and move while bipartisan interest remains. Veteran healthcare is not framed as the final goal. It is a starting point. If ps…

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## Transcript

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