{"podcast":{"title":"The Psychedelic Podcast","slug":"the-psychedelic-podcast-221919","podcast_index_feed_id":221919,"rss_url":"https://psychedelia.libsyn.com/rss","website_url":"https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/3/e/9/d/3e9d116f752e2e4f16c3140a3186d450/Psychedelic-podcast-square-cover-main.jpeg","author":"Third Wave","episode_count":368,"summary":"The Psychedelic Podcast connects you to the leaders and pioneers of the psychedelic renaissance. From deep healing to creativity, leadership to spirituality, business, health, human performance, relationships, sexuality, and even culture itself—every aspect of our world is being transformed by psychedelic medicines. Get an inspired, informed, balanced look into how these powerful medicines are already being safely and responsibly used to catalyze both personal and collective transformation. Whether you're just curious or a seasoned psychonaut, or somewhere in between, you'll get insightful, practical, cutting-edge conversations from the forefront of the psychedelic movement. Join us as we explore how psychedelics can be integrated into culture for the evolution of humanity.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-29T08:17:07.443525+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-psychedelic-podcast-221919"},"episode":{"title":"Why Group Psychedelic Therapy Matters - Dr. Lauren Macdonald","slug":"why-group-psychedelic-therapy-matters-dr-lauren-macdonald","published_at":"2026-05-18T08:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-psychedelic-podcast-221919/why-group-psychedelic-therapy-matters-dr-lauren-macdonald","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-psychedelic-podcast-221919","url":"https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-356/?ref=278","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/psychedelia/Podcast_356_Dr_Lauren_Macdonald.mp3?dest-id=459512","summary":"In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Dr. Lauren Macdonald, a clinical trial physician and psychedelic therapist, about the evolving role of community in psychedelic-assisted therapy. Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-356/?ref=278 Lauren shares insights from her work at Imperial College London, where she contributed to research on psilocybin for anorexia and fibromyalgia, as well as DMT for treatment-resistant depression. She reflects on the limitations of purely individual therapeutic models and explores how group-based approaches can foster deeper healing through connection, shared experience, and what she describes as communitas. The conversation also touches on the contrast between clinical and ceremonial settings, the role of group dynamics in emotional processing, and the challenges of access and affordability as psychedelic therapy expands. Dr. Lauren Macdonald has a background in psychiatry, psychedelic-assisted therapy, and group retreat facilitation, working at the intersection of science, soul, and spirit. At the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London, she has served as a clinical trial doctor and psychedelic therapist on studies exploring psilocybin for anorexia and fibromyalgia, and DMT for treatment-resistant depression. Highlights: Psilocybin therapy in clinical research Limits of individual therapy models Why group work deepens healing Communitas and shared experience Bridging science and spirituality Psychedelics in palliative care Relational safety in altered states Episode Links: Lauren Macdonald's Website The Reconnection: Women's Psilocybin and Somatic Retreats Bridging Worlds: 6-Month Training Episode Sponsors: The Microdosing Practitioner Certification…","meta_description":"In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Dr. Lauren Macdonald, a clinical trial physician and psychedelic therapist, about t…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3354,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-psychedelic-podcast-221919/episodes/why-group-psychedelic-therapy-matters-dr-lauren-macdonald/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-psychedelic-podcast-221919/why-group-psychedelic-therapy-matters-dr-lauren-macdonald.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}