The Third Wave

Tero Isokauppila is the founder of Four Sigmatic, a functional foods company that brings healthy upgrades into America’s daily routines through coffee, plant protein, and other superfood products. From growing up foraging natural foods on his family’s farm in Finland to earning a degree and certificate from Cornell, since 2012 Tero has been on a mission to bring Everyday Magic to the world. In this episode of the Third Wave podcast, Tero talks with Paul F. Austin about the origins of Four Sigmatic and their three most powerful mushrooms, his experience with psychedelics including the legendary Amanita muscaria, plus his thoughts on microdosing and future “waves” for the psychedelic industry.  

Chess Edwards has spent his life in devotion to exploring and awakening the full potential of the human spirit as an adventure travel guide, storyteller, executive coach, corporate trainer, meditation teacher, and self-realization guide. In this episode of the Third Wave podcast, Chess talks with Paul F. Austin about finding awareness, practicing breathwork, transitioning from a space of healing to growth, the impact of spiritual teachers and books, plus his experience with Third Wave’s Coaching Certification Program.  

Adam Gazzaley is a neuroscientist, neurologist, inventor, author, photographer, entrepreneur, and investor. Most notably, he’s the founder and executive director of Neuroscape as well as the David Dolby Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Physiology and Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco. In this episode of the Third Wave podcast, Adam talks with Paul F. Austin about the new Neuroscape psychedelics division at UCSF, how studying individual biomarkers can give us novel insights into personalized psychedelic experiences, how different psychedelic dosages can work synchronistically with sensory stimuli, and how Neuroscape is using videogames to train attention.

Ethan Nadelmann is a legend of drug policy reform. From his time as a professor at Princeton to his founding and seventeen years of leadership at the Drug Policy Alliance, Ethan has spearheaded the critique against the War on Drugs. In this episode of the Third Wave podcast, Ethan talks with Paul F. Austin about the role psychedelics played in shaping his personal values and drug policy vision, how our culture’s perspective on drugs has shifted over the last 30 years, and how psychedelics fit into larger drug policy reform.

Katie Wells, proud mother of six, has been a leader in the health and wellness industry for the past fifteen years as the founder of Wellness Mama and her latest company Wellnesse. Katie has been on a relentless quest to solve her own health problems and heal trauma, so she can be the best person and mom she can be. In this episode of the Third Wave podcast, Katie talks with Paul F. Austin about her journey into the wellness space and how psychedelics recently played an important role in her healing journey. They also discuss how psychedelics might help mothers deal with little-t-trauma, and the future intersection of the wellness industry and psychedelics.

After pursuing his dream of performing as a jazz musician, M.J. Jiaras found his way into a doctoral program for psychology at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in Chicago. Ultimately, Dr. Jiaras entered the executive coaching space, where he has thrived as president and founder of Integrated Coaching Solutions for over twenty years as a consultant to Fortune 50 companies. In this episode of the Third Wave podcast, Dr. Jiaras talks with Paul F. Austin about his introduction to psychedelics and early career as a musician, his evolving methodology as an executive coach, different approaches to leadership, and the future of psychedelics in tandem with the executive coaching space.

After studying with Humphry Osmond when he was 20 years old, Jeremy Narby became intrigued by the intersection of psychedelics, mental health, and philosophy. As a graduate student in anthropology at Stanford, he lived with the Ashaninka people of the Peruvian Amazon, which set him on an early path researching ayahuasca. In this episode of the Third Wave podcast, Jeremy talks with Paul F. Austin about the importance of language, how we can shift our worldviews, and powerful lessons from plant teachers.

As a teenager experimenting with psychedelics, Ed Prideaux had no inkling that his trips would stay with him for the rest of his life. But days after his final LSD trip, when he was still experiencing melting walls and tunnel vision, he knew something wasn’t right. In this episode of the Third Wave podcast, Ed talks with Paul F. Austin about Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD), what life is like for those who have this condition, and what factors may contribute to the risk of developing it.

When Mark J. Plotkin, Ph.D. first stepped into a night class with Harvard ethnobotanist Richard Evans Schultes, the path of his life was instantly set. Almost 40 years later, Mark has participated in close to 100 ayahuasca ceremonies with Amazonian shamans, sampled numerous psychedelic plants from the rainforest, and partnered with multiple indigenous tribes to protect their lands and ecosystem. In this episode of the Third Wave podcast, Mark and Paul discuss Mark’s storied career, the importance of indigenous reciprocity and conservation, current and potential surprising uses for psilocybin, the crucial element of context when working with psychedelics, and more.

What do guns, emergency first aid, martial arts, cryptocurrency, personal sovereignty, and web 3.0 have to do with psychedelics? As it turns out, quite a lot. As Daniel DiPiazza and Paul F. Austin discuss, they’re all centered around cultivating self-reliance, reclaiming autonomy, and strengthening personal choice. This episode covers the ever-creeping hand of government and how we can keep it at bay, decentralization of finance and personal data, living in an oligarchy, and, yes, doing psychedelics with family.

Already a highly successful entrepreneur in the cannabis industry, Olivia Alexander went unexpectedly viral for an innocuous social media post mentioning microdosing. The resulting inundation of messages and questions from around the world led Olivia to consistently highlight to her followers the importance of education, safety, and responsibility when working with both psychedelics and cannabis. In this wide-ranging and honest discussion, Paul and Olivia chat about approaching psychedelics as a neurodivergent person, intentional and therapeutic use, Olivia’s career in cannabis from the infancy of the industry, and her use of cannabis to treat her bipolar disorder and get off her medications.

What do endo-nasal balloons, suppositories, methylene blue, and cerebrospinal fluid have to do with psychedelics? In this fascinating and eye-opening discussion, Paul and Dr. John talk about some surprising tools of the chiropractic neurologist trade, how they can be used in conjunction with ceremony, and what they mean for our stressed-out world.

From an early age, Daniel Cleland knew that the cookie-cutter life was not for him. His desire for travel, entrepreneurship, and non-traditional experiences brought him to the heart of the jungle, where he overcame his fear of ayahuasca and found deep healing. Since then, he’s been dedicated to sharing the restorative powers of this medicine with others, and has co-founded Soltara Healing Center to bring this mission to life. In this episode, Daniel and Paul discuss the challenges and rewards of starting an ayahuasca retreat, the importance of tradition, and how he envisions Soltara moving forward.

What is social sculpture, and how can it uplift humanity? How does an entheogen differ from a psychedelic? What is the “universal mind lattice”? Can psychedelics save your life? In this expansive discussion, Paul Austin and legendary visionary artists Allyson and Alex Grey cover all this and much more, including the symbolic communication of the Divine.

As one of the earliest researchers and advocates for ketamine’s use in healing pain, depression, and addiction, Jeffrey Becker, M.D., is on the forefront of harnessing ketamine’s massive untapped potential. In addition to his personal functional psychiatry practice, Jeff is the co-founder and CSO of Bexson Biomedical, which has created a subcutaneous ketamine infusion pump for safe, at-home pain management. In this episode, Jeff and Paul enjoy a wide-ranging discussion about responsible use of psychedelics, the connections between mysticism and science, and the fragile future of these powerful substances.

In the three years since Paul and Sean last spoke, there has been huge growth in the psychedelic space, from legal retreats and clinics to corporate interest to personal education and use. In this episode, recorded for Sean’s podcast and shared here as well, Paul and Sean discuss the revolutionary changes psychedelics are bringing to mental and physical healthcare, as well as exciting upheavals in industrial capitalism, religion, and our concept of a sovereign state.

We’re in the early stages of a many-layered worldwide shift: The paternalistic medical model is slowly falling away as we recognize that we’re our own best healers. With church affiliation dwindling, more and more of us are turning to different forms of community and spirituality. And as psychedelics continue to grow in mainstream awareness, support of their use in healing and personal growth is gaining unstoppable momentum. In this episode, Michael and Paul discuss some of the exciting possibilities of our psychedelic medical future, and how these substances have the power to heal not just ourselves, but our entire communities.

What do the ancient mysteries of psychedelics have to do with the modern technology of cryptocurrency? There are several surprising similarities, including global interconnectedness, the move toward personal freedom and sovereignty, and long-term sustainability. In this episode, Paul Austin talks with Brandon Quittem, entrepreneur and enthusiastic Bitcoiner, about the curious overlaps between psychedelics, the mycelium network, Bitcoin, the healthcare system, original American values, and the empowerment of the entire world.

Keith Kurlander has practiced integrative psychotherapy and coaching with individuals, couples and groups for over 15 years. After years of treating highly complex patients, as well as a personal journey of overcoming trauma and mental illness, he turned toward integrative psychiatric practices as a key component to achieving mental health and understanding the healing process. In this episode, he and Paul discuss the core areas to focus on when getting well, the role of psychedelics in healing mental illness and trauma, and the importance of a well-trained therapist and guide.

After a successful career in entrepreneurship and cryptocurrency, Ryan Zurrer turned his attention to the burgeoning psychedelic space. As he continued to learn more via research, attending conferences, and speaking with others, he became concerned about what he considers the “dystopian future” of psychedelic therapies - sterile doctors’ offices, $8000 treatments, synthetic drugs, no community or connection. Determined to help others harness the powerful benefits of plant medicines in traditional settings, he started Vine Ventures, a VC fund focusing on a future in which everyone who wants to access a psychedelic experience can do so safely, legally, and affordably. In this episode, Ryan and Paul discuss the importance of accessibility, Ryan’s criteria for investment, and the differences between a centralized and decentralized approach to therapy and legalization.