#77 Psychedelic Conversion Therapy, Part 1: The First Wave
Release Date: 08/10/2026
#77 Psychedelic Conversion Therapy, Part 1: The First Wave
The Psymposia Podcast
Neşe and Russell review the history and harms of conversion therapy practices in the broader medical landscape, as well as their persistence throughout the history of psychedelic research. In the first wave of psychedelic science, influential figures helped legitimize deeply harmful ideas about pharmaceutical assistance in shifting identity. Timothy Leary publicly suggested psychedelics could “cure” homosexuality. Richard Alpert (later Ram Dass) engaged in psychedelic-assisted conversion efforts with individuals who wrote to him seeking change. Stanislav Grof framed homosexuality as a...
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#76 Psychedelics are Big Pharma Now, 5-MeO Propaganda, Spiritual Grifter's Manslaughter Charge
The Psymposia Podcast
The crew discusses AtaiBeckley's acquisition by Eli Lilly, The Wall Street Journal's mini-documentary on 5-MeO-DMT, and a recent death that occurred during a psychedelic retreat.
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#75 "Psychedelic Zealots" w/ Dr. Tyler Black
The Psymposia Podcast
Psymposia sits down with Dr. Tyler Black to discuss debunking pseudoscience, a recent case study involving giving a woman with Alzheimer's psilocybin, psychedelic zealot mindsets, and his ketamine research.
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#74.5 The Fight Over Trans Healthcare Under Trump w/ Jane Migliara Brigham
The Psymposia Podcast
This is an excerpted interview from episode #74. Psymposia speaks with Jane Migliara Brigham of The Needle to discuss her recent article, "Ambetter Insurance, Centene denying hormones to trans patients across 19 states in push for MAHA Medicine."
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#74 Psychedelic Billionaire Dystopia, Terence McKenna Archives, Trans Healthcare Under Trump 6.18.2026
The Psymposia Podcast
James, Russell, and Normie chat about the Best in Grass competition before diving into a discussion of a lawsuit against OpenAI over alleged bad drug advice and the preservation of the Terence McKenna archive. Russell conducts an in-depth interview with Jane Migliara Brigham on the state of trans healthcare under Trump, unpacking the policy landscape and its real-world implications. In the back half of the episode, the crew is joined by Mike and Neşe to discuss billionaire investor Christian Angermayer — breaking down his psychedelic origin story, his concept of “Societal Adjustment...
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#73 Enhanced Games Peptide Grift, MAHA Public Health Slop, Psychedelic Christian Nationalism 06.03.2026
The Psymposia Podcast
SUPPORT: FOLLOW: Normie, Neşe, Russell, and James dive into the telehealth supplement play behind the Enhanced Games, dissect the Secretary of Homeland Security's significant stake in Botanic Tonics, unpack the dangerous rhetoric of the MAHA movement and its real-world impact on mental health policy and infant mortality, and examine the key figure pushing ibogaine from fringe psychedelic to centerpiece of a broader Christian nationalist movement. Footnotes: The Enhanced Games Explained: Inside the $1.2 Billion Bet on Doping in Sports (Huddle Up) How a kratom giant got what it wanted from...
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Patreon Update: New Tiers and Offerings
The Psymposia Podcast
We have made some changes to our Patreon and wanted to let you know what to expect from your subscription moving forward! Simplified Tiers. We simplified our tiers so there will only be three offerings: a $5, $10, and $50 level The $2 tier is going away July 1, but any current $2 members will be grandfathered in at that price. Early Access. All of our paid members will receive early access to ad-free podcast episodes, generally released twice a month. Additionally, Patreon members will receive around 20-45 minutes of post-episode bonus content with each release! Group...
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#72 Patreon Exclusive: The Drug Culture of Looksmaxxing
The Psymposia Podcast
This clip from our Patreon bonus content breaks down the so-called “pentastack” behind looksmaxxer streams: a combinations of stimulants, dissociatives, performance drugs, and psychiatric medications. We also examine the disturbing response from the people around Clavicular during his livestreamed overdose.
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#71 Hamilton Morris Sued, MAGA Weirdo on Shrooms, VA Mental Health Collapse Under Trump 05.20.2026
The Psymposia Podcast
Russell, Normie, Pace and James debut a new podcast format covering the latest developments in psychedelics, drug policy, and politics. Today, they review the latest Church of Sacred Synthesis lawsuit news, misperceptions of the "psychedelic Left", Purdue Pharma’s collapse, the Trump administration's cuts to fentanyl test strip funding, vaccine and ivermectin discourse, and worsening conditions in veterans’ mental healthcare. Footnotes: Michelle Lhooq — “We Have Entered the Era of Conservative Psychedelia” Associated Press — “OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to dissolve...
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#70 Telepathy in Psychedelic Therapy
The Psymposia Podcast
Psymposia board member Dr. Neşe Devenot’s presentation at the Ohio State University “Religion and Psychedelics” conference, recorded March 28, 2026. In this talk, Dr. Devenot presents their research on the reliance on unscientific telepathic attunement in many popular schools of psychedelic therapy.
info_outlineNeşe and Russell review the history and harms of conversion therapy practices in the broader medical landscape, as well as their persistence throughout the history of psychedelic research. In the first wave of psychedelic science, influential figures helped legitimize deeply harmful ideas about pharmaceutical assistance in shifting identity.
Timothy Leary publicly suggested psychedelics could “cure” homosexuality. Richard Alpert (later Ram Dass) engaged in psychedelic-assisted conversion efforts with individuals who wrote to him seeking change. Stanislav Grof framed homosexuality as a pathology and explored psychedelic treatments aimed at altering sexual orientation.
This history is often ignored or sanitized in contemporary discussions about psychedelics. But it is more relevant than ever as psychedelics gain support from many of the same political and cultural forces working to roll back protections against conversion therapy and of LGBTQ+ rights.
Chapters:
0:00:00 Intro
0:04:54 Harms of conversion therapy and rollback of conversion therapy ban
0:15:55 Conversion therapy in historic psychedelic research
0:17:50 Andrea Ens research, Timothy Leary claims LSD can cure homosexuality
0:24:30 Archival letters and Ram Dass performing conversion therapy
0:28:45 Stan Grof conversion therapy writings and controversy
Footnotes:
"High dose shock therapy with LSD and mescaline: the experiments of a French doctor on two homosexual adolescents in the 1960s" by Zoë Dubus (Synergetic Press):
https://hal.science/hal-03913920v1/document “A Specific Cure for Homosexuality: Postwar
Psychedelic Conversion Therapies in the United States and Canada” by Andrea Ens (University of Wisconsin-Madison):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsI0LjMuL8g
"'Wish I would be normal': LSD and Homosexuality at Hollywood Hospital, 1955-1973" by Andrea Ens (University of Saskatchewan Master's Thesis): https://harvest.usask.ca/items/0b737538-8322-4ba9-b62e-61e70869794e
"The shameful history of psychedelic gay conversion therapy" (Plastic Brain): https://plasticbrainblog.com/2019/05/29/history-psychedelic-gay-conversion-therapy/
"Consensus Statement Condemning Psychedelic Conversion Therapy and Suggestions for Addressing Ongoing Harms Against LGBTQIA+ People in Psychedelic Research and Therapy": https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsgdmGs0OxfvZyTP0cETBE-I4P3afwVblJ7cegrCetdmCrEg/viewform
"An Open Letter Reply to Dr. Stan Grof" (Open Foundation): https://open-foundation.org/an-open-letter-reply-to-dr-stan-grof/
"Acknowledging the Past, Affirming Our Commitment to Healing For All" / Stan Grof letter (MAPS): https://maps.org/grof-letter/