Michael D. Madera, Psy.D. - Breaking Free: Healing Narcissistic Family Wounds Through Psychedelics
Release Date: 12/23/2024
Natalie Baird-King - Facing the Unforgivable: Ayahuasca, Childhood Trauma & Self-Compassion
The Psychedelic Podcast
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Natalie Baird-King, a board-certified attorney in marital and family law who discovered the transformative power of forgiveness through psychedelic experiences. Find full show notes and links here: Natalie shares her journey from childhood abuse and depression to spiritual healing catalyzed by ayahuasca. As the author of Forgiving Unforgivable, she explains her HOPE model (Harken back, Open your heart, Proclaim forgiveness, Experience freedom) and how forgiveness—particularly self-forgiveness—became the key to healing...
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Rachel Pastor & Tiffany Hurd - Microdosing for Real Life: Parenting, PTSD, and Professional Growth
The Psychedelic Podcast
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin sits down with Rachel Pastor and Tiffany Hurd, leaders behind , a woman-led microdosing company pushing the boundaries of accessibility, education, and intention in the psychedelic space. Find full show notes and links here: From overcoming heroin addiction and corporate burnout to leading a values-driven microdosing brand, Rachel and Tiffany share their powerful personal journeys and the mission that fuels their work today. They dive into the evolving landscape of legal psychedelics, the challenges of running a public-facing...
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Victoria Lynn Carroll - Surrender & Storytelling: A Filmmaker's Ayahuasca Journey
The Psychedelic Podcast
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Victoria Lynn Carroll, a Los Angeles-based filmmaker who made an unconventional journey from actor to documentary filmmaker. Find full show notes and links here: Victoria shares how a vision during an ayahuasca ceremony inspired her to create her directorial debut, She Is a Shaman, which provides an intimate look into the personal life of a female ayahuasca shaman in the Peruvian Amazon. She discusses the challenges of filming in the jungle without electricity, the personal transformations that coincided with her...
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Richard Blake, Ph.D. - Healing Through Breath: Science, Safety & Somatics
The Psychedelic Podcast
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Dr. Richard Blake, a pioneering psychologist and breathwork researcher, to discuss the science and clinical application of Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB). Find full show notes and links here: Dr. Blake shares key insights from his groundbreaking randomized controlled trial—the largest to date—on the effectiveness of CCB for reducing anxiety. The conversation explores the distinctions between breathwork modalities, how altered states are reached without substances, and why trauma-informed facilitation is essential...
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Rick Doblin, Ph.D. - MDMA, MAPS & the FDA: What Went Wrong?
The Psychedelic Podcast
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes back Rick Doblin, Ph.D., Founder and President of MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), for a deeply personal and visionary conversation on the recent FDA rejection of MDMA-assisted therapy. Find full show notes and links here: Rick opens up about the painful setbacks, internal missteps, and his own process of recovery and renewed hope. He explains why this isn’t the end—but a critical turning point for psychedelic medicine. Rick and Paul unpack the nuances of drug plus therapy, exploring why...
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W. Bryan Hubbard - The Ibogaine Initiative: Solutions for Opioid Addiction & Brain Injury
The Psychedelic Podcast
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Bryan Hubbard, a prominent advocate for psychedelic-assisted therapies, particularly ibogaine in the treatment of opioid addiction and mental health disorders. Find full show notes and links here: Update (May 2025): Days before this episode's release, the Texas House approved a Senate-backed bill to fund ibogaine research through a public-private partnership aimed at securing FDA approval. This vote marks a major milestone in the movement Bryan describes throughout this conversation. Bryan shares his journey from...
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Dr. Pedram Shojai - Strengthen the Vessel: Daoist Energy Practices for Psychedelic Work
The Psychedelic Podcast
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Dr. Pedram Shojai, known as The Urban Monk, a former Taoist monk and doctor of Oriental medicine. Find full show notes and links here: Pedram shares his journey from intensive martial arts training under one of the last living descendants of a Daoist monastery to bringing ancient wisdom into modern life. He discusses the challenges of integrating monastic practices into householder living, the relationship between physical vitality and spiritual growth, and offers a balanced perspective on psychedelics. Dr. Shojai...
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Richard Schwartz, Ph.D. - IFS & Psychedelics: Tapping Into Self Energy for Healing Trauma
The Psychedelic Podcast
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Dr. Richard Schwartz, creator of the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model of psychotherapy. Dick shares how he discovered that psychedelics naturally facilitate access to what IFS calls "Self energy" - the compassionate core within everyone that can heal wounded parts. He explains how medicines like ketamine and MDMA help relax protective parts of our psyche, revealing both Self energy and exiled parts that need healing. Dick reveals his personal journey with psychedelics, including his work with ketamine-assisted IFS...
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Marlena Robbins - Sacred Reciprocity: Indigenous Perspectives on the Psychedelic Renaissance
The Psychedelic Podcast
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Marlena Robbins, a proud member of the Diné (Navajo) nation and doctoral student at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. Marlena shares her personal journey with psilocybin mushrooms and how they helped reconnect her with her heritage and family. Her research examines the cultural, social, and policy aspects of psilocybin use within Native communities, highlighting differences between urban and rural perspectives to inform educational frameworks, culturally-informed psychedelic assisted therapy models, and public health...
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Sam Mandel - 30,000 Infusions Later: Clinical Insights from a Ketamine Pioneer
The Psychedelic Podcast
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Sam Mandel, co-founder and CEO of Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles (KCLA). Find full show notes and links here: Sam shares his journey co-founding KCLA with his father in 2014, pioneering ketamine infusion therapy when few were exploring its potential for mental health. From humble beginnings in a storage closet to becoming a leading mental health center with over 30,000 infusions administered, Sam discusses the challenges and triumphs of building a patient-centric practice. He explains the science behind ketamine's...
info_outlineIn this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Michael Madera, psychologist, executive coach, and author of "Playing Tag on the Roof." He is also a graduate of The Psychedelic Coaching Institute’s Practitioner Certification Program.
Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-283/?ref=278
Michael shares his journey of growing up in a narcissistic family environment, where his father became a con man and his mother a Buddhist nun. He discusses how psychedelics, Internal Family Systems therapy, and other modalities helped him heal from childhood trauma and informed his approach to coaching family businesses. Through his work and personal experience, Michael illuminates the complex interplay between family dynamics, leadership, and the transformative potential of psychedelic medicines.
Michael D. Madera is a psychologist, author, and executive coach specializing in family business dynamics and innovative healing modalities. Trained at Harvard institutions, he combines traditional psychology with ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and breathwork facilitation. His recently released book "Playing Tag on the Roof" explores recovery from narcissistic family dynamics through psychedelics and love. Michael's articles in Family Business press are frequently among the most downloaded in the field. He leads transformative plant medicine retreats in Costa Rica and maintains an active coaching practice helping individuals and family businesses thrive. Beyond his professional work, Michael leads a Boston-based dance band and enjoys sports. He lives near Boston with his wife and two college-age sons.
Highlights:
- Growing up between Toronto and Boston
- Journey to becoming a psychologist
- Understanding narcissistic personalities
- Growing up with narcissistic parents
- Healing through psychotherapy and meditation
- The three circles of family business
- Psychedelics' role in healing trauma
- IFS and psychedelic integration
- Ancestral patterns in family businesses
Episode Links:
- Resounding Circles
- Madera Partners Consulting
- Dr. Madera’s new book, “Playing Tag on the Roof: Recovering from a narcissistic family through love and psychedelics”
Episode Sponsor:
- The Practitioner Certification Program by Third Wave’s Psychedelic Coaching Institute.