Paul F. Austin & Chris Villar - The Business of Transformation: Inside a Successful Psychedelic Coaching Practice
Release Date: 02/07/2025
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...
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Simon Ruffell, M.D., Ph.D. - From Skeptic to Student: A Psychiatrist's Path to Becoming a Curandero
The Psychedelic Podcast
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Dr. Simon Ruffell, a psychiatrist, ayahuasca researcher, and student of curanderismo. Find full show notes and links here: Simon shares his transformative journey from being a skeptical Western psychiatrist to embracing the spiritual dimensions of plant medicine after experiencing what he describes as an "ontological shock" during an ayahuasca ceremony. He discusses his ongoing apprenticeship with Shipibo curanderos in the Amazon, his research into ayahuasca's effects on mental health and epigenetics, and his work bridging...
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Raymond C Turpin, Psy.D. - From Underground to FDA: Four Decades in Psychedelic Medicine
The Psychedelic Podcast
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Dr. Raymond Turpin, a psychologist and psychedelic researcher who has been studying these medicines since 1984. Find full show notes and links here: Dr. Turpin shares his journey from discovering Timothy Leary's writings as a college student to founding the Pearl Psychedelic Institute in North Carolina. He discusses his experience as one of only two sites nationwide to provide MDMA-assisted therapy through the FDA's expanded access program, the profound healing he witnessed in patients with treatment-resistant PTSD, and...
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Katelyn Kalstein, ND - Treating the Root: A Naturopathic Approach to Psychedelic Therapy
The Psychedelic Podcast
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Dr. Katelyn Kalstein, a licensed naturopathic doctor, acupuncturist, and psychotherapist specializing in integrative mental health and psychedelic medicine. Find full show notes and links here: Dr. Kalstein shares her journey from growing up with natural remedies to her transformative experiences in India and Brazil, where she first encountered ayahuasca and joined the Santo Daime church. She discusses her unconventional career path through naturopathic medicine, neurofeedback at 40 Years of Zen, and as Clinical...
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Norman Ohler - LSD's Secret History: From Swiss Labs to Government Control
The Psychedelic Podcast
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes New York Times bestselling author Norman Ohler. Find full show notes and links here: Norman shares his deep research into the hidden history of LSD, revealing the untold connections between Arthur Stoll (CEO of Sandoz), Nazi Germany, and the CIA's MKUltra program. He explains how LSD's development as a mental health medicine was derailed by intelligence agencies seeking a "truth drug" for interrogations, and how the substance traveled from Swiss laboratories to Nazi concentration camps and eventually to American universities....
info_outlineIn this special bonus episode, we share highlights from a recent January webinar featuring Paul F. Austin in conversation with Chris Villar, a successful executive coach and graduate of the Psychedelic Coaching Institute.
Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-289b/?ref=278
Chris shares his transition from Goldman Sachs and founding a $125 million company to becoming an executive coach incorporating psychedelics into his practice. Together, Paul and Chris explore the business aspects of psychedelic coaching, ethical considerations, and practical strategies for building a successful practice.
For more of Chris's personal and professional journey, check out his interview in Episode 268 of The Psychedelic Podcast.
Chris Villar studied finance & accounting at Georgetown University and began his career at Goldman Sachs, where he led a $500 million investment portfolio in the home security industry. In 2007, he left Goldman and founded Frontpoint Security, an early disruptor for self-installed alarm systems and smart home technology.
Chris served as CEO from inception to over $125-million in revenue as the company grew to nearly 800 employees and received frequent recognition for both customer and employee satisfaction. After selling the company in 2020, Chris founded VILLAR Coaching, a boutique coaching practice focused on helping founders (and other high achievers) scale their companies while cultivating skills in peak performance and fundamental wellbeing.
Chris has done extensive work to overcome a lifetime of stress, anxiety, and burnout and to detach from the lifelong grip of achievement; and now enjoys helping others do the same. He lives in Washington, DC with his husband and their 10-year old beagle and enjoys the outdoors, hiking, and traveling.
Highlights:
- Chris's background: From Goldman Sachs to founding a $125M company
- The journey to becoming a psychedelic integration coach
- Key skills Chris learned through professional training
- Structuring client engagements and coaching containers Incorporating ketamine therapy through legal providers
- Revenue generation and pricing strategies in psychedelic coaching
- Group retreats and scaling a coaching practice
- Essential advice for aspiring coaches
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