In this episode of MINDBEND, relationship coach and multi-hyphenate creative Ally Iseman opens up about the invisible labor of caregiving, the complexities of being a "mom friend," and how grief and personal transformation have shaped her relationship with comedy, performance, and storytelling.

She discusses the dissonance between what others expect of caregivers and the reality of showing up daily in emotionally taxing, often unrecognized roles. Through reflections on growing up with severe OCD, managing endometriosis, and navigating the tension between ambition and exhaustion, Ally speaks to the power of reclaiming agency through honesty, art, and dark humor.

Pleasure is a concept that means different things to different people, based in large part to their upbringing and the wide array of personal preferences and the idiosyncracies that make us unique. But learning how to reconcile difference with partners can be an essential and powerful effort. This candid conversation explores what it means to support and love others while learning to show up for oneself.

Dr. Stephanie Michael Stewart is a psychiatrist working at the intersection of mental health and ecological consciousness. I am grateful that she sat down with us to share her evolving understanding of trauma, embodiment, and healing on the Mindbend Podcast.

Drawing from her clinical background, she reflects on how psychiatric work inside traditional institutions has illuminated the limitations of Western medical frameworks—and how stepping outside those systems has allowed her to reconnect with land-based, somatic, and ancestral forms of wisdom. Her approach blends science and spirit, grounded in years of experience treating patients while also listening deeply to what the natural world teaches.

Dr. Stewart describes how personal practices like walking, observing nature, and being in relationship with land became essential to her own healing journey. She speaks about "Returning to the Mothership," a project rooted in her desire to help others remember what it feels like to be in right relationship with the Earth. The conversation touches on themes of slowing down, listening to grief, and reclaiming the body as a site of both memory and regeneration. Her voice is gentle but firm as she stresses the need to listen to place-based wisdom, from those people and communities who are often not included in the commercial conversations around healing and medical science.

She encourages listeners to ask better questions, to pay attention to the rhythms of the land, and to honor intergenerational experience. In the end, this episode offers a layered and contemplative look at what it means to be a healer in times of collapse—and how the practice of psychiatry can be expanded when it is in conversation with ecology, story, and spirit.

Follow Dr. Stewart:

Instagram: @dr.stephaniemichaelstewart

Website: www.worldwidewellness.io

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Watch Full Episode on YouTube: @mymindbend

Website: www.mymindbend.org

This is an Operation Podcast production, connect with us @operationpodcast

#Mindbendpodcast #DrStephanieMichaelStewart #IntegrativePsychiatry #TraumaHealing #EcologicalPsychiatry #SomaticWisdom #MentalHealthAndNature #LandBasedHealing #AncestralMedicine #SlowMedicine #PsychiatryBeyondInstitutions #MindBodySpirit #HealingWithTheEarth #IntergenerationalHealing #CeremonyAndScience

Mindbend EP. 46 TANTRIKA CVNNABIS HEALER & SPIRITUAL GUIDE with ZIPPORAH premiers this Wednesday, Feb 12th! In this cosmically pleasurable episode of MINDBEND, I sit down with Tantrika, Cvnnabis Healer, and Spiritual Guide Zipporah to explore the profound intersection of tantric healing, psychedelic medicine, and awakening. Zipporah shares her transformative journey from challenging early experiences with cvnnabis to leading cvnnabis-infused tantric ceremonies that guide participants toward deep healing and empowerment.

We delve into the divine feminine essence of cvnnabis, the power of breathwork, and how intentional practices can help us cultivate presence, release trauma, and experience expanded states of consciousness. Whether you're curious about tantra, plant medicine, or simply seeking deeper connections, this conversation is filled with insights and inspiration.

Discover how Zipporah is helping individuals and couples unlock the power of sacred intimacy, embodied wisdom, and intentional living.

Follow Zipporah:

Instagram: @zipporah.thehighpriestess

Website: www.hightantra.com

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Watch Full Episode on YouTube: @mymindbend

Website: www.mymindbend.org

This is an Operation Podcast production, connect with us @operationpodcast

#Tantra #CvnnabisHealing #SacredFeminine #Breathwork #MindbendPodcast #SpiritualGrowth #HealingJourney #TantricWisdom #SacredIntimacy

MINDBEND EPISODE 45 - MEDITATION, SSRI CESSATION, LIBERATION with ANDREA MONIER I am honored to welcome my dear friend Andrea Monier to the Mindbend podcast. Together, we dive into the transformative journey of meditation as Andrea shares how her personal experiences with anxiety led her to explore meditation as a necessity, not just a practice. Over time, her curiosity evolved into a lifelong passion, guiding her to study the nuances of mindfulness, Kriya Yoga, and internal family systems.

To me, part of what defines Andrea's scholarship is her ability to integrate neuroscience, storytelling, and spirituality into her work, offering a holistic approach to self-discovery. From her own struggles with trauma and healing to helping others navigate their inner landscapes, Andrea has created a bridge between ancient teachings and contemporary modalities, making meditation accessible and deeply personal.

In our conversation, we touch on the power of presence, the courage to face our shadows, and how cultivating a relationship with ourselves can transform every other connection in our lives. Please listen to hear Andrea's inspiring insights on finding peace, purpose, and integration through the art and work of meditation.

Follow Andrea Monier:

Instagram: @an_dream_onier

Follow MINDBEND IG: @mymindbend

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: @mymindbend

Website: www.mymindbend.org

This is an Operation Podcast production, connect with us @operationpodcast

Diego Ugalde is a repeat guest on Mindbend. The founder of The Trident Approach, and author of the book LEADING FROM THE DEEP, the last time on the show Diego discussed more of his own journey and integration of medicine work, and how lessons learned from the SEAL Teams translate into leadership training.

Diego has returned on this episode to tell us about the most powerful medicine he's encountered, which is connection. And how he has formed WARRIORSIDE as an academy to train veterans to become elite level storytellers, who may parlay this skillset into a career of public speaking, or simply show up better for the aspects of their current employment and daily lives that demand high level communication skills.

This, from the Warriorside website:

Warriorside is a veteran-owned 501 (c)(3) that stands with those who've served and now fight battles no one can see. In a world where veteran suicide and depression claim too many lives, we've discovered a plan of attack more powerful than therapy or medication: Connection.

Through the timeless art of storytelling, Warriorside brings veterans together to share their raw, unfiltered experiences—stories forged in courage, brother and sisterhood, and sacrifice through live on-stage performances. These connections transcend words, reigniting purpose, and resilience. Join us in this episode to learn more about how you too might become invovled with Warriorside.

Follow Diego Ugalde and Warriorside:

Instagram: @thewarriorside

Website: warriorsidefoundation.org

Follow MINDBEND IG: @mymindbend

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: @mymindbend

Website: www.mymindbend.org

This is an Operation Podcast production, connect with us @operationpodcast

Our guest on EP.43 of MINDBEND is Shane Norte, founder of Church of the People for Creator and Mother Earth. Shane is someone I've wanted to visit with for some time now. It's not every day that I meet a native person who has opened their home on tribal land to facilitate medicine ceremonies for anyone in need who is able to honor and respect the process and the container, and is also in optimal physical condition so as to maximize the benefits of the work.

During our conversation, Shane shares his unfiltered insights into the psychedelic community and the challenges of integrating Native values into modern healing spaces. Shane candidly explores the dichotomy between ceremonial reverence and party culture within the psychedelic movement, questioning whether the industry is truly walking the walk when it comes to inclusion and authenticity.

Shane also discusses the unique model of his church, which offers free, earth-based ceremonies grounded in Native traditions. He reflects on the broader societal disconnect from nature and how reconnecting to the land can foster humility, healing, and community.

This episode offers a provocative lens on the state of psychedelics today, the importance of uncomfortable conversations, and the enduring wisdom of Native voices. It's a call to action for those seeking depth, truth, and genuine transformation.

Follow Shane Norte:

Website: churchofthepeopleforcreatorandmotherearth

Follow MINDBEND IG: @mymindbend

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: @mymindbend

Website: www.mymindbend.org

This is an Operation Podcast production, connect with us @operationpodcast

Dr. Sarah Abedi shares her incredible journey from emergency medicine to psychedelic advocacy in this episode of the MINDBEND podcast.

Reflecting on her time in one of the country's busiest emergency rooms during the pandemic, Dr. Abedi unpacks the systemic failures that inspired her to rethink the role of prevention and holistic healing in modern healthcare. Her personal struggles with burnout and misalignment led her to explore the transformative power of psychedelics—a path that has redefined her approach to medicine.

Dr. Abedi discusses the potential of psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA to address root causes of trauma and chronic disease, emphasizing the importance of integration and community in the healing process. Drawing from her work on groundbreaking initiatives like Treat California, she highlights the urgent need for equitable access to psychedelic therapies, especially for marginalized communities.

Join us as we explore Dr. Abedi's compassionate vision for the future of medicine, where science and spirituality coexist to support human thriving. Her insights challenge us to think beyond the confines of traditional healthcare and embrace a more connected, preventative, and holistic approach to healing.

Follow Dr. Sarah Abedi:

Instagram: @sarahabedimd

Website: sarahabedimd.com

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Watch Full Episode on YouTube: @mymindbend

Website: www.mymindbend.org

This is an Operation Podcast production, connect with us @operationpodcast

On EP.41 of MINDBEND, singer/songwriter and psychedelic journeyman Mendeleyev takes us on a trip through his unique upbringing, marked by family-bonding experiences with psychedelics and he details the profound ways they, and his circle of family friends have influenced his artistry.

Lev was raised in a family that used psychedelics intentionally as part of a rite of passage. He shares how these early experiences introduced him to altered states of consciousness and shaped his personal philosophy, all while honoring a culture of safety and open communication. His stories of "family trips" provide an intimate look at the power of psychedelics to deepen connections and foster self-awareness.

As a musician and songwriter, Mendeleev explores the role of altered states in his creative process. Right when this episode is published, he will be on the verge of releasing his upcoming album, Family Trips, a project born from psychedelic-fueled solo sessions in which he recorded vocalizations influenced by LSD, MDA, 2C-B and other compounds. With no added production effects, the album aims to capture the raw, transformative energy of these sessions, offering listeners a window into a private, deeply emotional world.

Lev delves into the challenges of recording and integrating these moments into his artistry, revealing a vulnerability that resonates beyond the music. Our conversation moves into broader cultural insights as Mendeleev reflects on the shifting landscape of psychedelic acceptance. He shares his thoughts on the importance of set and setting, his cautious optimism about the medicalization of psychedelics, and the challenges faced by communities advocating for responsible psychedelic use. Together, we examine the delicate balance between mainstream integration and preserving the sacred aspects of these substances.

I appreciated Lev's willingness to share about what I really consider to be a unique rearing, with a family that intentionally integrated psychedelics into their experience, and the cast of characters that populated his world from a young age, including psychedelic legend Ram Dass. From navigating creative blockages to building resilience, this episode shines a light on the intersections of family, art, and conscious exploration.

Follow Mendeleev Instagram: @mendeleyev

Website: levsongs.com

Follow MINDBEND IG: @mymindbend

Watch Full Episode on YouTube: @mymindbend

Website: www.mymindbend.org

This is an Operation Podcast production, connect with us @operationpodcast