Unlocking the Secrets of Psychedelics

Plant medicine and psychedelics are no longer limited to indigenous and alternative cultures.  Based on current scientific and medical research, the power and potential of these substances have been scientifically proven to improve lives physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  

Microdosing, psychedelic psychotherapy, and plant medicine ceremonies have become mainstream with over 80 million people using some form of psychedelic.  Studies continue to reveal the efficacy of psychedelics in treating a wide range of mental issues including depression, anxiety, addiction, PTSD, and OCD.  

In addition, current research is revealing the potential of psychedelics to heal deeper physical conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and traumatic brain injury.  Modern science and research continue to reveal new applications for improving lives with plant medicine and psychedelics.  

Plant medicine and psychedelics offer entheogenic benefits such as enlivening our everyday lives with meaning and purpose and deepening our connection to ourselves, others and the world we live in.  They substances also offer the opportunity to explore the occult world of spirits and entities, not as an intellectual activity, but as a direct experience of these realms.

This Symposium consists of three modules featuring some of the most knowledgeable and recognized experts in the field, providing participants with new insights and the most up-to-date information available.  The three modules are: 

• History of Plant Medicine

This panel will provide the background on how these medicines have been used dating back tens of thousands of years.  You will be provided with a broad historical perspective of the role plant medicine has played in such ancient cultures as Egypt, Greece, China, the Native Americans and other indigenous cultures.

• Plant Medicine and Psychedelics Today

Modern use of entheogenic substances is being used regularly by millions of people in a variety of settings including licensed health practitioners, ceremonial practices, and recreationally.  Panelists will provide examples of how various specific substances such as psylocibin, LSD, Ibogaine, DMT, and Ayahuasca are safely used.

• The Future of Psychedelics

Panelists will provide updates on the regulatory issues and how the movement towards legalization is impacting the distribution and consumption of plant medicine.   Experts will provide insights into business, investments, and professional opportunities.

The Presenters

The Symposium is curated by Paul Karasik, founder of the Psychedelic Institute of Los Angeles

 

Jaz is a Los Angeles-based healer and plant medicine facilitator. She has focused on MDMA group therapy, guiding individuals through transformative healing journeys.

 

Christian Rasmussen explores the parallels between DMT and LSD, highlighting DMT's increasing role in the psychedelic renaissance and its impact on consciousness

 

Katherine Tomlinson is a graduate student in Integral Counseling Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, a longtime student of psychedelics, medicine facilitator, integration and preparation specialist, and psychedelic community leader with the Integral Psychedelic Community.

 

Chad Sonkin is Head of Growth at Conscious Counsel, helping wellness entrepreneurs scale with smart legal protection. With experience from startups like Bird, CloudKitchens, and Edge Theory Labs, he supports founders in building sustainable, legally sound businesses with confidence.

 

Jimmy Castillo is a spiritual facilitator devoted to healing through ancestral medicines and conscious plant work, inspired by the loss of his sister. Known as Tzákura Neté, he guides transformative experiences rooted in integrity, compassion, and community.

 

Loretta Gold is a UKCP-accredited Transpersonal Integrative Psychotherapist and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapist, specializing in trauma, integration, and somatic healing.