The Psychonaut Show Podcast By John Burton MD and Tracy Sidesinger PsyD cover art

The Psychonaut Show

The Psychonaut Show

By: John Burton MD and Tracy Sidesinger PsyD
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The Psychonaut Show is a podcast exploring the interface of psychedelics and psychoanalysis, guiding curious minds on a journey deeper into the unconscious, self-discovery, and change. Join psychoanalysts Dr. John Burton and Dr. Tracy Sidesinger as we explore these different modalities and what they have to offer each other. We regularly host special guests who bring additional expertise as psychedelic researchers, clinicians, historians, and spiritual teachers. If you are a psychoanalyst or other mental health clinician, a psychedelic researcher or user, or just psychedelic-curious, this podcast is for you!© 2026 The Psychonaut Show John Burton, MD and Tracy Sidesinger, PsyD Hygiene & Healthy Living Personal Development Personal Success Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Dr. Larry Fischman on Inner Healing Intelligence as a Relational Process

    Dr. Larry Fischman on Inner Healing Intelligence as a Relational Process
    Apr 7 2026
    In this episode, we hear from Dr. Larry Fischman, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst whose work has long bridged the gap between psychedelic states and the human unconscious. Dr. Fischman enters the journey with his own "arbitrary beginning" in 1973 when a high school road trip to see the Grateful Dead led to his first LSD experience—a profound departure from his known world that opened a lifelong inquiry into different states of consciousness. The conversation delves into Dr. Larry’s early writing where he compared the quality of consciousness in psychedelic states to dreams and psychotic episodes. He explains how these states are similar in the way they allow direct access to primary process. By depathologizing these experiences, he suggests that what we often view with fear in psychiatry is actually an accessible, albeit different, plane of reality. Dr. Larry argues that psychedelic-assisted therapy is not just an isolated interior journey, but an interpersonal field where the presence of the therapist is vital. This is particularly powerful for those healing from developmental trauma; by leaning into the concept of "inner healing intelligence," a therapist can help a patient regain trust by first encouraging them to trust their own internal resources. Drawing on the works of Aldous Huxley, Stan Grof, and D.W. Winnicott, Dr. Larry explores the "is-ness" of the psychedelic experience—the moment when one sees the world stripped of learned abstractions. He concludes with a vision for the future where psychedelics are embraced as "a royal road to the unconscious," serving as essential allies for analysts in helping people truly understand themselves.
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    Less than 1 minute
  • Our Journey So Far

    Our Journey So Far
    Mar 24 2026
    In this reflection episode, Dr. Tracy and Dr. John pause to integrate the groundbreaking work and far-reaching associations generated in their conversations with their first three guests: Dr. Alexa Albert on using MDMA to treat pathological narcissism, Dr. Jeffrey Guss on the "lost sisters" of psychoanalysis and psychedelics and their current reunion, and Dr. Megan Rundel on reframing mystical states as profoundly connective rather than merely regressive. Moving beyond the interviews, Tracy and John dive into a candid discussion about the evolution of the analyst’s role. They challenge traditional Freudian neutrality and explore the value of clinical authenticity, the impact of an analyst’s own psychedelic experiences, and how a relational approach creates a unique play space for deep psychological healing.
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    46 mins
  • Dr. Megan Rundel on Expanded States of Consciousness

    Dr. Megan Rundel on Expanded States of Consciousness
    Mar 10 2026
    In this episode, we speak with clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, and Zen teacher Dr. Megan Rundel about her work at the intersection of psychoanalysis, psychedelics, and spirituality. Drawing on her recent paper “Expansion and Regression in Oceanic Experience: A Model of Psychedelic Consciousness for Psychoanalysis,” Dr. Megan explores how psychedelic states and psychoanalytic treatment approach psychological terrain in ways that are both contrasting and complementary. The conversation examines how psychedelic experiences can disrupt entrenched psychological patterns—often linked to the brain’s default mode network—while psychoanalysis provides the slower, relational framework needed to understand and integrate those experiences. Dr. Megan also discusses the role of the unconscious, transference, and ethical “frame” in psychedelic work, and argues that psychoanalytic thinking can deepen the field beyond its current short-term clinical models. Finally, the discussion turns toward expansive states of consciousness often described as mystical or oceanic—experiences of interconnectedness, ego expansion, and love—and how psychoanalysis might develop a richer language for understanding them. Episode Links: - Dr. Megan Rundel's article Expansion and Regression in Oceanic Experience https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10481885.2025.2574581 - Learn more about Dr. Megan Rundel on her website: https://www.drmeganrundel.com/
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    1 hr and 2 mins
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