Hey, it’s Monday again!

For the Fourth of July and the long weekend that comes with it, I thought I’d offer you something a bit lighter.

Episode 12 with Jonas Rosen: Psychedelics and the Psyche

Many people are curious about psilocybin assisted therapy, but the illegal status of all hallucinogens in the United States makes it difficult to find accurate information. Enter Jonas: a former social worker who now facilitates healing retreats in Jamaica, where psychedelics are legal. 

In this episode, Jonas shares his wealth of wisdom, derived from research and experience, on this intriguing yet taboo topic. We geek out on all things psychedelic: neuroscience, healing, peak experiences, self-actualization, self-transcendence, direct religious experiences, myths vs. facts, set and setting, contraindications, confronting our deepest fears, MDMA treatment of PTSD, and finding peace with death.

I truly could not have found a more qualified, eloquent, informative, and otherwise downright delightful guest to educate us on this topic. If I do say so myself, this episode is well worth a listen!

In addition to facilitating retreats, Jonas Rosen hosts the YouTube channel Cosmic Consciousness. He brings his background in counseling and social work, as well as an abundance of research, into his advocacy and healing work. 

Many people have inquired about working with me in some capacity. I routinely have to turn down people who are desperate for the kind of help I offer in therapy for one of two reasons: either they are not residents of Oregon, the state where I am licensed to practice; or they want me to work with their kids, and risk another accusation of “conversion therapy” (the topic of last week’s interview with Helen Joyce).

I wish I had more to offer. I point parents to the Gender Exploratory Therapy Association; Therapy Without Indoctrination by Pamela Garfield-Jaeger, LCSW, aka The Truthful Therapist; and this incomplete but periodically updated resource list I compiled. And I encourage you to follow me on Twitter, where I routinely post more articles and other resources than I can keep up with adding to the resource list. But sometimes people wish to speak with me directly for a brief consultation that can help them navigate a tricky situation, determine which resources or therapists in their state may be appropriate, collaborate with and inform providers in their school and medical systems, or address some other need in a way that draws on my experience but falls outside the bounds of therapy.

If that’s you, you can always submit a general question, anonymously if you choose, to the podcast for a Q&A episode, and I will do my best to respond. However, if there are complex personal details involved or you need to speak privately, I’ve added a consultation service. The first and preferred option is for those who can afford my full hourly consultation rate of $200 per hour. A second, pay-what-you-can option is available for those who cannot. Once you pay for the service I will follow up with a link to schedule a meeting.

Please allow a few days for a response and ping me a reminder if you don’t hear from me within a week. This is a brand new feature of my website, so please forgive any technical issues, and screenshot/forward/inform me of glitches that need to be worked out.

Sleep cool this summer. Here’s your discount.

I am such a big fan of sleep. It’s right up there with nutrition and exercise as a pillar of good mental and physical health. But getting too hot or too cold can absolutely ruin a good night’s sleep, leaving you cranky, depleted, and unmotivated.

All that has changed for me since I got my Eight Sleep Pod Pro Cover. I used to wake up overheated for an hour or two each night; now, my mattress automatically runs a customized temperature schedule and I remain asleep throughout the night. I can honestly, wholeheartedly recommend this product to you. Sleeping better will help you to be more centered with your family, focused at work, energized when you’re working out, and relaxed during your down time.

Go to eightsleep.com and use the code SOMETHERAPIST at checkout to start sleeping cool this summer with up to $200 off your purchase. Even if they’re already running another sale, this code will get you an additional $50 off. They ship within the USA as well as to Canada, the UK, select countries in the EU, and Australia.

Now selling books!

I’m frequently asked what books I might recommend on a given subject, so I decided to compile a reading list for you. Now you can find all my recommendations in one place. When you buy books directly from these links, you help support the podcast and enrich your intellect—a win win! Head on over to my new bookshop today.

We’re doing great! (Mostly.)

In the 7 weeks since You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist launched, it’s received over 2,500 audio downloads & 5,000 YouTube views. Nearly half of those views were of last week’s episode with Helen Joyce, Debunking the Myth of Conversion Therapy. Within two days, it became the first of my interviews to reach 1,000 views; episode 8 with Helena Kerschner, Peaking Trans, shortly followed suit. The listening numbers of that conversation also sent that episode soaring into the top 10% of podcasts!

You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist has received 38 ratings and several reviews on Apple Podcasts, averaging 4.3 stars, purely split between 5-star and 1-star. As can be expected, all the 1-star reviews come with blanket allegations of bigotry, some more absurd than others. If you haven’t helped tip the scales in the 5-star direction yet, would you kindly take a moment to do so here? If you prefer Spotify, which only allows for star ratings and not reviews, the show has fewer ratings there. You can help by adding your rating here.

I’m loving the YouTube comments as well! Every Like, Subscribe, and Comment is encouraging. I personally review and approve all comments.

Oh, and an update about Daquiris for Detransitioners

It might seem hard to believe with how active I’ve been online, but I’m still really struggling with post-Covid fatigue that has me bed-bound some days. When I took into consideration everything that a trip across the country would entail, I realized it wasn’t realistically in the cards for me, so I’ll be zooming in to one of that day’s meetings virtually instead. The little fundraiser to take everyone out afterward hadn’t caught much attention, and I ran into a technical difficulty setting up payments, so I will simply be refunding those who’ve donated. Thanks anyway!

Meaning makes the struggle worthwhile.

Stephanie Winn