In this episode, Will Tovar discusses how various psychedelics such as psilocybin, 5 MEO-DMT, and ayahuasca helped him through the depths of PTSD and the suicidal ideation many veterans face. Will discovered the psychedelic path through Veterans Walk and Talk, a safe place for veterans to ask questions about PTSD, depression, and psychedelic therapy. He talks about the veteran friends he lost to suicide, and how they reappeared to him in his first journey, allowing him to transform survivor’s guilt. Will also discusses something vital — that sometimes the psychedelic experience can reopen old wounds and send an individual into the depths of their own darkness, which is why support and integration after journeys are so important. Will is also the operations manager at Fireside Project, a psychedelic peer support line. Will’s story is a powerful example of the potential for psychedelic therapy to help veterans.

[00:03:04] High hopes, easy job, then deployment.

[00:04:40] Training in Italy, constant incoming fire in Iraq.

[00:08:37] Rockets flown over head constantly.

[00:13:45] Air Force friends bond, cope with struggles.

[00:19:33] Veteran finds solace in Veterans Walk and Talk.

[00:23:17] Life-changing ceremony: letting go and gratitude.

[00:26:52] Intensity and chaos help him cope and thrive.

[00:29:50] Ketamine didn't feel psychedelic, yet changed brain.

[00:36:11] A post-psychedelic suicidal moment.

[00:38:37] Cannabis meditation provided a transformative experience to heal from suicidal ideation.

[00:41:20] Transformative experiences with ayahuasca and psilocybin.

[00:46:07] Integration through showing up and being oneself.

[00:49:19] Psychedelic peer support line for challenging journeys.

[00:54:50] Trusting process, proud of work, exciting future.

[00:56:53] Veterans Walk and Talk