• The similarities between the experiences of deep meditation and psychedelic drugs
  
• What is Ayahuasca and why is it so popular?
  
• What he has learned about the theory of spiritual experience after decades of research
  
• The debate between the brain being a receiver to another realm vs our brain creating another realm

Dr. Rick Strassman is a native of Los Angeles, graduated from Stanford University, and received his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in New York City. He trained in adult psychiatry at the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, and later took a fellowship in clinical psychopharmacology research at UC San Diego.

While at the University of New Mexico Dr. Strassman performed the first new American clinical research with psychedelic drugs in over 20 years, focusing on the powerful naturally-occurring compound, DMT. He wrote about this research in the popular book, DMT: The Spirit Molecule - which also inspired an independent documentary by the same name which he co-produced. He has authored or co-authored nearly 40 peer-reviewed scientific papers in the field of psychedelic drug research.



WEBSITE: Dr. Rick Strassman
DOCUMENTARY: DMT - The Spirit Molecule

• 3 steps to spiritual transformation
  
• The breakdown that Jonas had and how that lead to his own transformation
  
• What he’s learned from documenting people’s stories through film and tv
  
• How to do “the work” without it being a painful process
  

Jonas Elrod is a writer, director and producer for television and film. His documentary, Wake Up, chronicled his search for understanding and deeper meaning after undergoing a crazy spiritual awakening. The film opened at South By Southwest Film Festival and would became the premiere episode for Oprah Winfrey's award winning Super Soul Sunday. He then went on to create and star in the series In Deep Shift with Jonas Elrod for the Oprah Winfrey Network.

TWITTER: @jonaselrod
FACEBOOK: Jonas Elrod Page

• The path to finding & keeping faith after the loss of her parents & her best friend in her early 20s.
  
• Her reluctant but ultimately transformative experience in doing things like channeling spirit animals in shaman circles and many other non-traditional healing experiences
  
• The steps to support people who are experiencing grief in your life
  
• What she believes ultimately happens when we die
  

Claire Bidwell Smith is a therapist specializing in grief and the author of two books: The Rules of Inheritance and After This: When Life is Over Where Do We Go? 

Claire has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and a master’s degree in clinical psychology. She teaches numerous workshops around the country and currently has a private practice in Los Angeles where she is also a mother of two.

WEBSITE: Claire Bidwell Smith
TWITTER: @clairebidwell

• Who I am and why I started the podcast
• Types of people we will interview
• My hope and mission for the podcast
• How you can help