In this episode, I talk with Gina Gratza, who specializes in psychedelic-assisted facilitation. In our conversation, Gina tells us about the many different organizations she is involved in and the work she does with them, including psychedelic integration and coaching, being an Oregon Psilocybin Facilitator, working with the Social Neuroscience and…

In this episode, I talk with Jonathan Robinson, the author of 14 books and a marriage and family therapist located in California. In our conversation, Jonathan tells us about his work in bringing together MDMA experiences and therapy. He discusses how his protocol is unique to other work being done with psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy by emphasi…

BIG APPLE FILM FESTIVAL INDUSTRY NETWORKING AND MENTORSHIP Family and character driven films have long been a significant part of the movie industry in the United States and around the world. Creating these fun films for all age groups is a unique craft unto itself, and in many ways an industry of its own within the film and TV business.In the sess…

In this episode, I talk with Christi Meyers, the Founder and CEO of Flow Integrative, a ketamine infusion clinic in San Diego, California. In our conversation, Christi tells us about Flow Integrative as a form of practicing medicine that provides ketamine infusion therapy, as well as Flow Institute as an educational platform. She discusses the char…

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Howard Lipp and Ena Vie. Dr. Howard Lipp and Ena Vie have been working as underground facilitators of plant medicine for several years. In our conversation, they speak about how they were called to plant medicine and found each other through music. We also talk about opening up about facilitating plant medicine cere…

In this episode, I talk with Mariya Punay. Mariya is working towards becoming a licensed psychotherapist in California. In our conversation, Mariya speaks to the meticulous process of working on becoming licensed by the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) and the many challenges she's faced throughout the process. She also speaks to the essential ne…

In this episode, I talk with Gina Giorgio. Gina wears many hats within the psychedelic space as founder of the North Carolina Psychedelic Policy Coalition, the Director of the Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) Mentorship Pipeline, a Communications and Policy Specialist for NisonCo, a contributing writer for Psychedelic Spotlight, and the Fou…

In this episode, I talk with Sapha. He is a practicing Cuarandero and a Recovery Consultant at Sacred Rebels Recovery, a peer-led addiction recovery program for men housed at the Nihue Rao Spiritual Center in the Peruvian Amazon. In our conversation, Sapha highlights the uniqueness of Sacred Rebels in providing alternative recovery options for peop…

A pitch deck is possibly one of the most important tools in presenting your script or proof of concept to a studio, producer, agent, manager or potential investor. The goal of an effective pitch deck is to clearly communicate the creative elements, such as your story, key plot points, and character development, as well as the aspects of the project…

This episode is the second in our occasional “About Us” series, where we feature members of the Psychedelic Grad team. In this episode, Gabby sits down with Andrew Mcmillian, the Community Meetings Organizer at Psychedelic Grad. We talk about Andrew’s experiences in research labs at the University of South Florida (USF) while earning his Bachelor’s…

In this episode, I talk with Hadas Alterman. She is the Director of Government Affairs at the American Psychedelic Practitioners Association (APPA), which is working to build accessibility in clinical psychedelic therapy by establishing standards for training therapists to do this work. In our conversations, we talk about Hadas’ work with the Psych…

Aspiring creators often have unique and innovative concepts for new TV/streaming series, including scripted series, reality shows, or docuseries. However, the challenge is how to find the right financiers, TV/streaming networks, showrunners, producers, or studios who would be willing to take a chance on a new show.In this session, producer and dire…

This episode is the first in our occasional “About Us” series, where we feature members of the Psychedelic Grad team. In this episode, Emma talks with me, Gabby Lehigh, Psychedelic Grad Co-founder and Curious to Serious co-host. We talk about my recent achievement of successfully defending my doctoral dissertation and getting my Ph.D. in Anthropolo…

Professional screenwriters share their career journey, and provide valuable advice to aspiring writers, at the Big Apple Film Festival Screenwriters Conference. Hosted by Big Apple Film Festival moderator, Craig Price. JOSE RIVERA José Rivera's screenplay The Motorcycle Diaries was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar— making him the first P…

Lovinder Gill moderates this conversation as part of the Big Apple Film Festival Producers Conference, featuring Reinaldo Marcus Green and Kent Sanderson. REINALDO MARCUS GREEN has been honored with the Breakout Director Award from the African-American Film Critics Association for his work on King Richard, starring Will Smith, which earned 6 Academ…

Agent Danny Alexander (APA Agency) provides career advice to aspiring filmmakers, screenwriter and series creators, at the Big Apple Film Festival Agents and Managers Conference. Danny Alexander works in the TV literary department at APA, working directly with writers such as John Carpenter (Halloween), Derek Kolstad (John Wick) and Mike Le (upcomi…

In this discussion, veteran producer and production manager Kwame Parker joins the Big Apple Film Festival Producers Conference to discuss the process of selling your film, series or script to Netflix and other major streaming platforms. Kwame Parker is an accomplished producer and production manager, currently developing various projects for Netfl…

In this episode, I talk with Sam Banister. He is the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Psylo, a biotech company in Australia that develops different classes of pharmaceutical psychedelics to help treat patients with serious mental health disorders. In our conversation, we talk about Sam’s journey into psychedelics by learning about Albert …

In this episode, we talk with Kaitlin Robertson. She is the CEO of Cacti Therapeutics, a biotech company developing FDA-approved psychedelic therapies for chronic pain and sexual dysfunction. Kaitlin received her Master’s degree in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard University and has professional experience in trauma care and business f…

In this episode, I talk with Sa’ed Al-Olimat. He is the founder of PsiloHealth, co-founder and Board Director of the Psychedelic Pharmacists Association, and a community pharmacy manager at CVS. In our conversation, we talk about Sa’ed’s many roles in the psychedelic space, including founding Psilohealth, an organization dedicated to education, leg…

In this episode, I talk with Heather Wickman. She is the co-founder of Untethered with her husband, Colby. They offer unique integration services with horses and partner with organizations worldwide to offer plant medicine experiences for individual growth initiatives. In our conversation, we talk about Heather’s work in the corporate world as an e…

In this episode, we talk with Steven Millar. He is a recent master’s graduate from Glasgow University and an aspiring psychedelic-assisted therapist. In our conversation, we talk about Steven’s academic experiences at Glasgow University, studying Philosophy and Spanish during his undergraduate and Psychology for his master’s degree. We also discuss…

Big Apple Film Festival Distribution Summit SPEAKERS: SAL SCAMARDO, FILMRISE, VICE PRESIDENT OF DISTRIBUTION AND MARKETING, JOSH NADLER, SONY PICTURES/AFFIRM FILMS, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND ACQUISITIONS and GARY RUBIN (SALES AGENT) Jonathan Lipp (Moderator, Big Apple Film Festival Founder/Director) ​ SAL SCAMARDO is Vice President of Distributio…

(Moderator, Jonathan Lipp, Big Apple Film Festival Founder/Director) In this session, visual effects coordinator and supervisor Matthew Gratzner provides strategies on how to give your film the highest quality cinematic look, and some predictions on how the future of visual effects in film will look in the coming years. MATTHEW GRATZNER is seasoned…

BIG APPLE FILM FESTIVAL AGENTS AND MANAGERS CONFERENCE Agent, Co-Founder, CULTURE CREATIVE ENTERTAINMENT Paul Weitzman Topics Include: Pitching Your Film, Script or Series to Agents, Producers, Showrunners and Streamers, Legal Rights and Clearances Paul Weitzman has been a literary agent for more than 20 years representing writers, directors and pr…

In this episode, we talk with Daniel Tarockoff. He is a partner at Vine Ventures; an early-stage venture fund focused on psychedelics. In our conversation, we examine Daniel’s work at Vine Ventures. We also talk about venture capital funds, Vine Ventures' reciprocity pledge, and their fundraising efforts for MAPS. We also cover Daniel’s journey fro…

In this episode, we talk with Ryan “Ghenigho” Rich. He is the Founder and Ceremony and Detox Lead at Root Healing Iboga Retreats and Detox. In our conversation, we explore Ryan’s work at Root Healing. We talk about how Root Healing is unique by centering their Iboga retreats in Bwiti tradition while also exploring the scientific efficacy of Iboga. …

BIG APPLE FILM FESTIVAL AGENTS AND MANAGERS CONFERENCE Martin To (Agent, A3 Artists Agency) Big Apple Film Festival Moderator, Dianne Wieler ​ Topics Include: Maximizing Exposure For Your Film, Script or Series, Legal Rights and Clearances Martin To is currently an agent at A3 Artists Agency. He got his start at United Talent Agency, where he worke…

In this episode, we talk to Christine Ziemer. Dr. Christine Ziemer is a professor of psychology at Missouri Western State University, faculty advisor of the SSDP Chapter, and excellent harm reductionist. Christine became interested in psychedelics and MAPS during her time in graduate school while working for her Ph.D. in psychology. Since then it h…

In this episode, we talk to Max C Wood. Max is a graduate student studying developmental neuroscience and psychopathology. Max spent last year studying at the Anna Freud Center in London, and is now currently at Yale - researching into the impact attachment styles have on a psychedelic treatment design. Broadly speaking, his passions lie in the int…

In this episode, we talk with David Drapkin. He is the Director of Operations and Strategic Growth at Psychedelics Today. In our conversation, we explore David’s work at Psychedelics Today, including his role in creating Psychedelic Today’s newest course, Vital. We discuss David’s history in economics and how a near-death experience changed his pat…

In this episode, we talk with Sasha Cuff. He is a Somatic Relational Practitioner with Nectara. For the past 25 years, he has been sitting therapeutically with people with all types of trauma, tirelessly seeking to understand the roots of suffering and disease. He observed that while some people got better, many of them were not improving at all. T…

Big Apple Film Festival Industry Summit Moderator Jonathan Lipp (Big Apple Film Festival Founder/Director) Reinaldo Marcus Green is a writer, director, and producer. His first feature, Monsters and Men had its world premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. The film received a Special Jury Prize for Outstanding First Feature. Reinaldo directed t…

In this episode, we talk with Jon Dean. He is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Brain Mechanisms of Pain & Health Laboratory at the University of California, San Diego. Jon obtained his Bachelor’s in Chemistry at Youngstown State University, and his Master’s and Ph.D. in Molecular & Integrative Physiology from the University of Michigan, where he studie…

In this episode, we talk with Brian Pilecki. He is a psychologist and researcher at Portland Psychotherapy Clinic, Research, and Training Center. Brian provides integration and harm reduction therapy for clients currently using psychedelics on their own. He is also involved in a clinical trial of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of soc…

In this episode, we talk with Alex Kahn. He recently received his MA in Music Therapy and Counseling from Drexel University. Alex is an advocate for integrating music therapy into psychedelic therapy. In our conversation, we cover how Alex’s experiences in playing music in mommy and me classes lead him to pursue a degree in music therapy. We also d…

In this episode, we talk with Ben Hearn. Ben is a doctoral candidate in Counselor Education & Supervision at the University of Cincinnati and a student at the Center for Psychedelic Therapy and Research. His work focuses on providing advocacy and education within the counseling profession regarding psychedelics and their potential use in therapy as…

In this episode, we talk with Jessica Cadoch. She is the Research and Operations Manager at Maya Public-benefit Corporation. Jessica is a liaison working to bridge the for-profit world with not-for-profit organizations while advocating for increased accessibility and knowledge on psychedelics for the general public. In our conversation, we cover ho…

In this episode, we talk with Oskar Bull-Hansen. He is a practicing above-ground underground psychedelic guide in Norway. Oskar provides preparation, psychedelic sessions, and integration services for clients using MDMA and psilocybin. In our conversation, we cover what Oskar’s practice looks like including the process of choosing a substance and d…

In this episode, we talk with Vilmarie Narloch, Psy.D as she shares how her journey through addiction research, humanistic healing, policy reform, and academia intersect at her place in the psychedelic field. Vilmarie wears many hats but is best known for her work at Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) as Director of Education. She received he…

Director of Publicity at Magnolia Pictures discusses strategies for filmmakers to market and publicize their films, as well as film festival strategies and distribution. Moderated by Big Apple Film Festival Founder/Director Jonathan Lipp. Magnolia Pictures is a leading independent film distributor for nearly 20 years, Magnolia Pictures is the theat…

In this episode, we talk with Cody Wenthur. Cody is an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy and Director of the first-of-its-kind Psychoactive Pharmaceutical Investigation Masters of Science Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Cody is also a member of the Psychedelic Pharmacists Association. Cody’s lab researches how small-scale molecule dru…

In this episode, we talk with Mati Castro. She is a neuroscience graduate student at Johns Hopkins University. She works in the basic science field to understand how psychedelics affect brain circuits, specifically the amygdala during rewarded operant behaviors. In our conversation, we cover her academic career of earning Bachelor’s degrees in bioc…

Presented by Psychedelic Grad. This episode is with Dr. Rick Barnett. He's a clinical, mental/behavioral health and addiction specialist and founder of the addiction rehabilitation facility, Carter Inc., in Vermont. In this episode, we cover his path from patient to practitioner, the meanings of addiction, the 12 step program, the opioid epidemic, …

Presented by Psychedelic Grad. In this episode of Curious to Serious, we interview Carli Domenico, a PhD candidate at Baylor College of Medicine (Houston). She's involved with the Research and Development Spore at the Intercollegiate Psychedelic Society and also works with Tabula Rasa Ventures. Carli is a doctoral student with a background in neuro…

Presented by Psychedelic Grad. In our very first episode of Curious to Serious, we interview Joshua White of the Fireside Project, a psychedelic peer support hotline. Fireside Project just officially launched as of April 2021! To learn more about the project, check out FiresideProject.org To learn more about Psychedelic Grad, go to psychedelicgrad.…

ADAM SOROTA is a senior director and production advisor at NBCUniversal Entertainment Division. Adam has launched a variety of network series and 5 major cable networks. His comedy short film "A Bathroom on Drake", featuring Jerry Springer, was awards Best Short Film at the Big Apple Film Festival. He has previously directed projects for FOX, ESPN,…

(SYNDICATION Recorded On 2/5/19 ) Our huge sit-down interview with radio legend and mega producer DAMIZZA --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/beyondtheharmony/support

(SYNDICATION -- Recorded On 1/28/19) In this episode we get a chance to speak with FACES OF DEATH EXECUTIVE PRODUCER and former manager of BONE ENTERPRISE, Diego Blak! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/beyondtheharmony/support

(SYNDICATION Recorded On 1/8/19) ***NOTE: Sin had a poor connection to our recording bridge which caused latency and some dead spots*** In this interview we sit down with original Mo Thug Records member Sin and chop it up about: - Being a Cleveland OG - Going to school with BONE - KRAYZIE doing jail time over shooting WISH - When SIN started to rap…