Episode

#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
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1:42:31
Published: Fri Nov 22 2019
Description

"The only way to not be afraid of someone's suffering is if you're not afraid of your own." — Marcela Ot'alora G.Marcela Ot'alora G. is a psychotherapist and an installation artist. Her interest and focus on trauma has led her to understand the healing process as an intimate reconnection with one's essence through love, integrity, acceptance, and honoring of the human spirit. In addition to working with trauma and PTSD, she has dedicated her professional life to teaching and research. She uses art as a vehicle for deepening the relationship to self, others, and the natural world.Marcela worked as a co-therapist in MAPS' very first government regulated MDMA-assisted psychotherapy study in Madrid, Spain. She served as the principal investigator for MAPS' phase two MDMA-assisted psychotherapy study, and is currently in the MDMDA healthy volunteer study and phase three in Boulder, Colorado.She is also a trainer and supervisor for therapists working on MAPS studies for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy.You can find additional resources from this episode in the show notes below. They are also separately curated on this page: tim.blog/therapyresourcesThis episode is brought to you by Ring. You might already know about its smart video doorbells and cameras that protect millions of people everywhere. Ring helps you stay connected to your home from anywhere in the world. So if there's a package delivery or a surprise visitor, you'll get an alert and be able to see, hear, and speak to whoever is at your door—all from your phone. Ring's core mission is to make neighborhoods safer.I've used Ring for years now. It catches and records all the regular stuff like deliveries and so on, but it's also saved my ass a few times, catching weirdos and weird things. Ring is key to my peace of mind, and as a listener of The Tim Ferriss Show, you can get a special rate for your own Ring Welcome Kit — which includes a video doorbell and a Chime Pro — by going to Ring.com/Tim. (U.S. only).This episode is brought to you by Helix Sleep. I recently moved into a new home and needed new beds, and I purchased mattresses from Helix Sleep. It offers mattresses personalized to your preferences and sleeping style without costing thousands of dollars. Visit HelixSleep.com/TIM and take the simple 2-3 minute sleep quiz to get started, and the team there will build a mattress you’ll love.Their customer service makes all the difference. The mattress arrives within a week, and the shipping is completely free. You can try the mattress for 100 nights, and if you’re not happy, it’ll pick it up and offer a full refund. To personalize your sleep experience, visit HelixSleep.com/TIM and you’ll receive up to $125 off your custom mattress.***If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests.For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Please fill out the form at tim.blog/sponsor.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chapters
The episode discusses the power of journaling, scheduling, and morning rituals in achieving a more productive and fulfilling life.
00:00 - 06:06 (06:06)
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self-improvement
Summary

The episode discusses the power of journaling, scheduling, and morning rituals in achieving a more productive and fulfilling life. It also includes an ad for Helix, a company offering personalized mattresses.

Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
This episode features Marcela Ot'alora, a psychotherapist who specializes in psychedelic-assisted therapy, speaking about her personal journey and work with MAPS phase two MDMA-assisted psychotherapy study in Boulder and Madrid.
06:06 - 10:14 (04:08)
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Psychedelic therapy
Summary

This episode features Marcela Ot'alora, a psychotherapist who specializes in psychedelic-assisted therapy, speaking about her personal journey and work with MAPS phase two MDMA-assisted psychotherapy study in Boulder and Madrid.

Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
A woman talks about her experience of visiting a place she had always wanted to go to on her birthdays.
10:14 - 17:35 (07:20)
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Birthday
Summary

A woman talks about her experience of visiting a place she had always wanted to go to on her birthdays. She was surprised when her husband asked if she meant a ride in a red fire truck.

Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker shares how a lack of self-consciousness helped them explore new things and realize that they had a say in how they lived their life, after struggling to have their trauma and its symptoms understood by others.
17:35 - 25:42 (08:07)
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Trauma
Summary

The speaker shares how a lack of self-consciousness helped them explore new things and realize that they had a say in how they lived their life, after struggling to have their trauma and its symptoms understood by others.

Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The podcast discusses different tools for inducing non-ordinary states of consciousness, including breathwork and other legal alternatives.
25:42 - 38:28 (12:46)
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Consciousness
Summary

The podcast discusses different tools for inducing non-ordinary states of consciousness, including breathwork and other legal alternatives. The importance of having a first-person experience before handling someone else’s experience is also highlighted, along with the significance of quality training for therapists.

Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Role playing in therapy can help individuals understand what it feels like to connect and disconnect from their ego.
38:28 - 45:28 (07:00)
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Therapy
Summary

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Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker mentions a story about a person who had a laminated page of secret techniques during a psychedelic session.
45:28 - 54:40 (09:11)
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Psychedelic therapy
Summary

The speaker mentions a story about a person who had a laminated page of secret techniques during a psychedelic session. Additionally, they recommend the documentary "Trip of Compassion" as a valuable resource for anyone considering becoming a psychedelic therapist.

Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
This episode delves into issues with the current healthcare models, discussing how to make care more affordable and accessible through new training techniques and alternative approaches to treatment.
54:40 - 1:00:50 (06:09)
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Healthcare
Summary

This episode delves into issues with the current healthcare models, discussing how to make care more affordable and accessible through new training techniques and alternative approaches to treatment.

Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Good preparation for a session involves being curious about the individual's coping mechanisms and addressing the stigmas attached to them.
1:00:51 - 1:06:51 (06:00)
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Mental health
Summary

Good preparation for a session involves being curious about the individual's coping mechanisms and addressing the stigmas attached to them. This will lead to insights that may have been previously known but are now becoming clearer.

Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The podcast explores the qualities that distinguish a good psychedelic therapist from a great one for MDMA-assisted therapy sessions.
1:06:51 - 1:11:48 (04:56)
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MDMA, psychedelic therapy
Summary

The podcast explores the qualities that distinguish a good psychedelic therapist from a great one for MDMA-assisted therapy sessions. The guest highlights that a great therapist should have a deeper connection with their own body's sensations, be more attuned to the client's experiences, and possess better skills for keeping the patient within the therapeutic window.

Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The ability to enter into the client's frame of reference and not projecting their own feelings onto them are two key characteristics of a great psychedelic therapist.
1:11:48 - 1:17:13 (05:24)
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Psychedelic therapy
Summary

The ability to enter into the client's frame of reference and not projecting their own feelings onto them are two key characteristics of a great psychedelic therapist.

Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker reflects on the value of witnessing disagreement and respect in a relationship, which is something she did not see growing up.
1:17:14 - 1:20:45 (03:30)
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Relationships
Summary

The speaker reflects on the value of witnessing disagreement and respect in a relationship, which is something she did not see growing up.

Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
MDMA-assisted therapy doesn't provide a quick fix; those undergoing treatment must be prepared to deal with the activation that follows and understand that it's not a magic pill that will instantly cure trauma.
1:20:45 - 1:26:54 (06:08)
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MDMA-assisted therapy
Summary

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Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
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1:26:54 - 1:33:12 (06:18)
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Team building, Site management
Summary

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Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Peter Attia's website offers a series of articles called "Studying the Studies" that teaches individuals how to read studies effectively.
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Health
Summary

Peter Attia's website offers a series of articles called "Studying the Studies" that teaches individuals how to read studies effectively. The articles allow readers to understand the scientific method and avoid any anti-Western scientific bias while incorporating fresh insights.

Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Ring's smart video doorbells and cameras allow you to stay connected to your home from anywhere in the world, receiving alerts and being able to speak with anyone who comes to your door, all from your phone.
1:41:03 - 1:42:26 (01:22)
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Smart Home Technology
Summary

Ring's smart video doorbells and cameras allow you to stay connected to your home from anywhere in the world, receiving alerts and being able to speak with anyone who comes to your door, all from your phone. As a listener of the Tim Ferris Show, you can take advantage of a special offer for a Ring welcome kit at ring.com/tim.

Episode
#396: Marcela Ot’alora — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show