
Hosted by carlien@askalice.world · EN
Alice Asks is a podcast about curiosity and wonder in the world of psychedelics.
Each episode opens a door into the world of psychedelics through intimate conversations with scientists, facilitators, creators, and people whose lives were quietly or radically changed by altered states. Along the way, host Carlien Cavens shares personal reflections from years of experience in the psychedelic field, connecting science, lived experience, and integration into everyday life.
For curious humans who sense there is more beneath the surface and are brave enough to ask better questions.
When in doubt… ask Alice. 🐇🗝️

Alles is vergif — waarom psychedelica toxicologisch veiliger zijn dan je denktDe dosis maakt het vergif — het axioma dat elke toxicoloog kent, en waarom "natuurlijk" niet hetzelfde is als "veilig"Nul doden aan een overdosis LSD of magic mushrooms — wat de therapeutische index ons vertelt over de echte gevaren van psychedelica versus cocaïne en heroïnePsychedelische therapie — waarom professor Tytgat pleit voor legale uitzonderingen op psychedelica wanneer klassieke psychiatrie faaltRegulering als harm reduction — hoe de alcohol-aanpak een blauwdruk biedt voor drugs beleidAls dit gesprek je heeft geïnspireerd, volg ons dan via de follow button. Het helpt ons om meer nieuwsgierige mensen te bereiken.En als je benieuwd bent naar een veilige, begeleide psychedelische reis, kun je je aanmelden via onze website askalice.world. Onze volgende retreats vinden plaats van 2 tot 4 juni in Nederland en van 24 tot 27 september inPortugal.En vergeet niet… when in doubt, ask Alice.If this conversation resonated with you, feel free to hit the follow or subscribe button. It helps these conversations reach more curious humans.And if you’re curious to experience a safe, guided psychedelic journey yourself, you can apply via our website at askalice.world. Our next retreats take place 1 to 4 May and 2 to 5 June in the NetherlandsAnd don’t forget…when in doubt, ask Alice.

Trained by the original lineages — how Hamilton spent 18 months being denied, then saved a shaman's life to earn his apprenticeship100 to 150 ceremonies a year — what traditional training actually looks like, and why 99 out of 100 apprentices failPurging depression in a single night — what Hamilton has witnessed ayahuasca do that antidepressants never couldThe plant that built Silicon Valley — the quiet decades-long relationship between psychedelics and the technology in your pocketBrain on steroids — why ayahuasca doesn't make you high, it makes you more lucid, and what that means for creativity and discoveryAI is a hammer — Hamilton's take on whether artificial intelligence becomes a tool for flourishing or destruction, and what psychedelics have to do with itIf this conversation resonated with you, feel free to hit the follow or subscribe button. It helps these conversations reach more curious humans.And if you’re curious to experience a safe, guided psychedelic journey yourself, you can apply via our website at askalice.world. Our next retreats take place 1 to 4 May and 2 to 5 June in the Netherlands. 24-27 September we do to Portugal.And don’t forget…when in doubt, ask Alice.If this conversation resonated with you, feel free to hit the follow or subscribe button. It helps these conversations reach more curious humans.And if you’re curious to experience a safe, guided psychedelic journey yourself, you can apply via our website at askalice.world. Our next retreats take place 1 to 4 May and 2 to 5 June in the NetherlandsAnd don’t forget…when in doubt, ask Alice.

From wild child to medicine man — Alessandro's origin story is one you won't see coming20 years in the psychedelic field — what he's learned about what people really struggle with, and whether everyone can truly healWhy most psychedelic experiences fall short — the one thing most providers skip that makes all the differenceThe truth about "bad trips" — and why Alessandro doesn't even use that termWhat becoming a father taught him about being a guide — and the one thing he says every facilitator should never doIf this conversation resonated with you, feel free to hit the follow or subscribe button. It helps these conversations reach more curious humans.And if you’re curious to experience a safe, guided psychedelic journey yourself, you can apply via our website at askalice.world. Our next retreats take place 1 to 4 May and 2 to 5 June in the NetherlandsAnd don’t forget…when in doubt, ask Alice.

In this epidsode I spoke to Mathieu Seynaeve. Mathieu Seynaeve is a medical doctor and psychiatrist working at the intersection of clinical practice, neuroscience, and psychedelic science. He is currently Senior Medical Director and Head of Psychotherapy at Beckley Psytech, where he contributes to the development of psychedelic-assisted treatments. In parallel, he is a PhD researcher with the Psychedelic Trials Group at King’s College London, focusing on the clinical application of psychedelic therapies within mental health care.We explore how psychedelic-assisted therapy blends biology and psychotherapy to unlock perspective shifts for depression, PTSD, and addiction. We break down brain mechanisms, safety, evidence, and a path to responsible access through trained clinicians and specialized centers.If this conversation resonated with you, feel free to hit the follow or subscribe button. It helps these conversations reach more curious humans.And if you’re curious to experience a safe, guided psychedelic journey yourself, you can apply via our website at askalice.world. Our next retreats take place 1 to 4 May and 2 to 5 June in the NetherlandsAnd don’t forget…when in doubt, ask Alice.

In this episode, I share my own journey with psychedelics. How I went from strategy consulting to designing retreats and eventually working as a psychedelic facilitator. It’s a path that turned out very different from what I once imagined, yet feels deeply true. As I prepare to launch my first book on psychedelics, this episode offers a personal starting point for Alice Asks. I hope you enjoy listening.If this conversation resonated with you, feel free to hit the follow or subscribe button. It helps these conversations reach more curious humans.And if you’re curious to experience a safe, guided psychedelic journey yourself, you can apply via our website at askalice.world. Our next retreats take place 1 to 4 May and 2 to 5 June in the NetherlandsAnd don’t forget…when in doubt, ask Alice.