Podcast
APRIL PRIDE
Hosted by April Pride · EN
Welcome to the official playlist for a variety of podcasts hosted by April Pride, a trusted voice at the intersection of psychedelics, cannabis, and women’s health. These episodes explore the science and art of altered states—what it means to change your mind with intention and return transformed. Whether you're curious about microdosing, integration, or harm reduction, April's podcast offers clinician-approved guidance, personal stories, and expert insights to help you navigate your psychedelic journey.
Discover practical tools, mindset tips, and community conversations designed to elevate your experience and support your wellness goals. New episodes every couple of weeks-ish.
aprilpride.substack.com
aprilpride.substack.com
14episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
118. Microdosing for Midlife, Week 1: Intention & Dosage
Feb 300:14:07Tap to summarize118. Microdosing for Midlife: Intention Setting, Integration, and Finding Your Dose (Week 1)Week 1 of Microdosing for Midlife explores intention setting, finding the right microdose, and integrating psilocybin gently during midlife transitions.Episode SummaryThis episode marks Week 1 of Microdosing for Midlife, a 12-week audio series exploring how psilocybin microdosing for women can support emotional awareness, intention, and integration during midlife transitions.In this opening installment, April Pride reads and expands on the first essay in the series, focused on intention setting and finding the right dose, while grounding the conversation in lived experience. Drawing from her own midlife hormonal transition, grief, and identity shifts, April frames microdosing as an integration practice that unfolds during daily life, rather than something that happens after a peak experience.The episode introduces why midlife—particularly during perimenopause and emotional regulation shifts—can be a uniquely potent time for this work. Listeners are invited to consider intention not as an outcome-driven goal, but as a present-moment orientation that supports nervous system regulation in midlife and long-term change.This episode serves as an audio companion to a Substack essay, offering context, reflection, and integration insights that stand on their own without replacing the original written post.🔵 Key Takeaways• Why midlife is a neurological, hormonal, and emotional transition• How microdosing supports integration during daily life• Intention setting in microdosing versus goal-setting• Nervous system regulation in midlife• Hormones, neurotransmitters, and emotional resilience• Microdosing protocol safety considerations• Why community-based psychedelic education supports accountability🔵 Timestamps[00:00] Series introduction and safety framing[02:00] Why this series is being shared as audio[03:00] Midlife as a period of sovereignty and transformation[04:30] Psychedelic integration practice in real time[05:30] Intention versus goals in microdosing[06:45] Hormones, neurotransmitters, and the midlife brain[07:45] Finding the right microdose and cadence[09:00] Safety considerations before beginning[09:45] Why microdosing should not be done in isolation[11:00] Listener questions and common concerns[12:30] What’s next in the 12-week microdosing series🔵 Additional ResourcesOriginal Week 1 post on SubstackEpisode 72: Preparing for a Psychedelic Journey SafelyWomen in the Wild applicationLearn more about this episode: https://aprilpride.substack.com/p/microdosing-for-midlife-intention-integration-week-1Hosted by April Pride Subscribe for April’s newsletter on Substack at https://aprilpride.substack.com/subscribe or at getsetset.comFollow on IG: @getsetset / YouTube: youtube.com/@getsetset / X: @getsetset Get full access to APRIL PRIDE at aprilpride.substack.com/subscribe
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Ibogaine Therapy Safety & Ethics: What Responsible Care Really Looks Like
Jan 2000:40:00Tap to summarize117. Ibogaine Therapy Safety & Ethics: What Responsible Care Really Looks LikeA grounded conversation on ibogaine therapy safety and ethics—covering medical oversight, risks, integration, and responsible psychedelic care.Episode SummaryIbogaine is often described as a breakthrough for addiction, trauma, and PTSD—but it’s also one of the most medically complex psychedelic therapies in use today. In this episode, April Pride sits down with Tom Feegel and Talia Eisenberg, co-founders of Beond Ibogaine, to explore what ethical, medically supported ibogaine care actually requires.Together, they unpack the difference between iboga and ibogaine, why cardiac screening and clinical monitoring are non-negotiable, and how integration—not intensity—is where real change happens. Talia shares her personal recovery story, Tom explains Beond’s safety-first model, and April grounds the conversation in harm reduction, nervous system care, and responsibility. This episode will help you understand the real risks, the emerging science, and the ethical questions shaping ibogaine’s future—without hype or shortcuts.🔵 Key TakeawaysIboga and ibogaine are not the same—and that distinction matters for safety, dosing, and ethics.Ibogaine carries real cardiac risk and should never be used without medical screening and monitoring.Post-acute withdrawal can last weeks or months and is a major relapse risk without support.Whole-plant medicines vary in potency; predictability is a safety issue, not a comfort preference.Integration starts before the medicine and continues long after—it’s a way of living, not a checklist.🔵 Timestamps[00:00] Safety disclaimer, why harm reduction matters, and setting the context[01:00] Iboga vs. ibogaine: what’s the difference and why it matters[03:00] Tom’s story: trauma, recovery, and building the place that didn’t exist[07:30] Talia’s first ibogaine experience and the risks of unregulated care[09:00] What post-acute withdrawal really looks like[12:00] Spiritual seeking, Osho, and early inner guidance[14:00] “Root medicine” and why support after the experience is critical[17:00] Potency variability: mushrooms, cannabis, and iboga compared[18:00] Cardiac risk, medical screening, and ethical boundaries[23:00] PTSD, TBI, and what the emerging research suggests[27:00] Cannabis use disorder, ketamine, kratom, and modern dependency patterns[31:00] What a medically supported ibogaine program actually includes[34:00] Integration vs. activation: turning insight into lived change[38:00] How to evaluate whether ibogaine care is right for you🔵 GuestsFollow Tom Feegel & Talia Eisenberg: Beond Ibogaine | https://beondibogaine.com | https://www.instagram.com/beondibogaine🔵 Additional ResourcesSetSet Psychedelic CardsWomen in the Wild applicationLearn more about this episode: https://aprilpride.substack.com/p/ibogaine-therapy-safety-and-ethicsHosted by April PrideSubscribe for April’s newsletter on Substack at https://aprilpride.substack.com/subscribe or at getsetset.comFollow on IG: @getsetset / YouTube: youtube.com/@getsetset / X: @getsetset Get full access to APRIL PRIDE at aprilpride.substack.com/subscribe
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Psychedelics and Aging: Meaning, Grief, and Integration in Later Life
Jan 600:38:41Tap to summarize116. Psychedelics and Aging: Meaning in Later LifeAn educational conversation on psychedelics and aging, exploring meaning-making, grief, safety, and integration through lived experience and research.Episode SummaryWhat happens when psychedelic experiences arrive later in life—after careers, caregiving, grief, and loss have already shaped the nervous system? In this episode, April Pride sits down with journalist and author Abbie Rosner to explore psychedelics and aging through the lens of elderhood, meaning-making, and maturity. Rather than framing psychedelics as a return to youth, this conversation looks at how these experiences can land differently for older adults—bringing reflection, perspective, and emotional capacity rather than novelty or intensity. Together, April and Abbie discuss research on end-of-life anxiety, lived experiences of grief and joy, and why preparation, support, and integration matter more than peak experiences. This episode offers a grounded, harm-reduction–oriented exploration of what psychedelics may offer later in life—without hype, pressure, or promises.🔵 Key TakeawaysPsychedelics often land differently later in life because the nervous system carries decades of lived experience.Elderhood is not decline—it’s integration of youth, age, wisdom, and impermanence.Research on psychedelics and end-of-life anxiety points to increased emotional capacity, not the elimination of grief or fear.Challenging experiences are not uncommon, but preparation and support can reduce long-term difficulty.Community becomes increasingly important for integration, care, and meaning as we age.🔵 Timestamps[00:00] Why psychedelics and aging require a different conversation[02:30] Abbie Rosner’s journey into psychedelics later in life[05:30] Seniors vs. elders and why language matters[07:15] Elderhood as integration, not decline[11:25] Meaning making, mortality, and end-of-life research[14:20] What older adults seek from psychedelic experiences[21:00] Harm reduction, challenging experiences, and safety[26:00] Preparation pathways: legal, underground, and supported options[29:00] Psychedelics, grief, and emotional release[33:00] Community, mutual care, and aging with intention[36:50] Integration over intensity: closing reflections🔵 GuestsAbbie Rosner is a journalist and author focused on psychedelics and aging, and elderhood. Her forthcoming book explores how psychedelic experiences intersect with meaning making, grief, and community later in life.Follow Abbie Rosner: Elderevolution on Substack | Instagram — @elderevolution🔵 Additional ResourcesSetSet Psychedelic CardsWomen in the Wild applicationLearn more about this episode: https://aprilpride.substack.com/p/psychedelics-and-agingHosted by April PrideSubscribe for April’s newsletter on Substack at https://aprilpride.substack.com/subscribe or at getsetset.comFollow on IG: @getsetset / YouTube: youtube.com/@getsetset / X: @getsetset Get full access to APRIL PRIDE at aprilpride.substack.com/subscribe
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The 5-MeO-DMT Experience: Nervous System Surrender, Safety, and the God Molecule
Dec 2300:22:57Tap to summarize115. 5-MeO-DMT Experience ExplainedA grounded conversation on the 5-MeO-DMT experience—how it affects the nervous system, how it differs from DMT, and why safety and integration matter.Episode SummaryWhat is 5-MeO-DMT, and why do people describe it so differently from other psychedelics?In this episode, April Pride sits down with licensed clinicians and facilitators Roger and Dustin to explore the 5-MeO-DMT experience through both lived experience and emerging neuroscience. Often referred to as the God molecule psychedelic, 5-MeO-DMT is widely described as a non-visual psychedelic experience—one that quiets the nervous system rather than amplifying imagery, stories, or symbols.Together, they break down 5-MeO-DMT vs DMT, explain how this compound interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain, and discuss why many people report profound ego dissolution, nervous system regulation, and long-term shifts in how they experience safety and connection.This episode also centers women and psychedelics, examining why women—particularly those who have spent years in control, caretaking, or emotional labor—may feel especially drawn to this form of surrender-based medicine.If you’re seeking grounded insight into psychedelic harm reduction, integration after 5-MeO-DMT, and what makes this medicine fundamentally different from other psychedelic experiences, this conversation is an essential listen.🔵 Key TakeawaysThe 5-MeO-DMT experience is often felt rather than seen, with little to no visuals or narrative contentUnlike classic psychedelics, 5-MeO-DMT is widely described as a non-visual psychedelic experienceUnderstanding 5-MeO-DMT vs DMT is critical—many vape pens labeled “DMT” contain N-N-DMT, not 5-MeO-DMT5-MeO-DMT strongly activates both 5-HT2A and 5-HT1A serotonin receptors, impacting cognition and nervous system regulationThe medicine often quiets the nervous system rather than stimulating imagery or meaning-makingSynthetic 5-MeO-DMT allows for more precise dosing and supports harm reduction by protecting the Sonoran Desert toadWomen may experience particular resonance due to lifelong patterns of regulation, control, and emotional laborPsychedelic integration after 5-MeO-DMT is essential; the effects unfold over time, not just during the sessionScreening, contraindications, and aftercare are non-negotiable components of responsible psychedelic use🔵 Timestamps[00:00] What people mean when they describe the God molecule psychedelic[02:10] How Roger and Dustin came to work with 5-MeO-DMT[03:36] Why this is a non-visual psychedelic experience[04:22] Synthetic vs toad-derived 5-MeO-DMT and harm reduction[06:57] Why some therapeutic “stuckness” responds differently to 5-MeO-DMT[08:28] Serotonin receptors and psychedelics: the double-door explanation[10:00] Nervous system regulation and surrender, especially for women[11:14] Gamma brainwaves, endogenous release, and embodied remembering[13:41] April’s experience with DMT vapes and common confusion[16:19] Clear distinctions between 5-MeO-DMT vs DMT[18:30] Health risks, medications, and serotonin syndrome[20:30] Ketamine, DMT, and the limits of comparison[22:53] Why women and psychedelics intersect uniquely here[23:21] Integration, meaning-making, and what comes after the experience🔵 GuestsRoger & DustinLicensed clinicians and facilitators at Sky Mountain Retreats, specializing in carefully screened, harm-reduction-focused 5-MeO-DMT experiences with an emphasis on preparation, precision dosing, and long-term integration.🔵 Additional ResourcesSetSet Psychedelic CardsWomen in the Wild applicationLearn more about this episode: https://aprilpride.substack.com/p/5-meo-dmt-experience-nervous-system-safetyHosted by April PrideSubscribe for April’s newsletter on Substack at https://aprilpride.substack.com/subscribe or at getsetset.comFollow on IG: @getsetset / YouTube: youtube.com/@getsetset / X: @getsetset Get full access to April Pride at aprilpride.substack.com/subscribe
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