About Beyond the Trip: A Psychedelic Therapy Podcast with Dr Esme Dark
Beyond the Trip: A Psychedelic Therapy Podcast will be exploring themes relating to the therapy part of psychedelic- assisted psychotherapy as well as discussing some important ethical, cultural and systemic considerations to hold in mind when working in this space. You can expect wide ranging conversations with thought leaders and other inspiring humans working in this field and beyond.
Your host, Dr Esme Dark is a clinical psychologist, somatic therapist and a psychedelic -assisted psychotherapist with over 15 years of experience working in the mental health space in Australia, UK and Thailand. She hopes to dispel some myths about psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and bring a greater understanding to the community about the process, and the beauty, complexities and challenges that go along with it.
Keep in touch at Insta dresmedark
https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondtheTrippodcast
https://www.esmedarkpsychology.com.au/about
Find out more about the Clinical Psychedelic Lab at Monash University below:-
www.monash.edu/psychedelics
This podcast is for general information only and does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
Publisher
Esme Dark
Category
health & fitness · religion & spirituality · society & culture
Associate Professor Vanessa Beesley: Grief, Psychedelic Therapy and Finding Meaning After Loss
In this episode of Beyond the Trip, I'm joined by Associate Professor Vanessa Beesley, a behavioural scientist and Team Head of the Psychedelic Medicine and Supportive Care Group at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, to explore the intersection of grief, psychedelic-assisted therapy and supportive care.
Vanessa led the PARTING Trial, investigating psilocybin-assisted supportive therapy for prolonged grief.
We recorded this conversation several months ago for a planned mini-series exploring psychedelic-assisted therapy at the end of life. While it's taken a little longer than expected to reach you, I'm pleased to share this important discussion, particularly as we consider how psychedelic-assisted therapy might support people navigating profound loss, grief and the complexities of being human.
We explore:
* Psilocybin-assisted therapy for prolonged grief: The PARTING Trial and the potential role of psychedelic-assisted therapy in supporting people living with complex and enduring grief.
* Grief, loss and end-of-life care: The unique challenges of working therapeutically with profound loss, and the possibilities and limitations of psychedelic approaches.
* Indigenous perspectives and research: The importance of inclusion, cultural perspectives and more thoughtful approaches to research in this emerging field.
* Creative arts in psychedelic therapy: How creativity and expressive practices might support therapeutic exploration and meaning-making.
* Building psychedelic research communities: Vanessa's work organising the Northern Australian Psychedelic Science (NAPs) Conference, which I had the pleasure of attending.
Vanessa brings a wealth of experience in psycho-oncology, supportive care and behavioural science, alongside a commitment to person-centred approaches to health and wellbeing. This conversation invites us to think more deeply about how research, creativity and compassionate care might come together when supporting people through some of life's most challenging experiences.
Resources: I've included links to Vanessa's research papers below for anyone who would like to explore her work further.
Content note: This episode discusses grief, death and suicide. If anything raised in this conversation brings up distress or you need support, you can contact Lifeline in Australia on 13 11 14, available 24/7.
Find Vanessa: https://www.qimrb.edu.au/about/our-people/associate-professor-vanessa-beesley
Keep in touch with me at
Beyond the Trip Podcast available anywhere you listen to Podcasts:-
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondtheTrippodcast
Insta: dresmedark
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-esme-dark-627156a0/
Website: https://www.esmedarkpsychology.com.au/
Find Monash Clinical Psychedelic Lab at www.monash.edu/psychedelics [http://www.monash.edu/psychedelics]
Disclaimer: This Podcast is for general information only and does noy constitute an endorsement or recommendation for psychedelic assisted psychotherapy
9 Aug 2026
Monica Schweickle and Chris Raine: Beyond the Trip: Can Psychedelics Change Mental Healthcare?
What happens when a radically different approach to mental health treatment meets an established healthcare system?
In this episode of Beyond the Trip, we explore what it really takes to bring psychedelic-assisted therapy into mainstream mental healthcare in Australia — from the therapy room to the systems and structures needed to support a new model of care.
I'm joined by Monica Schweickle, clinical psychologist and one of Australia's leading psychedelic-assisted therapists, and Chris Raine, mental health entrepreneur and co-founder of The Psychedelic Consultancy.
Monica was the first psychologist in the world to provide legal MDMA-assisted therapy to a client with PTSD outside of a clinical trial. With 20 years' experience working across trauma, veterans' mental health, domestic and family violence, government services and private practice, she brings a deeply clinical and practical perspective to the emerging field.
Chris brings a systems and innovation perspective. As the founder of Hello Sunday Morning and co-founder of Clean Slate Clinic, he has spent years developing new approaches to addiction and mental healthcare. As a 2024 Kenneth Myer Innovation Fellow, he also played a role in helping establish Australia's psychedelic-assisted therapy system and support access for its first 100 patients.
Together, we talk about the realities of building psychedelic therapy in Australia — what is working, what needs to change, and what we can learn as this field develops.
We explore:
• Their very different journeys into psychedelic therapy
• What it takes to work within — and change — the Australian mental health system
• The role of consultancy in supporting the emerging psychedelic therapy sector
• Different therapeutic modalities and approaches to psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy
• The potential role of psychedelic therapies in reducing reliance on antidepressant medication
• The emerging Maudsley guidelines and what they mean for practice
• The hopes, challenges and risks of bringing psychedelic therapy into mainstream care
And ultimately, we ask: Are psychedelics simply giving us another treatment option — or could they invite us to rethink mental healthcare altogether?
This is a conversation about clinical practice, systems change, innovation and the future of mental health care in Australia.
21 Jun 2026
Pedram Dara Centering Lived Experience in Psychedelic Care
In this episode, I'm joined by Pedram Dara, founder and director of Psychedelic Lived Experiences, a global patient-led initiative working to bring lived experience into the heart of psychedelic research, clinical practice, and policy.
Drawing on his own experience as a participant in an MDMA-assisted therapy clinical trial, Pedram shares his journey from patient to advocate and discusses some of the key milestones in the evolution of psychedelic-assisted treatments. We explore the growing recognition of lived experience as a vital source of knowledge and how patient perspectives can strengthen safety, ethics, treatment outcomes, and institutional decision-making.
Our conversation covers the impact of the Psychedelic Lived Experiences Summit, which has brought together thousands of participants, therapists, researchers, and policymakers from around the world. We also discuss the challenges and opportunities of integrating lived experience into clinical systems, the importance of flexibility within therapeutic models, and why long-term therapeutic relationships may be essential for many people undergoing psychedelic treatment.
Finally, Pedram shares his vision for structured advisory boards, training integration, and more accountable systems that place patients and participants at the centre of innovation.
This is a thoughtful and timely conversation about what it means to build a psychedelic ecosystem that is not only evidence-based, but also deeply informed by the people whose lives are most affected by these treatments.
https://pedramdara.com/
https://psychedeliclivedexperiences.com/summit
Keep in touch with me at
Beyond the Trip Podcast available anywhere you listen to Podcasts:-
https://open.spotify.com/show/5g1sms2EXq72NW64nVQhzC?si=ff3548af32e84bf6
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondtheTrippodcast
Insta: dresmedark
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-esme-dark-627156a0/
Website: https://www.esmedarkpsychology.com.au/
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5.0 / 5
16 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 57 / 100
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YouTube
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