Listen Now

Ep. 45. Psychedelics, Hope, Integration, and the Medical Industrial Pharmaceutical Complex

Dr. Jim interviews Dr. David Pepper & Christine Benvenuto

David and Christine are not only a dynamic couple, but they are also incredible healers, impassioned speakers, skilled trainers, and mindful practitioners of psychedelic medicine and psychotherapy. They have worked in tandem (and separately) to help individuals who are traumatized or demoralized find relief, equanimity, and joy.

Dr. David Pepper is a trained family doctor who has worked at UCSF for 30 years. He has been a part of a “1,000 births and 1,000 deaths.” He completed CIIS training in Psychedelics and Medicine and has done groundbreaking work that includes Palliative Care and Hospice work alongside Chemo/Radiation/Surgery in ICUs. He understands how Psychedelics can be useful in helping people who are at the end of their life. He and Christine are also committed to helping people become fully alive, and they see Psychedelics as the royal road to the collective unconscious. Allowing people to face their shadow side and come back more aware, resolute, grounded, and whole.

Christine is quite accomplished in her own right. She has hosted several Psychedelics and Dying gatherings. She and David have provided Dharma for clergy members, doctors, and therapists, and emphasize “best practices” methods (for physicians and psychotherapists). Christine founded the DBT center in Oakland and integrates Ketamine in her practice. She has had great success using Ketamine for PTSD. If that was not impressive enough, she built a temple at Burning Man in her spare time. (Not to be outdone, Dr. David Pepper sued the EPA while he ran an asthma clinic with a bunch of doctors in California’s Central Valley and had success as an activist physician. Not exactly a slacker couple.)

Note* Dr. David Pepper & Christine Benvenuto will be presenting at the WCMI & EBMC, Psychology, Inc. “Radical Curiosity, Psychedelics, and Human Potential” Conference on October 26th at the Hillside Club (Berkeley, CA). Tickets can be secured through Eventbrite.