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Can psychedelic experiences help people confront trauma, process painful memories, and discover a deeper understanding of themselves?

In this solo episode of the Broken Brains Podcast, host and retired Green Beret Bruce Parkman shares his personal journey with psychedelic substances, including ketamine, ayahuasca, and psilocybin, and reflects on their psychological, physiological, and spiritual significance in his life.

Drawing from his military background and experiences with trauma, Bruce discusses why he began exploring psychedelic approaches, what he experienced during these sessions, and how concepts such as ego death, forgiveness, gratitude, and self-discovery influenced his understanding of healing.

The conversation examines psychedelic-assisted therapy, veteran mental health, trauma recovery, neuroplasticity, ketamine treatment, ayahuasca, psilocybin, and spiritual growth. Bruce also explores the importance of appropriate guidance, preparation, and continued research into the potential therapeutic applications and risks of these substances.

Throughout the episode, Bruce reflects on the emotional challenges faced by military veterans and athletes and why addressing trauma may require examining both psychological symptoms and deeply personal experiences.

This episode offers an honest, first-person perspective on psychedelic experiences, mental health, forgiveness, and the ongoing search for healing and purpose.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts
📲 Be sure to follow, share, like, and subscribe to support brain health awareness and bring real treatments to those who need them most.

Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman is sponsored by The Mac Parkman Foundation

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Bruce's background

01:26 Bruce's first experiences with psychedelics

04:04 Ketamine and its healing effects

07:03 Spiritual insights and ego death

12:10 Ayahuasca and DMT experiences

22:59 The impact on trauma and forgiveness

29:58 Bruce's journey to Mexico and deeper healing

32:54 Physiological and spiritual transformation

36:57 The importance of access and research

38:52 Closing thoughts and encouragements for listeners

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Can the brain recover after a traumatic brain injury, and what role does neuroplasticity play in healing?

In Episode 111 of the Broken Brains Podcast, Bruce Parkman sits down with neuroscientist and brain injury survivor Dr. Daniel Avesar to explore the science of brain injury recovery, neuroplasticity, mental health, and the challenges of rebuilding life after neurological trauma.

Dr. Avesar shares his personal experience with brain injury and the seven-year journey of rebuilding cognitive function, managing symptoms, and understanding the complexities of neurological recovery. Drawing from his experience as both a scientist and a survivor, he discusses gaps in conventional brain injury care, the importance of individualized treatment, and the potential role of holistic approaches in supporting recovery.

The conversation examines traumatic brain injury (TBI), neuroscience, neuroplasticity, mental health, emerging brain therapies, and the need for greater awareness and support for brain injury survivors.

Episode 111 offers an educational perspective on the challenges of living with brain trauma and the importance of continued research, appropriate treatment, and community support.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts
📲 Be sure to follow, share, like, and subscribe to support brain health awareness and bring real treatments to those who need them most.

Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman is sponsored by The Mac Parkman Foundation

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the episode and guest

01:21 Dr. Absar's background and what led him to neuroscience

03:07 The impact of his brain injury and initial recovery

06:15 Rebuilding cognition and managing symptoms over seven years

10:59 The state of brain injury treatment and societal gaps

16:03 Modalities and approaches for healing the brain

22:05 Healing the mind and addressing mental health challenges

27:56 The role of neuroplasticity and holistic care

34:14 Emerging therapies and future directions

43:57 Societal change and improving brain health awareness

49:53 Dr. Absar's projects and how to connect

51:34 Closing remarks and key takeaways

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Can repetitive head impacts and explosive blast exposure affect your mental health even when you don't realize you've suffered a brain injury?

In this solo episode of the Broken Brains Podcast, Bruce Parkman explores the relationship between repetitive brain trauma, concussions, mental health, and the importance of recognizing brain injury before symptoms become more difficult to manage.

Bruce discusses the warning signs of concussion, the neurological effects of repetitive head impacts, and why military veterans exposed to explosive blasts and athletes participating in contact sports should take brain health seriously. He explains how injuries involving the prefrontal cortex may contribute to changes in emotional regulation, behavior, and cognitive functioning.

The conversation also examines concussion evaluation, neuroinflammation, the developing brain, youth sports safety, and why early medical assessment and prevention are essential.

This episode provides practical education for veterans, parents, coaches, athletes, and families concerned about traumatic brain injury, concussion symptoms, repetitive brain trauma, and long-term neurological health.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts
📲 Be sure to follow, share, like, and subscribe to support brain health awareness and bring real treatments to those who need them most.

Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman is sponsored by The Mac Parkman Foundation

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Brain Trauma and Its Impact

00:28 Bruce Parkman’s Mission and the Importance of Awareness

01:23 Veterans and Brain Injury Risks from Explosive Exposure

02:21 Why Feeling Fine Doesn’t Mean You Are Fine

04:14 Warning Signs of Serious Concussion

06:33 Post-Concussion Care and Activity Recommendations

08:24 Repetitive Brain Trauma and Contact Sports

12:13 How Brain Damage Affects Emotions and Behavior

15:30 The Developing Brain and Contact Sports Risks

16:56 Moving Forward: Prevention and Education Strategies

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Can an undiagnosed brain injury contribute to behavioral, emotional, or mental health problems in children?

In Episode 110 of the Broken Brains Podcast, Bruce Parkman sits down with Dr. Melissa McCart to explore the connection between childhood brain injury, concussion, trauma, mental health, and the importance of recognizing potential brain injuries early.

Dr. McCart discusses her work identifying brain injuries in children and youth, including the development and implementation of the Rapid Alaska Brain Injury Screening Tool (RABIST). She explains why changes in behavior, learning, emotional regulation, or mental health can sometimes signal the need to investigate a history of brain injury.

Bruce and Dr. McCart also explore concussion management, contact sports, domestic abuse, school accommodations, non-pharmaceutical interventions, family support, and practical questions parents can ask when something about their child suddenly seems different.

Episode 110 is an important conversation about recognizing brain injuries earlier and building systems that support children before potentially manageable problems become lifelong challenges.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts
📲 Be sure to follow, share, like, and subscribe to support brain health awareness and bring real treatments to those who need them most.

Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman is sponsored by The Mac Parkman Foundation

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Chapters

00:00 Brain Trauma & Its Impact on Children
02:00 Why Children Are Our Most Valuable Asset
03:59 Dr. Melissa McCart’s Journey Into Brain Injury Research
08:57 Trauma, Mental Health & Hidden Brain Injuries
11:52 Why Early Brain Injury Screening Matters
18:00 Supporting Brain-Injured Children at School
24:00 Contact Sports, Domestic Abuse & Brain Trauma
29:52 The RABIST Brain Injury Screening Tool
36:03 Family & Community Support After Brain Injury
41:59 What Parents Should Know About Concussions
44:59 The Future of Brain Injury Treatment & Policy

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Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman is sponsored by the Mac Parkman Foundation.

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What can the NFL’s evolving approach to player safety teach parents, coaches, and youth sports organizations about protecting the developing brain?

In this solo episode of the Broken Brains Podcast, Bruce Parkman examines football, concussions, repetitive head impacts, and the ongoing effort to reduce brain trauma in contact sports. Bruce discusses recent NFL safety measures and what those changes reveal about the growing focus on reducing unnecessary head impacts.

The conversation then moves beyond professional football to the athletes Bruce believes deserve even greater attention: children and teenagers. He explores why repetitive head impacts matter, how the developing brain differs from the adult brain, and why delaying contact may be one strategy for reducing cumulative exposure during childhood.

This episode examines football safety, youth sports, concussions, repetitive brain trauma, player safety, mental health, and practical ways parents, coaches, and sports organizations can think differently about protecting young athletes.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts
📲 Be sure to follow, share, like, and subscribe to support brain health awareness and bring real treatments to those who need them most.

Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman is sponsored by The Mac Parkman Foundation

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction and the impact of football on brain health

02:13 NFL's recent safety measures and their limitations

04:06 The importance of reducing head impacts in youth sports

05:56 Mental health issues among NFL and college players

08:14 Science of brain impacts and the need for policy change

09:38 Practical steps for parents and coaches to make sports safer

11:05 Conclusion: Learning from the NFL to protect young athletes

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Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman is sponsored by the Mac Parkman Foundation.

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What happens when people searching for relief through psilocybin face legal, regulatory, and financial barriers to accessing it?

In Episode 109 of the Broken Brains Podcast, Bruce Parkman sits down with psilocybin advocate Spencer Hawkswell to explore psychedelic medicine, mental health, end-of-life care, brain health, and the fight to expand legal access to psilocybin in Canada.

Spencer shares the personal story that led him into advocacy and explains how patients and advocates have challenged Canada's psychedelic drug policies through medical exemptions, the Special Access Program, public advocacy, and continued pressure for reform.

Bruce and Spencer also discuss the psychedelic therapeutic process, including preparation, the psychedelic experience, and integration; barriers to clinical research; veteran mental health; trauma; neuroplasticity; and emerging questions about whether psychedelics could eventually have applications in traumatic brain injury and repetitive brain trauma.

The conversation examines both the potential and the unanswered questions surrounding psychedelic medicine while exploring what safe, legal, medically supervised access could look like in the future.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts
📲 Be sure to follow, share, like, and subscribe to support brain health awareness and bring real treatments to those who need them most.

Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman is sponsored by The Mac Parkman Foundation

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Chapters

00:00 Meet Spencer Hawkswell
01:10 The Personal Story Behind Spencer’s Psilocybin Advocacy
02:23 Psychedelic Policy & Legal Access in Canada
03:44 Medical Exemptions & Canada’s Special Access Program
06:24 How Public Advocacy Changed the Conversation
07:51 Accessing Psilocybin in Canada
10:11 Government Policy & the Fight for Reform
12:20 Legal Access, Underground Use & Safety
14:21 Preparation, Psychedelic Therapy & Integration
17:30 Psilocybin for Mental Health & Vulnerable Populations
20:42 Psilocybin, TBI & Neuroplasticity
24:42 Psychedelic Research, Funding & Clinical Trials
28:32 Patient Experiences, Evidence & the Right to Access
33:34 Why Psychedelic Research Needs Policy Reform
36:02 Veterans, PTSD & Psilocybin Research
38:08 Athletes, Brain Trauma & Psychedelic Medicine
41:20 Advocacy, Social Media & Changing Public Opinion
42:38 Training Clinicians & the Future of Psychedelic Medicine
44:00 Final Thoughts & How to Get Involved

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Can a supplement, helmet, mouthguard, gummy, or new technology actually prevent a concussion?

In this solo episode of the Broken Brains Podcast, Bruce Parkman challenges concussion-prevention claims surrounding contact sports and explains why parents should be skeptical of products marketed as protecting the brain from the forces created by repetitive head impacts.

Bruce discusses how the brain moves inside the skull during impacts, the difference between reducing certain risks and claiming to prevent brain injury, and why repetitive head impacts remain an important concern in youth contact sports. He also examines supplements and other products marketed around brain protection and argues that no pill or product can eliminate the physical forces acting on the brain.

The episode explores concussion prevention, repetitive head impacts, CTE, youth sports safety, the developing brain, and alternatives such as flag football and touch rugby for families looking to reduce exposure to repetitive impacts.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts
📲 Be sure to follow, share, like, and subscribe to support brain health awareness and bring real treatments to those who need them most.

Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman is sponsored by The Mac Parkman Foundation

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Chapters
00:00 The Truth About Concussion Prevention
02:23 Are Parents Being Sold False Hope?
03:20 What Happens to the Brain During an Impact?
04:19 Supplements, Technology & Concussion Prevention Claims
05:18 Safer Youth Sports & Protecting the Developing Brain
06:17 What Parents Need to Know

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Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman is sponsored by the Mac Parkman Foundation.

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Can technology help the brain become more resilient after trauma, PTSD, or traumatic brain injury?

In Episode 108 of the Broken Brains Podcast, Bruce Parkman sits down with Marine Corps veteran and Peak Neuro founder Tony Crescenzo to explore neuroplasticity, brain resilience, neurotechnology, and emerging approaches to PTSD and TBI.

Tony shares his journey from the Marine Corps into brain health innovation and explains the technology behind Peak Neuro, including neuro biomodulation, personalized protocols, and the use of AI to better understand and influence brain activity.

Bruce and Tony discuss how trauma can affect the brain, the role neuroplasticity may play in recovery, challenges surrounding research and FDA approval, and the potential applications of non-invasive brain technology for veterans, athletes, first responders, and civilians.

The conversation also looks toward the future of personalized and remote brain health care and what emerging neurotechnology could mean for people living with the effects of trauma and brain injury.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts
📲 Be sure to follow, share, like, and subscribe to support brain health awareness and bring real treatments to those who need them most.

Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman is sponsored by The Mac Parkman Foundation

Support The Mac Parkman Foundation by donating today!

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CR24MY2GDUCZL

CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW!

https://www.mpfact.com/headsmart-app/

Chapters

00:00 Repetitive Brain Trauma & Blast Exposure
00:55 Meet Tony Crescenzo
02:29 From Marine Counterintelligence to Civilian Life
08:31 Veteran Advocacy & the Journey Into Brain Health
12:06 The Mission Behind Peak Neuro
16:04 Trauma, PTSD & Neuroplasticity
19:10 How Peak Neuro & Neuromodulation Work
21:16 Sleep, Brain Health & Recovery
22:17 AI & Personalized Brain Health
29:29 Expanding Access for Veterans
31:33 EEG, Brain Mapping & Military Research
36:13 Building Brain Resilience Before Trauma
37:14 Cognitive Warfare & Human Performance
42:06 Self-Regulation, Resilience & Trauma Recovery
48:17 Neuroinflammation & Brain Research
50:17 Peak Neuro Research & Results
54:10 Barriers to Brain Health Treatment
61:29 Peak Neuro Resources & Veteran Support
65:53 The Future of Brain Health
68:09 Final Thoughts

Support Broken Brains

Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman is sponsored by the Mac Parkman Foundation.

Mac Parkman Foundation

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Produced by Security Halt Media