In this episode of Divergent States, host 3L1T3 and co-host Bryan sit down with Paul F. Austin, founder of The Third Wave and the Psychedelic Coaching Institute.

We dive deep into microdosing psychedelics, intentional use for peak performance, and the rise of psychedelic coaching as a professional path. Paul shares insights from his book Mastering Microdosing, his vision for conscious entrepreneurship, and how psychedelics are reshaping the way we think about healing, creativity, and human potential.

If you’re curious about LSD or psilocybin microdosing, psychedelic integration, or building a career in the psychedelic space, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways and inspiring perspectives.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways:

• How Paul F. Austin became a pioneer in the psychedelic space
• The science and practice of microdosing for focus and creativity
• Why psychedelic coaching is the next frontier in mental health and personal growth
• Entrepreneurship and psychedelics: Lessons from building The Third Wave
• Best practices for safe, intentional psychedelic use
• Where the psychedelic movement is headed in the next 5–10 years

⏱️ Chapters:
0:00 – Welcome to Divergent States with 3L1T3 & Bryan
2:15 – Introducing Paul F. Austin & The Third Wave
5:30 – How Paul discovered psychedelics and microdosing
10:42 – The benefits of microdosing for focus, creativity & emotional balance
18:20 – Psychedelic coaching: What it is and why it’s growing
27:55 – Lessons from building The Third Wave & conscious entrepreneurship
36:10 – Integration, safety, and intentional psychedelic use
44:15 – The future of psychedelics, careers, and community
52:30 – Closing thoughts & how to connect with Paul

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Special Thanks to our Macrodosers and Heroic Dosers on Patreon, Super D and Lucy!

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Amber Capone, co-founder and CEO of Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS), shares the powerful story of how psychedelic therapy - starting with Ibogaine - helped her husband, Navy SEAL Marcus Capone, recover from PTSD and TBI when traditional care failed.

We dive into the science and controversy behind Ibogaine, the limits of VA mental health care, and how VETS is paving the way for safe access to psychedelics like MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine for veterans in need.

Key Points:

• Amber’s leap from military spouse to CEO of VETS
• Ibogaine’s transformative potential for PTSD and TBI
• Risks and rewards of seeking psychedelic treatment abroad
• Bipartisan momentum behind veteran psychedelic initiatives
• Why careful vetting, integration, and support are critical

🎧 Listen to hear how psychedelics are changing lives—and the future of trauma care.

Chapter Markers:

• 00:00 – Introduction & why Amber’s story matters
• 05:56 – What was happening behind the scenes at home
• 07:57 – The struggle after service: Marcus’ decline
• 10:59 – Turning point: discovering Ibogaine
• 14:57 – What changed after treatment
• 20:20 – Starting VETS to help other families
• 25:06 – Not just Ibogaine: the expanded toolbox
• 31:21 – Addressing TBI and polytrauma
• 35:43 – The importance of screening, context, and preparation
• 41:46 – VETS’ evolving role in advocacy and support
• 45:16 – Bipartisan support and shifting cultural norms
• 51:54 – What “success” really means for healing veterans
• 57:57 – Where to learn more and get involved

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Special Thanks to our Macrodosers and Heroic Dosers on Patreon, Super D and Lucy!

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What happens when the most hunted man in psychedelic history walks free and joins us for a conversation?

In this deeply reflective episode of Divergent States, I sit down with William Leonard Pickard: chemist, philosopher, author of The Rose of Paracelsus, and the man once called the “Acid King.” After decades behind bars, Pickard returns with revelations about time, memory, suffering, redemption, and the spiritual cost of psychedelic pursuit.

We discuss the rise and fall of the most infamous LSD lab in history, Pickard's views on Ibogaine and modern psychedelic commercialization, and how prison reshaped his consciousness. He speaks of literature, inner stillness, shadow organizations, and the unfathomable lessons buried in the folds of silence.

A mythic guest, a poetic mind, and perhaps the most important voice in the psychedelic space today.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• The "Acid King" Speaks: For the first time in-depth post-release, Leonard Pickard reflects on his time at the center of what authorities called the largest LSD operation in history, and what he believes was really happening behind the scenes.
• Prison as a Psychedelic Experience: Pickard describes incarceration not as a void, but as a radically altered state, where time dilates, silence becomes sacred, and the mind either breaks or transcends.
• Ibogaine, Compassion, and the Future: He voices strong views on the therapeutic use of Ibogaine, its dangers when misused, and its misunderstood spiritual potential.
• The Rose of Paracelsus as Code: More than a memoir, Pickard hints that The Rose is layered with veiled truths and archetypes meant for those “with ears to hear”, especially those seeking refuge from commercialized psychedelia.
• The Invisible Networks: He suggests there are forces: academic, clandestine, spiritual, that have shaped and continue to shape psychedelic culture in ways the mainstream never sees.
• Redemption Through Stillness: Pickard doesn't romanticize his past. Instead, he presents a philosophy of quiet redemption, where introspection, myth, and suffering converge into what he calls “the sacred cost.”
• Warnings to the Psychedelic Industry: He offers a cautionary tale to today’s entrepreneurs and enthusiasts: be wary of glamorizing chemical mysticism, and remember that true wisdom comes not from flash, but from depth.

00:00 – Introduction: The Acid King Returns

3:06 – From Secrecy to Spotlight

06:00 – Psychedelic Culture: Then and Now

10:53 – Ibogaine and Healing Work

12:44 – On Commercialization and Ceremony

16:46 – What About the Sacred?

19:46 – Medicalization vs. Freedom

24:53 – What They Never Ask

26:22 – Second Life Reflections

33:16 – What Prison Taught Me

38:15 – Ergot Wine and LSD Myths

43:01 – Machine Elves and Other Planes

44:13 – Star Trek and the Pickard Rumor

45:07 – Outro and Patreon Preview

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Special Thanks to our Macrodosers and Heroic Dosers on Patreon, Super D and Lucy!

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