This is a special episode, filmed on Earth Day, and it marks a turning point.

Exploring ibogaine for opioid addiction, psilocybin for healing, and a new model for education, integration, and community. This conversation dives into psychedelic research, PTSD, and what is shifting right now.

I’m joined by my partner Angela Dahlof, who has spent over a decade cultivating psilocybin and working as a facilitator. She shares part of her personal healing journey and what led her to this work. You can learn more about Angela here: https://www.explorenorthnode.com/meet

We also talk about a major moment unfolding right now, with President Trump signing an executive order to accelerate research into psychedelic plant medicines. There is growing attention on ibogaine, especially for its potential in supporting people living with PTSD and opioid addiction. This comes in the context of a 30-plus-year opioid epidemic in America that has impacted millions of lives and families. Early outcomes have been deeply promising, especially for veterans who have been searching for real relief.

This episode is also an announcement.

For the first time, we introduce North Node, a private educational association with a mission to expand access to education, integration, and community. We share how we came together with a simple vision to create intentional and responsible spaces where these medicines can be explored with care and support.

Learn more about North Node here: https://www.explorenorthnode.com/

We also talk about what is ahead, including the upcoming event The Rewired Mind with Coalition9 at Forgotten Star Brewing in Fridley, Minnesota on May 13, 2026. This event is open to the public. You can register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/c9-well-the-rewired-mind-tickets-1987465011350?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

We also introduce a new outdoor series called HikroDose, a community experience centered around plant medicine, nature, and the arts.

Something is shifting.

If you’re ready to explore what this could look like for you, book an alignment call: https://calendly.com/explorenorthnode/45min

In this episode of Minds on Mushrooms, I sit down with psychotherapist and relationship expert Jonathan Robinson, who has explored MDMA both personally and professionally for more than 50 years.

Together we explore how MDMA works in the brain and body, why it’s often described as a heart-opening medicine, and how thoughtful set, setting, and emotional safety can create powerful opportunities for connection and healing between partners.

We talk about the science, the emotional openness this medicine can create, and the relational possibilities that emerge when defenses lower and compassion rises.

In this conversation, we explore: • How MDMA affects fear and trust in the brain • Why the medicine can increase empathy and emotional connection • The importance of preparation, intention, and environment • How couples can create supportive spaces for deeper conversations • What decades of experience reveal about MDMA and relationships

If you're curious about MDMA-assisted therapy, psychedelic science, or new approaches to relationship healing, this conversation offers a thoughtful and grounded perspective.

Resources Mentioned

📖 Jonathan Robinson’s book Ecstasy as Couples Therapy: Using MDMA to Heal Conflict and Deepen Your Relationship

https://www.amazon.com/Ecstasy-Couples-Therapy-Conflict-Relationship-ebook/dp/B0G5HWTSJT

About Jonathan Robinson

• 40+ years of experience with MDMA-assisted therapy • Trained over 500 clinicians through MDMAtraining.net • Author of 16 books on communication, trauma, MDMA, and healing • New York Times bestselling author (Communication Miracles for Couples) • Began conducting MDMA therapy research in 1984 for his master’s thesis • Featured on Oprah, CNN, and over 200 podcasts Websites • https://FindingHappiness.com • https://XTCasMedicine.com • https://XTCforCouples.net

Explore More

🌐 Minds on Mushrooms https://www.mindsonmushrooms.com

🌿 North Node https://www.explorenorthnode.com

📞 Book an Alignment Call https://calendly.com/explorenorthnode/45min

Listen to Minds on Mushrooms Minds on Mushrooms is available on: • YouTube • Apple Podcasts • Spotify

The show explores the science, healing, and human stories behind psychedelic medicines and conscious living.

Hosted by Maggie Kirkwood, psychedelic practitioner and integration guide for intentional inner journeys.

⚠️ This episode is shared for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice.

In this deeply honest and expansive conversation, I sit down with Jay Fiset, who shares how reaching a breaking point in his marriage became the catalyst for profound personal and relational transformation. Jay and his wife, Cory Fiset, have been in relationship for 37 years. After 25 years of marriage, they found themselves at a crossroads that required radical honesty, individual healing, and a willingness to reinvent both themselves and their relationship from the inside out. Jay opens up about his own inward journey first, taking responsibility for his healing, meeting old patterns with clarity, and learning how to show up more truthfully. Throughout our conversation, I deeply appreciate Jay’s transparency in how he shares his lived experience as a psychedelic educator and guide, speaking openly about the responsibility, intention, and integrity this work requires. Psychedelics became a gateway for this work, offering insight, emotional access, and aligned action. As his inner work deepened, that healing naturally began to ripple into the relationship. Eventually, psychedelics also became a shared entry point for both Jay and Cory. Jay speaks candidly about the role MDMA played as a major catalyst, not as a cure or shortcut, but as a tool that supported emotional safety, openness, and deeply honest communication. Through this intentional work, they were able to soften defenses, rebuild trust, and come back together in a more transparent, authentic, and connected partnership. Today, Cory and Jay are a husband-and-wife team and Certified Psychedelic Guides who focus specifically on supporting couples. Drawing upon more than 30 years of experience facilitating intensive personal development programs, individual coaching, experiential workshops, and couples retreats, they now offer intentional, safe, and intimacy-enhancing medicine experiences for committed couples. Their work is designed for couples who want to discover themselves more fully, express truth with care, and deepen emotional and relational connection, not by bypassing the work, but by meeting it together with intention and integrity. This episode explores: * Why individual healing is the foundation of relational repair * Psychedelics as catalysts for insight, not replacements for the work * MDMA’s role in emotional safety, trust, and intimacy * Reinventing long-term relationships without starting over * What it truly means to heal together while honoring personal responsibility If you’re curious about how psychedelics can support deeper self-awareness, and how that awareness can strengthen intimacy, honesty, and connection within long-term relationships, this conversation offers a grounded, real-world perspective on healing from the inside out. ✨ This conversation is shared for educational and informational purposes and emphasizes intention, responsibility, and integration. 🔗 Explore Jay & Cory’s Work If this conversation resonates and you would like to explore Jay and Cory’s offerings, you can learn more here: The Connection Experience – FAQs https://theconnectionexperience.love/faq Fireside Chat: The Connection Experience https://theconnectionexperience.love/firesidetce The Psychedelic Coach Accelerator, a 3-day immersive event https://psychedeliccoachaccelerator.com/ The Psychedelic Coaching Blueprint https://theconnectionexperience.love/blueprint-rp Couples Connection ++ Microdosing Protocol https://theconnectionexperience.love/couples-connection-microdosing Microdosing Products and Protocols https://theconnectionexperience.love/order 🌿If this episode stirred something in you, whether around relationships, self-inquiry, or intentional psychedelic work, you can explore my work through North Node, a private, consent-based practice focused on preparation, integration, and embodied change. Learn more at: 🌱 https://explorenorthnode.com 🌱 https://www.explorenorthnode.com/working-together If this speaks to you, trust that feeling. 🎧 Minds on Mushrooms is available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Visit https://www.mindsonmushrooms.com to explore episodes, resources, and more. Mush love,

Maggie

What if you could feel open, connected, and relaxed… without alcohol?

In this episode of Minds on Mushrooms, I sit down with Andrew Weiss, writer of The Psychedelic Blog, to explore kanna: a legal, mood-enhancing plant traditionally used for resilience, connection, and social ease.

Many people describe kanna as heart-opening and gently euphoric, similar to MDMA or a few drinks, but without the hangover or emotional crash.

We talk about what kanna actually feels like, how it works, and the story behind Get Kanna, Andrew’s thoughtfully crafted product designed for intentional, situational experiences like date nights, gatherings, music, or deeper connection.

If you’re rethinking your relationship with alcohol or curious about plant-based alternatives for feeling good in your body, this conversation is for you.

✨ Free shipping with code FRIENDS0FGK2

Get Kanna: https://www.getkanna.com/

IG: @getkanna

To learn more about working with Maggie: https://www.explorenorthnode.com/working-together

Book an Alignment Call

This episode is for educational purposes only and not medical advice.

Keywords: kanna, kanna plant, alcohol alternative, legal plant medicine, herbal mood enhancer, plant medicine podcast, psychedelic education, microdosing alternatives

In this deeply honest conversation, I sit down with Derek Barlow, professor at Bellum Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in St. Paul, to talk about strength, avoidance, and what happens when the armor we build no longer serves us.

Derek shares how exploring psilocybin on his own brought awareness to long held patterns of avoidance and a core belief of unworthiness, and how realizing he could not navigate those discoveries alone led him to seek intentional, supported care.

We talk about what it means to stop running from yourself, to honor core wounds without judgment, and how choosing support can soften not only the inner world, but relationships as well. Derek opens up about how this work deepened his connection with his wife and reshaped his understanding of strength.

This episode is a grounded, responsible conversation about awareness, readiness, and the courage it takes to meet yourself honestly without having to do it alone.

Learn more about Bellum Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu https://bellumbrazilianjiujitsu.com/ https://www.instagram.com/bellumbjjstpaul/

More information about working together through North Node https://www.explorenorthnode.com/working-together

In this episode of Minds on Mushrooms, I sit down with Robyn, a writer, yogi, and transformation travel and spirit guide whose life once looked perfect on paper: marriage, career, stability. But inside, she felt numb and disconnected. Everything changed when she discovered her husband’s infidelity, losing both her sense of security and identity.

Rather than crumble, Robyn turned toward the unknown. She embarked on a solo trip to Thailand, a journey originally planned with her spouse, and from there chose not to return to her old life. That decision became the catalyst for a radical inner awakening. Through yoga, meditation, travel, and deep spiritual exploration, she transformed her grief into empowerment and rebuilt a life aligned with her truth.

In this episode, we explore: What it means to feel disconnected even when everything looks fine The impact of betrayal on identity, worth, and trust How travel can become a spiritual crucible for transformation The healing tools Robyn uses to realign and reconnect How she now helps others reclaim their light and begin their own journeys of transformation If you’ve ever felt stuck or like you’re living someone else’s life, this conversation will remind you that endings can become beginnings, and the unknown can hold more possibility than what you left behind.

Learn more about Robyn here:

www.wanderingtowardthelight.com

IG: @wanderingtowardthelight FB: @robyn.stimac Linktr.ee/wanderingtowardthelight

Explore her offerings here: 2026 Morocco Retreat Link: https://wanderingtowardthelight.com/morocco-yoga-retreat-2026/ 2026 Greece Retreat Link: https://www.yogasailingholidays.com/robyn-stimac

Minds on Mushrooms is hosted by Maggie Kirkwood, a certified psychedelic practitioner, integration coach, and founder of North Node — a platform for conscious education, microdosing support, and transformational healing. Through her podcast, courses, and coaching, Maggie helps others reconnect to their inner truth and navigate life’s transitions with clarity, intention, and trust.

Learn more or book an alignment call here: https://www.mindsonmushrooms.com/apply-now-form Explore her offerings here: https://www.mindsonmushrooms.com/work-with-me

✨✨✨ Minds on Mushrooms is available on YouTube, Apple and Spotify!

This one’s for the ladies! On today’s episode of Minds on Mushrooms, I’m joined by Jennifer Chesak, author of The Psilocybin Handbook for Women. Jennifer is a science and medical journalist whose work has appeared in The Washington Post, BBC, and more. She teaches in the journalism and publishing programs at Belmont University and brings a deeply researched perspective to the psychedelic conversation.

Together, we discuss how mushrooms uniquely affect women’s health, covering everything from regulating menstrual cycles and addressing infertility to boosting libido and easing sexual dysfunction. Jennifer shares insights from her book and explores how magic mushrooms, psychedelic therapy, and microdosing can support women’s mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.

If you’ve ever wondered how natural psychedelics interact with women’s bodies and cycles, or you’re curious about the latest science on mushrooms and women’s health, this conversation is for you.

Resources and Links:

• The Psilocybin Handbook for Women — Jennifer Chesak (Simon & Schuster) https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Psilocybin-Handbook-for-Women/Jennifer-Chesak/9781646044986
• Jennifer’s website — http://www.jenniferchesak.com
• Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/jenchesak/
• Bluesky — https://www.jenchesak.bsky.social
• Twitter — https://twitter.com/jenchesak
• Threads — https://www.threads.com/jenchesak
• TikTok — https://www.tiktok.com/jenchesak
• Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/jenchesak
• LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferchesak/

About Minds on Mushrooms:

Minds on Mushrooms is hosted by Maggie Kirkwood, a certified psychedelic practitioner, integration coach, and the founder of North Node. Through storytelling, education, and community, the podcast explores how plant medicines can support healing, creativity, and connection.

✨ Want to work with Maggie? You can apply or book an alignment call here: mindsonmushrooms.com/apply-now-form

Follow along on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/__maggiekirkwood__/

In this heart-centered episode, I sit down with medicine woman Bird Mieha, who works with the sacred plant of cacao. Together, we dive into the rich history of cacao, exploring how our ancestors once drank it and how this ancient medicine continues to open hearts today.

Bird guides us through the beauty of cacao ceremony, including a gentle cacao meditation, and shares wisdom on how this practice can help us regulate our nervous systems in the midst of chaotic times. We talk about the power of pause, the importance of returning to peace, and how cacao can support us in reconnecting with ourselves and each other.

This episode is an invitation to slow down, sip with intention, and remember the healing power of the heart.

For more on Bird and her offerings please visit:

Website: https://www.birdmejia.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/birdmejia/

About the Host

I’m Maggie Kirkwood, a Certified Psychedelic Practitioner, integration coach, and host of the Minds on Mushrooms podcast. My mission is to provide accessible education, integration, and community around psychedelics, plant teachers, and conscious living. Through conversations, coaching, and ceremony, I help people reconnect with their inner light, regulate their nervous systems, and find peace in chaotic times.

Connect with Me:

Work with me: https://www.mindsonmushrooms.com/apply-now-form

Website: https://www.mindsonmushrooms.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/__maggiekirkwood__/

Minds on Mushrooms is available on YouTube, Apple and Spotify - thank you so much for your support!