Shrink Speak

In this episode, Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman is joined by pioneering psychedelics researchers, Drs. Rick Doblin and Steven Levine, to discuss the therapeutic applications of psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin, ketamine, LSD, MDMA, and ibogaine in treating mental health and addiction disorders, and the future path forward in legitimately harnessing their game changing potential. Dr. Rick Doblin is the Founder and Executive Director of MAPS (the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), , a leading non-profit psychedelic drugs research and educational organization, with both domestic and international studies. Dr. Steven Levine is the Vice President of Patient Access at COMPASS Pathways, a leading psychedelics research organization conducting international clinical trials with psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression. A pioneer in the clinical use of IV ketamine for treatment resistant depression, Dr. Levine is also the founder of Actify Neurotherapies, one of the largest networks of ketamine treatment centers in the US.  

Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman is joined by Dr. Scott A. Small, a physician specializing in aging and dementia and a professor of neurology and psychiatry at Columbia University, where he directs the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. He has run a National Institutes of Health–funded laboratory for over twenty years and has published more than 140 studies on memory function and malfunction, research that has been covered by The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Time. His insight into Alzheimer’s disease recently led to the formation of Retromer Therapeutics, a new biotechnology company which he co-founded. Raised in Israel, he now lives in New York City. In this episode, Dr. Small, author of the recently published book, Forgetting: The Benefits of Not Remembering, explains why forgetfulness is good for us—and, alongside memory, it is a required function for our minds to work best Check out his book Forgetting on Amazon.

As the spotlight on mental health in sports continues to grow, thanks in large part to professional athletes like Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles speaking out publicly about their own mental health struggles, Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman sits down with retired tennis pro Patrick McEnroe to discuss how intense scrutiny, high-stakes pressure, and a “shut up and play” culture can contribute to mental health issues in athletes, and what measures are needed on a sports organization/tournament policy level to better safeguard athletes’ mental health.

The Goldwater Rule is Section 7 in the American Psychiatric Association's (APA) Principles of Medical Ethics, which states that it is unethical for psychiatrists to give a professional opinion about public figures whom they have not examined in person. Joining Dr. Lieberman in this episode of Shrink Speak to talk about how the Goldwater Rule came to be is Senator Barry Goldwater’s Son, Former California Congressman Barry Goldwater Jr. Also joining the conversation is Dr. Paul Appelbaum, the Elizabeth K. Dollard Professor of Psychiatry, Medicine and Law, and Director, Division of Law, Ethics and Psychiatry at Columbia. Dr. Appelbaum is also Past President of the American Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Lieberman is joined by Andrew Solomon and Kay Jamison to talk about a grieving nation, and how to cope with the loss, social unrest and political turmoil during the COVID-19 Pandemic