*Formerly Everyday Nonordinary The Podcast* Welcome to Integrating Psychedelics, insights gleaned from psychedelic experiences and conversations around how to integrate this wisdom into our daily lives. I'm your host, Jenny Weinar, and in today's episode I'm speaking with Dr. Gita Vaid.

Gita Vaid, MD is a board certified psychiatrist and psychoanalyst practicing ketamine assisted psychotherapy in New York City. She is a co-founder of the Center for Natural Intelligence, a multidisciplinary laboratory dedicated to psychedelic psychotherapy innovation and clinical practice. Dr Vaid completed her residency training and is on faculty at NYU Medical Center, psychoanalytic training at the Psychoanalytic Association of New York. She trained as a fellow in clinical psychopharmacology and neurophysiology at New York Medical College and completed a research fellowship at NYU Medical Center. Dr Vaid serves as the Director of Psychedelic Awareness at The Chopra Foundation and is on Faculty as a lead instructor at The Ketamine Training Center.

In this episode we discuss:

• Gita’s unexpected foray into psychedelics while working as a psychoanalyst
• The transformative nature of Gita’s first personal experience with psychedelics
• The value of having first hand experience with psychedelics as a provider
• How psychedelics can enhance the therapeutic relationship and deepen the work in psychotherapy
• Gita’s interest in the subtler aspects and downstream effects of psychedelics use
• The impact of psychedelics on meditation
• The value of lower-dose experiences despite our bias towards higher doses and ego dissolving, mystical experiences
• How psychedelics can help us to better know ourselves
• How psychedelics invite us to recognize and utilize the knowledge in our bodies to expand beyond our stories of ourselves and our pasts
• ...and more!

You can connect with Gita through the CNI website and on Instagram. She'll also be presenting on Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy at the Horizons Conference in New York City in December 2021.

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This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individual medical or mental health advice. Please do your research about the legality and safety of any substance you are considering using and make the most informed choice possible for your unique situation and self.