14. Psilocybin, PTSD, and Perimenopause

In this episode of Welcome to Your B-Side, Dr. Amy Lindsey shares something deeply personal: her relationship with psilocybin, and how guided psilocybin therapy impacted her PTSD, nervous system, and sense of self.For a long time, she kept this part of her story quieter than she wanted to because of how psilocybin is viewed in conventional medicine. As research continues to grow and clinical use expands in certain settings, she believes it’s time for more honest conversations about what healing can look like in midlife.Dr. Amy walks through what brought her PTSD to the surface during a dark season of depression, why talk therapy alone wasn’t enough at that point in her life, and what shifted during two guided psilocybin sessions in a therapeutic setting.She also breaks down the science, including the role of the default mode network, why trauma can trap the brain in rumination and stress loops, and how psilocybin appears to interrupt those patterns so new neural connections can form.The conversation then turns to midlife, where hormonal shifts are a key part of mental health. Changes in estrogen, progesterone, and serotonin during perimenopause and menopause affect mood, cognition, and stress response. This episode connects those dots and explains why this context matters in conversations about mental health and healing in midlife.In this episode, Dr. Amy shares:The origin of her PTSD and why it intensified during periods of prolonged and compounded stressWhy talk therapy alone was no longer enoughWhat guided psilocybin therapy looks like in a therapeutic settingHow psilocybin disrupted long-standing stress and rumination loopsThe emotional and spiritual experiences that surfaced during treatmentHow trauma healing, neuroplasticity, and midlife hormone shifts intersectImportant note: Psilocybin is not for everyone, and legality varies by location. Always consult a qualified medical professional and follow local laws.Reminder: Nothing in this podcast is a substitute for medical or professional advice. Always consult your own doctor.KEY MOMENTS:00:00 — Why Dr. Amy is sharing her psilocybin story now03:27 — The trauma that shaped decades of PTSD08:05 — When talk therapy wasn’t enough and a bigger intervention became necessary10:12 — What psilocybin shifted in the stress response and grief processing13:39 — The spiritual remembering and why it mattered for healing25:16 — Life after PTSD: changes in the body, parenting, and nervous system28:00: — The midlife connection: hormones, serotonin, and why this matters in perimenopauseRESOURCES:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free B-Side Community on Skool⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr Amy’s Chrysalis WaitlistSTAY CONNECTED:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠WebsiteSUPPORT WELCOME TO YOUR B-SIDE:Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts + Spotify to help more listeners flip the record to their B-Side.Share this episode with a friend and follow along on Instagram (@dramylindsey) for more no B.S. insights, midlife gems, and soul-level mic drops.