Episode 53: “The Next Chapter” | Psychedelic Therapy, Healing, and Hope with filmmaker Scott Paul Wright

What this episode covers

In this episode of the MAPS Canada Podcast, host Matt Hamel speaks with filmmaker Scott Paul Wright about his documentary The Next Chapter, an intimate and deeply human exploration of adults over the age of 55 who are turning to psychedelic-assisted therapy as a pathway to healing, meaning-making, and renewal. The film follows individuals navigating depression, anxiety, grief, trauma, and existential questions later in life, often after conventional treatments have not provided sufficient relief. Through their stories, The Next Chapter highlights both the challenges and the possibilities of psychedelic-assisted therapy, while centering the importance of integration, human connection, and hope. Scott also shares his own personal journey into this work, including his experience with psilocybin at age 68, and how that experience shaped his decision to create the film. What emerges is a reflection on vulnerability, transformation, and the shared human search for meaning. The upcoming world premiere of The Next Chapter takes place on June 18, 2026 at The Royal Cinema in Toronto, followed by a live Q&A panel featuring the filmmaker alongside leading clinicians, researchers, and voices in Canada’s psychedelic medicine community, including Dr. Joshua Rosenblat and Dr. Blake Pearson. The event is designed as a community gathering and conversation, bridging lived experience with clinical and research perspectives at a time when psychedelic-assisted therapy is rapidly entering the public discourse in Canada. For more information about the documentary and how you can attend, visit https://thenextchapterfilm.com/ Working with partners in government, business, and the community, MAPS Canada is committed to advancing psychedelic medicine by supporting scientific, multidisciplinary research; advocating for drug policy reform; offering public education; and supporting equitable access to legal and regulated psychedelic medicine in Canada. The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) was formed in the US in 1986, in response to the US Drug Enforcement Agency’s classification of MDMA as Schedule 1 substance, and has been developing medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics since then. MAPS Canada was founded as a sister organization to MAPS in 2011, and is a registered Canadian non-profit organization. Based in Vancouver and with hundreds of volunteers from across Canada, MAPS Canada is moving forward to become the leading Canadian source of information, resources and advocacy regarding psychedelic medicine and related clinical research, education, and public policy. Learn More at https://mapscanada.org/about/ MAPS Canada is entirely funded by public donation and your support really makes a difference. Find out about all the ways you can support MAPS Canada’s mission by visiting our donation link https://mapscanada.org/donate/Support MAPS Canada Podcast