Insights from Groundbreaking MDMA Research with MAPS Therapist Marcela Ot’alora

Marcela Ot’alora worked as the lead co-therapist and principal investigator for all of the MAPS — which stands for  Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies — MDMA-assisted psychotherapy studies. She has also been designing curriculum and training therapists associated with MAPS.In this conversation, which we recorded together in our home here in Boulder Colorado, we explored how she found her way into this work over three decades ago, possible tension I perceived between the clinical aspect of these studies and the sacredness of the work, how she trains therapists in the rare art of being able to hold space for deep transformation, and what she believes is happening that has led to the extraordinary results that the MAPS trials have created — a 71% reduction in otherwise untreatable symptoms of PTSD.Official Links👨‍🔬 MAPS MDMA Research and Resources (link)Connect + Explore More from Jonny🐦  Follow on Twitter/X @jonnym1ller🫁  Learn more about Nervous System Mastery🪷 Order our deck of Calm Cards (these make great gifts)📱  Check out Stateshift — our brand new iOS + Android app📝  Take the Nervous System Quotient (NSQ) Self-Assessment (totally free)💌 Sign up to The Inner Frontier Newsletter🫁 Episode Sponsor — Nervous System MasteryThis is my flagship 5-week bootcamp designed to equip you with evidence-backed protocols to cultivate calm and emotional regulation. Our 8th cohort will run in Fall 2025 ~ and applications are currently open. My sense is that if this conversation resonates with you, then you'd likely be a great fit for our upcoming cohort. This curriculum represents my attempt to distill everything I've learned in recent years about creating the conditions for our nervous system's flourishing.  It's run in an intensive cohort-based way since this is, in my experience, the most efficient way to embody and practice the protocols.Previous students have shared how partaking improved their sleep and quality of relationships and tapped into deeper states of joy, clarity, and confidence in their lives. We've had over 1000 students have completed this training, and many have said that it has been the most impactful thing they've ever done for their personal growth — so if you're intrigued at all, you can find more details and apply to join this year's cohort over at nsmastery.com~~Further Ways to Support the Podcast:🎙️  I use Riverside to record all of my podcast conversations (it's so much better than zoom for podcasting!)🎧  I also use Transistor to host this podcast, it's fricking awesome, and I would highly recommend.😎  RaOptics make the world's best Blue Blockers – I wear these anytime I'm out of the house after dark, and it makes a huge difference!🤖  I use AI wizardry from Castmagic to help with each episode show-notes + timestamps📹  Want to create a Hollywood-quality home studio? Get in touch with Kevin Shen here & save $500 with code JONNYSENT500OFF