My Psychedelic Story: Lauren Pounds

What happens when food as medicine becomes a doorway to ayahuasca ministry?In this episode of My Psychedelic Story (12:37), Lauren Pounds shares her evolution from off-grid organic farming and gut health research to founding Seraphaya Spiritual Center, a trauma-informed ayahuasca church.Her journey bridges plant-based nutrition, addiction recovery, psychedelic integration, and conscious leadership. This conversation explores how physical healing, nervous system regulation, and spiritual insight converge into embodied service.What You’ll Learn:How gut health and plant-based nutrition can influence mental clarity and emotional regulationWhy integration matters more than the ceremony itself in psychedelic healingWhat a trauma-informed ayahuasca container actually looks likeHow to responsibly bridge psychotherapy and plant medicine workWhy embodiment and shadow integration are essential for ethical psychedelic facilitationEpisode Highlights:01:05 – From off-grid farming to understanding food as medicine02:40 – Discovering the gut-brain connection and mental health awareness04:10 – Addiction recovery and researching ayahuasca as a healing modality06:02 – First experience with ayahuasca at SoulQuest and long-term integration08:15 – Founding Seraphia Spiritual Center after SoulQuest closed09:40 – Designing a trauma-informed week-long ayahuasca retreat model11:05 – Why mainstream conversations about plant medicine improve safetyMeet the Guest:Lauren Pounds is the founder of Seraphaya Spiritual Center, a church serving ayahuasca as sacrament, and Yoga Plants Thoughts, an integration-based yoga coaching practice. With a background in plant-based nutrition, addiction recovery, and trauma-informed facilitation, Lauren bridges spiritual ceremony with psychological safety and embodied leadership.Tools, Frameworks, and Approaches Mentioned:Food as Medicine and Gut-Brain ResearchTrauma-Informed Psychedelic FacilitationWeek-Long Immersive Ayahuasca Retreat ModelYoga-Based Integration PracticesNervous System Regulation in CeremonyShadow Work and Embodied LeadershipClosing Insight:Lauren’s story reflects a modern evolution in the Plant Medicine Path: healing is not about escape. It is about integration. It is about safety. It is about embodying the work you facilitate.If conversations about psychedelic spirituality, trauma-informed healing, and conscious leadership matter to you, subscribe for future insights and share this episode with someone exploring their own integration journey.Subscribe to My Psychedelic Story on your favorite podcast platform: https://podlink.com/1723629751For the best in microdosing products and education, visit http://mamadose.comConnect with Lauren: https://www.facebook.com/lauren.pounds.9/Visit Seraphaya at https://www.seraphaya.org/Join The Plant Medicine Path community: https://community.theplantmedicinepath.com/feedConnect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/medicinewiththemedalsConnect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/medicine_with_the_medals/Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theplantmedicinepath/