Amanda Feilding: Confessions of a Pioneer of the Psychedelic Renaissance

My guest this morning is Countess Amanda Feilding – the Founder and Executive Director of the Beckley Foundation – widely recognized as a leading force behind the current Psychedelic Renaissance.

Born in 1943, Countess Feilding is the youngest child of Basil Feilding, great-grandson of the 7th Earl of Denbigh and the Marquess of Bath, and his wife and cousin, Margaret Feilding.

She has propelled the field forward over the last 20+ years, spearheading studies such as the world’s first psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression study (on which Compass Pathways based their business), the world’s first LSD, MDMA and DMT brain imaging studies, plus the initiation and collaboration with Johns Hopkins on the first study using psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to overcome nicotine addiction. She has also co-authored over 80 research papers.

Since 1998, the Beckley Foundation has been at the forefront of exploratory research into psychedelics, and evidence-based global drug policies.

Through her work with the Beckley Foundation, Amanda is bridging the gap between science and policy, creating a positive feedback loop, with the aim of building and harnessing our knowledge of the benefits of currently prohibited compounds to optimize human health, wellbeing and potential.

Today, however, she joins me to discuss how psychedelics have influenced her own journey – taking us from her early days as an independent youth, through her life as an influential spokesperson, advocate, and researcher into psychedelics and non-ordinary states of consciousness.