In this episode of the Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ speaks with Dr. Richard Louis Miller, a clinical psychologist with over 60 years of experience in humanistic psychology and addiction recovery. Dr. Miller is a former faculty member at Stanford University and the University of Michigan, an advisor to the President’s Commission on Mental Health, founder of the Wilbur Hot Springs Health Sanctuary and the Cokenders program, and author of Psychedelic Medicine.

Dr. Miller shares his journey through the early psychedelic movement, the historical and political factors behind drug prohibition, and his personal protocols for longevity and health.

Key Episode Highlights & Timestamps

  • First Psychedelic Experiences & The 1960s Renaissance (01:36 – 08:31) Dr. Miller recounts his first experiences with DMT, Sandoz LSD at the Esalen Institute in 1967, and ingesting Morning Glory seeds after reading Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert’s work. He discusses how the subsequent 50-year government shutdown affected early research.

  • Pioneering Holistic Addiction Treatment (04:38 – 06:19) Establishing the Wilbur Hot Springs sanctuary and the first holistic health chemical dependence program, integrating meditation, exercise, nutrition, and acupuncture to safely detox over 1,500 individuals.

  • Societal Structures, Politics, and Psychedelics (12:53 – 25:11) Dr. Miller and Sam explore how psychedelics dissolve boundaries and foster a sense of planetary unity. They discuss why governments have historically restricted these substances, the pitfalls of societal division, and alternative models of social care and taxation.

  • Longevity Protocols at 87 (32:25 – 41:42) Dr. Miller shares his personal maintenance routine for longevity: weightlifting, daily aerobic conditioning, strict nutrition, drinking half his body weight in ounces of water daily, and maintaining active social connections in line with Blue Zone principles.

  • Overcoming Terminal Health Diagnoses & Microdosing (43:15 – 47:58) How Dr. Miller reversed terminal heart failure and survived nodular melanoma, highlighting the role of double aerobic exercise, a strong immune system, and disciplined LSD microdosing in his recovery.

  • LSD, Creativity, and Innovation (47:58 – 52:16) The historical impact of LSD on scientific discoveries and technology (such as DNA sequencing and Silicon Valley innovation), and the lost potential caused by ongoing restrictions.

Mentioned Books by Dr. Richard Louis Miller

  • Psychedelic Medicine

  • Master Your Mind

  • The Adverse Effects and Therapeutic Benefits of Psychedelic Medicine (Upcoming)

Connect & Learn More