Alive Again

• 6 | Net-Zero Trauma: A Conversation With Rick Doblin

  Perhaps the tools to face death— heal from trauma— and transform life—have been within us all along. In this special episode of Alive Again, host Dan Bush sits down with Rick Doblin, founder of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and one of the most influential voices in psychedelic research today. Together, they explore how psychedelic-assisted therapy is changing the landscape of trauma recovery, end-of-life care, and the very nature of what it means to heal. Rick shares insights from decades of groundbreaking work using MDMA, LSD, and psilocybin in clinical settings—particularly for those facing terminal illness or deep psychological wounds. He discusses brain plasticity, the release of DMT at death, and the profound similarities between near-death experiences and guided psychedelic journeys. With warmth and depth, this episode moves between the personal and the universal—grief, meaning, mortality, and the liminal spaces where transformation begins. Whether you're curious about the science or seeking a deeper understanding of the human spirit, this conversation offers a powerful look at how we might approach death—not with fear, but with expanded awareness. More About Rick Doblin: Rick Doblin is the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), a nonprofit that has been at the forefront of exploring the therapeutic potential of psychedelics for over 35 years. His groundbreaking work has helped transform how we approach healing, trauma recovery, and end-of-life care, particularly through the use of psychedelics like MDMA, psilocybin, and DMT. Rick’s dedication to this field has given countless individuals— and their families—hope, understanding, and peace in the face of immense challenges, including terminal illness. In our conversation, we explore the intersection of his work with the themes of this podcast: transformation, adaptation, and the profound mysteries surrounding death and near-death experiences. Important links based on our conversation with Rick: Psychedelic Science 2025 MAPS Integration Workbook Donate to MAPS — MAPS relies on financial support from people like you. If you support the advancement of psychedelic research, policy reform, and education, please make a donation to fuel their work. Social Media links: MAPS Instagram: @MAPS__org Facebook: Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) Linkedin: Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) Twitter (X): @MAPS Threads: @MAPS__org Bluesky: @mapsorg.bsky.social TikTok: @MAPS.org YouTube: @MAPSMDMA Rick Doblin Instagram: @RickDoblinPhD Facebook: Rick Doblin Twitter (X): @RickDoblin Linkedin: Rick Doblin * If you have a transformative experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• 5 | Eleven And A Half Minutes

  He was electrocuted—and came back with a blueprint for existence. In February 2018, Adam Tapp was doing some woodworking in his front yard when a freak accident electrocuted him. Paramedics revived him—but not before he crossed into another realm. What he experienced during those moments mirrored earlier psychedelic journeys, yet went even deeper. In his near-death state, Adam gained a radical new understanding of consciousness, fear, and the chemical nature of reality. His fear of death dissolved—and what replaced it was a profound curiosity about life itself. This episode is a mind-expanding look at how close encounters with death—and the brain’s own internal pharmacy—can shift our understanding of everything. Story producer: Kate Sweeney. For more about Adam and his exploration of the fascinating world of psychoactive substances and their therapeutic use, tune in to his podcast Tapped Into Psychedelics Warning: This series contains graphic descriptions of trauma, violence, abuse, and other content that may not be suitable for certain listeners. * If you have a transformative experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• 4 | The Yellow Star

  Kathy Preston was just a joyous little girl when the Holocaust tore through her golden childhood in Transylvania. In this unforgettable episode of Alive Again, Kathy recounts—in stunning detail—the moment her innocence ended, hiding in a barn as bayonets stabbed the straw just inches from her face. Miraculously, she survived. But this is more than a story of hiding and escape. Kathy’s story travels through persecution, displacement, and grief—but also healing, forgiveness, and the power of memory. She reflects on the woman who risked everything to save her life, on the trauma that shaped her worldview, and on the stubborn optimism that carries her forward. From being starved and hunted as a child, to building a joyful life with children and grandchildren, Kathy’s journey is a testament to resilience—and a reminder that surviving isn’t just about staying alive. It’s about choosing love over vengeance and passing that choice forward. And now, in her 80s, Kathy speaks to school children across the U.S. about the power of resistance, survival, and the importance of love over hate. “There are less and less people alive from the period I am from,” she tells us, “and the more people die, the less availability there is to connect with the past. I speak for the people who can’t speak for themselves.” Story producer: Nicholas Tecosky. For more information about Kathy and her work and books, you can go to www.katipreston.com Warning: This series contains graphic descriptions of trauma, violence, abuse, and other content that may not be suitable for certain listeners. * If you have a transformative near-death experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• 3 | Twenty Minutes Left To Live

  First, they prepared for a missile. Years later, it was fire that came. Annelise Cochran was working aboard a whale research vessel off the coast of Lahaina, Hawaii, when the state's missile alert system issued a terrifying false warning: a ballistic missile from North Korea was inbound. Everyone on board braced for the end. It didn’t come—but in many ways, it was a dark premonition. Five years later, Annelise found herself facing a real catastrophe. As wildfires swept through Lahaina with brutal speed, she and her friends fought for survival over eight harrowing hours. One of them didn’t make it. This episode is a haunting and deeply human story of foresight, loss, and the raw resilience it takes to face a world unraveling. It’s a powerful reminder of how community, resourcefulness, and inner strength can anchor us through the chaos of disaster. Story producer: Brent Dey. Other Resources: Annelise GoFundMe Pacific Whale Foundation Maui Mutual Aid Warning: This series contains graphic descriptions of trauma, violence, abuse, and other content that may not be suitable for certain listeners. * If you have a transformative experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• 2 | River of Blood

  In June 2020, Manuel Bayo Gisbert was kidnapped by armed men and teenagers tortured, and held captive until his family paid his ransom. His story, unfortunately, is a familiar one in Mexico — where more than 116,000 people (as the official number goes) have been disappeared and possibly murdered. But unlike so many, Manuel survived. Unable to shake the ghosts of that night, he set out to photograph and interview families who have lost loved ones to cartel and government-sponsored violence. His perspective is unique in that he developed a relationship with the young men on the night they tortured him, and came to realize that they are victims too – of a much larger system. Before his release, covered in blood with multiple broken bones and horribly beaten, Manuel’s captors started a conversation with him while on the ride back down the mountain to let him go. They talked for two hours- while he was coughing up blood and writhing in pain. They were teenagers- they weren’t in charge of the operation. They were 15 year old boys with assault rifles— they told him that they had targeted him because he was filming and had a camera. They wanted to know if he was a filmmaker. He told them that he was, and they suggested that he make a film about this very incident. They also asked if he would invite them to the screening when he completed the movie. At that moment, he realized that these kids were victims too. And though he’d lost his dignity, and had his sense of self and autonomy was destroyed forever, he still had his humanity— but these kids did not. These kids had lost their humanity.Now he goes back into the same neighborhoods, where he was abducted, to interview and help families who have also missing loved ones. Besides the derivative potential of this incredible story, Manuel needs funding for the documentary he’s making about the 116,000 people that have gone missing in Mexico. From Alive Again producer and host, Dan Bush. For more about Manuel and his work, go to: https://www.manuelbayogisbert.com Warning: This series contains graphic descriptions of trauma, violence, abuse, and other content that may not be suitable for certain listeners. * If you have a transformative experience to share, we’d love to hear your story. Please email us at [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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