Listen To The Podcast
Listen to the Latest Episodes of Medicine With The Medals
Hosted by husband and wife team Mark and Michele Medal, the show dives
deep into what it really means to heal: physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Through their compassionate lens and lived experience, they hold space for raw, vulnerable stories that explore trauma, transformation, and
the sacred path back to wholeness. Together with their guests, they unravel the layers of healing work
From ancient plant wisdom to modern psychedelic therapies, inviting listeners into a space of reflection, remembrance, and reconnection.
Dive into every powerful conversation, vulnerable moment, and
transformation journey shared on the show. New episodes drop regularly and cover topics like:
Join us as we dive into the fascinating realm of plant medicines, covering a wide range of topics from herbs and botanicals to psychedelic substances. Our expert hosts and guest speakers will take you on a captivating journey, sharing insights, research, and personal stories that shed light on the potential of these powerful remedies.
We believe in the holistic approach to healing and the wisdom of traditional practices. Our episodes provide valuable knowledge on psychedelic plant medicines like ayahuasca and psilocybin mushrooms, which offer potential breakthroughs in mental health treatment.
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 regulation
Why integration matters more than the ceremony itself in psychedelic healing
What a trauma-informed ayahuasca container actually looks like
How to responsibly bridge psychotherapy and plant medicine work
Why embodiment and shadow integration are essential for ethical psychedelic facilitation
Episode Highlights:
01:05 – From off-grid farming to understanding food as medicine
02:40 – Discovering the gut-brain connection and mental health awareness
04:10 – Addiction recovery and researching ayahuasca as a healing modality
06:02 – First experience with ayahuasca at SoulQuest and long-term integration
08:15 – Founding Seraphia Spiritual Center after SoulQuest closed
09:40 – Designing a trauma-informed week-long ayahuasca retreat model
11:05 – Why mainstream conversations about plant medicine improve safety
Meet 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 Research
Trauma-Informed Psychedelic Facilitation
Week-Long Immersive Ayahuasca Retreat Model
Yoga-Based Integration Practices
Nervous System Regulation in Ceremony
Shadow Work and Embodied Leadership
Closing 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/1723629751
For the best in microdosing products and education, visithttp://mamadose.com
Connect with Lauren: https://www.facebook.com/lauren.pounds.9/Visit Seraphaya at https://www.seraphaya.org/
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