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In this groundbreaking episode of Life Beyond Loss, host Kelly Chandler sits down with Dr. Rebecca Lester, an anthropologist and licensed clinical social worker at Washington University’s Healthy Mind Lab and CHIRP (Center for Holistic and Interdisciplinary Research in Psychedelics). Drawing from her personal experience with eating disorders and her academic expertise in culture and mental health, Dr. Lester is pioneering research into psychedelic-assisted therapy as a revolutionary approach to treating mental distress. She discusses her journey from patient to researcher, the rigorous training required to become a psychedelic facilitator, and how these powerful substances can help people address the deep existential issues underlying conditions like eating disorders, addiction, and trauma—moving beyond symptom management to tackle root causes.
This episode is essential listening for mental health professionals, individuals struggling with treatment-resistant conditions, and anyone curious about the future of psychiatric care. Listeners will gain insight into how psychedelic therapy works at a neurological level to create new neural pathways, understand the critical importance of guided experiences versus unsupervised use, and learn why this approach represents a fundamental shift from traditional Western medicine’s focus on behavioral fixes. By the end, you’ll have a clearer understanding of how psychedelics are being studied as legitimate medical interventions, the safety protocols involved, and why this research could transform how we think about healing—not just for mental health, but for medicine as a whole.
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00:00 – Introduction & Guest Welcome
02:09 – Dr. Lester’s Background & Journey
03:08 – Mental Health Crisis in America
03:52 – Personal Story: From Patient to Researcher
06:42 – Transition to Psychedelic Research
07:48 – Anthropological Perspective on Psychedelics
09:00 – How Psychedelic Therapy Works
10:03 – Current Research & Training
11:45 – Patient Selection & Success Metrics
15:09 – The Neuroscience of Healing
19:22 – Research Funding & Team Dynamics
24:22 – Business Considerations & Future Challenges
26:11 – Traditional Treatment Failures
29:19 – Risks & Safety Protocols
32:36 – Societal Acceptance & Stigma
35:35 – Commercialization Concerns
37:51 – The Future of Medicine
38:32 – Where to Find Dr. Lester
39:19 – Closing
If you’re facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, call or text 988.
Caring counselors are there for you. You are not alone.
“Darkness is a breeding ground for creation. In order to see the light, we have to go through the darkness.”
It was 11:02pm. And it was Dale’s phone calling me. It was his friend. She found him in his apartment, and basically told me that he was in really bad shape. He was really hurt. I asked if she could help him, and she said, “No, I can’t.” And I just said, “Help him! Why can’t you help?”
I couldn’t even comprehend what she was trying to tell me. And a police officer got on the phone and confirmed who I was and then confirmed the news that Dale was gone. And so there I was in my hotel room, out of town, by myself.
“I often refer to myself as a recovering distracted driver. In the summer of 2016, I was as bad as anyone—steering with my knee, drinking coffee with one hand, and holding my phone with the other, thinking I was doing it safely. That all changed in an instant when I got the phone call about Mitchel. He was just a month into college, driving on a clear, dry morning, when a distracted driver rear-ended his car. It was preventable. It’s devastating to think how one glance at a phone can end a life.”
We’re all going to get damaged in some way. And we know that going into this, whether it be physically, mentally, emotionally, nobody walks away from this job unscathed. They just don’t. And I think that recognizing that early on can help prepare you for the inevitable difficulties you’re going to face down the line.
“People view it as they were in control, that it wasn’t dealt to them, they dealt it onto themselves. And I don’t think we know enough about mental health and the strength it has in making those decisions. It’s not about being weak. It’s not about not being loved. It’s about fighting a daily battle, a battle most people don’t understand.”
