Bringing Psychedelic Research to the Rave w/ Rachel Simon

About this Episode

What can we learn about psychedelics by studying how people actually use them in the real world?

In this episode of the MAPS Canada Podcast, host Matt Hamel speaks with psychedelic researcher and MAPS Canada volunteer Rachel Simon about her research investigating psychedelic use in music festival and rave environments.

Rachel recently completed her Master’s of Science in Psychology at McMaster University, where her research explored the mechanisms underlying long-term change following psychedelic experiences. After encountering challenges recruiting participants through clinical settings, Rachel began asking a different question: why not conduct psychedelic research where people are actually using psychedelics?

This led to a naturalistic, longitudinal research initiative taking place at music festivals across Canada, including Shambhala Music Festival in British Columbia and VELD in Toronto. Rachel also shares some of the creative approaches she has taken to recruiting participants, including using QR codes on bracelets and festival totems, and explains how being a festival attendee herself helped her develop a more natural and authentic approach to engaging participants.

The conversation also looks toward the future of naturalistic psychedelic research, including Rachel’s vision for developing dedicated research hubs at music festivals and expanding the study of psychedelic use beyond the traditional clinical setting.

To connect with Rachel or to learn more about her research, Rachel can be reached on LinkedIn and via email: simonr1@mcmaster.ca

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Working with partners in government, business, and the community, MAPS Canada is committed to advancing psychedelic medicine by supporting scientific, multidisciplinary research; advocating for drug policy reform; offering public education; and supporting equitable access to legal and regulated psychedelic medicine in Canada.

The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) was formed in the US in 1986, in response to the US Drug Enforcement Agency’s classification of MDMA as Schedule 1 substance, and has been developing medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics since then.

MAPS Canada was founded as a sister organization to MAPS in 2011, and is a registered Canadian non-profit organization. Based in Vancouver and with hundreds of volunteers from across Canada, MAPS Canada is moving forward to become the leading Canadian source of information, resources and advocacy regarding psychedelic medicine and related clinical research, education, and public policy.

Learn More at https://mapscanada.org/about/

MAPS Canada is entirely funded by public donation and your support really makes a difference. Find out about all the ways you can support MAPS Canada’s mission by visiting our donation link https://mapscanada.org/donate/

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