Akasa Journeys

05/22/2026

Akasa Journeys in the news. We were in Vice Magazine in 2018 and again now in 2026!

Vice magazine: "Tripsitting the Mega Rich"

“In [Johnson’s] case, it feels like it’s something for him to do,” says Paul Antico. “Like, he could do a lot of things in life, but it’s just something he’s into doing right now.” Antico either has beautiful natural curls, or a perm. “I love your name,” he says. “I love your hair,” I reply. Weeks have passed since I spoke to Antico over Zoom, but he remains a consistent liker of my Instagram stories. By virtue of the fact that Antico thinks I’m funny rather than depraved, I reckon he’d be a great person to do a load of mushrooms with.

To be fair, that’s Antico’s approach: no frills. “The more salesy people are like, ‘OK, we’ve got this package, we’re gonna carry your trauma,’” he tells me. “You can’t guarantee that to people.” Antico started Akasa Journeys in 2018. Back then, he was one of the only tripsitters around. Nearly ten years later, things have “gotten a little crazy,” and the important stuff has, he says, been lost in the noise. “It’s the process, not the medicine,” he explains. “People get all hung up on, ‘Well, I did albino pen*s-envy mushrooms versus golden teachers.’ What strain did they use in all the studies? There was no strain because it was pure synthetic psilocybin.” And the people facilitating 5-MeO-DMT? “God complexes,” Antico concludes. “Not all of them, but they tend to more than others…”

Professional drug babysitters are getting paid to watch the world’s wealthiest people lose their minds. VICE asked them for secrets.

05/03/2026

"Psychedelics are not the therapy itself; they're what makes the therapy work."

https://www.tricycleday.com/p/gul-dolen

Fascinating short interview with Gül Dölan, a psychedelic researcher to know about if you don't already

12/18/2025

Finally some movement on cannabis!

Ma*****na will be federally rescheduled under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Thursday. The directive also aims to address federal h**p laws to promote access to full-spectrum CBD that could be covered under federal health insurance plans. Months after Trump said a decision on...

08/13/2025

I'll be a guest on this episode of "Fifty Shades of Bu****it" talking about psychedelics! Should be fun!

Listen LIVE Thurs 4 pm or later wherever podcasts are listed.

08/07/2025

✨ Free Rosen Method Bodywork Sessions in DTLA ✨

I'm currently offering free Rosen Method Bodywork sessions as I complete the final 100 hours of my certification training (out of 350 required). These sessions take place in Downtown Los Angeles with free parking available.

Rosen is a gentle, non-invasive form of bodywork that helps bring awareness to the places we hold tension—physically and emotionally. Through attuned touch and presence, it creates space for deep relaxation, emotional clarity, and connection to your inner experience.

If you’ve been curious about body-based healing or simply want to feel more at home in your body, this is a wonderful opportunity.

Learn more or request a session here:
👉 https://akasajourneys.com/schedule-a-rosen-session

Feel free to share or tag anyone who might be interested. 🙏

08/05/2025

This is one of the most powerful experiential trainings I’ve come across for truly learning how to hold space and be present.

As an intern Rosen practitioner, it’s hard to put into words the internal shifts I’ve experienced through this work. And you don’t have to be—or want to be—a bodyworker to receive the deep benefits this training offers.

Unlike most psychedelic trainings, which often lack embodied or relational practice, this is entirely experiential—without ever needing to mention psychedelics.

07/17/2025

An open-label, dose-escalation trial of psilocybin-assisted therapy for bipolar 2 depression

People with bipolar II disorder (BD-II) and depression often don’t have many treatment options. They’re usually left out of studies on psilocybin (the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms) because of concerns that it could trigger mania or psychosis. But psilocybin has shown promise in treating depression when paired with therapy.

This small study tested whether psilocybin therapy could be safe and helpful for people with BD-II who were experiencing moderate to severe depression. Fourteen participants first received a low dose (10 mg), and if they still had symptoms, they got a higher dose (25 mg) three weeks later. They also had therapy before, during, and after the sessions, and were closely monitored.

What they found:

Psilocybin was generally well tolerated.

Some participants had mild side effects like anxiety, nausea, or headaches.

Three people had more serious reactions (like suicidal thoughts or mild mania), but all resolved with support.

Depression scores improved significantly at each follow-up, and participants reported a better quality of life three months later.

The takeaway:
Psilocybin therapy might be safe and helpful for treating depression in people with BD-II when done carefully and with support. Serious negative effects were no more common than in other psilocybin studies. Still, larger, controlled studies are needed to confirm how well it works and how best to use it.

Background: Individuals with bipolar II disorder (BD-II) and depression face limited treatment options and are often excluded from psilocybin therapy trials due to theoretical concerns of precipitating mania or psychosis. Although psilocybin has demonstrated antidepressant effects when combined with...

07/13/2025

https://www.iflscience.com/psilocybin-shows-potential-in-slowing-human-cell-aging-and-increasing-lifespan-in-mice-79928

The magic mushroom compound extended the life of cells by 57 percent.

07/08/2025

A powerful new way to support nervous system regulation: https://vimeo.com/1080135307

I’m now offering the Rest and Restore Protocol—a gentle, music-based program using the Sonocea® technology featured in this video. As a certified provider, I integrate RRP into therapeutic work to help clients shift out of chronic stress patterns and return to a state of balance and ease.

Let me know if you’d like to learn more.

The Minute Everything Changed is a short story about origin, connection, and the science of sound. It marks the founding moment of Sonocea®, the world’s…

06/11/2025

You’re invited to tomorrow’s webinar:
Using Social Science for Progress on Psychedelics
Thursday, June 12th at 3pm Eastern / Noon Pacific

We’ll be sharing new findings from our national survey on public perceptions of psychedelics, strategies for effective communication, and insights into public support for policy reform. We’re especially eager to hear from members of local psychedelics organizations—your feedback will help shape the next phase of our work.

We’ll also be previewing the Social Insights Hub, an initiative we’re developing in collaboration with MAPS to support the broader psychedelics movement with data-driven insights.

The session will be interactive, so please bring your questions and ideas! Looking forward to the conversation.

P.S. Feel free to share the invitation with anyone who might want to join. It’s free and open to all.

Join XandY's free online presentation to hear about our recent national survey data on public perception of psychedelics, communication strategy, and support for policy reform. We are seeking input from members of local psychedelics organizations so that we can better understand what kinds of data a...