In this episode, Layla speaks with Nat Rustom, a Lebanese clinical psychologist and co-founder of the Arab Psychedelic Society. Together, they explore psychedelic-assisted therapy through an Arab and culturally rooted lens. From the role of indigenous practices through community-based healing to the complexities of working with psychedelics within legal and cultural frameworks. Nat shares their personal journey into psychology and how reclaiming ancestral and regional knowledge can reshape mental healthcare in Arab communities.
💬 Topics Covered:
✔️ What psychedelic-assisted therapy can look like in Arab contexts
✔️ Nat’s journey into psychology and psychedelic work
✔️ MDMA, trauma, and culturally informed healing
✔️ Indigenous knowledge, local plant medicines, and ancestral practices
✔️ Legal and cultural challenges of integrating psychedelics into therapy
✔️ The mission and future of the Arab Psychedelic Society
✔️ Community care and collective healing beyond Western models
00:00 Introduction to Third Culture Therapy
00:10 Meet Nat Rustom: Clinical psychologist and co-founder of the Arab Psychedelic Society
00:57 Nat's journey into mental health and psychedelics
01:58 First encounter with MDMA
06:12 Cultural impact on psychedelic experiences
08:41 Culturally informed and rooted approaches in therapy
09:50 Challenges and opportunities in integrating psychedelics 14:43 The Arab psychedelic society: mission and initiatives
16:33 The role of psychedelics in trauma therapy
33:04 Future directions and hopes for psychedelic therapy in Arab communities
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