Truth Medicine: From Holocaust Shadows to Psychedelic Healing with Michael Shapiro
From Innerspace: Deep, Meaningful Conversations with Brett Kaufman by Brett Kaufman
March 5, 2026 · 1h 5m
About this episode
Michael Shapiro shares his journey from the shadows of the Holocaust to healing through psychedelic therapy and the importance of community in transformation.
Michael Shapiro grew up in the shadow of the Holocaust. His grandmother survived Auschwitz. His grandfather was a Nazi slave soldier. By the time Michael was 12, he was self-medicating with drugs. By 15, he was having mystical experiences in the forest. By 48, he had become a Buddhist monk, a clinical psychologist, a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand, and the author of Truth Medicine: Healing and Living Authentically Through Psychedelic Psychotherapy. This is a conversation about what it actually takes to heal. Not the shortcut version. The real version. Michael and Brett go deep on intergenerational trauma and why we carry our ancestors' wounds in our bodies, the difference between using psychedelic medicine recreationally and using it as a doorway into serious inner work, the sister's letter that cracked Michael open at 19, and why true transformation requires community, not just ceremony. If you've ever wondered whether you're doing enough work, or whether the work is even worth it, this episode is for you. Truth Medicine is available wherever books are sold.
People in this episode
Host: Brett Kaufman
Guest: Michael Shapiro
Topics covered
- intergenerational trauma
- psychedelic medicine
- healing
- Buddhism
- authentic living
- community
Keywords
- Holocaust
- psychedelic healing
- intergenerational trauma
- Buddhist monk
- clinical psychologist
- mystical experiences
- authenticity
- community
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Truth Medicine: Healing and Living Authentically Through Psychedelic Psychotherapy
Places: Thailand, Auschwitz
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