Decoding Psychedelics with Dr. Grace Blest-Hopley from Decoding Women's Health

Decoding Psychedelics with Dr. Grace Blest-Hopley from Decoding Women's Health

From Story of the Week with Joel Stein by Pushkin Industries

January 27, 2026 · 48 min · Season 1

About this episode

Dr. Grace Blest-Hopley discusses the potential of psychedelics in treating trauma and other health issues in women.

What if psychedelics could transform the way we treat trauma, chronic pain, and insomnia? This week, neuroscientist and psychedelic researcher Grace Blest-Hopley joins the show to break down the research on psychedelics and female biology. She discusses how psychedelics work in the brain, and the ways that psychedelic-assisted therapies might be beneficial for women in midlife. Links to resources mentioned in this episode: Hystelica’s resources on psychedelic retreats The Heroic Hearts Project Psychedelics and Neuroplasticity: A Systematic Review Unraveling the Biological Underpinnings of Psychedelics Exploring the Therapeutic Effects of Psychedelics Administered to Military Veterans in Naturalistic Retreat Settings The acute effects of classic psychedelics on memory in humans Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Johns Hopkins study on psychedelics and Alzheimer’s Note: In this show…

People in this episode

Host: Joel Stein

Guest: Dr. Grace Blest-Hopley

Topics covered

  • psychedelics
  • female biology
  • mental health
  • trauma treatment
  • chronic pain
  • insomnia
  • neuroscience

Keywords

  • psychedelics
  • trauma
  • chronic pain
  • insomnia
  • female health
  • neuroscience
  • therapy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Decoding Women's Health, Hystelica, The Heroic Hearts Project, Johns Hopkins

Books & works: Psychedelics and Neuroplasticity: A Systematic Review, Unraveling the Biological Underpinnings of Psychedelics, Exploring the Therapeutic Effects of Psychedelics Administered to Military Veterans in Naturalistic Retreat Settings, The acute effects of classic psychedelics on memory in humans, Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up, Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression, Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial

More episodes of Story of the Week with Joel Stein

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Story of the Week with Joel Stein podcast page.