Psychedelics Today

In this episode of Psychedelics Today, Joe Moore speaks with Dr. Simon Ruffell, a London-based psychiatrist, researcher, and curandero-in-training in the López Maler lineage of the Shipibo tradition. Dr. Ruffell shares how his early fascination with psychiatry eventually led to a deep disillusionment with the limitations of conventional treatments—and a surprising pivot toward the Amazon. Now working at the intersection of Indigenous healing and clinical research, Ruffell describes his journey from medical school to shamanic apprenticeship. He offers insight into the Shipibo understanding of illness across three planes—spiritual, psychological, and physical—and how these ideas challenge Western frameworks. The conversation explores critical questions about the psychedelic renaissance: Are current clinical models missing the energetic and spiritual dimensions of healing? What are the risks of poorly held psychedelic sessions, and how can Indigenous knowledge guide safer practices? Dr. Ruffell advocates for dee