In this episode of Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ (founder of www.lawayra.com) has a conversation with Dr. Chandra Khalifian, a clinical psychologist, researcher, and educator based in San Diego. Chandra is a pioneer in psychedelic-assisted couple therapy and co-founder of ENA, a clinic and research center focused on healing relationships through ketamine and MDMA-assisted therapy.

We touch upon topics of:

• Ketamine-assisted couple therapy and its origins [00:02:00]
• Intimacy development and trust violations in relationships [00:06:00]
• PTSD in couples and how MDMA therapy helps [00:10:00]
• Why "it’s never about the dishes" – deeper relational wounds [00:14:00]
• How psychedelics like Ayahuasca can shift ego and improve relationships [00:16:00]
• The challenge of integrating solo psychedelic work in a couple dynamic [00:18:00]
• The idea of conscious uncoupling with psychedelics [00:20:00]
• Ketamine’s safety, addictive potential, and dosing differences [00:25:00]
• The published framework for ketamine-assisted couple therapy [00:28:00]
• Attachment styles, co-dependency, and emotional regulation in couples [00:31:00]
• Teaching couples to validate each other’s emotional experiences [00:34:00]
• Integration tools and the need for more research on psychedelic couple therapy [00:38:00]
• A powerful story of forgiveness during a ketamine-assisted session [00:42:00]

If you would like to attend one of our Ayahuasca retreats go to www.lawayra.com

Find more about Dr. Chandra Khalifian at www.enamarie.org or contact her directly at [email protected].