Andrew Feldmar's 50 years of Guiding Psychedelic Journey's, A Warning | Radically Genuine | Ep. 229

In this episode, Dr. Roger McFillin speaks with psychotherapist Andrew Feldmar about what happens when psychedelics are pulled into the same system that gave us decades of failed psychiatric drugs. They break down the push to fast-track these substances through the FDA, the role of pharma and government control, and what gets lost when something rooted in human connection is turned into a clinical product.

This episode focuses on the deeper issue underneath it all: the medicalization of suffering. They challenge the idea that despair, anxiety, and trauma are disorders to be fixed, reframing them as human responses shaped by environment and experience.

Bio:

Andrew Feldmar is a Vancouver-based psychologist and psychotherapist. His approach to therapy seeks to reconnect patients to the joys of everyday life by relying on loving, living relationships, rather than the alienation of the classical doctor–patient relationship. He was born in Hungary during WWII (1940), and after the 1956 revolution was defeated, he immigrated to Canada on his own at the age of sixteen. He graduated with honors from the University of Toronto with a BA in mathematics, physics, and chemistry, as well as an MA in psychology from the University of Western Ontario. He has been a psychotherapist since 1969.

During 1974–75, he spent a year in London, England, intensively studying and training in the practice of psychotherapy under the renowned Scottish psychiatrist R. D. Laing. During this year, he also studied with Francis Huxley (the anthropology of healing), John Heaton (existential psychotherapy), Hugh Crawford (community therapy), and Leon Redler (spiritual emergency). These relationships became lifelong friendships.

Feldmár also worked with Stanislav Grof, one of the founders of transpersonal psychology, at the Esalen Institute in California, and gained additional experience at Hollywood Hospital, where LSD was legally used for research and therapy. He also studied and worked in Palo Alto with Paul Watzlawick.

When psychedelic research resumed, Feldmár participated in a 2008 research study sponsored by MAPS Canada to demonstrate the efficacy of MDMA as an adjunct to psychotherapy for patients with severe PTSD. He also served as a mentor in the California Institute of Integral Studies’ program in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies and Research. Over the years, he has taught, lectured, and led workshops worldwide, collaborated with the United Nations, and acted as a consultant for television and film productions.

Andrew Feldmár has published over 30 books in Hungarian. His first book in English, Credo: R. D. Laing and Radical Psychotherapy, was published in the UK by Karnac Books in 2023. His second book in English, Radical Adventure: An Inquiry into Psychedelic Psychotherapy, was published in the UK in 2025 by Karnac Books.

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Dr. Roger McFillin is a Clinical Psychologist with over two decades of experience. This show challenges mainstream mental health narratives with unfiltered insights and evidence-based strategies. It’s not just another self-help podcast, it’s a direct exploration of what it takes to overcome life’s toughest challenges without the limitations of traditional therapy-speak.

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DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare providers before making any changes to medications or treatments.