Summary
Overview
Tanya DeYoung, co-founder of Mind Medicine Australia, shares how she and her husband led the groundbreaking campaign that made Australia the first country to allow MDMA and psilocybin prescription for psychiatric conditions in 2023. With no background in psychedelics, she details the strategic, methodical approach they used to change an entire nation's drug policy - from recruiting world-class advisors and training clinicians to persistent advocacy with regulators and building a massive grassroots movement.
The Catalyst: A Blog Post Changes Everything
Tanya's journey began in 2015 when she discovered Tim Ferriss's blog post about donating to psilocybin research. Despite never having used any substances, she convinced her husband to try psilocybin therapy in the Netherlands. The profound mystical experience transformed how she saw nature and relationships, taking a full year to integrate. This led them to explore whether these medicines could help the millions suffering from mental illness, trauma, and disadvantage they encountered through their charitable work.
- Discovered Tim Ferriss's blog about donating $100,000 to psilocybin research in December 2015
- Flew to Netherlands for guided psilocybin experience despite being petrified and having never used any drugs
- Experienced profound mystical states and never saw nature the same way again - every seashell, cloud, and leaf was transformed
- Took a full year to integrate the experience, letting the 'snow globe settle'
- Realized these medicines could help people suffering from homelessness, domestic violence, unemployment - all underpinned by trauma and mental illness
" I never saw a single piece of nature the same since that day. So every seashell, cloud, leaf, blade of grass, just everything was transformed by that experience. And I could see the energy in everything. "
" If this is having this impact on us, imagine if this could be applied to all the people who are suffering with like homelessness or domestic violence or unemployment or disabilities. Underpinning all kinds of disadvantage is usually some kind of mental illness, some kind of trauma. "
Building the Movement: From Zero to Global Network
After their second psilocybin experience was even more profound, Rick Doblin suggested they start a charity in Australia. In 2018, they launched Mind Medicine Australia and began meeting researchers worldwide at conferences. Tanya's unexpected talent - singing - became the key that opened doors, getting her invited to speak at the USONA conference where she met the field's leading scientists. Her connection to Ram Dass, including living at his Hawaii home, added credibility and inspiration to their mission.
- Rick Doblin encouraged them to set up a charity in Australia in 2018
- Started attending conferences worldwide and meeting all major researchers in the field
- Sang at USONA conference in Wisconsin, which helped her connect with Roland Griffiths, Robin Carhart-Harris, and other key researchers
- Spent a week living at Ram Dass's house in Hawaii after making a donation, meditating and having ceremonies with him
- Built world-leading advisory panel of 75 experts by simply reaching out and asking people to join
" We're all walking each other home. And I think that's one of the really most important things that these medicines teach you, that we're all here together. We've come from whatever that place is. We're going back to whatever that place is. "
" You never know until you ask. And most people never ask. And you know what? All you have to do is ask. And it's amazing how many people say yes. Literally just about no one has said no to us to join our advisory panel. "
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