Psychedelics in a Climate Crisis Era - Invites, a Recap & More
Dear friends and colleagues,
Thank you to our speakers, advisors, breakout leaders, and friends who kicked off Earth Month at NeueHouse for “Psychedelics—Healing the Self, Community & Natural World.” With mental health pioneers, climate activists, land stewards, and facilitators, the speakers and breakouts fostered inspiration and co-creation—ICYMI, watch the video.
You can still participate! We’re unpacking the event’s data to help shape our next initiatives: 1) Journey protocols to inhabit nature & inspire action and 2) Climate action preparation & integration resources. If you have ideas to share, please add them to our survey. Read on for our latest and more ways to get involved…
Do you enjoy being in community? Become a member. Would you like your organization highlighted at a future event or in our newsletter? Become a brand sponsor. Do you have the resources to help us grow, or know someone who does? Become a donor. Interested in any of the above? Set up a time with us to chat or ask questions. For a limited time, the next contributions for any of the above, or nonprofits highlighted during the evening will receive a free gift from our friends at Portier (Urban Indigenous Collective, Indiqueer, Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund, Chacruna, Climate Mental Health Network, PSYCA).
PSYCA Member Spotlight: Leonie Staas’ Personal Essay, “Psychedelics in the Era of Climate Crisis”
In this powerful personal essay, PSYCA member Leonie Staas shares her journey from a high-impact role at the International Energy Agency into climate grief, burnout, and ultimately, a renewed sense of purpose through psychedelic healing.
Despite working at the center of global energy policy, she felt increasingly paralyzed by despair—until psychedelics opened a path toward inner resilience, acceptance, and reconnection with life.
Now an advocate with PsychedeliCare.EU, Leonie explores how psychedelics can help us metabolize ecological grief and move from paralyzing anxiety into compassionate, courageous climate action. Her story is a deeply moving reminder that healing ourselves is integral to healing the world.
Earth Day, Bicycle Day & 420 Happening in the Same Week!
A trifecta: one week, three ways to reconnect with nature, mind, and spirit. If you’re not familiar, Bicycle Day celebrates April 19, 1943, when Dr. Albert Hofmann first took LSD and experienced its effects while riding home. It marks the birth of a Western psychedelic era—a moment of expanded consciousness, curiosity, and awe for the natural world.
Friends of PSYCA - Community News!
NYC: BPS’ Bicycle Day 4/19, Bike Ride & Picnic
Join the Brooklyn Psychedelic Society for a bike ride followed by a picnic at Prospect Park, celebrating the legacy of Albert Hofmann and the 82nd anniversary of the world’s first LSD trip. Itinerary: 1:45pm - Meet at Grand Army Plaza. / 2:00pm - Depart for one loop ride around Prospect Park / 3pm - Picnic
SF: Regenerate the Bay Fest 4/19, 10am-2pm PT
Visit PSYCA friend Indy Rishi Singh at CREEC for an interactive, immersive bioregional experience bringing together local policymakers, Regenerative farmers a& environmentalists, climate leaders, educators, healthcare professionals, and more. Expect to get dirty while planting local native species, practicing bioremediation on the bay delta, and supporting the local biodiversity.
Global: Biomimicry Institute’s Anniversary Picnics 4/22
This Earth Week, Biomimicry Institute is celebrating 20 years of learning from nature—and we want you to be part of it, right in your own backyard! Join us in Prospect Park. Not near New York? 🌎 Head to their Events Page to find the Biomimicry Picnic closest to you. Join us for a casual community picnic where we’ll connect with nature, each other, and the inspiring world of biomimicry.
NYC: LSD, Legacy & Future of Psychedelic Policy 4/24, 6pm
Dubbed “the acid king,” William Leonard Pickard was at the center of the most legendary LSD case in U.S. history. Today, he serves as a senior advisor to JLS Fund, a leading investment fund in the psychedelic space, and is also a research affiliate at Harvard Law School. Join us at NeueHouse with Orbit for a fireside chat facilitated by psychedelic researcher and Founder of Hello SciCom, Sarah Rose Siskind, as Pickard reflects on the past and looks ahead—illuminating what’s next for psychedelics, policy, and cultural change.
NYC: Psychedelics and the Soul: Simon Yugler in Conversation with Carlos Ancalmo, Psychedelic Assembly, 4/29, 6:30-9:30pm
A mythological journey through 10 archetypes of psychedelic healing: ancient stories, tangible tools, and depth psychology insights. Designed for a new generation of psychedelic facilitators and seekers, Psychedelics and the Soul invokes the traditions of Jungian depth psychology, mythology, and Indigenous cultural wisdom to meet a critical question of our times: How can the emerging field of psychedelic medicine heal the soul amid planetary crisis and collective opportunity?
Miami Dates: Cannadelic 5/23-24 & PSYCA Event 5/25
Cannabis, psychedelics, and holistic wellness collide in a mind-expanding weekend of discovery, community, and transformation. In 2022, Cannadelic became the first-ever hybrid cannabis & psychedelic conference & expo. The event drew some of the biggest names in both cannabis and psychedelics and thousands of attendees. In July of 2022, Cannadelic Miami Edu was held at Florida International University marking the first time an event of its kind was held at a major university.
PSYCA Miami Ambassador Yadira Diaz and Founder Marissa Feinberg are grateful to be included in a fireside at this year’s Cannadelic and host a side event—details TBA.
EU: Have you signed the PsychedeliCare Initiative? Help Today!
There is a mental health crisis: more than 1 in 6 people face mental health issues, with an estimated cost of over 600 billion euros per year across the EU. This staggering statistic shows that long-term, effective treatments are urgently needed to provide lasting relief for millions and reduce the economic burden on our communities.
This Bicycle Day, we’re proud to support PsychedeliCare—a campaign to bring safe and regulated psychedelic-assisted therapy to those in need across Europe. Our goal is to collect 1 million signatures by January 2026, and every single signature makes a difference. Please take a moment to sign the campaign and share it with your friends, communities, and social networks to help spread the word.
Global: Join us at Psychedelic Science 2025, the Largest Gathering for the Ecosystem - PSYCA is a Community Partner!
Join us at Psychedelic Science 2025: The Integration, happening June 16–20 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. This is more than a conference—it’s a collective moment to come together, connect across disciplines, and shape the future of psychedelic science and healing.
Use our promo code PSYCA15 for 15% off your registration, and be part of a historic gathering where The Integration becomes real.
Thank you for reading! Your replies are welcome—please share anything you love about PSYCA and any suggestions for how we can improve or contribute.
We are now accepting news submissions from our community, not just our community partners! Have some news to share? Submit it here for consideration.
Marissa
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Marissa Feinberg
Founder
Triple Bottom Why
Psychedelics for Climate Action (PSYCA)
LI / IG