Apr 15, 2025
"Healing is not about fixing yourself, but embracing every part of who you are." – Marcela Ot’alora
In this powerful episode of the Disrupt Everything Podcast Series, host Isra García engages in an intimate and profound conversation with Marcela Ot’alora, a psychotherapist, artist, and visionary researcher in the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy.
With decades of experience blending psychotherapy, art, transpersonal psychology, and MDMA-assisted therapy, Marcela shares how suffering can be alchemized into healing through the power of presence, creativity, and safe connection.
As a lead therapist in MAPS’ groundbreaking MDMA clinical trials for PTSD, Marcela has pioneered new frameworks for trauma healing, emphasizing vulnerability, integration, and the creation of sacred therapeutic spaces.
"MDMA doesn’t heal people—what it does is create the space for them to heal themselves." – Marcela Ot’alora
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
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The truth about being a therapist in psychedelic-assisted therapy.
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How MDMA helps process trauma, grief, and emotional suffering.
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The essential role of creativity and art in therapy and inner reconnection.
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How to build safe and transformative spaces for healing.
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How psychedelic therapy differs from traditional psychotherapy.
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The lifelong nature of integration and the path to wholeness.
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Key ethical challenges and how to navigate them.
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The lasting benefits of non-ordinary states of consciousness.
Index of Contents:
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Marcela’s Journey – From Fine Arts to Psychedelic Therapy
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Her First MDMA Experience and its Transformative Power
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Authenticity, Connection, and the Therapist’s Role
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What She’s Learned from Working with Trauma
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Art as a Healing Medium
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How MDMA Reshapes Our Relationship with Emotions
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Ethical and Professional Challenges in the Psychedelic Space
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Integration as a Lifelong Practice
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Final Reflections on Healing, Wholeness, and Inner Peace
4 Key Quotes from Marcela Ot’alora:
“Integration is a lifelong process; healing doesn’t end with one experience—it’s about how you bring it into your life.”
“To be present in someone’s healing, I have to meet them with all of myself—my presence, my wounds, and my heart.”
“Trauma disassociates us from life. Healing is about re-associating with what we’ve been running from.”
“We are not broken. We are layered, and each layer deserves tenderness and compassion.”
Podcast Show Notes & Resources:
- Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) – MDMA Research
- Naropa University – Center for Psychedelic Studies
- Tim Ferriss Podcast featuring Marcela Ot’alora
- Advanced Trainings Podcast: Trauma, MDMA Psychotherapy, and the Body
- Chacruna Institute Interview with Marcela Ot’alora
- The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse