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In this episode of the Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations podcast, I interview Dr. Will Van Derveer, integrative psychiatrist, educator, and co-author of Psychedelic Therapy, about a topic that many people are curious about – but may also feel cautious or even uncomfortable discussing: psychedelic-assisted therapy. While these therapies are still considered taboo in some circles, they are becoming an increasingly important part of the conversation around trauma, treatment-resistant mental health challenges, and root-cause healing.
Dr. Van Derveer has done extensive clinical research and trained over a thousand healthcare professionals. Through a grounded, safety-first perspective, he explains why psychedelic-assisted therapy is completely different from recreational drug use, why the right setting and professional support are crucial, and how these therapies may help uncover trauma patterns that can impact not only mental health, but also immune health, thyroid symptoms, and overall well-being.
We also explore the connections between trauma and chronic illness, why some people stay stuck even after years of talk therapy, and how approaches like EMDR, somatic work, and psychedelic-assisted therapy may help people access deeper healing.
Trauma is an emerging root cause of autoimmunity, and psychedelic-assisted therapy is emerging as an option for trauma, but this is not a DIY endeavor and can be dangerous if done incorrectly. If you’ve ever wondered how unresolved trauma can shape your health – or why it can be so hard to move forward even when you “know better” – this is a fascinating and thoughtful episode.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- Why psychedelic-assisted therapy is not the same as recreational drug use. Dr. Van Derveer explains that these therapies are used in highly specific clinical settings, with careful screening, preparation, dosing, and follow-up. He also shares why trying to replicate these experiences on your own can be risky, unpredictable, and potentially dangerous, highlighting the critical role of trained practitioners in creating a therapeutic (not recreational) environment.
- How unresolved trauma may become an overlooked root cause in chronic illness. Trauma can affect inflammation, immune function, the HPA axis, and even autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s. This is especially relevant for people with thyroid issues, who may have focused only on the physical side of healing while missing an important emotional piece.
- Why talk therapy alone may not always be enough. Some people can clearly identify their patterns, understand their trauma intellectually, and still feel stuck. Dr. Van Derveer shares why layered or preverbal trauma may require different approaches, including EMDR, somatic therapies, or psychedelic-assisted therapy, to help people access healing beyond words.
- The key differences between MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine in therapeutic settings. Each therapy has a distinct mechanism, duration, and use case. Dr. Van Derveer breaks down how MDMA is being studied for PTSD, psilocybin for depression, and ketamine for rapid symptom relief, and why clinical MDMA and psilocybin therapy may offer longer-lasting benefits.
- Why safety, preparation, and the right practitioner are everything. Dr. Van Derveer explains how improper dosing, lack of preparation, or the wrong environment can overwhelm the nervous system – while skilled guidance can support meaningful and lasting healing.
- How trauma healing may improve thyroid antibodies and autoimmune flares. While psychedelic-assisted therapy is not a magic bullet, Dr. Van Derveer has observed improvements not only in mental health symptoms, but also in markers like thyroid antibodies and autoimmune flare frequency, reinforcing the deep connection between emotional and immune health.
I’m so happy to share that Dr. Van Derveer’s new book, Psychedelic Therapy: A Revolutionary Approach to Restoring Your Mental Health and Reclaiming Your Life, just launched! Whether you’re exploring this path for yourself, supporting a loved one, or wanting a clearer understanding from the clinical side, this book offers a balanced, safety-first perspective to help you make informed decisions.
Guest Resources / Connect with Dr. Will Van Derveer
- Integrative Psychiatry Institute – Dr. Van Derveer’s website and training platform focused on integrative psychiatry and psychedelic-assisted therapy.
- Follow Dr. Van Derveer on X, Instagram, and LinkedIn
Supplements We Discussed
- Omega-3 fatty acids – Dr. Van Derveer shared that omega-3s are one of his personal staples for mood and brain support. Consider Pure Encapsulations EPA/DHA Essentials.
- 5-HTP – Mentioned conceptually in the context of serotonin support after heavy MDMA exposure, not as a blanket recommendation. (If you don’t have a Fullscript account, you can use my credentials to create one here.)
- DL-phenylalanine – Discussed as a possible precursor support for catecholamines in theory, rather than a formal protocol.
- L-tyrosine – Also mentioned conceptually for dopamine and norepinephrine support, depending on the situation.
Other Tools and Resources
- The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma – Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
- The Biology of Trauma: How Stress and Stored Trauma Fuel Autoimmunity and Hashimoto’s (with Dr. Aimie Apigian) – My podcast episode and show notes about the links between unresolved trauma and thyroid healing.
- Weaponized Empathy: Why “Nice” Girls Get Sick in Trauma Bond Relationships (with Dr. Nadine Macaluso) – My podcast episode and show notes about trauma bonding, from the ex-wife of the real-life “Wolf of Wall Street.”
- EMDR therapy – A trauma-focused therapy that may be especially helpful for single-event trauma and some more recent traumatic experiences.
- Somatic therapies – Body-based approaches that may help access trauma held outside of narrative memory.
- Functional medicine evaluation – Helpful for identifying contributors such as gut dysfunction, mold exposure, Lyme disease, nutrient deficiencies, and inflammation.
- Lifestyle medicine – Sleep, movement, stress reduction, nutrition, and relationships all play a major role in recovery and resilience.
- Careful psychiatric screening – Important for determining whether someone is an appropriate candidate for psychedelic-assisted therapy.
- Therapeutic preparation and integration – Dr. Van Derveer emphasizes that the healing is not just in the session itself, but in the work before and after it.
Books and Articles About Trauma, Mental Health, and Root-Cause Healing
- Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis and Hashimoto’s
- The Fundamental Gut Health Protocol
- Are Your Adrenals Sabotaging Your Health?
- Root Causes of Depression and Hashimoto’s
- Strategies to Overcome Anxiety with Hashimoto’s
- The OCD and Hashimoto’s Connection
- Why Thyroid Antibodies Matter
- Could Nutritional Lithium Benefit or Hurt Hashimoto’s?
- Are You Going Crazy or Is It Just Your Thyroid?
Get the Full Episode Transcript
Let’s Connect!
- Follow me on Instagram: @izabellawentzpharmd
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Got questions? Drop them in the comments! 🙂
About Our Host
Dr. Izabella Wentz
Dr. Izabella Wentz is a compassionate, innovative, solution-focused integrative pharmacist dedicated to finding the root causes of chronic health conditions. Her passion stems from her own diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in 2009, following a decade of debilitating symptoms.
Dr. Izabella Wentz has written several best-selling books, including the New York Times bestseller Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause, the protocol-based #1 New York Times bestseller Hashimoto’s Protocol: A 90-Day Plan for Reversing Thyroid Symptoms and Getting Your Life Back, the Wall Street Journal bestseller Hashimoto’s Food Pharmacology: Nutrition Protocols and Healing Recipes to Take Charge of Your Thyroid Health, and Adrenal Transformation Protocol. Her latest book, IBS: Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, is available for order here.
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About Our Guest
Will Van Derveer, MD is a psychiatrist at the forefront of the movement to upgrade mental healthcare by addressing root causes of suffering, rather than only medicating symptoms. He has been practicing for almost 25 years with the view that anyone can heal given the right supports.
After staffing several psychedelic therapy clinical trials, Dr. Van Derveer co-founded Integrative Psychiatry Institute (IPI), which has trained 10,000 licensed professionals in integrative psychiatry and psychedelic-assisted therapy. He is a graduate of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
His book, Psychedelic Therapy: Restore Your Mental Health and Reclaim Your Life was released March 31st, 2026.
Dr. Van Derveer is co-host of the Higher Practice Podcast, where he explores what it takes to achieve optimal mental health.
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