Demystifying Psychedelics (with Michael Higgs and Martin Polanco

Mark speaks with Michael “Punky” Higgs and Dr. Martin Polanco of The Mission Within, a clinical program specializing in treating mTBI, PTSD, anxiety, and depression that has supported over 600 special operations veterans. After witnessing the transformative power of psychedelics, Michael and Martin became passionate about bringing the healing modalities to vets and their loved ones.

Today, Commander Divine speaks with Michael “Punky” Higgs and Dr. Martin Polanco of The Mission Within, a 6-week psychedelic therapy program for Special Operations vets based in Mexico. In the episode, Michael and Martin share personal and scientific testimony of the impact psychedelics are having on our vets and their loved ones.

Key Takeaways:

Drugs to bring us together. Psychedelics like DMT act on a receptor that normally help us differentiate ourselves from others. The effect is we lose track of where we end and the rest of the world begins, which helps create greater cohesion and communion in our world.

DMT is already within you. Since psychedelic compounds DMT and 5-MeO-DMT are neurotransmitters, our bodies seem to be wired to have these connected, unifying psychedelic experiences.

The caustic cocktail. Michael shares his layered experience with injuries, childhood traumas, concussions, relationship traumas, and medications and the deadly combination they can create.
Success worth celebrating. The Mission Within has treated over 600 special operations vets and over 80 veteran spouses with psychedelic clinical programming at their retreats in Mexico.