[ep 083] Maddalen Pasini on education in psychedelic wellness & finding community

Maddalen Pasini is a force. Her passion for her passions is infectious, transfixing when she’s talking about the things she’s bringing into the world. A long-time publicist, she began at Joe Fresh as an intern, then went to Toronto-based boutique agency Faulhaber Communications. Over the years, her clientele grew beyond fashion into design, hospitality, art & cannabis with Tokyo Smoke. Just before the pandemic in 2020, she launched her psychedelic wellness movement brand Yawn. 

She grew up just outside of Toronto, the only child of hardworking, loving parents. Her father was in the police force for over 30 years and Staff Sergeant of Homicide for a decade. Her mother, an immigrant from Hungary, was in the dental industry. Hungarian was Maddalen’s first language, something she learned young from spending time with her grandparents. Growing up was sticky, with her navigating bullying. As a teen, she took the train to the city and began going to metal shows, where she found her community. Her network began to grow through pockets of the underground music scene.

She graduated from university with a double major in cultural studies & film—and she began questioning what she really wanted to do. The answer lay in her network, and she began a PR career. Transitioning into psychedelics was organic & something that had been brewing for a while—today, the brand donates a portion of profits to organizations conducting research & trials and offering support, such as the Heffter Institute & the @firesideproject, North America’s first psychedelic peer support hotline.

In this conversation, we dive deep into the importance of finding her metal community in her teens; how ‘outsiders’ often become culture makers; the way psychedelics helped changed her over the last 15 years; why education around harm reduction and psychedelics is essential; current psilocybin regulations; equity in the space; and much more.      

[TIMESTAMPS]

6:02 - Growing up

9:14 - High school and life after

16:27 - When she got into psychedelics and her first experience

18:49 - The transition from PR to Yawn

21:38 - Yawn and the ‘psychedelic wellness movement’

25:39 - Why harm reduction is essential

29:52 - Regulations and setbacks in the industry 

33:54 - Hero dose vs. microdose 

43:15 - How Yawn began

45:47 - Equity and what she wants to see change in this industry

49:48 - Change our view on these medicines and avoiding exploitation of them

53:03 - Major shifts in herself as a human 

55:47 - Yawn x Secular Sabbath collaboration

01:01:01 - Upcoming projects

01:04:15 - Tips for microdosing 

01:05:46 - What psilocybin has brought to her life 

01:07:10 - What she loves most about herself and humanity

01:09:30 - Final question

01:10:18 - Where to find Yawn

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