US Air Force Veteran Itzel Barakat uses plant medicine to overcome PTS and intergenerational trauma. In this episode of Plantscendence, we talk to Itzel Barakat, a Panamanian-American veteran who served in the US Air Force for six years. After returning from deployment and encountering intense challenges, including emotional numbness, uncontrollable anger, and insomnia, Itzel found solace and transformation through various encounters with plant medicine, ranging from psilocybin and ketamine to ayahuasca and 5-MeO. Throughout their conversation, Itzel and Jon discuss everything from ancestral visions and intergenerational trauma work, to the importance of destigmatizing mental health in the military. Itzel also talks about the profound impact that animal encounters have had on her healing journey – whether it be equine-assisted therapy or accidentally coming face-to-face with a bear while doing mushrooms in the woods – and her commitment to helping veterans impacted by PTS (post-traumatic stress), and other trauma-affected groups, gain access to these alternative healing modalities.

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