Episode 34: From Courtrooms to Consciousness: A Lawyer’s Journey into Psychedelic Religious Freedom

Описание: What happens when a small-town public defender, haunted by a devastating wrongful-accusation case and the crushing realities of the legal system, finds himself at the edge of despair—and then completely rewrites his life’s purpose?

In this powerful and deeply moving episode, host Jill L. Ferguson welcomes Ohio-based attorney Tarin Hale, who shares the extraordinary story of how burnout, depression, ADHD, and a near-fatal crisis led him on an unexpected path toward healing—and into the heart of today’s psychedelic religious freedom movement.

Tarin reflects on:
• His early years as a small-town “general practice” lawyer and the infamous 1999 murder case involving a 12-year-old falsely accused—an experience that shattered his trust in the justice system and was later featured on ABC 20/20
• Hitting rock bottom in Dayton, Ohio, grappling with suicidal thoughts, overwhelming anxiety, and the fear of leaving behind his wife and four children
• The moment he realized that his pain was something his children were inheriting—and that he had to find a way to heal, not just for himself, but for them
• A life-altering shamanic plant-medicine retreat that transformed his understanding of trauma, spirituality, and what it means to be alive
• His evolution into a national advocate for psychedelic religious freedom, explaining landmark Supreme Court cases, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and the complex legal terrain facing psilocybin and ayahuasca churches today
• The heartbreaking story of a nurse facing decades in prison for growing mushrooms to microdose for her own survival—and how her case clarified the true purpose of decriminalization
• Why these substances are not “hallucinogens,” but ethneogens—tools for spiritual connection—and how science, religion, and philosophy are converging in what Tarin calls a modern renaissance of consciousness

This episode is raw, courageous, and profoundly hopeful. It is a conversation about justice, love, family, spirituality, and what it really means to listen when life—and spirit—calls you to change.

If you’ve ever questioned the systems meant to protect us, struggled in silence, or felt there must be more to this human experience, Episode 34 will stay with you long after the final goodbye.