Visionary Somatics: Psychedelics, Trauma & the Dreaming Body
LISTEN ON:
Episode 319
Brian Tierney, Ph.D.
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Dr. Brian Tierney, a licensed somatic psychologist and professor of neuroscience. Dr. Tierney unpacks the emerging paradigm of network neuroscience and how our brain’s default mode, salience, and task networks interact with trauma, attention, and healing.
The conversation explores how somatic practices and archetypes offer profound access points for healing—and how dissociation, “character armoring,” and bypassing can limit transformation. Dr. Tierney also shares insights from his upcoming book, Visionary Somatics, and reflects on how psychedelics, imagination, and embodied wisdom can shape the future of therapy.
Dr. Brian Tierney is a somatic psychologist, neuroscience and psychopharmacology professor, and psychotherapist with a passion for integrative healing.
Specializing in trauma resolution, couples therapy, and somatic experiencing, he blends cutting-edge science with ancient practices to create transformative healing experiences.
With over a decade of experience working with men’s groups and a deep commitment to family and community, Dr. Tierney takes a holistic approach to therapy. He is the host of the Boundless Body podcast and the author of the upcoming book Visionary Somatics. Dr. Tierney’s work is a fusion of ancient magic and modern psychology, offering a unique path to healing the mind, body, and soul.
Podcast Highlights
- What is network neuroscience?
- How trauma disrupts brain network coordination
- Understanding the salience, default mode, and task networks
- Why somatic healing involves connective tissue, not just cognition
- The dangers of spiritual bypassing through “idealized embodiment”
- “Character armoring” and body-held trauma patterns
- How imagination serves as a ground for healing
- The death–rebirth archetype in psychedelic experiences
- Transcendence vs. transformation in modern healing culture
- Why safety and grounding are non-negotiable for deep work
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