Shepherds is a new media series that takes a glimpse into the world of psychedelic therapy, with the aim to open up dialogue on drug scheduling and the breakthroughs in psychedelic research that have been happening in recent years.

The plot centers on our two Shepherds, Madison and Luke, who come from very opposite starting points. After getting fired during her 7-year tenure at one of the leading big pharmaceutical companies for playing it safe, Madison moves back to her roots in Los Angeles to regroup. She reconnects with her longtime childhood friend Luke, a hippie who is living out of his van in Venice trying to hit it big with a mobile juice business. Both lost for very different reasons, they open up an underground psychedelic trial clinic after an interesting night of catching up, existentialism and…magic mushrooms.

...

Drug scheduling and cultural narratives have relegated our perception of psychedelics as substances that are dangerous, addictive and without any medical benefit. Psychedelics have been portrayed as the cause of mass murder and people riding rainbow unicorns into the sunset. Personal accounts such as “LSD freaked me out," and "I thought I was going to die” have led to a narrow perspective of their uses. Some of our favorite stereotypical comments include: “I thought I was in a video game,” "I spoke to aliens," and “Timothy Leary was a nutball.”

We are ready to tell a different story of psychedelics: what goes beyond the exaggerated cliché of tripping balls or getting fried.

What many people don’t know about, including many of those who have used psychedelics, is what is happening in the world of psychedelic research, led by professionals steeped in experience and medical knowledge. Psychedelics are being used in a variety of ways as an alternative therapy for PTSD, end-of-life anxiety, severe headaches and other prominent mental and physical problems we’ve mostly been treating with traditional pharmaceuticals. It’s only been in recent years that a few number of doors have been opened to find out what potential these drugs have.

A lot of people are surprised to learn that psychedelic studies are being done at Johns Hopkins, UCLA, NYU and other well-established institutes and there is excitement with what they are finding.

We are initiating the conversation in the way we know best: through storytelling and comedy. We hope to entertain and spark your curiosity in the movement. And we want you to take a trip with us.