Inside My 72-Hour Psychedelic Iboga Therapy With Julie Piatt

After years of resistance, Rich Roll underwent a 72-hour iboga ceremony in Mexico, a powerful plant medicine ritual rooted in the traditions of the Buiti people. Unlike the ego-dissolving, loving-oneness experience of psilocybin and MDMA, iboga delivered a confrontational, relentless assault on his psyche—characterized by overwhelming sensory stimulation, time distortion, and a deep dive into unresolved childhood trauma. The experience, administered by a circle of women embodying a profound feminine energy, forced him to face his inner critic, his self-punishment, and the emotional weight he’d carried for decades. What emerged wasn’t a sudden transformation, but a recalibration: a newfound ability to be present, a reduced craving for coffee, and a radical shift in his relationship with Julie, his partner of 25 years. He describes it as a 'reboot' of his nervous system, where he now carries less emotional baggage and can choose when to engage with it. The journey wasn’t about fixing everything at once, but about creating space for love, self-compassion, and presence—qualities he now sees as the true foundation of a meaningful life. He emphasizes that this was not a prescription for others, but a deeply personal, transformative act of courage and surrender. The experience revealed that healing isn’t about achieving a perfect state, but about becoming more aware of the inner dialogue and choosing to respond differently.