Love and Psychedelics: Connection, Conflict & Growth (Austin) Feb2026

Have you ever felt like you fell in love after one night of MDMA… and then had to figure out what was real afterward? Have you seen relationships deepen—or unravel—after a psychedelic experience? Are you single and doing the work, wondering how psychedelics might clarify what you’re actually available for in love?

This panel is about what happens when psychedelics enter the field of love and relationships—and things get ... complicated. Sometimes these medicines open the heart and deepen connection. Other times, they accelerate intimacy before there’s a solid foundation, bringing attachment patterns, unresolved trauma, and unmet needs to the surface. Four relationship experts—a therapist, two love/intimacy coaches, and a psychologist—come together to explore both the promise and the pitfalls of working with psychedelics in relational contexts.

In this conversation, we’ll explore when these medicines can foster emotional attunement, healing, and deeper connection—and when they can create false intimacy, amplify attachment wounds, or expose misalignment. We’ll also look at consent, readiness, and why preparation and integration—not the peak experience—is where real relational change happens, whether you’re partnered or calling in something new.

Join us for a juicy evening of candid conversation and real connection. Bring yourself. Bring a friend. Bring a partner. Bring your questions—and your appetite for connection!

ABOUT THE PANELISTS:

Annie Lalla

A visionary thinker, speaker, and philosopher, Annie is best known as the Cartographer of Love --guiding clients toward the romance they crave and equipping them with the emotional intelligence to sustain it. She specializes in turning heartbreak into breakthroughs, transforming conflict into intimacy. With a rare blend of science, soul, and strategy, she helps growth-oriented individuals cultivate inspiring relationships that last a lifetime. With a degree in Biology and Buddhism plus certifications in Emotion-Based Coaching, NLP, and clinical hypnosis, Annie blends cutting-edge psychology with ancient wisdom. Her transformative framework integrates evolutionary psychology, integral theory, spiral dynamics, intergenerational family systems, and therapeutic sexuality. This multidimensional approach helps her clients rewire their relationship patterns, dissolve subconscious patterns, and cultivate love as a lifelong art.

Han Ren, PhD

Dr. Han Ren (she/they) is a licensed clinical and school psychologist, author, speaker, and educator. She is deeply rooted in liberation and anti-oppressive work, practicing from a justice-oriented, interpersonal, culturally-humble, and systems-informed framework. Through their widely viewed content on social media, they strive to make mental health accessible and applicable to our daily lives. Dr. Ren addresses the pursuit of collective healing through her work centered in historically overlooked communities, especially Asian-Americans and children of immigrants. She co-leads Pivot Psychology Austin, a group private practice dedicated to inclusive and affirming care. She has been featured on the TEDx stage, the Headspace app, the Huffington Post, NPR, and other major media outlets. Dr. Ren's first book "The Hyphenated Life" a self-help memoir on bridging the in-between spaces of intersectional identities, will be released June 2026.

Mikaal Bates

Mikaal Bates is a leading voice in men’s work, relational healing, and cultural repair. He offers grounded, heart-centered, no-nonsense mentorship to men, women, and couples who are ready to shed performance and start living from their deepest truth. Known for his poetic fire and raw honesty, Mikaal creates sacred containers for transformation through 1:1 coaching, group work, private retreats, and keynote speaking.

Rebecca Kline, LMFT (Moderator)

Rebecca Kline is a licensed couples therapist who helps partners slow down, understand each other more deeply, and reconnect when things feel painful or distant. Her work is rooted in attachment, emotional safety, and honest communication, supporting couples through conflict, disconnection, and major life transitions. She’s especially curious about how psychedelic experiences, when held with care and intention, may help couples deepen intimacy and soften long-standing relational patterns. Rebecca is honored to be moderating the panel and helping create a thoughtful, grounded conversation.

PsyT Disclaimer: Version Jan2026 PsyT does not host ceremonies or promote illegal activities. We provide a platform to discuss experiences that offer transformation in our personal and professional lives. This is not a space to seek, share, promote, or procure controlled substances, retreats, or related services. Please do not contact us for these purposes or share images of prohibited substances, even for identification. All information provided by PsyT is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The views expressed by presenters are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of our community. We are committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment. Harassment, unsafe behavior, or unfounded claims about individuals are not tolerated in any PsyT space, online or in person.