Meet Dr. Larissa J. Maier | Visionary & Scientist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Larissa J. Maier and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Larissa, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
My soul radiates from the inside and warms the souls of others.

When body, mind, and spirit are in alignment, we can enter states of pure flow. Our soul is what drives us. Listening to our soul and following our intuition helps us to heal ourselves and others. Often, success is measured by performance outcomes that do not take into account overall effects on health and well-being. It is time to change that. We are not alone in this world and thus, it is important to reflect on the impact of our actions on others too.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
For 10 years, I have conducted research on drug policy, harm reduction, and psychedelics. I received my Bachelor, Master, and Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Zurich (UZH) and graduated summa cum laude. In 2015, I took 6 months off to travel in North America, Asia, Oceania, and South Africa. Soon after, I applied for the Early Postdoc Mobility Grant of the Swiss National Science Foundation but failed. My application for a consultancy at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna was more successful. I gained insight into the processes of operation of a large international organization and learned more about diplomacy and advocacy. The resubmission of my Mobility Grant was also successful so I started my postdoc at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) in April 2018. The initial 18 months turned into 42 months as my employment got extended through a NIDA grant from my supervisor and another successful application to the NIDA INVEST Fellowship Program. I joined the Science Policy Group (SPG) at UCSF and co-organized several advocacy days at the CA State Capitol and the US Capitol in Washington DC to advocate for drug policy reform and support for harm reduction services. During the pandemic, I launched a weekly meeting with the Psychedelic and Entheogen Academic Council (PEAC) at UCSF to discuss developments in psychedelic science and traditional uses of psychedelics. At the end of my postdoc at UCSF, I had 3 options to choose from: applying for a professorship in the US or in Europe, pursuing a prestigious second postdoc on psychedelic law and policy at Harvard Law School, or leaving academia for good to travel with the money I saved while working in San Francisco. I chose the latter because he medicalization of psychedelics in high-income countries had gained momentum and I was more interested to learn about indigenous and communal use of plant medicine from the people on the ground. I have been traveling for more than a year now. I met so many wonderful people who shared their story of healing with me. I also met a lot of wonderful people who were and still are in need of help. I help wherever I can but realize that the money that I saved for my travels is not sufficient to create sustainable change, even if I would give it all away. Being critical of many of the digital health startups and psychedelic for-profit companies, I envisioned launching an educational NGO. Yet, I do not want to depend solely on fundraising. Thus, it may be better to develop products or services that inspire change. Ideally, I will earn some income as a speaker and writer to then dive into social entrepreneurship to support the people who need it most. All my work will focus on cultivating consciousness for and educationon health, psychedelics, and human rights. Shoutout to everyone who shares this vision, please get in touch!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

Most of the trip would consist of exploring nature and meeting with people from the local community. Of course, this involves music, art, and lots of movement. Climbing the highest mountains, swimming in rivers, relaxing at the beach or in a beautiful garden, dancing like no one is watching. In the mornings, we would do yoga, meditation, and breathwork. We would cook plant-based food or eat at restaurants with vegetarian and vegan options. Be prepared to chase sunsets and sunrises – it is so worth it.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout goes to my sister Ramona Maier. She has always been an inspiration to me. She is younger and moved out before me. When she quit her job and started building her independence a few years ago, I was amazed by her focus and dedication. After I left academia in September 2021, I sat down for a strategy workshop with her. It was clear that I would travel for at least 2 years to learn more about indigenous culture and natural ways of healing. Thanks to her, I ask myself every day: what’s next? My dad deserves a shoutout too as he always supported holistic alternative healing methods. He is strongly connected to nature. We all are. He figured out a lot but never really pushed anyone to follow. A warm shoutout to three women who provided important guidance in my life, always believed in my skills, and appreciated my unique way of thinking: my mom and my two supervisors at UCSF (Dr. Ramo & Dr. Apollonio). And finally, a heartfelt shoutout to everyone else who I crossed paths with: I am grateful for you.

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