, ,

Understanding the Differences Between Ibogaine and Ayahuasca

Ibogaine the same as Ayahuasca? Short answer? No. Both are sacred plant medicines, but their experiences and mechanisms are very different.

— Ibogaine creates a oneiric, dreamlike state, often described as a deep internal life review.
— Ayahuasca can feel more like traveling through other dimensions.

Neurologically:

— Ibogaine helps reset dopamine and serotonin systems, increases GDNF (a key neurotrophic factor), and promotes long-term neuroplasticity. It can interrupt addiction, reduce cravings, and support cognitive enhancement, PTSD recovery, and emotional clarity with lasting effects.

— Ayahuasca is more commonly associated with ego dissolution.

With ibogaine, you’re clear, grounded, and deeply introspective. Both can be powerful healing tools, but ibogaine uniquely targets the brain and nervous system to help break long-standing patterns at their root.

Watch: Beond’s Co-Founder, Talia Eisenberg Explains the Key Differences Between Ibogaine and Ayahuasca


/by
, , ,

The Future of Ibogaine in the U.S.

Beond’s co-founder, Tom Feegel, is in Austin, Texas, standing alongside Beond Service alumni and veteran advocates to support HB 3717, a groundbreaking bill introduced by Rep. Cody Harris.

This legislation seeks $50 million in state funding for FDA-approved clinical trials of ibogaine, a potential game-changer for PTSD, traumatic brain injury (TBI), opioid use disorder, and other mental health conditions.

Texas is once again at the forefront of medical innovation, building on the momentum of HB 1802 to explore psychedelic therapies.

With support from the Texas Ibogaine Initiative and the American Ibogaine Initiative, this bill could revolutionize addiction and mental health treatment, paving the way for safe, evidence-based access in the U.S.


#TexasIbogaineInitiative

Beond’s Commitment to Veterans and Ibogaine Research

“We are here in Austin to support the Texas Ibogaine Initiative with alumni from Beond Service,” says Tom Feegel. “Beond Service is our nine-week, zero-cost program dedicated to helping veterans who need treatment for PTSD and TBI receive ibogaine in the best possible way.”

@beond.us 🇺🇸 Lawmakers in Texas are pushing to fund $50M for ibogaine research.This could change everything. It’s time. #beondibogaine #texasibogaineinitiative #americanibogaineinitiative #ibogainetreatment ♬ original sound – Beond Ibogaine Treatment


The Texas Ibogaine Initiative is supported by the REID Foundation and led by W. Bryan Hubbard, the Executive Director of the American Ibogaine Initiative. Their mission is to help lawmakers allocate $50 million for research into ibogaine—a treatment that has already demonstrated transformative potential but requires formalized data to advance FDA approval for use in the United States.

“This couldn’t be more historic or more important at this moment”

The approval of HB 3717 could mark a turning point for ibogaine therapy in the U.S., providing a structured path toward integrating this powerful treatment into mainstream medical care.

With growing bipartisan support for psychedelic research, Texas continues to lead the way in rethinking mental health and addiction treatment solutions.

Related Post: Veteran’s Journey: How Ibogaine Therapy Addressed PTSD, TBI, and Opioid Dependency

/by
,

Joshua White’s Ibogaine Journey: Healing, Neuroplasticity & Integration

Joshua White, founder of the psychedelic peer support nonprofit The Fireside Project, has dedicated years to guiding people through psychedelic integration. His mission-driven work has helped countless individuals find clarity and healing. But his own journey with ibogaine at Beond took healing to a level he never thought possible for himself.

After years of therapy, Joshua still carried deep subconscious pain from childhood. Through multiple ibogaine treatments at Beond over the years, he finally experienced a profound shift—releasing years of trauma and finding clarity, peace, and freedom.

In this episode, Joshua discusses:

— Why he turned to ibogaine therapy after years of traditional therapy.
— How his two ibogaine experiences at Beond created a breakthrough in his life.
— What makes Beond’s approach different from any other psychedelic therapy.
— His advice for anyone considering ibogaine treatment.


After ibogaine treatment, the brain enters a critical neuroplasticity phase lasting weeks to months, where it becomes highly adaptable to change.

This period is marked by increased GDNF and BDNF brain protein levels, promoting neuron repair, cognitive flexibility, and emotional processing.

During this window, habitual patterns can be rewritten, cravings can diminish, and new behaviors can take root more effectively than ever.

This is when integration is key—what you do during this phase shapes long-term outcomes.

Joshua White shared that he felt the effects of heightened neuroplasticity for almost a year, reinforcing just how powerful this window can be when supported with integration.

/by
, ,

The Healing Power of Ibogaine & The Frequency of Love: A Conversation with Beond CEO Tom Feegel

We’re honored to share an inspiring conversation between Beond’s co-founder and CEO, Tom Feegel, and Dr. Samuel B. Lee, MD, on The Spiritual Psychiatrist Podcast. This discussion explores the transformational power of ibogaine and how it bridges the gap between science, spirit, and radical healing.

“Healing isn’t a last resort—it’s a choice we make every day.”

In this conversation, Beond co-founder Tom Feegel shares his personal journey – from navigating trauma to creating the world’s first medically-based ibogaine clinic – and why true healing isn’t about being “fixed” but about remembering who we are.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

✅ Pain pushes until purpose pulls—how suffering fuels transformation.
✅ Addiction is a symptom, not the root cause—we must go deeper to heal.
✅ Forgiveness isn’t for them—it’s for you.
✅ Ibogaine serves as a bridge between neuroscience and spirituality, unlocking profound healing.

Watch the full episode here:


/by
,

Beond Presents New Veteran Case Study of Ibogaine for TBI, PTSD, Opioid Dependency, and Chronic Pain

A bomb goes off. Life drastically changes. Recovery feels like an infinite mile away.

Growing up in the Southern United States, John* was surrounded by a large group of childhood friends and supportive parents. Following in his father’s military footsteps, he enlisted in the armed services, going on three deployments over eight years.

While on patrol, his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device (IED). The blast claimed the lives of all other people on board except for his.

New Veteran Case Study

Surviving the Aftermath: TBI, PTSD, and Opioid Dependency

The severity of his injuries required doctors to place him in an induced coma to reduce brain swelling, while surgeons worked to remove shrapnel and repair multiple injuries.

Diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and PTSD, John’s life changed. Night after night, he managed only two to three hours of sleep, plagued by vivid nightmares. Severe headaches resulting from his TBI with no effective treatment solutions sidelined him from social and family life.

Prescribed Percocet for pain management, John eventually developed a dependency and found himself taking twice his prescribed dose.

Simple everyday sounds such as babies crying and crowded areas would trigger intense anxiety. His friends and his wife witnessed his uncontrolled explosiveness, especially after a few drinks, and grew anxious, too. His friendships frayed and his options dwindled.

Discovering Ibogaine

Then, a beacon of hope emerged: a fellow veteran told him about ibogaine treatment. Ibogaine is a psychedelic drug derived from a plant native to Central West Africa.

What sets ibogaine apart from other psychedelics is that it is non-addictive and non-recreational.

The trip lasts for about 12 hours, and it is not often a nice one because it elicits profound introspection that some may find “brutally honest” and “uncomfortable1,2.” With his employer’s sponsorship, John traveled to Beond in Cancún, Mexico, in the summer of 2024.

Discovering Ibogaine

A Transformational Experience at Beond

John’s time at Beond was intense and emotional, which was something he hadn’t expected. During the treatment, he described witnessing toxins being purged from his body. In his vision, he rediscovered his lost soul, he said, which appeared to him as his teenage self.

Just three days after treatment, John’s sleep quality transformed from two to three hours to a full eight to ten hours per night. His pain completely disappeared. His neurologist noted that two regions of his brain affected by TBI appeared to have decreased in size in monthly fMRI scans—suggesting actual brain repair taking place.

Tom Feegel, CEO of Beond, describes John’s transformation as, “He went from down in the dumps to rising like a phoenix.”

Dr. Shirley Cheung, Beond’s director of research, was drawn to John’s story. She documents John’s remarkable journey to healing in a groundbreaking new case study to be published. Her case study and John’s story offers hope to thousands of others who carry similar invisible wounds of war. And it couldn’t come at a better time. TBI has emerged as the signature injury of post-9/11 military conflicts, affecting tens of thousands of service members and veterans.

The Bigger Picture: The Cost of TBI on Veterans

The impact on military personnel is both widespread and costly. Veterans with TBI face medical expenses nearly four times higher than those without, averaging $5,831 annually compared to $1,547 in 2009. Traditional treatments, while beneficial for specific symptoms, have shown limited success in providing comprehensive, long-term relief. Most troublingly, many veterans report feeling abandoned by the very medical system meant to support them.

Ibogaine’s Role in Healing the Brain

A small but growing number of TBI survivors are turning to ibogaine. On a scientific level, ibogaine may help TBI by increasing important brain growth factors called GDNF and BDNF. These stimulate the growth of new brain cells and neural connections. Additionally, ibogaine interacts with NMDA receptors in the brain, which are involved in pain signaling. By modulating these receptors, ibogaine can help reduce chronic pain and decrease hyperexcitability in pain pathways.

John saw dramatic improvements in his case, and the transformative effects of ibogaine can vary from person to person. For John, the most striking changes were in his family life. The man who said he had never been emotional before treatment found himself able to connect deeply with others. He now reports that he can show up as a present father. His wife remarked that he had transformed into a different and better version of himself.

Fifteen weeks after treatment, John, 44, remains pain-free and opioid-free, with no cravings. He maintains his well-being through practices learned at Beond, including stretching, meditation, and breathwork. His short-term memory has improved so significantly that he no longer needs to write things down to remember them. Most importantly, he’s regained his ability to engage with the world around him, free from the debilitating anxiety that once controlled his life.

John experienced moderate to severe opioid withdrawal symptoms before ibogaine treatment. After treatment, his symptom score dropped by 89%, reaching minimal withdrawal by the final day of the 10-day Opioid Treatment program.

John’s scores for Anxiety, Depression, and PTSD showed substantial improvement following ibogaine treatment, remaining stable at 15 weeks after completing the program, with reductions of 78%, 86%, and 95%, respectively.

The Future of Ibogaine Research and Accessibility

“John’s case was unbelievable,” Dr. Cheung said. “Here was a person who had almost lost all hope, who had depleted all their resources trying to get better. It is remarkable to see his ailments relieved—the pain gone, the anxiety improved, the drug cravings eliminated, and the quality of sleep restored.”

While ibogaine shows promise in treating conditions like TBI, PTSD, and addiction, it remains classified as a Schedule I substance in the United States, meaning it cannot be legally prescribed or administered.

One of Beond’s initiatives is to produce high-quality research and collaborate with policymakers and the community to correct any misconceptions about ibogaine and work towards increasing accessibility for those desperately in need of a solution for their pain.

A Call for Change

To Dr. Cheung, John’s journey represents a beacon of hope for veterans struggling with the complex aftermath of combat trauma. While his story is unique, it highlights the potential of innovative treatments in addressing the often overwhelming challenges faced by those carrying the unseen wounds of war. And, it may hint at the need for changes in the law in the United States. As Dr. Cheung notes, “It’s finally time that these veterans who have sacrificed so much for people to live good lives in America be taken care of by Americans.”

* Name changed to protect privacy.

1. Alper KR, Beal D, Kaplan CD. Chapter 14 A contemporary history of ibogaine in the United States and Europe. In: The Alkaloids: Chemistry and Biology. Vol 56. Academic Press; 2001:249-281.

2. Brown TK. Ibogaine in the treatment of substance dependence. Curr Drug Abuse Rev. 2013;6(1):3-16.

3. Taylor BC, Hagel EM, Carlson KF, et al. Prevalence and Costs of Co-occurring Traumatic Brain Injury With and Without Psychiatric Disturbance and Pain Among Afghanistan and Iraq War Veteran VA Users. Medical Care. 2012;50(4):342-346.

/by
,

Unlock Peak Performance: How Ibogaine is Transforming Professional Athletes

For years, Camila Pinonn, a decorated Taekwondo medalist, pushed her limits, earning national recognition and medals. Yet, despite her achievements, something held her back. Self-doubt and a sense of disconnection kept her from fully aligning her mind and body, leaving her questioning whether she could truly reach her full potential.

Through a transformative ibogaine treatment at Beond in Cancun, Mexico, Camila unlocked a new level of focus, clarity, and confidence. It allowed her to transform self-doubt into unstoppable confidence, enabling her to tap into her true potential.

“I always doubted my dream of being a world champion,” Camila shared. “But this medicine showed me my power—that I’m capable of anything if I put my heart into it.”

Ibogaine isn’t just for addressing addiction and mental health challenges. Increasingly, it’s being recognized as a powerful tool for athletes to break through mental blocks and achieve peak performance.

Her journey underscores the growing potential of psychedelic-assisted therapies to not only improve mental health but also empower professional athletes to align their mind and body for extraordinary achievements.


/by
,

Why Our New Study Shows Ibogaine Can Help Treat Alcohol Dependency

 

Beond Treatment

In 1962, Howard and Norma Lotsof stumbled on the fact that ibogaine can help with opioid addiction.

Then, for 60 years, researchers have studied ibogaine’s effects on addiction to opioids and cocaine. They’ve consistently found that ibogaine can help with the cravings, withdrawals, sadness and depression that come along with opioid and cocaine addiction.

But ibogaine researchers haven’t studied alcohol very much. That’s despite the fact that alcohol is the drug of abuse that’s most commonly used by most people. And the fact that alcohol can actually do as much damage as opioids or cocaine.

Today, Beond is helping fill the gap in scientific knowledge about ibogaine and alcohol.

We conducted our own research study. Our simple question was: can ibogaine contribute to recovery from alcoholism? Our findings are striking.

Guests with alcohol dependency who went through our treatment program said they left feeling happier, less anxious, and with fewer withdrawal symptoms.

Note: Our study shows preliminary patient outcomes, which need to be further validated through the peer-review process. But we wanted to share our initial findings with our community.

Here are the basics of our research study, in plain English.

What Alcohol Dependency Is

Alcohol Dependency occurs when people feel like they need to drink, even when they know it can harm their health, relationships, or daily responsibilities. They may ignore liver damage or lost income. They might even hide flasks from loved ones, sneak sips between business meetings, or chug liquor in the bathroom.

Seventeen percent of Americans binge drink, and seven percent drink heavily. Drinking too much kills three football stadiums worth of people each year.

For many, stopping drinking can feel as difficult as stopping breathing, or giving up sunshine. Why? There are social, physical, and emotional challenges. First, if everyone around you is drinking, it’s hard to be the odd one out. Second, if you quit, there are withdrawal symptoms—especially if you’re a super-heavy drinker. Third, if you do quit, anxiety and depression are common, making recovery even harder.

Worse, traditional treatments, such as medication, twelve-step programs, and behavioral therapy, for alcohol dependency are often under-utilized due to stigma or a shortage of professional support. Relapse rates are around 60 percent.

All these negative effects leave room for relapse.

What Ibogaine Is

Our study explores the efficacy of ibogaine in treating alcohol dependency.

Ibogaine is a psychedelic substance from the African plant Tabernanthe iboga.

It’s traditionally used in Central Africa by the Fang, Pygmy, and Babongo tribes for spiritual ceremonies in their Bwiti religion. For them, iboga is akin to communion wine.

Ibogaine came to light in the West in the 1960s, after a couple named the Lotsofs found ibogaine eased the cravings for opioids. One dose of ibogaine, they found, and a person might no longer be dopesick.

There have been a few promising signs that ibogaine could treat alcoholism. Studies in rodents show that ibogaine can reduce self-administration of alcohol. And small case studies of humans, including veterans, suggest ibogaine can help reduce troublesome alcohol use.

Medical Care is Key

Our ibogaine treatments last about 12 hours. They can be risky, as ibogaine can cause severe side effects like an irregular heartbeat, especially in people with pre-existing heart conditions. Ibogaine can also cause nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. That’s why it’s important for a study of ibogaine to happen at a place like Beond.

Medical Care is Key

We are a well-equipped medical facility with some of the best ibogaine doctors and nurses. We carefully screen our guests to make sure they’re fit for treatment. And we monitor the whole person—especially their hearts—during and after their ibogaine sessions to make sure our guests stay safe.

Study Goals

For this study, we closely observed the impact of ibogaine treatment on patients with alcohol dependency as they stopped using the drug. We wanted to see if ibogaine could lessen their withdrawal symptoms and improve their mental health.

Who Was in Our Study

Fifty-eight guests (21 women and 37 men) who had alcohol dependency took part. The average age of patients was 39 years. Our guests had to have signs of misuse, including difficulty in cutting back or feeling the need for treatment.

To be considered as having alcohol dependency, patients needed to be drinking heavily. That means at least four drinks three times per week for the last six months. On average, patients reported they drank about 6 days a week, having 7 drinks per day. That’s 42 drinks a week. On average, they had been struggling with alcohol misuse for nearly 20 years.

Before starting treatment, guests were asked to avoid alcohol for a week. Not all managed to do so.

How We Measured Guests’ Troubles

Upon their arrival and prior to departing Beond, each guest completed the following surveys twice to assess their anxiety, depression, and withdrawal symptoms before and after ibogaine treatment.

— The Beck Anxiety Inventory: A survey with 21 questions asking questions about anxiety like: “How often do you feel heart pounding, hands trembling, or fear of dying?”

— The Beck Depression Inventory: Another 21-question survey asking about depression. People reported their depressive thoughts, such as “I am so sad and unhappy I can’t stand it,” “I feel I am a complete failure as a person,” and “I would kill myself if I had the chance.”

— Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol Scale, Revised: People who are quitting alcohol report whether they feel nausea, itching, pins and needles, whether their arms are trembling, or whether they even know what day it is—all typical signs of alcohol withdrawal.

Treatment Process

The study participants went through the typical Beond program. Each did a 10 or 14-day inpatient program at our clinic in Cancun, Mexico, sometime between March 2022 and March 2024.

They received comprehensive medical and psychological care. Each guest had heart monitoring, blood tests, and drug screenings. Patients who could abstain from alcohol for a week before arriving had a slightly shorter treatment duration—10 days instead of 14.

On treatment days, patients received doses of ibogaine. The amount was carefully calculated based on factors like age, weight, and medical history. The average dose was 8–12 mg per kg of body weight. Patients were monitored closely for 12 hours, as ibogaine can affect the heart. After treatment, patients participated in counseling, well-being activities, and discharge planning. For some, additional smaller doses of ibogaine, called “boosters,” were administered.

Study Finds Less Anxiety, Depression and Withdrawal

After the treatments, we studied the survey responses. How did our alcohol-dependent guests feel before going through our ibogaine treatments? And how did they feel afterward? Was there a difference?

The results were promising. Across the three key areas—anxiety, depression, and withdrawal—patients experienced notable improvements.

Anxiety

At the start, according to the survey, guests’ anxiety levels were moderate. By the end, most had minimal or no anxiety symptoms. Overall, their anxiety scores on the surveys dropped by nearly half, showing a 49% average improvement.

Alcohol Anxiety

Depression

Depression scores also significantly decreased by 69%. Guests, on average, went from having “moderate to moderately severe” depression to having “minimal to mild” depression or not being depressed at all.

Alcohol Depression

Withdrawal

For many patients, alcohol withdrawal symptoms went from “mild” at the start to “minimal” or “none” by the end, with an average 77% reduction in alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Alcohol Withdrawal

Simply put, our guests went home feeling less anxious and depressed than when they arrived. And they had far fewer alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Big Takeaway

The findings support our hunch that ibogaine could effectively reduce both the mental health symptoms and withdrawal symptoms of alcohol dependency. Being calmer and happier could improve patients’ commitment to treatment and reduce the likelihood of relapse. The study suggests ibogaine could be an effective part of a larger approach to recovery from alcoholism.

Why Ibogaine May Work

Ibogaine appears to create a “neuroplastic” effect in the brain. Ibogaine opens a “critical period” where the brain is more adaptable to forming new habits and changing old ones. This could help patients reshape their relationship with alcohol, making it easier to resist cravings or relapses.

Compared to other psychedelics like psilocybin (which opens these critical periods for about two weeks), ibogaine’s effects seem to last for up to four weeks, and clients continue receiving benefits from ibogaine treatment for up to three months, offering a longer time period for recovery and healing.

This study also aligns with research on psychedelics like MDMA and psilocybin. When combined with therapy, these drugs have been shown to help people with substance use disorders. Each psychedelic works a bit differently, but all seem to help address trauma, regulate emotions, and reduce addiction-related stress.

Ibogaine specifically appears to help people reflect on their lives and choices.

With this deeper understanding, people can understand the root causes of their addiction, and make changes.

Limitations of the Study

Every research study will have some limitations, which are important to disclose. Self-reported data, like surveys, can introduce biases. Guests may alter their answers—unintentionally or intentionally—to suit the story they’d like to tell themselves, or the story they think their doctors, nurses and researchers would like to hear. As well, guests who voluntarily and willingly seek ibogaine treatment for alcohol dependency to get better may differ from those who do not seek such treatment.

Conclusion

Ibogaine seems to have potential as a treatment for alcohol dependency by helping manage cravings, withdrawal, anxiety, and depression. Our findings suggest ibogaine could be a valuable option for people seeking new approaches to recovery from alcohol misuse.

/by
,

Dr. Noriega: Going an Extra Hundred Miles to Keep Guests Safe

Dr. Noriega

At 36, Dr. Gibrand Noriega is a force on our medical team at Beond. His drive to heal is as relentless as his athletic pursuits—like the triathlons he competes in during his spare time. In the races, he has to make a physical and psychological commitment to pushing through uncertainty and never giving up.

Dr. Noriega is dedicated to achieving more—he trained for a decade to become the doctor he is. He sets personal goals that require continuing support. This energy allows him to better identify with the journey of the people who are coming to Beond—to see himself in the patients who set their own goals for self-improvement. To see the link between him tracking his progress with his smartwatch and guests noting their improvement in journals and in our charts of clinical datasets.

athletic pursuits
Dr. Noriega trained as an emergency medicine physician, where he learned to watch over he heart, body, and vital signs. He has continued to train as a physician, to take a holistic approach to patient care, to look after guests’ overall well-being during their time at Beond.

This deep sense of responsibility extends beyond Dr. Noriega, and is shared by the rest of our medical staff—our nine doctors and more than 20 nurses.

“We’ve assembled a truly remarkable team—a collective of the brightest minds and most dedicated medical professionals. But what makes this team exceptional isn’t just individual brilliance; it’s how seamlessly they’ve come together.” says Tom Feegel, Beond’s co-founder. “It’s a unity built on a shared mission, a passion for changing lives, and the understanding that we’re in service to something much bigger than ourselves.”

A Beond Doctor with Top-Notch Training

Ibogaine is an unexpected destination for Dr. Noriega. Before immersing himself in ibogaine—an unusual medical treatment that uses the root of a shrub to induce a psychedelic, dream-like state—Dr. Noriega started off on a more traditional medical path.

He studied medicine at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, one of the most prestigious universities in Latin America, often ranked in the top ten in the region. He completed a specialization in Emergency Medicine in Cancun, and did a second specialty in critical care. “The COVID-19 pandemic was a period of significant stress and trauma due to the high mortality rates,” Dr. Noriega says. (He worked in an intensive care unit.)

Dr. Gibrand Noriega

Then, as the intensity of COVID quieted down, Dr. Noriega’s attention shifted to another epidemic: addiction. Drug overdose deaths topped 100,000 in the U.S. in recent years. Fatal overdoses have doubled in Mexico in the last 15 years. As a doctor, he’d treat young people on ventilators after overdoses. He’d see older people dying of alcohol use disorder. Alcohol kills 50,000 Mexicans a year.

Dr. Noriega was dismayed that he had no real addiction treatments. Then, he heard whispers of something new.

Ibogaine Can Help Addiction

“People told me about this medicine that helps truly eliminate addiction,” says Dr. Noriega, “but I couldn’t believe it.”

Despite his traditional medical background, Dr. Noriega kept an open mind about an unconventional treatment. “I got curious, which led me to explore this field with the goal of helping to eradicate this addiction epidemic,” says Dr. Noriega.

Psychedelics have been found to battle addiction since the 1950s. Dr. Noriega read that no psychedelic is as successful for addiction as ibogaine. He became sure ibogaine was worth trying.

There was a hitch, though: Dr. Noriega quickly learned that ibogaine is significantly different from LSD or mushrooms in many ways–as an emergency room doctor, the physical aspects stood out the most.

“Ibogaine can have significant side effects, including cardiac arrhythmias, blood pressure alterations, and gastrointestinal issues,” says Dr. Noriega. “It may also interact with other medications, which can be dangerous. Its use may not be suitable for everyone, especially those with pre-existing health problems.”

Dr. Noriega found his specialty, emergency medicine, useful in treating ibogaine’s side effects.

“I started by immersing myself in this area,” Dr. Noriega says. “I dove deep into studying various psychedelic-assisted therapies and the significant results obtained not only for addictions but also for TBI, post-traumatic stress, pain management, among others. Drawing scientific evidence-based correlation between the optimization of the medicine and the effective risk mitigation strategies for our patients, my skills as a health professional contribute greatly to the success of each of these treatments.”

He studied the work of Dr. Deborah Mash, Dr. Nolan Williams, Dr. Thomas Kingsley Brown, and more. Pouring over their research, meeting them when possible, and interrogating their writing to deepen his understanding of ibogaine’s safety and efficacy based on all the scientific literature out there.

Heart-Centered Ibogaine Care

Dr. Noriega began working at Beond over a year ago.

For guests at Beond, Dr. Noriega is more than just their doctor—he’s someone who seeks first to listen deeply and understand, and then takes extra care to ensure they’re both physically and emotionally ready for their journey with ibogaine.

One of the ways Dr. Noriega plays a crucial role at Beond is assessing patients who are on the borderline of treatment; those with whose conditions require remediation prior to treatment (meaning they may or may not be candidates for ibogaine treatment, and may or may not require health/medication plan alterations prior to treatment.)

Dr. Noriega and the whole Beond team drive forward with the best medicine they can. If a guest we thought was cleared for treatment arrives in Cancun with an unexpected issue, Dr. Noriega and the team will investigate further. We won’t be satisfied with a simple EKG, like other ibogaine clinics might use. Dr. Noriega and the team might use deeper diagnostic tools like a CT or fMRI scan, as part of the search for the truth of the health of each patient.

For example, a guest might arrive with a pre-ventricular extrasystole, an irregular heart rhythm that is common—but might be a sign of a larger issue. Some guests who have used stimulants for a long time might have signs of ischemia or necrosis—meaning, part of the heart has died. In those cases, Dr. Noriega will put the guest through a series of additional diagnostic tests. He might put the guests on a holter—a wearable device that monitors their heart rhythms for a full 24 hours. Or Dr. Noriega might put guests on a stress test on a treadmill, to measure the heart’s strength. Or he might do an ultrasound to put eyes on the heart. All of these are routine for our team, but also extraordinary in the world of ibogaine.

With these careful diagnoses, following Beond’s strict medical protocol, Dr. Noriega can rule guests eligible for treatment—or not.

Ibogaine: a Boost In Empathy

“Compassion is the magic word,” says Dr. Noriega.

Beond has changed how Dr. Noriega practices, so he goes beyond traditional medicine. “You have to understand everyone’s purpose,” says Dr. Noriega. “The most important thing to know is if they want to work on themselves.”

Guests all come for the same reason: to grow, heal and change.

“Some people can be aggressive, some of them can be kind, but all of them are human and all of them are looking for this opportunity to change,” says Dr. Noriega.

They are often seeking their true selves. The trouble is that their true selves are sometimes hidden from them by life’s hard knocks. They sometimes see themselves as “broken” or a “problem.” We know this is not true.

We try to give hope, along with our medicines.

“We aim to help everyone come to feel and know that they are actually the solution,” says Tom Feegel, CEO of Beond. The healing is the result of their work, their commitment and desire to change. “They are not machines and we are not mechanics. We are all seeking to change and heal, and at Beond we do it together.”

On our walls are motivational posters. They remind us of the value of self love, compassion, and respect for our guests. We want to treat our guests as humans, not just symptoms.

“Beond has shown me that it is possible to continue being a doctor with greater empathy,” Dr. Noriega says.

Dr. Noriega’s Happiest Time

“My favorite part of caring for our guests is their discharge… the final goodbye ceremony, as they leave to go back to their lives, families and to pursue their dreams,” he says.

Dr. Noriega’s Happiest Time

Waving goodbye isn’t Dr. Noriega’s favorite part because he wants to be done with them. When guests leave, Dr. Noriega feels a cluster of mixed feelings: inspiration, sadness, relief, and pride. “We notice a huge difference between when they arrive and when they head home… they are back to their true selves but usually have an entirely new vision for their future…” he says.

Our ceremony for guests who are leaving is standard operating procedure. We love it. All staff will assemble in the foyer and play “This is Me” and individually hug the people who are departing for home.

(The song, by the way, is about feeling worthy. It’s from a musical, where it’s sung by a bearded lady in a freak show. She sings, “I’ve learned to be ashamed of all my scars … [told] no one will love you as you are.” Then she finds her heart: “I’m not scared to be seen, I make no apologies—this is me.”

Dr. Noriega has seen great, positive change again and again, ever since he came to Beond. Often, people have stopped taking harmful substances. People take better care of themselves. For the medical team, it’s uplifting and inspiring and more rewarding than an emergency room.

“In the ER, you don’t usually get to see the breadth and depth of physical, psychological, and emotional healing, or whether we are winning the race against time!” says Feegel. “At Beond, we experience the full spectrum of change and growth and transformation. This is a welcomed and beautiful experience for our clinical team especially”

Beond’s mission is spiritual surgery—with effects rippling outward to the client and the clients’ surrounding friends and family.

Dr. Noriega would like, someday, to slow down and have children of his own. “I feel that caring for Beond guests is similar to having children,” Dr. Noriega says. “I protect them and guide them as best I can.”

The guests aren’t Dr. Noriega’s children, but the bond he builds with each of them is undeniable. And at the goodbye ceremony, Dr. Noriega sends them off into the great big world on their own, hoping that the entire team at Beond has given guests as many tools as we can to help them thrive.

/by
, ,

Introducing Dani: Beond’s Client Experience Architect and Her Journey with Ibogaine

Client Experience Architect

At Beond, we believe that our staff’s personal healing journeys are as important as those of our guests’. This philosophy ensures that our team members offer not only clinical support but also a deep, lived understanding of the transformative potential of ibogaine.

Meet Daniela, or “Dani” as we affectionately know her, who is a key Client Experience Architect at Beond, is a fantastic example of this approach to expanding our team’s understanding of the purpose, process, and promise of the psychedelic-assisted treatment our clinical and therapeutic professionals deliver.

A Journey of Compassion and Connection

Dani joined Beond in March 2022, and over the past two and a half years, she has become an integral part of our team. As a Client Experience Architect, her role is to inspire our guests engage in a range of experiences that help them connect deeply with themselves, challenge their assumptions of their comfort zone, embrace growth and learning as they integrate with the broader Beond onsite community.

Each day, our guest experience architects extend themselves to curate opportunities for self-expression and create an environment of solidarity, helping guests overcome feelings of isolation and nurturing new levels of self-worth.

“Every day, I collaborate with an incredible team of multi-disciplinary practitioners to assist our guests in feeling connected and supported through their entire journey at Beond… before, during and after any psychedelic healing” she says.

“My contribution to achieving our mission is to help create “moments that matter” in a space where people feel safe to explore their experiences of meditation, sound healing, cold plunges, art therapy and more… and come into their own sense of deeper self-love, courage and commitment to change and growth.”

A Personal Transformation Through Ibogaine

Dani’s own ibogaine journey was a powerful transformational experience. She describes how she felt ready to release her past and embrace a new chapter in her life, both personally and professionally. “My intention was to integrate all the hard and painful moments of my life with the bright ones,” Daniela shares. “I wanted to live with courage, authenticity, and pride in who I am.”

The preparation for her ibogaine journey began long before the treatment itself. Daniela engaged deeply in therapy, working to identify and address painful memories, including trauma from childhood sexual abuse.

She incorporated mindfulness practices like meditation, breathwork, and somatic exercises into her daily routine, while also building a supportive community at Beond. Daniela credits these steps with helping her prepare mentally, emotionally, and physically for the experience.

A Personal Transformation Through Ibogaine

A key moment in her preparation came when she spoke to her parents about the abuse she had endured, and sought the guidance of a psychedelic-informed therapist. “I learned how to tune in to my body and release,” she reflects.

The Experience of Safety and Support

Throughout her ibogaine journey, Daniela felt fully supported by her team at Beond. “I had no doubt I was well taken care of,” she recalls. “The team was there for me at every step—through the painful, the hard, and the best parts of the experience.”

This deep sense of true safety allowed Daniela to dive deep into her healing, and the insights she gained were life-changing. “I realized that I just need to practice and rest, and I can accomplish anything I want in life,” she says. “My shadow and darkness are vital parts of myself, supporting the light that shines within me.”

The Experience of Safety and Support

Understanding the Courage of Our Guests

Daniela’s personal journey has given her an even deeper appreciation for the courage it takes for guests to undergo ibogaine treatment. “It’s incredible to see people step away from their normal environments and commit to a psychedelic experience,” she says.

“I’ve learned just how important it is to have the right set and setting, and to create a space where people feel calm, supported, and understood.”

This lived experience has also deepened her belief that ibogaine is just one part of the healing process. “The community, the practices, and the trust we build are what truly make the magic happen,” she explains.

Personal Growth Benefiting Professional Care

Daniela’s transformation through ibogaine has had a profound impact on her professional role. “I’m more confident now, both in my own life and in how I support our guests,” she says. “I’m here to connect, to learn, and to offer a helping hand.”

By sharing her truth and creating a joyful, loving environment, Daniela aims to inspire guests to see new perspectives and take control of their healing journeys. “I hope to motivate others to create the reality they want, just as I’ve done for myself.”

Personal Growth Benefiting Professional Care

A Message for Those Considering Ibogaine

To those considering ibogaine treatment, Daniela offers this personal guidance: “Start with humility, openness, and a willingness to heal. This place will meet you where you are and help you let go of what no longer serves you. Trust in the process, and little by little, you’ll find the strength to trust yourself.”

Moving Forward with Purpose

As Daniela looks to the future, her mission is to continue supporting Beond’s clients with authenticity and deep compassion. “My vision is to inspire people to connect, find gratitude, and experience authentic growth,” she says.

“It’s my purpose to listen, to support, and to help others create a reality of new perspectives and choices.”

Daniela’s story reminds us of the strength and transformation that lies within each of us. Her experience deepens her ability to relate to our guests and reinforces Beond’s mission to create a safer, more supportive space for transformational healing and continuous personal growth.

/by
,

Dr. Montalvo: Safe Ibogaine Treatment for ‘Soul Surgery’

Not to oversell it, but an ibogaine trip is like “open-heart surgery for the wounded soul” — that’s how Talia Eisenberg, co-founder of Beond, puts it.

Why do we want something as drastic as surgery? Maybe we have a malformation or a burden that’s bothering us, limiting us—and maybe killing us slowly. Maybe that’s addiction, distraction, or self-criticism. And when you work with ibogaine, and trust ibogaine, it can be like a healer with a scalpel. Opening you up. Finding the trauma “tumor” or maladaptation. And cutting it out or realigning it.

That’s how the medical staff at Beond sees it, anyway. Our team of 8 doctors and more than 20 nurses work as a tight clinical unit. We take every ibogaine journey extremely seriously. We know the benefits, and we’re aware of the risks without proper supervision and protocols.

Ibogaine is a psychedelic derived from the root bark of a Central African shrub. Ibogaine has been found to quell depression, mitigate the impact of brain injuries, and promote deep introspection and emotional healing.

Ibogaine is, however, more physically risky than other psychedelics such as psilocybin mushrooms.

On ibogaine, the heart’s QT interval—the dub part of the heart’s lub-dub—becomes elongated. In rare cases, an extended QT interval can lead to an irregular rhythm called Torsade de Pointes, a potentially life-threatening condition characterized by rapid, erratic heartbeats. This is why we consistently work to uphold the highest standards of medical monitoring and quality control.

We respect and love all our doctors and nurses here at Beond, and we want to introduce all of them to you. Our doctors leverage their diverse sets of skills, specialties and expertise to integrate their work with those of our founders, Tom and Talia, and our nurses, including Vianey Perez and Patricia Tovar, to welcome clients and evaluate heart health—to keep guests as safe as possible.

This month, we want to highlight Dr. Edgar Montalvo Diaz, Vice President of Global Clinical Operations.

Dr. Montalvo has a few key jobs: one was to help us scale up our operations while systematically increasing safety. Today, he works hard to meticulously evaluate new patients to see who’s ready for ibogaine and who isn’t. Dr. Montalvo and our whole team, in other words, make sure every heart is cared for.

A Doctor’s Son

Dr. Montalvo is a real, actual surgeon, steady with both scalpel and suture. He keeps Beond steady every day.

Born and raised in Cuba, Dr. Montalvo had a happy and hopeful childhood, and can recall playing with his toys and watching TV, even playing out being a doctor. His father was a doctor, and Edgar followed his dad into medicine.

Dr. Edgar Montalvo Diaz

Becoming a doctor wasn’t easy. His first day in the operating room was serious and scary.

“I was almost fainting from the blood,” says Dr. Montalvo. Hand shaking, he avoided actual cutting. His supervisor noticed his fear and told him, “you have to do the next set of stitches.”

Only then did Edgar start to suture patients, thinking, “this is so scary!” But as he became engrossed in the work of healing, his thoughts shifted to, “this is truly fascinating! Look at how the human body functions, grows and heals!”

Dr. Montalvo grew to love surgery—both for technical challenges, and for the good it can do.

“The impact is so immediate,” he says. “You have a surgery and a few days later you see the results. And the patient loves you back.”

surgery team

The Immediacy of Ibogaine Surgery

“The same thing that happens with other types of surgery, happens with our program at Beond,” says Dr. Montalvo. After the intensity of an ibogaine journey, you can see quick changes in people. The root problem—the abscess or blockage of the spirit and soul—is removed or opened.

In scientific language, ibogaine reopens the critical period of social reward learning. Guests return to a childlike state with a malleable mindset (a state of increased neuroplasticity), often highly motivated to grow, change mindset, overcome dependencies, and passionately pursue personal goals. Guests notice what brings them happiness, what relationships are healthy and helpful, and how they can and should relate to the world.

“We see a guest evolve, from arriving with a lot of burdens and struggling, to someone who is decreasing negative symptoms and appreciative of what we do,” says Dr. Montalvo. “They arrive thinking I am a problem and leave with an entirely new outlook. They have this new window of opportunity to make new changes in their lives.

For the first time in their lives they feel that profound shift in perspective – believing ‘I’m worth it again, I’m not the problem…I am the solution.” They often want to help others with a sense of urgency and new drive.

Rooted Expansion

Dr. Montalvo has also set the tone for the medical staff. He led the effort to expand, standardize, and systematize our medical procedures, allowing Beond’s medicine to become more integrated in our care program.

Since joining us, Dr. Montalvo has been enhancing the expertise of the doctors and nurses at Beond, strengthening their communication, research capabilities, and the facilitation of our daily rounds to ensure they are both patient-centric and data-driven.

Under Dr. Montalvo’s leadership, Beond expanded from 7 beds to 21. He helped us hone a treatment room that is the most prepared and safe in the ibogaine world. We haven’t sacrificed safety one bit as we’ve scaled up, thanks to Dr. Montalvo’s protocols and training.

Dr. Montalvo's leadership

Every staff member knows how to use our systems to keep our guests safer. When we recruit a new doctor, every other doctor on the team has to sign off that they’re ready to join the team, so we can feel safe no matter which doctor is the primary care provider for a Beond guest.

Dr. Montalvo has long been working to deliver alternative medicines safely and at scale. In the early days of medicinal cannabis, he helped open a chain of marijuana clinics. From there, he moved on to be the Vice President of Clinical Operations for Field Trip, an early chain of ketamine clinics.

“These businesses went from illegal to enterprise scale, almost overnight,” says Tom Feegel, co-founder of Beond. “Dr. Montalvo understands standardization, systemization, the scientific and medical aspects of psychedelic medicines, and the unique nuances of patient needs.”

“What his team did in ethical, safe, effective, scientifically-based ketamine prepared him for this role at Beond,” adds Tom.

Meeting the Medicine

After working at Beond for 3 years, Dr. Montalvo had his first ibogaine treatment this summer. “It was an amazing experience,” says Dr. Montalvo. “My takeaway was to stay closely connected to and deeply love my inner child… who was happy and full of hope, playing on that floor in my house in Cuba.”

He tries to bring that childlike joy to his life with his daughter, 8, and his wife. A prospective client or family member may meet Dr. Montalvo via Zoom, rocking in his rocking chair with a uniform with his name on his chest, “Dr. Edgar Montalvo Diaz, M.D.” looking as content as a kid in his living room dreaming of being a doctor.

All of the physicians at Beond are ready and prepared to guide clients through what the physicians call “soul surgery.” It’s a chance to dig deep, to heal from those wounds that no one else can see but that you feel every single day.

And—guess what!—at Beond, a guest can do this surgery without a single stitch. That’s right. We’re talking about a different kind of healing—one that doesn’t involve a scalpel or stitches but instead focuses on the mind, the heart, and the spirit. Beond has built the team, the expertise, and the compassion to help guide each client through their journey, every step of the way. And in the process, we’re helping people rediscover the best version of themselves.

/by

It’s time to heal.
Don’t wait. Speak with Beond.

BOOK A CALL WITH AN IBOGAINE EXPERT

PLEASE CONTACT THE PROFESSIONALS AT BEOND FOR MORE INFORMATION

Cancún, Quintana Roo, 77560, México

+1 (310) 707-1453
[email protected]