The Marcel Podcast

If you are a champion for human-centered leadership and workplaces, Marcel would love to speak with you to explore partnerships. Book a call here: https://calendly.com/marcelschwantes/discovery-call?month=2026-02  

In this episode of The Marcel Podcast, Marcel talks with Keith Kurlander, a psychotherapist, entrepreneur, and author, about psychedelic therapy's potential to transform mental health treatment. Keith shares his personal journey into mental health, explains why traditional methods often fail to address core issues, and discusses the science, history, and clinical use of psychedelics. They cover trauma, depression, PTSD, the benefits and limits of psychedelics, and emphasize the importance of guidance, preparation, and integration for lasting healing. It's a thoughtful, evidence-based discussion on a key development in mental health care.

 

Bio:

 

Keith Kurlander, MA, LPC, is a licensed psychotherapist, coach, speaker, and author, recognized as a leader in mental health, trauma, and human potential. He co-founded the Integrative Psychiatry Institute, training over 10,000 clinicians in innovative treatments. As co-author of Psychedelic Therapy and a speaker, Keith combines clinical expertise and clarity to help people understand themselves and their potential.

 

Quotes:

 

“We need new tools, and we need them fast, because we have a global mental health crisis.” 

“Psychedelic therapy is a clinical experience. It has structure around it to produce the highest probability that you're going to have a healing experience.” 

“Any problem inside ourselves is likely solvable. The problems we create are likely healable—you just have to commit to finding the answer, and you likely will if you're really committed.” 

 

Takeaways:

 

Recognize that trauma is a process in the body—a nervous system stuck in a chronic threat response—not simply an event, and consider where that pattern may be showing up in your own life. 

Seek a licensed mental health professional who is also trained in psychedelic therapy rather than navigating these powerful medicines on your own, especially if you have a mental health condition. 

Prioritize integration after any psychedelic experience so insights become lasting behavior change instead of fading into just a cool memory. 

Resist making impulsive, life-altering decisions in the days immediately following a breakthrough insight—give big realizations time to settle. 

Approach microdosing claims with healthy skepticism; the evidence so far is largely anecdotal, and it reflects a fundamentally different philosophy of use. 

 

Timestamps: 

[00:00] Welcome to the 300th Episode and the Marcel Podcast Rebrand 

[02:00] Today's Topic: Psychedelics and Mental Health 

[04:00] Introducing Keith Kurlander 

[05:20] What's Your Story? Keith's Turning Point at 19 

[07:52] A Values Crisis and a New Calling 

[10:49] The Big Idea Behind Psychedelic Therapy 

[12:36] What Trauma Really Is 

[16:11] The History and Evolution of Psychedelics 

[21:01] Schedule One and the Stigma 

[23:07] What Happens During a Psilocybin Experience 

[25:11] Does Psychedelic Therapy Work for Everyone? 

[27:48] The Risks of Going It Alone 

[32:05] What a Guided Journey Looks Like 

[33:47] Ego Dissolution and Dosing Sessions 

[35:32] Integration and Its Pitfalls 

[37:42] Understanding MDMA 

[39:25] Reframing Psychedelics in 2026 

[40:42] The Truth About Microdosing 

[42:27] Final Thoughts and Keith's Biggest Hope 

 

Conclusion: 

Real healing asks us to look beneath our symptoms to the trauma that drives them—and to be open to new tools when the old ones fall short. Psychedelic therapy isn't a shortcut or a cure-all; it's a structured, clinical approach that works best with skilled guidance, honest preparation, and committed integration afterward. The difference between a transformative experience and a harmful one often comes down to context, support, and intention. As research accelerates and access expands, staying curious—while keeping a healthy dose of skepticism—may be the wisest posture of all. The problems we carry inside ourselves are likely healable, but only for those willing to commit to the work. 

Links/Resources: 

Book: https://psychiatryinstitute.com/book/ 

Website: https://keithkurlander.com/ 

Integrative Psychiatry Institute: https://psychiatryinstitute.com/

Episode recap  

 

If you are a champion for human-centered leadership and workplaces, Marcel would love to speak with you to explore partnerships. Book a call here: https://calendly.com/marcelschwantes/discovery-call?month=2026-02  

 

In this solo episode, Marcel explores a question that cuts deep: Why do so many leaders struggle to create emotionally safe environments where people can thrive? 

Drawing from a striking study highlighted in Harper’s Magazine, Marcel unpacks the reality that only 35% of Americans grew up knowing a compassionate, non-judgmental adult, and only 5% identified their father as that person. He examines how generations of men were conditioned to suppress emotion, prioritize performance over presence, and equate vulnerability with weakness, patterns that continue to shape leadership behavior today. Most importantly, this episode challenges leaders to rethink what people truly remember about them. Not their charisma. Not their intelligence. But whether they created an environment where others felt safe enough to grow. This is a conversation about becoming the kind of leader many people wish they had growing up. 

 

Bio:

 

Marcel Schwantes is a leadership coach, speaker, author, and advocate for more humane workplaces. He works with organizations struggling with disengagement, and cultures that lack high performance — and who are ready to build something better. Marcel’s work includes: 

Executive coaching 

Leadership development programs for managers 

Keynote speaking and workshops 

Executive roundtables and culture strategy sessions 

 

Marcel is the author of Humane Leadership: Lead with Radical Love, Be a Kick-Ass Boss. Whether coaching a CEO or training a leadership team, Marcel’s #1 goal is the same: To help leaders become the kind of people others want to follow. 

 

Quotes: 

"We're asking today's leaders to create experiences they may have rarely experienced themselves growing up." 

"A lot of leaders are navigating with what I call an incomplete emotional map." 

"People rarely remember the smartest leader in the room. They remember the leader who made them feel safe enough to become better." 

 

Takeaways: 

Your early experience (or lack) of a compassionate, non-judgmental adult directly shapes how emotionally safe people feel around you as a leader today. 

Many leaders operate with an “incomplete emotional map,” defaulting to control, defensiveness, and avoidance because vulnerability was never modeled for them. 

Psychological safety is one of the strongest predictors of high-performing teams, making emotional safety a core business imperative—not a “soft” extra. 

Humane leadership is built through daily micro-moments—pausing before reacting, listening without fixing, asking curious questions, and staying fully present. 

Regardless of your past, you can break the cycle and become the compassionate, non-judgmental leader others remember as a turning point in their lives. 

 

Timestamps: 

[00:00] Why Leadership Wellbeing Must Be a Priority 
[01:12] Podcast Rebrand and Future Direction 
[02:14] The Shocking 35% Compassion Statistic 
[03:08] Why Emotional Safety Wasn’t Modeled for Many Leaders 
[04:12] The Leadership Challenge of Psychological Safety 
[05:20] What an “Incomplete Emotional Map” Looks Like at Work 
[06:33] How Childhood Conditioning Shapes Leadership Behavior 
[07:24] Research Behind Psychological Safety and High-Performing Teams 
[08:22] Caring Leadership Is Built Through Daily Human Moments 
[09:34] The Small Habits That Permanently Change People 
[10:22] What Employees Actually Remember About Great Leaders 
[11:09] Becoming the Compassionate Leader Many Never Had 
[12:01] Breaking the Cycle and Building Better Leadership Cultures 
[12:48] Closing Remarks and Podcast Outro 

 

Conclusion: 

In a world obsessed with metrics, strategy, and performance, Marcel's message is a powerful reminder that the real work of leadership is emotional. Only 35% of people say they knew a compassionate, non-judgmental adult growing up-and that deficit shows up every day in how leaders react, control, or shut down when things get hard. 

But this isn't a story of blame; it's a story of possibility. By recognizing our incomplete emotional maps and choosing small, daily acts of care, curiosity, and presence, we can rewrite the script. We can create teams where people feel safe enough to speak up, grow, and take risks-and become the kind of leaders others remember not just for what we achieved, but for how we made them feel. 

Ultimately, the real opportunity in front of us isn't only to build better businesses-it's to become part of the "other 65%" of leaders: the compassionate, non-judgmental adults the next generation desperately needs. 

 

 

Links/Resources: 

The book: https://www.amazon.com/Humane-Leadership-Lead-Radical-Kick-Ass-ebook/dp/B0CWG3PTL4/  

Substack: https://marcelschwantes.substack.com/  

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/marcelschwantes/    

X: https://x.com/MarcelSchwantes  

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@MarcelSchwantes1  

Instagram: https://instagram.com/marcel.schwantes/

This episode is brought to you by Mitel. If you’re thinking about how communication impacts leadership and resilience in your own organization, Mitel works with more than 70 million users worldwide across critical industries to keep teams secure and connected. You can check them out at Mitel.com. 

 

Episode recap:

In this episode, Marcel sits down with filmmaker Steven Sawalich to discuss his award-winning documentary, Case for Kindness, now streaming on Prime. Together, they explore the science behind kindness and its role in building trust and healing relationships in today’s polarized world. Featuring stories and insights from voices like Ben Affleck, Garth Brooks, and Daryl Davis, this conversation offers a hopeful and practical reminder that intentional kindness can transform both individuals and communities. 

 

Bio:

Steven Sawalich merges humanitarian work with the capture of compelling human experiences on film. His award-winning documentary, Case for Kindness, explores the transformative societal impact of kindness and its role in shaping our future. The film has received over 75 awards globally. 

 

Quotes: 

“Kindness is a muscle, and you need to exercise it.” 

“We can start seeing our commonalities as opposed to our differences.” 

“Love and kindness win.” 

 

Takeaways: 

Practice intentional kindness daily instead of relying on random acts to create lasting behavioral change. 

Replace judgment with curiosity by asking questions and seeking to understand another person’s perspective first. 

Create cultures of kindness in workplaces by modeling empathy, accountability, and respect from leadership downward. 

Use shared experiences like music, sports, art, or service projects to build bridges between people with opposing views. 

When conflict arises, pause before reacting emotionally and process feelings without allowing negativity to take root. 

Acknowledge that kindness is contagious—simply witnessing compassionate behavior can inspire others to act similarly. 

Lead conversations with openness instead of certainty to foster trust, dialogue, and stronger human connection. 

 

Timestamps: 

[00:00] Introduction

[06:20] Steven’s global travels and the inspiration behind A Case for Kindness 

[09:45] Polarization, dialogue, and rebuilding common ground through kindness 

[12:37] The story of a Black musician befriending KKK members 

[17:11] Kindness in leadership, workplace culture, and emotional contagion 

[19:32] How making the documentary personally transformed Steven’s mindset 

[23:18] Ben Affleck’s powerful reflections on addiction and kindness 

[26:08] Trust, suspicion, and why kindness matters more than ever 

[30:42] Steven’s vision for the future impact of the film 

[31:30] Practical ways to lead with love, patience, and curiosity 

 

 

Conclusion: 

This conversation is a reminder that kindness is not simply about being nice—it is about choosing connection over division, curiosity over judgment, and compassion over fear. Steven Sawalich’s journey demonstrates that even in the most difficult conversations and darkest moments, kindness can open doors that hatred and hostility never could. Whether in leadership, relationships, workplaces, or communities, small intentional acts of kindness have the power to spread far beyond what we can see. As Marcel and Steven emphasize throughout the episode, healing begins when we are willing to listen, seek understanding, and recognize our shared humanity. In a world increasingly shaped by outrage and polarization, perhaps kindness is not weakness at all—but one of the bravest choices we can make. 

 

 

Links/Resources: 
Case for Kindness website - https://caseforkindness.com/   

Watch on Amazon Prime  

Articulate Entertainment - https://www.articulusentertainment.com/home

This episode is brought to you by Mitel. If you’re thinking about how communication impacts leadership and resilience in your own organization, Mitel works with more than 70 million users worldwide across critical industries to keep teams secure and connected. You can check them out at Mitel.com. 

 

Episode recap 

 

In this episode, Marcel sits down with filmmaker Steven Sawalich to discuss his award-winning documentary, Case for Kindness, now streaming on Prime. Together, they explore the science behind kindness and its role in building trust and healing relationships in today’s polarized world. Featuring stories and insights from voices like Ben Affleck, Garth Brooks, and Daryl Davis, this conversation offers a hopeful and practical reminder that intentional kindness can transform both individuals and communities. 

 

Bio:

 

Steven Sawalich merges humanitarian work with the capture of compelling human experiences on film. His award-winning documentary, Case for Kindness, explores the transformative societal impact of kindness and its role in shaping our future. The film has received over 75 awards globally. 

 

Quotes: 

“If Daryl can do that, we can certainly do that.” 

“Kindness is a muscle, and you need to exercise it.” 

“We can start seeing our commonalities as opposed to our differences.” 

“You never know what somebody else is going through.” 

“Love and kindness win.” 

 

Takeaways: 

Practice intentional kindness daily instead of relying on random acts to create lasting behavioral change. 

Replace judgment with curiosity by asking questions and seeking to understand another person’s perspective first. 

Create cultures of kindness in workplaces by modeling empathy, accountability, and respect from leadership downward. 

Use shared experiences like music, sports, art, or service projects to build bridges between people with opposing views. 

When conflict arises, pause before reacting emotionally and process feelings without allowing negativity to take root. 

Acknowledge that kindness is contagious—simply witnessing compassionate behavior can inspire others to act similarly. 

Lead conversations with openness instead of certainty to foster trust, dialogue, and stronger human connection. 

 

Timestamps: 

[00:00] Why kindness may be the solution to a divided world 

[06:20] Steven’s global travels and the inspiration behind A Case for Kindness 

[09:45] Polarization, dialogue, and rebuilding common ground through kindness 

[12:37] The story of a Black musician befriending KKK members 

[17:11] Kindness in leadership, workplace culture, and emotional contagion 

[19:32] How making the documentary personally transformed Steven’s mindset 

[23:18] Ben Affleck’s powerful reflections on addiction and kindness 

[26:08] Trust, suspicion, and why kindness matters more than ever 

[30:42] Steven’s vision for the future impact of the film 

[31:30] Practical ways to lead with love, patience, and curiosity 

 

Conclusion: 

This conversation is a reminder that kindness is not simply about being nice—it is about choosing connection over division, curiosity over judgment, and compassion over fear. Steven Sawalich’s journey demonstrates that even in the most difficult conversations and darkest moments, kindness can open doors that hatred and hostility never could. Whether in leadership, relationships, workplaces, or communities, small intentional acts of kindness have the power to spread far beyond what we can see. As Marcel and Steven emphasize throughout the episode, healing begins when we are willing to listen, seek understanding, and recognize our shared humanity. In a world increasingly shaped by outrage and polarization, perhaps kindness is not weakness at all—but one of the bravest choices we can make. 

 

Resources: 

 
Case for Kindness website - https://caseforkindness.com/   

  

Watch on Amazon Prime  

  

Articulate Entertainment - https://www.articulusentertainment.com/home

This episode is brought to you by Mitel. If you’re thinking about how communication impacts leadership and resilience in your own organization, Mitel works with more than 70 million users worldwide across critical industries to keep teams secure and connected. You can check them out at Mitel.com. 

 

Episode recap 

Marcel sat down with Claude Silver to talk about her bold and practical debut, Be Yourself at Work. Silver argues authentic presence is today’s top business superpower and provides a human-centered guide to build trust, lead with heart, and foster cultures where people truly belong.

 

Bio:

Claude Silver is the world's first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, working with CEO Gary Vaynerchuk to drive success. She has spoken at Meta, Google, and U.S. agencies, and been featured in The New York Times, Fast Company, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. Her new book is Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart.

 

Quotes: 

 “There is so much power when you are truly your authentic self, when you are not trying to fit in”   

 “You are the only person that can change the song in your head.” 

 “Belonging is our human birthright, and we all need it.” 

 “You don’t drain, you radiate.” 

 “The calmer we are, the clearer we can be.” 

 

 Takeaways: 

 Build self-awareness by understanding your values, patterns, fears, and strengths. 

 Replace fake urgency with intentional calm to reduce burnout and improve clarity. 

 Create belonging by helping people feel seen, heard, and psychologically safe.  

Practice emotional bravery by having honest conversations instead of avoiding discomfort. 

 Leaders should listen deeply, acknowledge people often, and show their humanity. 

 In an AI-driven world, emotional intelligence and human connection matter more than ever. 

 Small moments of authenticity and appreciation can transform workplace culture. 

 

Timestamps: 

[00:00] Introduction and Claude Silver’s background 

[04:01] Personal story and Outward Bound transformation 

[12:29] Origin of the Chief Heart Officer role 

[16:00] Big idea of Be Yourself at Work 

[17:30] Real meaning of authenticity at work 

[19:55] The Three E’s: optimism, bravery, efficiency 

[23:36] Benefits of an emotionally healthy culture 

[25:38] Inner work and self‑awareness 

[27:50] Fake urgency and running on calm 

[32:59] Belonging, safety, and performance 

[36:24] Building trust in remote, multi‑gen teams 

[38:27] AI, efficiency, and human connection 

[40:11] Practical advice for CEOs and leaders 

[43:52] Speed round: personal side of Claude 

[46:43] Leading with love and radiating energy 

[47:06] Final takeaway: small actions to reconnect 

 

Conclusion: 

Authenticity, trust, and emotional courage are no longer optional in leadership—they are essential for building healthy, high-performing cultures. When leaders create spaces where people feel safe to belong and contribute fully, organizations become more resilient, innovative, and human. Claude Silver’s message is simple yet powerful: real leadership begins with self-awareness, grows through connection, and thrives when people choose to radiate instead of drain. 

 

Links/Resources: 

Website: https://www.claudesilver.com/ 

Book website: https://www.beyourselfbook.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casilver/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudesilver/?hl=en 

Claude Silver on Episode #6: https://www.marcelschwantes.com/claude-silver/