About Us
“We are all born with unlimited potential, and to be able to help people get back to their original selves, to become the leaders they were meant to be, then I believe the solutions will come from those communities themselves.”
– Robert Ansin, Founder
Bouke de Vries, Marine memory vessels, 2016. Galerie Ron MandosKintsugi Inspiration
Kintsugi is an ancient Japanese art form that involves repairing broken pottery with lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Instead of disguising the fractures, kintsugi embraces them as part of the object's history, enhancing their visibility and revealing the inherent beauty.
At Healing Hearts Changing Minds, we are inspired by this ancient art’s approach to healing and the profound message that it communicates: that growth and beauty can stem from challenges. We believe that our wounds can be our source of inspiration for shining tales of strength and resilience.
Like the art of kintsugi, we also find inspiration in nature’s ability to heal itself after devastation. Just as a forest regenerates after a wildfire, those healing from trauma can tap into their inner resilience.
With self-compassion and support, individuals can discover their own unique path to healing and growth — and then return to their communities to further the healing there.
Vision
At Healing Hearts, Changing Minds, we want to share the healing power of psychedelic-assisted therapy with as many people as possible, enhancing our connectedness to each other and to the natural world.
By providing others with opportunities to recover from trauma and other mental health challenges and to truly reach their potential, we can help to transform our society into a more evolved, empathic, and peaceful place.
Team
Robert Ansin
FOUNDER
Massachusetts-born entrepreneur and philanthropist
Proven track record as change agent and community leader
Passionate about the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy
More than 27 years of experience in sustainable development and real estate
Strong personal connection to the LGBTQIA+ community
Andrea Alessandro, Esq.
SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER
Attorney Alessandro began her legal career in the Massachusetts District Attorney’s Office as a Victim/Witness Advocate, soon establishing herself as a fierce advocate for marginalized communities. More than two decades of experience as a licensed attorney has enabled her to hone her analytical, communication and problem-solving skills. More recently, Andrea has risen the corporate ladder to become a respected professional in the real estate industry. She serves as co-chair of her company’s social justice committee, which is dedicated to uplifting communities through equitable treatment and fair and equal homeownership opportunities. Andrea was also instrumental in creating the first-ever educational program designed to address the diverse talent gap in the title industry.
Andrea balances her legal career with being a single mother and role model to her 16-year-old daughter. She is also the proud mom of two beautiful yellow labs. A firm believer in the healing potential of PAT, Andrea is thrilled to be joining HHCM as Special Projects Manager.
Dr. Alex Belser, PhD.
PROGRAM EVALUATION CONSULTANT
Dr. Alex Belser is a psychedelic researcher and licensed psychologist. For the last 20 years, he has been a leader in the psychedelic clinical community, having served as an investigator on a number of clinical trials of psilocybin and MDMA to treat depression, anxiety, substance use, OCD, PTSD, and end-of-life distress. He is the founding President of Nautilus Sanctuary, the first non-profit center for psychedelic medicine on the east coast. He served as the Chief Clinical Officer of Cybin and Adelia Therapeutics. Dr. Belser’s research has been featured on the front page of the New York Times, in the Atlantic, the New Yorker, The Guardian, and in Michael Pollan's book, How to Change Your Mind.
Dr. Belser has authored over a dozen peer-reviewed journal articles and chapters and has given over fifty lectures, presentations, and Grand Rounds about psychedelic medicine. At Yale, Dr. Belser is investigating psychedelic treatments for OCD. He worked as a therapist on studies of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of severe PTSD. He previously served on the Board of Advisors to Compass Pathways, then a non-profit organization. He is a member of Chacruna Institute’s Women, Gender Diversity, and Sexual Minorities Working Group, where he works on issues affecting LGBTQI+ people.
Dr. Belser studied at Georgetown University, the University of Cambridge, Columbia University, New York University, and Yale University. Dr. Belser trained at Bellevue Hospital, Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital, and New York Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University. He has also received extensive training in psychedelic psychotherapy from recognized senior teachers. He is a student of somatic practices and is a licensed kundalini and hatha yoga teacher.
“We're all just walking each other home.”
―Ram Dass
