About
About Us
Healing Hearts, Changing Minds was formed in 2023 after our founder, Robert Ansin, had an experience so profound and life-changing that he was compelled to share it with others.
Because he was a lifelong spiritual seeker, friends encouraged Ansin to consider a psilocybin retreat as part of his spiritual journey. After extensive research, Ansin travelled to Jamaica for a week-long retreat that left him a changed person. He had a new view about consciousness, and a newfound sense of connection to others and the world. And with a thriving real estate development business well-established, he felt compelled to give back so others could benefit from the same kind of experience he had.
He knew that psychedelic-assisted therapy was reemerging and that evidence of its effectiveness was growing. Recent research documented its effectiveness in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, addiction and in providing supportive and compassionate end-of-life care. But restrictions on use and long-held stigma about psychedelics had limited research into this promising therapy. Ansin formed Healing Hearts, Changing Minds and together with his advisors, sought to change that.
HHCM now funds important research at leading institutions and organizations ranging from the Mayo Clinic to a progressive New Mexico hospice. Research results are shared widely to guide the medical, mental health and palliative care communities in designing therapies that utilize psychedelics the most effective way possible.
The organization’s first grant rounded funded projects to explore the value of psychedelic assisted therapy in treating the LGBTQ community. The 2026 grant round is funding projects studying the role that psychedelic-assisted therapy can play in providing more compassionate end-of-life care.
Our Vision
At Healing Hearts Changing Minds, we believe that our deepest wounds can become powerful sources of strength and inspiration. Like the ancient Japanese art of kintsugi, which mends broken pottery with gold to highlight its history rather than hide it, we honor the beauty that can emerge through healing.
In the same way, we believe that psychedelic-assisted therapy can be like the gold that fills cracks with healing and meaning. That’s why our vision is a world where psychedelic-assisted therapy is valued as a healing tool that can guide people who may feel hopeless or broken, toward greater healing, deeper meaning and fulfilling, inspired lives.
What We Do
Listen and Learn
Bridge Resources
Empower Agents of Change
We engage with leaders to identify community needs and opportunities.
We issue targeted RFPs and provide funding for innovative ideas.
We help people become local leaders in their communities.
Our Team
At Healing Hearts, Changing Minds, we are committed to broadening access to the transformative healing potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Rooted in compassionate care and evidence-based practices, our team strives to cultivate a more empathetic, aware, and peaceful society—one person at a time.
Healing Hearts, Changing Minds originated from a deeply personal journey. After attending a transformative psilocybin retreat in Jamaica, Massachusetts-born entrepreneur Robert Ansin felt inspired to establish a foundation that could provide others the same opportunity to process trauma, reconnect with their inner wisdom, and start anew.
But this isn’t just about individual healing. It’s about awakening potential. We believe there are people in every community, especially in marginalized groups, who were born to be change agents but have been held back by the weight of untreated pain. Through psychedelic-assisted therapy, we aim to help them find their way back to wholeness so they can return to their communities and become catalysts for love, justice, and transformation.
Robert’s inspiration for this work is grounded in both his personal healing and his family history. Our initial funding round aimed to support future psychedelic facilitators from LGBTQIA+ communities—a commitment that honors his late father, Ron, a trailblazing advocate who came out as bisexual in the 1970s and became a champion for gay rights and philanthropy.
This mission is also personal to Robert as a father. Supporting his own child through a gender affirmation journey has deepened his understanding of identity, healing, and belonging.
Before founding HHCM, Robert led a career in social entrepreneurship, known for revitalizing historic spaces with a focus on sustainability and equity. That work instilled a belief in what’s possible when people feel seen, supported, and free to imagine new futures.
Healing Hearts, Changing Minds exists to amplify the impact of those who are ready to rise—not just for themselves, but for the world. We are planting seeds of change in individual lives, knowing they will grow into forests of transformation.
Alex Belser, PhD, is a clinical scientist, psychologist, and psychedelic researcher formerly at NYU and Yale University. His book, EMBARK Psychedelic Therapy for Depression (Oxford University Press), co-authored with Dr. Bill Brennan, offers a clinical guide to working with psychedelic medicines. He has taught in over a dozen psychedelic training programs about psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, and DMT therapies.
Dr. Belser co-founded the NYU Psychedelic Research Group in 2006 and a non-profit psychedelic center called Nautilus Sanctuary. He served as the Chief Clinical Officer of Cybin, leading clinical teams in the US and Europe. His last book is Queering Psychedelics: From Oppression to Liberation in Psychedelic Medicine. His work has been featured in the media, with coverage in the New York Times, the Atlantic, The Guardian, Forbes, Rolling Stone, NPR, and in Michael Pollan’s book, How to Change Your Mind. Dr. Belser is a teacher of hatha and kundalini yoga. He studied at Georgetown, Cambridge, Columbia, NYU, and Yale.
More information: http://alexbelser.com and https://www.centerforbreakthroughs.com/
Andrea brings passion, purpose, and a powerhouse work ethic to everything she does. Launching her career in the Massachusetts District Attorney’s Office as a Victim/Witness Advocate, she quickly earned a reputation as a bold and compassionate force for marginalized communities. With over 20 years of experience as a licensed attorney, Andrea has built a career rooted in sharp legal insight, fearless advocacy, and strategic problem-solving.
Andrea’s career has evolved to encompass leadership in the real estate industry, where she stands out as a respected executive and changemaker, championing initiatives that promote fair and equitable access to homeownership. Andrea also spearheaded the creation of innovative educational programs specifically designed to address the diverse talent gap in the real estate and title industries—trailblazing efforts that are shaping a more inclusive future.
Outside the office, Andrea is a single mother and proud role model to her teenage daughter, as well as dog mom to two spirited yellow labs. A passionate believer in the healing power of Psychedelic Assisted Therapy, Andrea is energized and honored to join HHCM as Program Director, where she’s ready to turn vision into action and drive meaningful impact.