Alberto Villoldo


Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D., is a Cuban-born psychologist, medical anthropologist and author, writing primarily in the field of neo-shamanism.

Academic background

Villoldo graduated in 1969 with a bachelor's degree in Inter-American Studies, followed by a master's degree in psychology in 1972, and a doctoral degree in psychology at the Humanistic Psychology Institute, now known as Saybrook University. His thesis advisor was Dr. Stanley Krippner, with whom he later co-authored Healing States: A Journey Into the World of Spiritual Healing and Shamanism. While on the faculty of San Francisco State University, Villoldo founded and directed the Biological Self Regulation Laboratory at San Francisco State University, where he investigated the effects of energy healing on blood and brain chemistry.

Controversy

Villoldo cites a number of key mentors, who he says shared their Shamanic knowledge with him through his years in Peru and the Amazon. Controversy surrounds Villoldo's brand of participatory engagement as contrasted with the less participatory anthropological approach.

Writing and Film

Villoldo's published works include Dance of the Four Winds, and Shaman, Healer, Sage. He has coauthored a number of books with Erik Jendresen.
In 2011 Villoldo produced a documentary Amazonia: Healing With Sacred Plants which focuses on the sacred plants of the Peru's Amazon region, including the use of ayahuasca.

Appearances and interviews

Alberto Villoldo appears in several documentaries, including: