S2 E2: Have You Heard About Rat Park? What environment and connection have to do with addiction

Location: Meerkerk Gardens, Whidbey Island, Washington, USA 

Record date: 10/18/25

Release date: 1/15/25

 

Hosts: Amber Martin and Natasha Morisawa

Edited: https://www.studiosymbiotic.com/

 

From a curated, wooded garden on Whidbey Island, Washington, Natasha Morisawa and Amber Martin introduce the Rat Park study and its findings. They wander and ponder about the connection to humans and addiction as well as different ways of viewing mental health and addiction from not only an individual but a community lens as well. Join them in asking questions about what is working in our modern lives and what could be changed to prevent, reduce, and treat addiction. Along the way there are slugs, mushrooms, evergreens, and the cool, crisp, rainy afternoon of the Pacific Northwest. 

 

Explore more about Ponder While We Wander

A soothing podcast for trying times.

https://ponderwhilewewander.com/

https://ponderwhilewewander.substack.com/

https://ponderwhilewewander.com/wander-well/

 

Episode Resources

Links:

https://www.meerkerkgardens.org/

https://historicwhidbey.org/whidbey-island-history

https://drgabormate.com/addiction/

Rat Park: How a rat paradise changed the narrative of addiction.

https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/what-does-rat-park-teach-us-about-addiction

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/can_connection_cure_addiction