Alberto Villoldo
Alberto Villoldo is a psychologist, medical anthropologist, and author whose work centers on shamanic healing, mind-body medicine, and Indigenous traditions of the Amazon and Andes. He wrote bestselling books including Shaman, Healer, Sage and One Spirit Medicine, later revised as the Wall Street Journal bestseller Grow a New Body, and founded the Four Winds Society. ((https://thefourwinds.com/alberto-villoldo-biography/))
Biography & Author's Journey
Alberto Villoldo’s career has unfolded at the meeting point of psychology, anthropology, writing, and contemporary spiritual teaching. Born in Cuba, he has said he was exposed early to Afro-Indian healing traditions. He later pursued doctoral studies in psychology and medical anthropology at San Francisco State University, where, by his mid-twenties, he became the university’s youngest clinical professor and directed the Biological Self-Regulation Laboratory. That academic path was the first major turning point. According to his own account, laboratory research on mind-body medicine eventually felt too narrow, and he left for the Amazon and Andes, spending years studying with Indigenous healers and collecting practices that would become the basis of his later books and schools. ((https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Alberto-Villoldo/460358714?utm_source=openai))
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Community Voices
"The word “miraculous” in the title of Alberto Villoldo’s latest book is anything but hyperbole"
— Foreword Reviews ((
"Alberto Villoldo has given us a sacred key to open the gateway into the mysterious and wondrous realm of the shaman"
— Denise Linn ((
"Trained in Western psychology, Villoldo went to Peru, became a Quechua shaman's apprentice"
— Publishers Weekly ((
"Villoldo’s voice is refreshingly authentic"
— Foreword Reviews ((
"Dr. Alberto Villoldo is a psychologist and medical anthropologist who weaves together Indigenous healing methods with scientifically grounded strategies"
— Sara Gottfried ((
"Alberto Villoldo is almost without peer in translating the understanding of ancient and tribal communities for the modern world"
— Catherine Ingram ((
"After years in the medical field, psychologist Alberto Villoldo did a remarkable about-face, becoming an expert practitioner of Andean shamanism"
— Library Journal ((
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
