Who is Eric M. Fortier?

Well, that depends… what do we really mean when we say “who”?

Just kidding.

Most would probably consider me an independent researcher. I have spent fifteen years closely studying psychedelic literature, synthesizing research across neuroscience, psychology, and pharmacology, and corresponding with various researchers.

Today, my work primarily centers on understanding how psychedelics interact with the serotonin system’s roles in governing energy metabolism, resource allocation, and value-based decision making, and what this means in practice.

Shortly after completing my Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in Psychology with Specialization from the University of Ottawa, I started (and now operate) Psychoactive.ca, where empirical precision and reader experience guide my approach to communicating complex topics in psychedelic science.

My articles—including Can You Feel It? On Psychedelic Microdosing and D.W. Woolley, the Serotonin Hypothesis and the Genesis of Psychopharmacology—have garnered some praise and been shared by among leading researchers, retreat owners and lofty creative professionals, and gained attention from platforms like PsychedelicsToday and others within the psychedelic community.

I recently finished writing and published the second edition of “Psychedelotropism: The Luminous Origins of Serotonin and Classical Psychedelic Experience” (2024), in which I present an evolutionary framework that traces the 2.5-billion-year history of serotonin to cast light on the underlying mechanisms of how serotonergic psychedelics could help us find meaning, strategize, innovate, and reallocate resources, at fundamental neurobiological levels.

My work extends beyond therapeutic contexts and into broader questions around problem-solving, creativity, value-based decision-making, and our relationship with the world.

Social: @psychoactivepress