Manuel Villaescusa is a clinical psychologist based in Madrid, Spain, with a long-standing commitment to the safe and responsible use of traditional plant medicines, particularly ayahuasca. His work draws on both clinical training and a deep, sustained engagement with syncretic and indigenous Amazonian traditions connected to plant medicine practice.

Manuel is a cofounder of the Plataforma para la Defensa de la Ayahuasca (plantaforma.org), established in 2010 in Spain to advocate for the legal and cultural recognition of ayahuasca use. He is also a cofounder of FERM Red Micelio (redmicelio.org), a federation of entities dedicated to the study and work with entheogens.