Ketamine Assisted Treatment

Group Counseling

“Depression stems in part from the brain's inability to form new connections. Neuroplasticity induced by ketamine allows the brain to change state. The next logical step is to combine ketamine with non-pharmacological treatments such as psychotherapy to solidify positive changes.” 

– Gerard Sanacora, professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine

Ketamine Assisted Treatment (KAT)  is an innovative psychiatric/psychological treatment approach that combines ketamine administration in a safe and supportive set and setting with inner-directed and supportive guidance sessions and ongoing integration.

Ketamine is approved by the FDA for use in children and adults for anesthesia and for pain relief during medical procedures. Ketamine has also been found in clinical trials to provide relief of symptoms of major depression, treatment resistant depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute and chronic pain. The use of ketamine for the treatment of pain, depression, and other mental illnesses is “off-label,” and is the only psychedelic that is currently legal in the United States.

Combining ketamine with psychotherapy can yield a greater benefit than biological ketamine treatments alone. The expanded consciousness states that occur in ketamine sessions provide for more material to work with in therapy, especially in the context of a long-term therapeutic relationship.

Explaining Ketamine Assisted Therapy 

In lay terms, the therapeutic use of ketamine has psychedelic effects that help break down the boundaries of the ego and the usual defenses, opening a doorway to healing and growth.  Entrenched beliefs and old ways of thinking and viewing the world can be dissolved during the process of ego dissolution. This experience is where the person connects to an energy beyond the self.

Ketamine, like all psychedelics, is a powerful tool that teaches us how to face our suffering with more grace and wisdom, and live more fully in joy. 

When I work with an individual, the client uses ketamine lozenges prescribed by a medical professional. I  offer both the opportunity for a larger psychedelic dose, where the client is lying down with an eye mask listening to curated music,  or a smaller dose that creates a psycholytic effect. This “effect” serves as a lubricant to treatment both enhance the ability of the client to look at aspects of their lives they have not been able to face, often due to trauma.

More expansive possibilities and perspectives can come into focus, and the usual limiting self-imposed constraints of the ego are released. Often there arises a renewed sense of empathy and forgiveness of one’s self and others.

As with all psychedelic experiences, suppressed memories or shadows can arise, to be processed with the added resources of the medicine and the guidance. During the KAT process, it’s a good time to clarify intentions, build resolve and gather spiritual and psychological resources to create the kind of fulfilling life you truly desire.

 It can also be used to help a person wean off of SSRI’s and other psychiatric medication, without the severe withdrawal symptoms often associated with such a transition.

You can read more about this potent medicine in this article:  Resetting the Brain And Mind With Ketamine

Psychedelic Somatic Interactional Treatment with Ketamine

Because trauma is stored in the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), even after years of talk therapy, a person’s physical system is reacting over and over due to stuck neural pathways from past events. Often what we call “mental illness” is really this looping trauma response that creates chaos in a person’s life.

Psychedelic Somatic Interactional Treatment is a non-ordinary state healing work, developed at the Psychedelic Somatic Institute (see psychedelicsomatic.org for more information).

With psychedelic somatic treatment, ketamine is paired with a relational shamanic journey with the client, as they unwind the effects of trauma from their ANS. This deep work shifts the body, the mind, and the spirit to once again feel the joy of aliveness, in relationship. Again, sometimes for the very first time.

What results from this type of treatment is an increased capacity to work with one's feelings, a renegotiated relationship to one's body and its intelligence, an increased sense of capacity and insight, and most importantly, an ability to trust oneself and one's experience.

If you are interested in learning more about working therapeutically with ketamine, click the contact Kathleen button below.

Ketamine Assisted Treatment Client Stories

Working with Kathleen and Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy have (has?) been an important part of my healing journey. It was a peaceful, blissful, and powerful experience that allowed me to taper off my medication.
-A. O. 

Working with Kathleen doing KAP has absolutely transformed my life. Despite being a clinical psychologist and teaching mindfulness and compassion for a living, I have struggled to awaken to the hurt that I buried from early childhood trauma. My mind knew how to love, but it was as if that part of me became inaccessible when my trauma was triggered and I would behave in ways to protect myself that hurt myself and others. And there was so much shame around those behaviors because I'm supposed to ‘know’ better, right?

Kathleen's expert guidance through KAP helped me open my heart and access the wisdom of love that I have there. It's as if all the knowledge I had in my mind melted down into my heart and now I can access it to give to myself and others so easily. It seems so simple and natural, but years of therapy and education couldn't help me break down the barriers around my heart in the way that I have been able to with Kathleen. I am, and know I will be, eternally grateful for Kathleen's guidance in helping me to transform my life into one worth living.

-AB

I felt completely supported, guided and loved throughout my ketamine journey(s). Once you’re inside the journey it’s a very intimate and personal experience. You’ll find yourself in a floaty dream-like state. Your body feels separated from your consciousness. This can feel slightly scary, but I felt 10000% safe with Kathleen at my side.

Once the journey is coming to an end, Kathleen is there to gently land you back to reality. She really actively listens during the therapy sessions after the journey, she helps you frame the experience into words. The experience clears the clutter and negative thoughts so that you can bring the good back in. Kathleen brings an empathic, loving energy to the whole process.

-MB

Working with Kathleen while using ketamine has led to more healing than I dreamed possible. I was very skeptical at first. I had been in therapy for several years for complex-PTSD rooted in early childhood sexual abuse and did not want to do anything that would put me in such a vulnerable state. Trusting Kathleen, I decided to try it. Within a few minutes of starting to feel the effects of the medicine, I began crying with a sudden realization about the relationship in which the abuse occurred. The realization was so true and so sudden that it surprised me.

Over the course of the session was able to grieve deeply and release so much trauma from my body. It happened gently and naturally, and on a much more profound level than I could ever have thought possible.

This medicine combined with the supportive, skilled, and loving presence that Kathleen provides helped me heal in a profound way. That was a year ago, and I continue to experience deep peace and healing around an issue that in the past caused immense pain.

-LK

Ketamine has opened me to forgiving myself and others, so that my bitter reactions to people and situations have lessened.  I have become more open to feeling pleasure in my life.  

Ketamine has introduced more forgiveness into my relationship with my spouse.  We are treating each other more lovingly.  We choose our words more lovingly to show respect for each other.  Even when we disagree, we are more open to each other’s point of view.   

It's the softening of the edges that comes with the medicine, and my depression lifting, along with Kathleen’s gentle yet firm guidance, that is creating new beginnings in our relationship.

-L & S

When we did this medicine, we were on the brink of uncoupling and not understanding what had happened to us from the death of our 2 year-old son.  It helped to take down our walls and enabled us to connect and reaffirm our commitment. 

This opening helped rocket us to the path of healing much quicker than any traditional talk therapy I've experienced.  Since starting this healing work, I've been a more engaged parent to our other child, a more understanding partner, more able to advocate for what I need without guilt, talk and write about our son's journey, and find so much joy. It’s a testament to the healing space and focused guidance that Kathleen provides.

In my estimation, our marriage is 1000 times stronger than it's ever been and my partner is someone I sometimes don't recognize (in the most positive light and I love it!). 

-SS


 

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