Psychedelic Assisted Therapy
Ketamine and Mental Health
Ketamine, originated as an anesthetic in the late 1960s, has been found to be beneficial to treat many mental health disorders, such as depression and PTSD.
Ketamine's unique qualities include:
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Promoting neuroplasticity through increasing Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - a hormone that can reverse the loss of connective neurons in the brain [1].
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Targeting the brain's default mode network - a network in the brain associated with compulsive negative thinking [2].
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Blocking the brain's glutamate/NMDA receptor (a neurotransmitter associated with inflammation and brain excitotoxicity) [3].
All of these qualities have been linked to ketamine's rapid acting antidepressant effects. Ketamine is currently the only fully approved psychedelic substance for mental health treatment.
What research is saying about Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
A large study was completed in 2019, which sought to study the benefits of ketamine with the combination of psychotherapy [4]. The study reported a significant decrease in depression, anxiety, PTSD symptoms and a general promotion of overall well-being across participants [4].
Psychedelics show you what’s in and on your mind, those subconscious thoughts and feelings that are hidden, covered up, forgotten, out of sight, maybe even completely unexpected, but nevertheless imminently present.
— Rick Strassman
KAP Process
Medical Eval
An evaluation is completed with the medical provider we partner with to make sure you are an appropriate fit for ketamine.
Preparation
Up to two therapy sessions to establish goals, set intentions, review expectations, and get you ready for upcoming medicine sessions. Preparation sessions will help prepare you for altered states of consciousness.
Medicine Session
Sessions involving taking ketamine either orally, intravenous (IV), or intramuscularly (IM). These sessions are completed in a medical setting with a therapist there to help guide and support you along your journey.
Integration
Therapy sessions that are completed after/between each medicine sessions. This is when you have the opportunity to explore new insights, and begin making positive changes.
Psychedelic Integration
Integration is a form of therapy that supports individuals following a state of non-ordinary conscious. It is the process of exploring insights, and addressing challenges that arise during psychedelic journeys. These experiences provide an opportunity for healing. In short, integration is a space to "make meaning" of the new thoughts, feelings, sensations so that they can then inform our daily functioning. Integration therapy is often skipped when it comes to post-psychedelic journeys; however, professional support can mean the difference between integrating the new insights and realizations to create lasting change in meaningful ways or stopping at the doorstep of healing and lasting growth.
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References:
1. Huang YJ et al. New Treatment Strategies of Depression: Based on Mechanisms Related to Neuroplasticity. Neural Plast. 2017; 2017:4605971.
2. Hamilton et al. Depressive Rumination, the Default-Mode Network, and the Dark Matter of Clinical Neuroscience. Biological Psychiatry. 2015 Aug 15;78(4):224-30.
3. Andrade, C. Ketamine for Depression, 1: Clinical Summary of Issues Related to Efficacy, Adverse Effects, and Mechanism of Action. J Clinical Psychiatry 2017 Apr;78(4):e415-e419.
4. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/directors/thomas-insel/blog/2014/ketamine.shtml