Understanding Psychedelic Therapy with a Ketamine Therapist
5 Things to Know About the Healing Power of Ketamine Therapy
Guest Blog Written by: Julie Goldberg
As a Psychedelic-Assisted Ketamine Therapist based out of Brooklyn, I use Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) to help people with a wide variety of mental health conditions. My work has strengthened my belief in the effectiveness and reparative effects of ketamine for lasting healing.
While ketamine-assisted therapy is a safe and effective way to treat many mental health conditions, it can still be confusing world to navigate. In this blog post, I’ll summarize five common questions about starting a session with a ketamine therapist.
Is Ketamine Legal?
If you choose to book a session with a ketamine therapist, you’ll meet with a medical doctor, who will legally prescribe you a ketamine prescription from a pharmacy. This process is an above ground, safe, and legal way to receive ketamine for your treatment.
Ketamine was approved by the FDA for use as an anesthetic agent several decades ago. The administration of ketamine in lower, sub-anesthetic doses to treat pain, depression, or other psychiatric diagnoses is a newer, off-label use of ketamine. Psychiatric use of ketamine has become relatively widespread in recent years and has been studied and promoted by researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health.
There are no legal risks with participating in Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy as long as you take the medication as prescribed.
How is Ketamine Administered?
Ketamine can be administered by intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), sublingual, oral, and intranasal routes.
Most often, in a Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy session, you will receive the ketamine in a sublingual form. Ketamine will dissolve in your mouth as it is rapidly absorbed through the lining of your mouth.
As the medicine begins to take effect, you will be supported and monitored by your therapist. Your therapist might provide you with an eye mask, blanket, and pillow as you retreat and allow the medicine to relax you.
How long is a session with a ketamine therapist?
The duration of your experience may vary, usually thirty minutes to two hours, and tends to be dose-dependent. You’ll most likely book a three-hour therapy session with your ketamine therapist.
The effect of ketamine can be described as a state of “light trance.” The choice of dose will depend on prior exposure to ketamine and other psychedelics, body weight, and sensitivity. Individuals experienced with psychedelics may receive a higher initial dose.
Relaxation from ordinary concerns while maintaining conscious awareness under the influence of ketamine is characteristic. This tends to lead to a disruption of negative feelings and obsessional preoccupations.
You might experience a bodily sensation of relaxation and heaviness and feel a deep connection to the music being played. Your ketamine therapist will remain in the therapy room with you throughout the session and might ask guiding questions to help deepen your experience.
After coming out of the ketamine journey, some people experience a relaxation of their protectors, or defenses, that usually block them from participating in therapeutic work. Since you most likely will have a relationship with your therapist already, this is a great time to do some deeper healing.
What should I expect following Ketamine Assisted therapy?
You may experience positive changes in personality, mood and cognition during treatment, in the aftermath and in the days and weeks that follow.
The ketamine experience itself is designed to enable your own healing wisdom to be accessed and beneficial to you. The psychotherapy support you will receive will aid you in making your experience(s) valuable and understandable to you. Your ketamine therapist will assist you in changing patterns of mind and behavior that are of concern and cause you difficulty.
After your session, on a regular basis, ask yourself, “What is the most loving thing I can do for myself today?” Allow your body to guide you.
Ketamine offers neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to change and adapt as a result of an experience. Following a ketamine experience, your brain is more “plastic,” which creates new neural pathways. These new pathways help to relieve depression and anxiety.
How do I find a Ketamine therapist?
It can be challenging to find a KAP therapist, especially with misleading marketing tactics found in larger ketamine clinics. An important distinction when finding a ketamine therapist is to make sure you are meeting with a licensed professional. Unfortunately, some ketamine IV clinics say they offer “therapy” when clients are actually meeting with an unlicensed practitioner of varying education levels.
During your KAP session, your therapist will stay with you for the duration of your treatment, which is different than a ketamine session at an IV or IM clinic.
If you are specifically looking for ketamine-assisted therapy, here are a few places to find a Ketamine Therapist near you:
Psychology Today - look for licensed psychologists, counselors, therapists and social workers
Psychedelic Support Network - look for licensed psychologists, counselors, therapists and social workers
Ask your current therapist for referrals
Next Steps for Starting Ketamine Assisted Therapy
If you have any other questions about Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy or ketamine therapy for depression and healing I am more than happy to connect with you! It can be confusing navigating the new world of psychedelic-assisted therapy and it is both a time-consuming and large financial investment that should be taken slowly and with attentive care.
You can learn more about psychedelic assisted therapy including a KAP preparation guide, ketamine group therapy and psychedelic integration by visiting my website.
Julie Goldberg is a licensed therapist and the founder of Third Nature Therapy. Her practice focuses on helping individuals better understand their inner world, befriend their nervous system (instead of working against it), and navigate changing relationships. She offers somatic therapy, EMDR intensives, and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy in Brooklyn, NY.
