So spoiler alert, although I am talking about psychedelics as medicine, that is not where the magic lies. The magic is in the medicine that you hold in yourself. The magic is in the medicine that comes from humans connecting more vulnerably, more authentically, and healing through that connection. Psychedelic medicines such as Ketamine, Psilocybin, Ayahuasca, Ibogaine, LSD - all have the capacity to help individuals expand their perspective, dissolve internal defenses, motivate changes, and increase compassion for self and others. But these medicines (or drugs if we want to help de-stigmatize the word…which WE do) don’t work in isolation. What makes psychedelic assisted healing work so powerful is in the preparation and integration that happens with the support of a trained practitioner.

I would be remiss to not take the time to highlight what is meant by “practitioner”. Practitioner is someone who practices in the art of medicine assisted healing. They often have some kind of training - be it from “elders” in their communities or formal education like facilitator/sitter/therapist trainings.

For thousands of years, psychedelics have been used by indigenous peoples in community or group settings. I hold this wisdom with great reverence and maintain that “connection and community is medicine”. Because of this, I believe in the profound transformational power of group and relational work.

Ketamine is the medicine I currently use (until others become legalized and accessible). In the words of my dear teacher, Lauren Taus, “People often ask: Is ketamine a horse tranquilizer?!” to which I reply, “yes", yes it is”.” It is also a dissociative anesthetic classified as a psychedelic.

Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is a deep psychotherapeutic process that can produce expedited improvement for a number of mental health struggles including: depression, anxiety, suicidality, post-traumatic stress, postpartum, obsessive-compulsive disorder and more. KAP is notably effective in treatment resistant mental health disorders.

KAP is a Holistic approach that works with your mind, body, and spirit to activate your internal healing capabilities and deepens mind/body connection. We believe that the biochemical antidepressant and neuroplastic properties of ketamine are amplified when a person is well prepared for their experience and results are maximized when there is space for new insights and perspectives to be integrated into their narratives. The medicine acts as a powerful disruption in painful patterns, accelerating the therapeutic process, often allowing you to achieve what you might – only after many years of traditional talk therapy. Ketamine works by giving you more access to your internal strengths and ability to heal and grow by disrupting ordinary repetitive thought patterns (default network). It helps to give you a reprieve or break from your habitual ways of thinking, opening up opportunity for cognitive flexibility/expansion.

Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is similar to the individual treatment approach, but with the added power of relationships which provides a framework for expanded growth and connections for healing. The group process allows for connection to a supportive system, free from judgement,  can heighten the journey through the shared experiences of others.

All psychedelic assisted therapy will include preparation sessions, a medicine journey, and integration.

For the medicine journey, often participants are encouraged to where a black out eye mask and where headphones connected to a carefully curated playlist, designed for KAP.

Integration is often the most important - if not THE most important part of the work. Integration is a process in which a person engages in making sense of, translating, and processing the content of their psychedelic experience. Integration therapy helps you to incorporate the emergent lessons and insights from your experience - into your life. It is the WAY the experience gets woven into application in your life!