As you may know, ketamine is not a traditional psychedelic. In fact, it is a dissociative anesthetic that has long been used in surgical settings. I began hearing about ketamine in mental health spaces years ago, but it was primarily being used in sterile medical environments intravenously or intramuscularly for symptom relief for treatment resistant depression. Through my psychedelic therapy trainings, I began to hear about the potential of psychedelic experiences with ketamine. In all honesty, I had some doubts. I was deep in my learning about psilocybin and MDMA for therapy, and the thought of using a non-traditional psychedelic wasn’t all that appealing. As my belief in psychedelic therapy as a successful adjunct to talk therapy increased, so did my longing to incorporate it into my practice. I wanted faster results for clients. This led me to begin my training in Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), as well as incorporate it into my personal journey of healing. I was blown away. Here is an accessible and legal entry into psychedelic therapy. And, this modality is less time-consuming (which translates to more affordable) than therapies using traditional psychedelics and MDMA. I was thrilled. Ketamine has the gift of allowing clients to access material, memories, and parts of self that they struggle to access. There is such an opportunity to move out of stuck places while using ketamine. I have seen clients have the most moving and powerful experiences in sessions that have long-reaching impact on their lives.
