I want the answer to this question to be yes. I want so badly for healing to be quick and easy. Witnessing the suffering of others is heartbreaking, and I wish there were such a thing as a magic bullet. Something that is one and done. Cures all suffering with immediacy. But I haven’t found that thing yet. What I have found about ketamine, is that it aides the healing process in profound ways. It can soften defenses, move stuck material, offer new ways of being and thinking, provide insights, reconnect one to self, relieve symptoms, and speed up the process of healing. Not too shabby if you ask me, but not a magic bullet. One must still engage with their work for long-lasting change. I have seen Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAP) do wonders for clients who are actively engaged in their healing work through therapy, meditation, self-care, and an openness to facing challenges. On its own, ketamine will give immediate symptom relief. But I want more for my clients. I want to help them get to the root of the problems causing the symptoms. I want deep, long-lasting healing. Which means the clients understand that a magic bullet is not what KAP is offering. KAP is a catalyst, not a cure. It is a journey toward healings.
I will leave you with this quote from James Woods, M.D.:
“Ketamine is not a cure for the conditions we treat. It is either a safe and effective antidepressant or, when combined with therapy and lifestyle changes, a catalyst for meaningful change in the quality of life of our clients. Depression and anxiety are lifelong problems, and the treatment is daily and lifelong. It is the journey through life that heals, not the journey into the ketamine fields. But the first is so much easier with the second.”