When clients consider trauma treatment, they often assume that they will need to confront deeply hurtful experiences in order to find healing. The medicine used in ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) is often viewed as a tool for deepening insight and revisiting old wounds in a way that feels safe and manageable. Yet, ketamine can also open the door to deep calmness, clarity, and even joy—experiences that some individuals find surprising or even confusing. Sometimes these positive experiences lead clients to wonder: if there’s no pain, am I really doing the work? In today’s blog post, I explore how ketamine can assist in generating powerful positive emotional states and how such states can aid in trauma processing and lead to lasting transformation.

You’ve heard the buzz about ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP), but what actually happens during this form of therapy? Taking a mind-altering substance can be intimidating to some, and not knowing what to expect can serve as a hindrance to folks who may really benefit from this treatment. In this guide, I will walk you through the whole KAP process using sublingual ketamine- from the first consultation to maximizing the benefits after treatment. Let’s demystify ketamine assisted psychotherapy!

I come from the perspective that the majority of mental health conditions stem, at least in part, from unprocessed or dormant traumatic experiences. Sometimes there is a clear connection between trauma and a mental health disorder. However, often clients are unaware of the experiences that underlie their mental health conditions due to active defense structures and distorted thought processes stemming from the trauma itself. Ketamine assisted psychotherapy has been shown to help clients access subconscious material that may give insight into the underpinnings of their suffering.