Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy
Using Psychedelics for Mental Health
Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy is a cutting edge treatment approach to mental health symptoms and one that is well established by decades of medical research. The term refers to professionally supervised use of ketamine, MDMA, psilocybin, LSD or ibogaine as part of an established psychotherapy treatment program.
It’s use, until recently, was limited by the illegality of most of the studied medications, despite decades of published data establishing its safety. As a result, few mental health professionals have been adequately trained in this specialty.
In our clinic, we use experienced, highly trained therapists and physician-supervised administration of psychedelic doses of ketamine. This treatment is legal, and it is safe. To date, the scientific literature has shown that being administered a psychedelic in a carefully proscribed and monitored setting can induce an experience that is both medically safe and that provokes profound, durable psychological and behavioral change.
By far, the most studied psychedelic agent is ketamine, which in higher doses has been an anesthetic agent in use for decades. At lower doses, it temporarily modifies consciousness, causing changes in mood, anxiety level and thought patterns.
Ketamine has been studied in over 70 Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials for psychiatric disorders, given as single or repeated administrations in varying doses and by various routes of delivery. Most studies have been for depressive disorders, but Ketamine has also shown promise for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), suicidality, and addictions, including alcohol and opioid dependence. Psychedelic-assisted therapy has also shown promise as a treatment for nicotine dependence and fear of death related to a terminal illness. In our clinic, we have successfully used this protocol for many clients living with chronic pain.
Enrollment in the program begins with an intake evaluation with one of our specialized therapists. This visit will be used to design an individualized therapy program for you, depending on your needs, and your therapist will answer any questions you have. You will then have a medical screening exam by a physician to ensure that you can safely be treated with ketamine.
Following this, your therapist will first work with you to get to know you, establish your therapy goals and make sure you are adequately prepared for psychedelic work. This phase of treatment is the preparation phase and the number of sessions varies according to your needs.
Most clients will then have between one and three psychedelic sessions, and the timing of these is determined by you and your therapist as appropriate. Your therapist will stay with you during these sessions. A trained physician will also be medically monitoring you throughout the 40-60 minute period that the medication is taking effect.
After each ketamine session, you will have follow up sessions with your therapist to discuss your experience. This part of treatment is called integration and helps you understand how to use your experience with ketamine to move forward with your overall therapy goals.
Our Trained Therapists:
Will Hamilton, PhD
Anastasios Pantelopulos, LPC, LCAS-A
