Psychedelic Medicine Support
A Powerful Complement to Therapy
Non-ordinary states of consciousness (NOSOC) and psychedelic medicines have the potential to positively impact a person's life through transformative and healing experiences. However, they can also be destabilizing and pose risks. To maximize the benefits of psychedelic medicines, we recommend having the support of a therapist or trained guide, as well as other complementary therapies that can help deepen and sustain wellness.
At Invisible Womb, we offer two main paths of support related to psychedelic medicines. For those who have explored psychedelic medicines and non-ordinary states of consciousness, we offer integration circles to help you find meaning in these experiences. We also offer a therapeutic modality called Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) in partnership with an organization called Journey Clinical.
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) is a promising avenue in the realm of mental health and wellness, offering potential relief for individuals grappling with menstrual distress, womb trauma, and perimenopause. In this approach, ketamine, a medication known for its dissociative properties, is coupled with supportive psychotherapy to manage not just the physical symptoms but also to support the emotional and psychological aspects of these experiences.
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) is a holistic modality in which ketamine is used as a complement to psychotherapy to help eligible patients experience more frequent breakthroughs and sustained improvement in symptoms. Invisible Womb Integrative Wellness takes on the psychotherapy portion of the experience, while the medical team at Journey Clinical supports you on all medical aspects. Their support includes:
Determining eligibility
Developing a custom treatment plan
Prescribing the medicine and monitoring outcomes
KAP is most effective when used with other complementary therapies that help deepen and sustain your wellness.
Below is more information on psychedelic medicine and NOSOCs in general as well as information to help you navigate and determine if Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy is a healing path you want to integrate into your treatment plan.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
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Ketamine is a legal, safe, and effective medicine used to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Ketamine has rapidly-acting antidepressant and mood-enhancing effects, which can begin to take effect within 1-2 hrs. after treatment and last for up to 2 weeks. It works by blocking the brain's NMDA receptors and stimulating AMPA receptors, which are thought to help form new synaptic connections and boost neural circuits that regulate stress and mood. Ketamine has also been shown to enhance overall neuroplasticity for lasting symptom improvement.
Ketamine can be administered in various ways, including IV infusion, intramuscular injection, nasal spray, and sublingual lozenges. In our work with Journey Clinical, we only use the sublingual lozenge form.
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The effects of ketamine, which most patients find pleasant, last for approximately 45 minutes. These effects can make you feel "far from" your body and facilitate shifts in perception that can often feel expansive in nature. You'll be lying down in a comfortable position during the experience because your motor and verbal abilities will be reduced. Once these effects subsided, we'll spend the remainder of our appointment giving you space to process and discuss your experience. While it may feel hard to articulate what happened during the experience, patients feel like the insights gained are nonetheless clear. Studies have shown that mood, and neurological growth benefits can last up to two weeks after the Ketamine experience.
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1. Initial Consultation With Journey Clinical
You schedule an initial evaluation with a clinician from the Journey Clinical medical team via Zoom. They will review your medical and psychiatric history with you, educate you on the treatment, and determine if you are eligible for KAP.
If Journey Clinical's medical team determines you are eligible for KAP, they will develop a personalized Ketamine prescription and outcome monitoring plan for you.
Journey Clinical's medical staff will write a ketamine prescription for you, and a small amount of oral ketamine will be sent to your home—enough for the first two KAP sessions. You will be taught to take your vitals and self-administer the ketamine lozenges by Journey Clinical's medical team in advance of our KAP sessions.
2. Preparation Sessions
Once you receive your ketamine lozenges, we will schedule time for our KAP preparation, dosing, and integration sessions. Preparation session(s) will be scheduled just like regular therapy sessions before the KAP dosing session. Preparation sessions aim to align the process and set intentions for our KAP sessions.
3. KAP Dosing Session
A typical ketamine dosing session lasts between 1-2 hours. It can take place either in person at the clinic or remotely via telehealth.
During a dosing session, you will self-administer your ketamine lozenge either at the clinic or in your home. You will be in a comfortable, reclining position, with the option of wearing an eye mask and listening to calming music. Although a KAP dosing session may be largely an internal experience, your therapist will be with you the entire time to hold space and provide support as needed.
4. Integration Sessions
After our KAP dosing session, we will meet for multiple integration therapy sessions to review the memories, thoughts, and insights that arose during your dosing session and prepare for the next dosing session.
5. Follow-up consultations with JourneyClinical
After our first KAP session, Journey Clinical's medical team schedules regular follow-ups with you to monitor outcomes and prescribe ketamine lozenge refills, as appropriate. The frequency of follow-ups depends on your unique treatment plan, which is at least once per quarter.
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We are committed to making Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy accessible to everybody, irrespective of their financial circumstances.
We offer a range of individual and group options tailored to various needs. We require a minimum of 3 medicine sessions for individual work and four medicine sessions for 2+ ketamine treatment, as this medicine tends to have a cumulative effect and is most beneficial after multiple treatments. Each client or dyad can consult with their therapist to increase the number of medicine sessions.
Our triadic approach allows our clients to split the prep and integration session in half when two clients engage with the same therapist for support before and after their group medicine experiences.
We also highly recommend integrative health treatment (bodywork, acupuncture, herbs, or nutrition) alongside your ketamine program.
Our Pricing Table For Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy in Partnership with Journey Clinical is listed below.
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If you would like to explore the possibility of working with me through Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy, please click here or the button below to discuss eligibility and the next steps.
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Journey Clinical is a platform for licensed psychotherapists to incorporate science-based psychedelic therapies in their practice safely and effectively, starting with Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). Journey Clinical's in-house medical team takes on patient eligibility, prescriptions, and outcome monitoring while we take on the therapy. Their collaborative care model is designed to deliver personalized treatment plans to meet your individual needs and improve long-term outcomes.
If you're interested in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, reach out to us below.
We're here for you when you're ready.
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1. Paradigms of Ketamine Treatment by Raquel Bennett, Psy.D. for MAPS
2. Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP): Patient Demographics, Clinical Data, and Outcomes in Three Large Practices Administering Ketamine with Psychotherapy - research study by Jennifer Dore et al., 2018
3. Ketamine for Depression and Mood Disorders by Erica Zelfand, ND for Townsend Letter
4. Ketamine-Facilitated Psychotherapy for Trauma, Anxiety, and depression by Goop
5. Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy with Jonathan Sabbagh of Journey Clinical - Psychology Talk Podcast
Frequently Asked Questions About Psychedelic Medicine and NOSOC Integration
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Many substances, including plants and fungi, can induce non-ordinary states of consciousness. Some of the well-known ones are Ketamine, MDMA, Ibogaine, Psilocybin, Peyote, DMT, and Ayahuasca.
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Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy can be effective in the treatment of depression, PTSD, anxiety, addiction, insomnia, stress, chronic pain, grief, and existential distress. Experienced in a safe, supportive, and therapeutic setting can result in significant and enduring improvements to one's overall mental health and well-being.
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Psychedelic medicine can promote neuroplasticity and emotional processing, helps people find meaning and purpose, induces ego death, reduces depressive symptoms, enhances mindfulness and acceptance, and produces long-lasting effects.
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Drumming, dance, fasting and praying are also used to achieve altered states of consciousness.
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Integration goes beyond the psychedelic experience. It involves reflecting on the experience, understanding them, and applying the lessons learned to our lives.
