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A Therapist’s Account of Her First Ketamine Experience: A Journey Through Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
October 2, 2024
Part 1 of 2 in the Series
The Rise of Ketamine-Assisted Therapy
It may seem like the rise of ketamine happened overnight, but it has actually been used for over 50 years as an important anesthetic with a variety of applications. Its safety profile, short duration, and unique mode of action have made ketamine a key drug in emergency medicine and pain management worldwide. Today, the uses of ketamine extend beyond anesthesia, with studies exploring its effectiveness for pain syndromes, drug addiction, and psychiatric disorders—and the list continues to grow.
Perhaps ketamine’s most remarkable contribution has been the discovery of its rapid-acting antidepressant effects. Its ability to provide relief, often within hours, has made it a groundbreaking option for treating severe, treatment-resistant depression.
As a therapist, I decided to explore this treatment option firsthand, in the comfort of my own home. Whenever I bring a new treatment into my practice, I make it a point to try it myself so I can gain both a clinical and personal perspective. This helps me better understand my clients’ experiences and support them more effectively on their journeys.
Why I Chose Ketamine Therapy
As someone who specializes in addiction and eating disorders, I am always looking for ways to get to the root cause of the suffering, I’m always looking for rapid relief. And I’ve been following the rise in Ketamine’s popularity for a handful of years now. I’ve also had several of my clients over the years use Ketamine for treatment resistant depression and anxiety with success. This gave me the push I needed to try it myself. Armed with anecdotal and scientific evidence, I had my first experience with Ketamine and I can definitely say it will not be my last.
I want to briefly underscore that Ketamine works on a completely different neurotransmitter than current antidepressants which can take months to improve symptoms of depression and do not work at all for one out of every three patients.
“The rapid therapeutic response of ketamine in treatment-resistant patients is the biggest breakthrough in depression research in a half century,” said Ronald Duman, the Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry and Professor of Neurobiology.
How Can Ketamine-Assisted Therapy Help?
Ketamine therapy can help in treatment-resistant individuals. Here are some key ways ketamine therapy can be helpful:
1. Quick Relief from Depression and Anxiety
For treatment-resistant depression: One of the biggest perks of ketamine is how fast it works for people with severe depression that hasn’t improved with regular antidepressants. Instead of waiting weeks or months like with traditional meds, many people notice a difference within hours or days.
Easing anxiety: Ketamine can also help reduce anxiety, including generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety, especially for those who haven’t had much luck with other treatments.
2. Breaking Free from Negative Thought Patterns
Taking a step back from negative thinking: Ketamine’s dissociative effects allow clients to mentally step back from their usual negative thought loops. This break can offer fresh perspectives on their problems, making them feel less stuck.
Ego dissolution: Ketamine can cause a temporary fading of the ego, or sense of self, which helps people step outside their usual self-narratives. This shift can make it easier to tackle deep-rooted beliefs and traumas, leading to breakthroughs in therapy.
3. Accessing and Processing Trauma
Trauma healing: Ketamine can help people face and process trauma in a safe environment. By creating some psychological distance, it makes it easier to explore painful memories without feeling overwhelmed.
Emotional release: Many experience a powerful emotional release during or after a ketamine session, helping them work through grief, anger, or unresolved emotions during therapy.
4. Boosting Brain Flexibility
New brain connections: Ketamine has been shown to boost neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to form new connections. This can make people more open to new ways of thinking and feeling, helping make therapy more effective in the long run.
Enhanced creativity and problem-solving: The boost in neuroplasticity can also spark more creative thinking and help clients come up with solutions to problems that previously felt impossible.
5. Reduced Suicidal Thoughts
Quick reduction of suicidal thoughts: One of ketamine’s most compelling effects is its ability to rapidly reduce suicidal thoughts. In crisis situations, it can provide fast relief for people at risk, giving them a chance to heal and explore other treatment options.
6. Working Alongside Traditional Therapy
Pairing with talk therapy: Ketamine works best when combined with traditional therapy. The insights and emotional breakthroughs people experience during a ketamine session can be explored more deeply in follow-up sessions.
More openness in therapy: Many clients report feeling more open and reflective after ketamine, which can strengthen the therapeutic relationship and make therapy even more impactful.
7. Helping with Addiction and PTSD
Addiction recovery: Ketamine has shown promise in helping people with substance use disorders by reducing cravings and breaking addictive cycles.
For PTSD: For people with PTSD, ketamine can reduce symptoms like hyperarousal and anxiety, helping them process their trauma in a healthier way.
Preparing for the Ketamine Session
As I prepared for my first online ketamine session, I was asked to come up with an intention. My intention was “to be open to the process.” I wasn’t sure what to expect, and I wanted to go in without any preconceived notions.
Mentally and emotionally, I was ready. I had been discussing ketamine therapy with therapist friends and medical professionals for about three years, and I’m a big fan of science. I wanted to be part of this new frontier.
What I wasn’t fully prepared for was how important set and setting would be. Music, for example, really helped deepen the experience—Spotify is your friend!
Since ketamine heightens all your senses, it’s important to be in a setting free from distractions. I was at my home in the city, where there are lots of noises. At one point, I heard my partner cutting onions on the other side of the house. That’s all it took to pull me out of the experience. In the end, it wasn’t a big deal, as I only had about 10 minutes left in the session, but it underscored how sensitive you can become to your environment.
Conclusion: Is Ketamine-Assisted Therapy Right for You?
In conclusion, you have to do what feels right for you. In my practice, I never introduce a new modality without trying it on myself first. My motto has always been: I’ll go first, then you. I have a fiduciary responsibility to do no harm to my clients, but I also have a personal relationship with them—I want them to trust me. That’s how we do good work. That’s when breakthroughs happen.
In the second part of this blog series, I’ll share what the ketamine experience felt like and how I integrated it in the hours and days that followed.
Begin Ketamine-Assisted Therapy at Life Cycles Counseling in Richmond, VA
You don’t have to face big emotions and negative thinking alone. Our counselors in Richmond, VA are equipped with innovative techniques like internal family systems, guided imagery, hypnotherapy, brainspotting, and storytelling, providing a safe space for your healing. Your past can be transformed, your memories reconsolidated, and your future informed.
I take the scenic route when treating big emotions like anger, resentment, and grief because there’s less opportunity for shame to enter the room.
To get started at Life Cycles Counseling, follow these simple steps:
- Contact Life Cycles Counseling
- Learn about our creative and effective ways for rapid healing
- Sign up for a transformational writing group to integrate your Ketamine therapy experience!
- Start healing, growing, and gaining confidence in a healthy way!
About The Author
Dr. Adina Silvestri is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Internal Family Systems Therapist, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, and Certified Brainspotter in Richmond, Virginia.
She loves using storytelling and metaphor, among other techniques, to help clients become aware that the feelings need to fit the facts and sometimes the facts are just wrong!
And she’s a big fan of science!
