FAQs
Is Ketamine safe?
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Yes, the possibility to get hurt by Ketamine is nearly non-existent on a physical level. Ketamine continues to be widely used in emergency medicine and trauma surgery, even in the NICU, and in the treatment of pain. It has a history of safe and effective use in medicine for more than 50 years. Ketamine, just like MDMA, activates the cardiovascular system, increase blood pressure and heart rate. That is why there is always a medical intake with my prescriber to get screened for any medical issues, and to have all the important medical conversations around heart issues, uncontrolled blood pressure and medication interactions before working with Ketamine.
The dosage of ketamine used in therapeutic treatments is much less than what would be used in the ER for anesthesia. (Too high of a dosage is related to the K-hole, which you do not need to be concerned about at the clinical ranges we are working with.) However, the clinical dosage ranges are high enough to occasion altered states of consciousness. Lower doses occasion light detachment and reflection, and higher doses occasion more profound reassessment of the nature of reality. I typically work within the higher dose range, where Ketamine becomes a psychedelic experience, to show us what needs healing in our minds. Sometimes people choose to work with lower dosages and that is 100% ok as well. All dosage decisions and goals for your experience will always be discussed with you.
There may be side effects like nausea and vomiting with Ketamine – it occurs in less than 5% of cases and is welcomed as part of the experience as a sign of purging and letting go. And there is transient hypertension – which is why blood pressure will be assessed prior to each dosing session. Some people experience dizziness or blurred vision, and all side effects disappear after the experience or within 1-2 days.
Is Ketamine addictive?
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You may wonder whether you can become addicted using Ketamine. Psychedelics tend not to be overused and, for the most part, do not lead to addictive relationships with the substance. This is especially so with the classical psychedelics. Several of the non-classical psychedelics, like Ketamine (as well as nitrous oxide and THC) DO carry varying degrees of potential for abuse.
Ketamine has been studied for a long time and it has very minimal physical addictive potential if it's used in a low-dose range, like what we use in a therapeutic application, and when used infrequently or with space in between. That changes, though, if people use Ketamine in a high dose or with frequent usage, and in those cases, people can quickly become physically addicted.
So is ketamine inherently addictive? Not in the therapeutic model that includes a controlled environment and a moving towards problem-solving versus shutting ourselves away from pain. That said, there's tremendous potential for addiction and substance use disorder and problematic use that we need to be mindful of.
How many sessions do I need for healing?
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Ketamine is a shorter-acting psychedelic compared to LSD or psilocybin mushrooms. While some people have had tremendous experiences in just one session, I never promise healing for any psychedelic in one session. Most of my clients see significant shifts after just one session in the sense that they are able to have new perspectives on their suffering to help them do the therapeutic work faster, with more clarity. My clients typically have a good sense of when they have a new intention, a clear need to dive back into themselves for faster clearing and progress. For those who are working on relieving depression, weekly or bi-weekly sessions may be indicated in the beginning. The effects of ketamine are cumulative, they build our brain back up little by little (the neuroplasticity effect).
Can I do Psilocybin in New York or Connecticut?
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Not yet. You can begin the preparation process with me in NY or CT, and we would do the psilocybin mushroom journey session legally, in Denver, Colorado. Psilocybin is a large experience that can keep unfolding for many months or even years, which is why many people travel to the Netherlands or Jamaica for it! So it’s worth the trip. And the real transformative work continues back home, with me or another therapist. Again, I never promise complete healing in one journey, but compared to Ketamine, one journey will keep informing your healing journey for a longer time and you would only plan one at a time.
Should I do mushrooms or Ketamine?
Which one is right for me?
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That is a question almost everyone has and we can discuss each in detail to help you sense into what feels right for you. It is important to do research on each medicine and get a feel for which medicine calls more to you at this time. For those who know they have deep trauma and have never worked with a therapist before, I usually recommend ketamine first. Because Ketamine is deep, but it tends to be a gentler experience that is easier on the nervous system.
Both medicines have been studied extensively for a range of mental health diagnoses, and both have evidence for depression, anxiety and trauma. All psychedelic work requires nervous system tools, journeying tools and emotional prep work. Reach out to me for free courses on Ketamine and Psilocybin to get you started on understanding the process.