Exploring the Benefits of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy is a relatively new type of therapy that is used to help many mental health disorders. The benefits of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy go beyond its psychedelic properties, incorporating a complex interplay of neurobiological, psychological, and emotional processes. Mental health can be complicated, and sometimes, more is needed than your talk therapy or daily medications.

Embarking on the journey of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy can be both exhilarating and a process, but Terri Dichiser is a great therapist who will walk you through the process easily. Ketamine has been around for a very long time, initially used as an anesthetic. Still, in recent years, it has been found to help a variety of mental health disorders – depression and PTSD being the most common. Thus, the birth of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy! The medical community has been searching for a long time, trying to find different and more advanced ways to treat PTSD, anxiety, and depression, among other things. Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy has shown promise in helping individuals with these disorders. Some ways this therapy can be effective for these conditions include:

• Reducing symptoms – ketamine can help with reducing panic attacks, anxiety of many sorts, and even PTSD symptoms like nightmares and flashbacks.
• Reducing Avoidance Behaviors – PTSD and anxiety can cause triggers in daily life; ketamine can help reduce these triggers and allow for things like exposure therapy.
• Mood Improvement – Since ketamine has antidepressant properties, it can help improve overall mood.

Ketamine may relax mental defenses or walls that often pop up when we’re trying to tackle painful emotions. With those defenses down, you can dig into things in a safe space without battling against your mind’s natural barriers. After the Ketamine journey is complete, you will discuss what surfaced with Terri, and this process continues beyond the session into our integration session. In a therapy session, ketamine is administered under supervision via the sublingual route in the form of a lozenge or rapid dissolving tablet. During the ketamine session, Terri guides the patient through a therapeutic experience. The psychotherapeutic component may involve techniques such as mindfulness, introspection, imagery, and verbal processing to explore and address underlying emotional issues. It is important to remember that this is still a journey and will not fix things immediately. Things might feel more challenging before they improve, but you may also experience breakthroughs. The entire ketamine-assisted psychotherapy process includes a preparation-therapeutic session, the medicine session, and then an integration session after the medicine session.  Most clients will have 2-6 medicine sessions.  Maintenance may occur on an as-needed basis, depending on your needs.

While the right facilitator or guide can considerably influence your experience with ketamine, your mindset is the most significant determining factor. The field is evolving, and Take Charge Inc. is embracing this modality to play a vital role in ensuring the safety, efficacy, and ethical implementation of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy sessions. Contact Terri Dichiser, owner of Take Charge Inc., at (913) 239-8255 to discuss your options today. We service the areas of Overland Park, Leawood, Olathe, and Johnson County, Kansas.