FAQS
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What is Ketamine?
Ketamine produces an improvement in depression, social anxiety disorder/general anxiety disorder, and is considered a dissociative that provides rapid mental health benefits. Ketamine treatment isn't just for depression; it's a versatile option. It's proven beneficial for major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, PTSD, anxiety, OCD, post-partum depression, migraines, and even alcohol cravings. Its low risk of abuse or addiction makes it a promising treatment for a wide array of conditions.
How Ketamine Works
Ketamine targets NMDA receptors in the brain, helping to "rehydrate" synapses that have been dried out by the chronic depletion caused by mood disorders. Blocking glutamate at these receptors allows for better conduction, while the influx of "feel-good" chemicals helps stabilize moods and alleviate chronic pain.
What to Expect with Treatment?
Everyone will have a personalized experience, but ketamine guidelines and protocols are followed for each patient. Your treatment plan and the first ketamine dosage will be determined by many factors, encompassing your medical history, body weight, age, prior treatment experiences, and other relevant considerations. Your following ketamine treatments will be tailored to your response to the initial treatment.
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The onset of ketamine is approximately 3-4 minutes, and our treatment protocol involves a 40-minute infusion or oral tablet.
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Dissociation is an altered state of consciousness where individuals may disconnect from their thoughts, emotions, memories, or even their sense of identity or ego. Many people describe dissociation as a state similar to deep meditation, where they are fully present in the moment, observing without analyzing, criticizing, or attempting to control. It can be a relaxing or freeing experience. Many of our clients feel a deep feeling of love and euphoria. This feeling lasts up to 40 minutes, so integrating it into your day is an easy experience.
It is important to note that not everyone will experience dissociation at the therapeutic dose used in ketamine therapy. The absence of dissociation does not indicate that the medication is ineffective. Experts in the field of ketamine therapy discourage the use of dissociation as the sole indicator of therapeutic efficacy. While some individuals might experience dissociation at the initial dose, others may require higher doses, but increased dosages do not necessarily equate to improved effectiveness.
After your treatment, you can go about your day; however, we prefer you have time to go home, journal, and be intentional with your experience.
Is There Any Downtime?
There are no long-term or permanent side effects of ketamine, making this a safe and effective treatment. The treatment lasts approximately 45 minutes.
Ketamine therapy in the medical setting has not been shown to cause addiction. Some patients feel nausea after ketamine treatment, so we ask that you do not eat food for 4 hours or drink liquids for 2 hours before your first infusion. This may be adjusted for future infusions once we have evaluated your response.
Can I Drive After Treatment?
It is important to note that ketamine is a disorienting drug and can cause confusion and impaired judgment. For this reason, it is generally not recommended that people drive after ketamine treatment. Due to the potential risks and immediate effects associated with ketamine use, driving after a ketamine infusion is strongly discouraged.
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Who Should Not Take Ketamine?
Clients who are not considered candidates for Ketamine treatment include:
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Those with uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension)
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Unstable heart condition (arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease)
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Uncontrolled/Untreated thyroid disorders (especially hyperthyroidism)
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Active substance abuse (Ketamine is used to treat addiction; however, infusions are usually given once the patient has detoxed or is off of the drugs the individual is addicted to. When a person is taking multiple drugs, the way their body may react may be unpredictable and potentially life-threatening. Treatment of addiction can be complex, especially when utilizing a medication such as ketamine that has a low potential for addiction.
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If you are in an active manic phase of bipolar disorder
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If you have active delusions/hallucination symptoms (who are not taking prescription medications for treating these symptoms or those who are taking street drugs/illegal substances)
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If you have had a previous bad/allergic reaction to ketamine treatment
What is Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses relaxation, extreme concentration, and intense attention to achieve a heightened state of consciousness or mindfulness.
You will relax, and as time passes, you will slip into different brain wave states, allowing you to be receptive to new healing. You are fully aware of what is happening, and you are simply resting, eyes closed, and invoking different feelings when your therapist invites you to. Even just a few minutes of experiencing positive emotions like hope, love, and forgiveness will have benefits beyond the session.
The combination of Ketamine with Hypnotherapy and mindfulness practices is a successful solution in many cases. Hypnosis typically occurs in the Alpha and Theta brain wave states, which are relaxed and peaceful states of mind.
By guiding clients into these states, hypnotherapy can help them access their subconscious mind, where their thoughts, beliefs, and mindset reside. This can help them overcome negative patterns and beliefs and replace them with positive and empowering ones to help them create the desired reality. When combined with Ketamine and mindfulness practices, this approach can benefit clients even more significantly. Even some of our most skeptical patients have left our program raving about their experience.
https://time.com/6171844/how-hypnosis-works/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6181123/
What is Reiki?
The term “reiki” comes from the Japanese words “rei,” meaning universal, and “ki,” which means vital life force energy that flows through all living things. Some practitioners describe reiki as acupuncture without the needles.
Reiki is a complementary health approach where practitioners place their hands on or just above different body areas. It’s based on an Eastern medicine belief that living beings have energy fields that support their health and vitality.
Energy blocks, conversely, impede the innate flow of energy, causing health problems and adverse life circumstances like financial troubles or relationship problems. According to belief, the energy blocks of any living being can be treated, which is why some practitioners also work on animals and plants.
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A 2018 meta-analysis of four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) into the use of Reiki to reduce pain over a range of medical conditions found that it produced a statistically significant reduction in pain.
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Similarly, a 2019 review in the British Medical Journal Supportive & Palliative Care, reported that “Reiki therapy is useful for relieving pain, decreasing anxiety/depression, and improving quality of life in several conditions.”
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Sometimes, these studies are done in hospitals. One occurred at Bryn Mawr Hospital in Pennsylvania with patients who had undergone total knee replacement surgery, a widespread surgery in the US. Twenty-three patients received reiki, and 20 didn’t—for comparison. Pain was assessed before the operation and each day afterward. Those who received the reiki experienced significantly less pain than those who didn’t.
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The results were so compelling that the hospital soon established a dedicated reiki program where ten nurses were trained and certified in reiki. Now, knee arthroplasty patients are routinely offered reiki and enjoy less pain.
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