Ketamine therapy can produce life-altering and lasting breakthroughs in various mental health and pain conditions. This therapy is validated by extensive clinical and basic science research that we would love to share with you.
If you would like to join the Genesis Network and be a part of the emerging era of psychedelic medicine, please contact our medical director Samuel Grodofsky, MD at sgrodo@genesisketamine.com.
Psychedelic medicines are expanding into the public consciousness
How Ketamine Works
When ketamine enters the bloodstream, it quickly travels to the brain and causes a temporary, but profound alteration in the level of consciousness.
When administered rapidly at a high dose bolus, ketamine induces a state of unconsciousness. This is how it works for anesthesia. However, at a slower and lower dose infusion, the imagination enters a state of hyperarousal, and there is an experience of dissociation from the body. The senses such as sight, hearing, and proprioception (the sense of body positioning and balance) are altered. This allows the “mind’s eye” to hyperfocus on a dreamlike psychedelic inward landscape. We describe this state as a form of medication-enhanced meditation.
This momentary activation of consciousness stimulates various physiological changes in neurons. In particular, the affected cells express protein spikes at the terminal ends of axons, called dendrites that form connections or synapses with other neurons. Ketamine has a short half-life, which means it is rapidly metabolized, and the medication quickly leaves the body. However, the benefits of the experience last due to these new synaptic connections, allowing the client to connect with the insight and emotions and extinguish automatic negative thinking even though consciousness returns to baseline. It has been demonstrated in human studies that ketamine induces these durable physical and functional changes in the brain at the cellular level.
Why Psychotherapy Plays An Important Role In Psychedelic Therapy
These new connections are fragile, and it is very easy to revert to the previous default brain patterns that express unwanted thoughts, emotions, and sensations. Reinforcement of the new synapses stimulated by ketamine is needed. This is done by our treatment protocol that emphasizes a series of six infusion sessions one week apart. In addition, we universally encourage the adoption of regular meditation or mindfulness practice. Last, and most importantly, we emphasize compliance with traditional psychological therapy techniques.
Ketamine therapy serves as an opportunity to make progress in the various treatment goals that are established in the counselor-client relationship.
We find that after treatment, our clients have renewed energy and improved response to their traditional and more conventional therapies. Counselors and therapists commonly provide feedback that ketamine is an extremely helpful adjunct to ongoing care and have noticed greater malleability and reception to treatment. Some have enjoyed analyzing the symbolic meaning behind the insights and images that emerge from the inward journey.
Our greatest success comes from clients suffering from symptoms such as suicidal ideation, intractable automatic negative thoughts, and those on the verge of inpatient hospitalization. Our practice is flexible and enjoys “springing to action” to help make immediate changes in these challenging cases.
If you would like to incorporate intravenous ketamine therapy into the care of one of your clients, you can direct her, him, or them to www.genesisketamine.com. Your client can schedule a free intake with a trained member of our team where an in-depth overview of our care is provided. We prioritize making access to care efficient and easy.
If you personally would like to learn more about ketamine therapy, feel free to reach out to our medical director Samuel Grodofsky, MD at sgrodo@genesisketamine.com.