Ketamine Assisted Therapies & Integration are great for people who are:

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• Struggling to cope with specific events or situations.

• Healing past traumas

• Feeling stuck in life

• Experiencing a significant life transition such as a new career,

• divorce, faith, loss/grief, spirituality

• Wanting to improve relationships with themselves and others.

• Ready to cultivate better life habits & behaviors.

• Shifting negative mindsets & self-limiting beliefs

 

Ketamine isn’t like other medications in several important ways. Unlike some antidepressants, ketamine doesn’t have a limited window of effectiveness. On its own, a single ketamine treatment can produce effects that improve mental health for weeks at a time. But if you pair ketamine treatments with integration practices the effects can last even longer.

 

The period shortly after a ketamine treatment is when neuroplasticity peaks. It’s the time when the brain is primed for rewiring and open to new ways of thinking.

 

Taking ketamine will enhance neuroplasticity, but going further by incorporating integration is what really sets ketamine treatments apart from other therapies. When treatments are paired with integration the benefits of ketamine can be long-lasting and even alter behavior for the better.

 

What is Integration?

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Integration is the act of reflecting back on the treatment experience when the mind is open and neuroplasticity is elevated. Essentially, you are taking all of the insights, visualizations, ideas and feelings that occurred during the ketamine treatment and looking at it collectively to derive a lesson out of the session. It can also help you see past events from a new perspective that give them new meaning. Integration is an opportunity to reveal what’s needed to change negative thought patterns, behaviors and habits.

 

Contemplating and applying what you learned from an experience to your everyday life is integration. You’re integrating this new perspective or awareness into your daily life so that change can occur.

 

The Role of Integration in Ketamine Therapy

Integration is a key component of ketamine treatments. During a ketamine therapy session, a patient isn’t thinking about or seeing things as they normally would. They may have visions, have an out of body experience or relive a past event with a different vantage point.

 

To get the full benefit of the therapy, the patient needs to take advantage of the period of enhanced neuroplasticity just after the treatment by reflecting back and contemplating the experience. Exploring the insights that are gained during the treatment and then putting them into practice is how new neural connections and pathways are formed that can dramatically improve mental wellbeing.

 

It can be argued that integration starts at the beginning of the treatment if the patient defines their intentions for the treatment session. This preparatory step helps to keep you focused and very intentional during integration later on.

 

During the treatment the ketamine integration coach can take notes for the patient. The notes can prove useful during integration. They can serve as reminders of the new perspectives that were gained and the thoughts that were provoked.

 

Integration should occur in the moments after the treatment. Neuroplasticity will peak between 12-24 hours after the ketamine treatment so integration at this point will help your brain adapt and grow in the way you intended. It will direct your focus as new synapses are formed based on the experience.

 

You are your own inner healer. There is nothing that your coach can teach you better than the medicine can. The coach’s job is to hold a safe, supportive, nonjudgemental space where you feel comfortable exploring the depths of your own being. A good coach is one who is able to mirror you back to yourself without projecting any of their own needs, wants, beliefs, or desires onto you.

 

Without integration growth is limited, and it’s harder to achieve lasting, long-term results. With time if the insights from sessions aren’t put into practice and reflected on then the patient will eventually return to their baseline and more treatments will be needed.

 

Integration Techniques for Ketamine Therapy

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There’s no single prescribed way to use integration to gain the full benefit of ketamine therapy. Integration in the hours, days and weeks after treatment can include:

 

Discuss the experience with your ketamine integration coach at the end of the session.

 

• Going over the insights afterward with a coach/therapist.

• Cultivate and Practice Non-Judgmental Awareness regarding habits and negative emotions.

• Writing down your thoughts and feelings, journaling writing or verbal.

• Journaling daily about applying insights.

• Meditating/mindfulness at least five minutes a day.

• Practicing yoga or tai chi. - or other practices to MOVE energy

• Going on a quiet nature walk.

• Creating art or working on a creative project.

• Getting a massage, self-care practices

• Focusing on your physical health and nutrition.

• Setting goals

• Introducing new healthy habits

• Breaking old habits

• Taking a break from social media

• Being mindful of what we put into our consciousness (tv, movies, music, etc.)

 

The more you reflect on the experience the more you will take away from it. So, give yourself the time and space to incorporate integration into your daily routine for real, lasting improvements to your mental health.

 

Why have a Coach?

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ANSWER: To Keep Momentum

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Think of a coach as a friend in the passenger seat. You’re doing the driving, but they are right there next to you-along for the ride, for company and support.

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In case of dangerous driving conditions, they are equipped with road safety and knowledge and tools.

Coaches Help clients navigate the experience with intentionality and mindfulness.

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Coaches are seasoned and qualified in general ketamine experiences and provide in person support, pre-during and after sessions.

Having a coach when using ketamine, especially in a therapeutic or ceremonial context, is essential for several important reasons:

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1. Safety: Ketamine can induce altered states of consciousness and dissociation, which may lead to disorientation, loss of physical coordination, or even accidents. A coach can ensure a safe and controlled environment, minimizing the risk of harm or unintended physical or emotional consequences.

2. Risk Reduction: Ketamine can be psychologically intense and emotionally challenging. A knowledgeable coach can help individuals navigate and manage any challenging emotions or thoughts that arise during the experience, reducing the risk of a "bad trip."

3. Emotional Support: Ketamine can bring to the surface deeply buried emotions and memories. A coach can provide emotional support and a safe space to process these feelings, promoting healing and personal growth.

4. Facilitating Insights: Ketamine is often used for therapeutic purposes, such as exploring trauma, depression, or anxiety. A coach can help individuals interpret and integrate the insights gained during the experience into their daily lives.

5. Maximizing Benefits: A coach can assist individuals in setting intentions for their ketamine experience, ensuring that the session is purposeful and aligns with their personal goals, whether it's for personal growth, healing, or self-discovery.

6. Reducing Anxiety: Knowing that a trained and compassionate coach is present can significantly reduce anxiety and apprehension, allowing individuals to relax and immerse themselves in the experience more fully.

7. Professional Guidance: If ketamine is being used for therapeutic or clinical purposes, a trained coach or therapist can provide professional guidance in line with ethical and legal standards.

8. Integration Support: After the ketamine session, the process of integrating the experience into daily life is crucial. A coach can assist individuals in making sense of the insights gained and provide ongoing support and resources for post-session integration.

9. Legal and Ethical Considerations: In some regions, the unsupervised use of ketamine may have legal and ethical implications. A coach can help ensure that the experience is conducted within the boundaries of local regulations and ethical guidelines.

10. Customized Experience: A coach can adapt to the specific needs and preferences of the individual, tailoring the experience to their unique goals and requirements.

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In summary, having an integration coach during a ketamine experience is not only important for safety but also for optimizing the potential therapeutic and personal growth benefits of this substance. The presence of a coach can make the experience more comfortable, purposeful, and transformative, providing individuals with the support they

need to explore the depths of their consciousness.

 

It is important you feel safe and supported by a coach you trust. They are alongside you for the entire journey making sure you are never alone. Your coach will assist to facilitate your inner healing by holding a welcoming, supportive, non-judgmental space. Using proven harm reduction and trauma informed care principals to mitigate risk and harm.