Ketamine Assisted Therapy Weekly Groups

Ketamine-IFS Groups

Ketamine is well-known for its rapid ability to relieve symptoms of depression. It is also known for stimulating dramatic synaptic connectivity in the brain, called neuroplasticity.

LOCATION: 4300 Montgomery Ave, Suite 302, Bethesda, MD 20814

COST: $450 – Psychological/Medical Assessment (one-time screening)
$450 per group: One IM Ketamine Injection + Group IFS Processing

DATES: See below (separate groups are held for clinicians: Medical or mental health providers)

Pairing a ketamine experience with skillful integration and processing of the experience may lead to deeper and more lasting “re-wiring” of the brain. We go one step further than simply “holding space” to process experiences, by teaching skills and concepts from Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. IFS provides a unique roadmap to working with non-ordinary states of consciousness (NOSC) that are associated with psychedelic medicines like ketamine. Bob Grant’s video discussing how IFS works with ketamine is a great place to learn more about how these two powerful tools work together for healing trauma and stress disorders like PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

Want to quickly get up to speed on how IFS works? We recommend any or all of the following:

• Read No Bad Parts by IFS founder, Richard Schwartz (Audible audiobook has bonus tracks of guided exercises led by Dick that we recommend since the best way to learn IFS is to experience it directly.)
• Read the Frequently Asked Questions about IFS
• Listen to Keith Miller’s interview of Richard Schwartz
• Watch the Quickstart Guide to Internal Family Systems in 30 Minutes free webinar

Why Group Therapy?

A group therapy experience has been widely seen as the gold-standard intervention to achieve behavioral changes in terms of measurable symptom reduction. This may be because of unique stimulation that a social environment provides. Yet it may be this same reason, the perceived intensity of opening up to a group of “strangers,” that keeps most people from taking advantage these well-researched benefits of group therapy.

Even someone with a moderate social anxiety might find that a group experience with ketamine is not just tolerable but highly rewarding. A short-term and immediate effect of ketamine is that it powerfully melts away anxieties and fears. Rest assured that the dose of ketamine you will receive doesn’t make you completely disinhibited or cause you to do embarrassing things like alcohol can. Anxiolysis (a state of highly relaxed awareness) induced by ketamine typically also comes with an equally strong sense of clarity, centeredness, and openness to connection.

Because the brain’s social circuitry is so innate and robust in humans, and because the action of ketamine seems to recalibrate the lower brain stem circuitry of fear/freeze, having a ketamine experience followed by supportive social interaction is a powerful amplifier of psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity. In other words, it’s just really cool.

Click on dates below to register