Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Introducing Ketamine
Like every psychedelic medicine, ketamine has its own unique character and set of gifts. Its chemical makeup is that of an anesthetic and anti-depressant, and so it offers deep relaxation to the body and an abrupt release from negative and self-critical thought patterns, even at lower doses. As we increase the dose, ketamine enables a kind of “dissociation” of mind from body - not the kind of shutting down that happens with trauma, but rather a remarkable freeing of the mind from the fixed and rigid aspects of living in a physical body. Experiences vary, but consistently include the following possibilities (Wolfson & Hartelius, 2016):
-Deep feelings of peace and joy
-Feelings of ego-dissolution
-Sense of transcending normal time and space
-Reliving of important life experiences, trauma reprocessing
-Feelings of unity with all, interconnectedness with all people and nature
-Sense of sacredness or transcendence
-Out of body experience
-Emotionally intense and meaningful visions
-Encounters with archetypal/spiritual/mythological places and beings
-Death and rebirth experiences
Another rather unique feature of ketamine is its short duration. Our bodies metabolize ketamine very quickly, meaning that the dissociative effects generally last only up to 1 hour. By 2 hours after dosing, you are fully back in your body and your cognitive faculties are back to normal operation. This makes journeying with ketamine much easier to fit in to a full life and less costly than other medicine experiences.
Ketamine+Sound
Combining ketamine-assisted journeys with sound baths creates a sacred, multidimensional container for healing that honors both the psychological and the spiritual dimensions of the human experience. Ketamine, when used with intention and care, softens the grip of conditioned patterns and opens access to deeper realms of consciousness, where emotional healing, insight, and spiritual connection become more available. Within this expanded state, sound becomes not just a backdrop, but an active co-facilitator—guiding awareness, anchoring the body, and evoking non-verbal emotional release. The vibrational frequencies of crystal bowls, gongs, and vocal tones resonate through the nervous system, offering both safety and spaciousness for the psyche to explore and integrate.
The synergy between ketamine and sound can also enhance neuroplasticity and emotional processing. As ketamine quiets the default mode network (the brain’s habitual thought loop), sound acts as a gentle yet potent energetic compass, encouraging somatic awareness and supporting emotional release without the need for verbal processing. The immersive soundscape helps anchor participants in the present moment, opening space for insights, spiritual connection, and deep relaxation. Together, ketamine and sound bath create a multidimensional healing container—one that invites transformation, clarity, and a renewed sense of wholeness.