Psychedelic Therapy in Denver, Colorado | Is Ketamine a Psychedelic Medicine?
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAT) is a therapeutic approach that involves the use of psychoactive medicines, like ketamine, cannabis, or psilocybin, in a structured, intentional, and guided setting. A psychedelic therapist in Denver, CO shares about ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP).
DISCLAIMER
This blog post is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical, legal, or therapeutic advice.
What is psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAT)?
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAT) is a therapeutic approach that involves the use of psychoactive medicines, like ketamine, cannabis, or psilocybin, in a structured, intentional, and guided setting.
These medicines can facilitate healing experiences that range from subtle to profound.
PAT prioritizes safety for the client, and always occurs under the guidance of a qualified care team (therapist, medical professional, and other healing practitioners). This type of therapy is only conducted in locations where it is legal.
This blog post will focus on one specific form of PAT: ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP).
IMPORTANT NOTE
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has roots in indigenous practices involving shamanism, plant medicines, and non-ordinary states of consciousness.
While psychedelic therapy is relatively new in the Western mental health field, it has been practiced for millennia – in different forms, under various names – in non-Western, indigenous cultures. This includes but is not limited to: ayahuasca and huachuma shamanism in South America; psilocybin mushroom traditions across Mexico and Central America; and iboga root traditions in central west Africa.
While acknowledging the rich history and ongoing practices of Indigenous wisdom across the globe, this blog post will focus on the current state of psychedelic therapy within the United States.
What is ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP)?
Ketamine is a medication that was approved by the FDA as an anesthetic in 1970. It’s used as a treatment for various mental health conditions, including treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
KAP refers to the intentional combination of ketamine and psychotherapy. KAP is legal and available in all 50 U.S. states, and in many countries across the world.
In clinical terms, ketamine is considered a “dissociative anesthetic.” For 1-2 hours after consumption, ketamine induces a sense of detachment from one’s body and surroundings.
During KAP sessions, many people experience themselves as the nonjudgmental observer of their thoughts, impulses, and emotions — rather than being overwhelmed by them.
This distance between the observer and the experience being observed can be liberating and therapeutically useful.
Is ketamine-assisted psychotherapy a type of psychedelic therapy?
The answer is – it depends!
“Psychedelic” is derived from Greek terms that translate to “soul, mind” and “to manifest” – meaning, “mind-manifesting.” Put another way, a psychedelic experience alters one’s mind, state of consciousness, or way of being. Psychedelic therapy uses this altered state of consciousness to facilitate healing.
At higher doses, ketamine can induce a psychedelic experience.
a strongly altered state of consciousness
profound shifts in thoughts and emotions
reprocessing of memories
a sense of detachment from one’s body and surroundings
changes in visual perception (including visions with eyes closed or open)
At lower doses, ketamine can induce a psycholytic experience.
a slightly altered state of consciousness
subtle shifts in thoughts and emotions
subtle awareness or reprocessing of memories
simultaneous awareness of the present-moment surroundings
Whether ketamine is a psychedelic experience depends on:
the dosage
the set & setting (your mindset, intentions, and expectations, as well as physical environment, the people you’re with, and overall atmosphere)
your individual experience with the medicine (as even the same dosage can induce drastically different experiences for different people)
Most importantly, the healing benefits of ketamine are accessible regardless of whether the dose is psycholytic or psychedelic.
How you integrate the experience matters more than the intensity or content of the experience itself.
What does psychedelic therapy look like?
Psychedelic therapist Liz Zhou’s sensory-soothing office in Denver, Colorado.
Psychedelic therapy is not a quick fix, and it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a series of sessions that unfold across days, weeks, months, or even years – personalized to your needs and pacing. Here’s an overview:
(1) PREPARATION
In the days and weeks before your psychedelic journey, you and your therapist will:
process emotions that are coming up for you
set intentions for your journey
explore mind-body practices (such as mindfulness, deep breathing, visualization) to support your navigation through altered states of consciousness
prepare an optimal set & setting (internal state & external environment)
design an aftercare plan for the hours and days after your journey
—> Pssst… not sure what “set & setting” means? Check out this blog post: How to Prepare for Psychedelic Therapy | Set & Setting.
(2) JOURNEY
This is the psychedelic experience itself. Ketamine journeys last 2-3 hours, and you may experience a range of emotions, sensations, insights, and memories while in this altered state of consciousness.
Your therapist (and if applicable, other members of your care team) will guide you through the experience, using music and their supportive presence. For many people, KAP journeys are highly introspective and don’t involve much talking.
(3) INTEGRATION
In the days and weeks after your psychedelic journey, you and your therapist will:
process the thoughts, memories, images, sensations, and emotions that came up for you
reflect on new information you have learned about yourself, and use it to guide the next phase of healing
make nuanced meaning of your experience in whatever way makes sense for you
Whether your psychedelic experiences are subtle or profound, the integration process allows you to transform insights into new choices and meaningful, lasting change.
Looking for a holistic, trauma-informed, psychedelic therapist in Denver, Colorado?
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RESEARCH
Dai, D., Miller, C., Valdivia, V. et al. Neurocognitive effects of repeated ketamine infusion treatments in patients with treatment resistant depression: a retrospective chart review. BMC Psychiatry 22, 140 (2022).
Philipp-Muller AE, Stephenson CJ, Moghimi E, et al. Combining ketamine and psychotherapy for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Psychiatry. 2023;84(2):22br14564.
About the Author
Liz Zhou is holistic trauma therapist providing therapy services in Colorado. She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults and couples heal from the past and connect with their authentic selves. Liz’s specialties include EMDR, IFS, psychedelic integration, and therapy intensives.
