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Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy

Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy In Denver CO

We are accepting new clients. Contact us to learn more. 

Are you feeling stuck in your mental health treatment?

Are you experiencing mental health symptoms that months or years of hard work, medication, and therapy don’t seem to fully resolve? 

Have you ever been told your mental health condition is “treatment-resistant”?

Have you tried multiple medications and still haven’t found the relief you are seeking?

Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are not alone. Millions of Americans are suffering from depression, PTSD, OCD, and other conditions that have not responded fully to the currently available treatments. 

 

There is hope. You may be a candidate for a cutting-edge mental health treatment:

 

Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy

Ketamine is a fast-acting, highly effective treatment for depression that has not responded to other treatments. Additionally, it shows promise in the treatment of PTSD, OCD and Eating Disorders. Ketamine has a completely different mechanism of action from any other antidepressant medication and offers hope to the millions of people who have not found adequate help through therapy and medication alone.

Ketamine is proven to break the cycle of treatment-resistant depression in over 70% of patients

The dissociative experience of Ketamine can disrupt dysfunctional cognitive patterns associated with Depression, Anxiety and PTSD

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine has been used as a safe and effective anesthetic for over 50 years. Ketamine has been FDA-approved since 1970 and has been administered billions of times worldwide. It is most often used as an anesthetic for minor surgeries and emergency pain relief. It is on the World Health Organizations’ list of essential medications. Ketamine is considered a very safe medication when administered under medical supervision to individuals who have been medically cleared, are adequately monitored, and follow basic before and aftercare instructions.

In the last two decades, ongoing research on the mental health application of Ketamine has shown it to have significant antidepressant properties. Studies of Ketamine have shown substantial benefit for people experiencing “treatment-resistant depression” (meaning they had tried two or more medications without substantial benefit) with over 70% of participants responding positively to the treatment.

At the Catalyst Center we believe combining the biochemical benefits and the transformational psychedelic experience of ketamine maximizes the impact of this cutting-edge treatment

Biochemical Benefits

Ketamine normalizes the brain’s default mode network activity. Think of the DMN as your brain’s usual mode of operation, the DMN is active when you are in wakeful rest such as daydreaming or mind wandering, it is also active when you are thinking about others, thinking about yourself, remembering the past, and planning for the future. Resetting the DMN can create an opportunity to get unstuck from negative thinking patterns and establish hope for a healthier future.

Ketamine also enhances neuroplasticity by significantly increasing Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor. Increased neuroplasticity can help undo the loss of neural connection commonly caused by long-term depression.

Finally, Ketamine blocks receptors for glutamate, a neurotransmitter associated with brain inflammation and excitotoxicity. Inflammation is another common factor in people with long-term depression.

These mechanisms are not found in other antidepressants and appear to help explain the rapid, powerful antidepressant effects of ketamine.

Transformational Psychedelic Experience

In the low doses used for mental health treatment (around 5-10% of what is typically used in anesthesia), Ketamine can induce a dissociative psychedelic experience. Most people feel disconnected from their bodies. You might revisit memories from your past, experience emotional release, or gain insight into your life situations. With the proper preparation and dosage, people can encounter a mystical experience. They return to describe feeling connected to a higher power and often report deep personal or transpersonal insights.

Ketamine psychedelic experiences can be deeply meaningful and offer an opportunity for profound personal transformation. Adequate therapeutic support is crucial to integrating the transformational experience of Ketamine, otherwise, your journey may remain an “interesting experience” rather than eliciting profound personal transformation. Our Ketamine therapists are all fully trained in psychedelic integration and will work with you to prepare for and integrate the experience. Together you and your Ketamine therapist will work to bring the insights gained from your experience to fruition in your life.

In our opinion, combining the biochemical and transformational psychedelic aspects of ketamine maximizes positive gains for our clients

Change Begins Here

Contact Us to learn more about our Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy Intensives

The Catalyst Center Difference

Our Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy program offers fully supported Ketamine experiences; you will be medically monitored by our on-site medical staff and you will never be left alone during your Ketamine experience. You will be accompanied by your Ketamine therapist or one of our trained Ketamine assistants from beginning to end of your experience. In addition, you will work with one of our team of highly trained Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy clinicians to prepare for your experiences and to integrate your insights following your Ketamine journeys.

We believe The Catalyst Center Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy model prioritizes your comfort and maximizes the effectiveness of Ketamine for mental health conditions.

In contrast to The Catalyst Center model, typical Ketamine Infusion Clinics offer a more medicalized experience. These sites generally administer Ketamine but do not provide any pre or post-therapeutic support (though most recommend therapy, you are on your own to find someone trained to work with psychedelic integration, a very niche specialty). You would typically be in a room alone, or with other patients all being administered Ketamine in a room together with remote medical monitoring (like a video monitor) and a nurse or medical assistant checking in if needed.

People can have very intense emotional experiences during or just after their Ketamine experience, and we believe having adequate therapeutic support is vital to maximizing the benefits and reducing the risks of an adverse experience. The Infusion center model relies solely on the biochemical benefits of Ketamine and leaves out the transformational components we believe are vital to maximizing the benefit you receive from Ketamine.

Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy
ketamine therapy
 

Our Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) program integrates Ketamine and therapy into a three-week intensive program designed to maximize the benefits you may receive from Ketamine treatment

You will be guided through each step in the process by our compassionate and highly trained staff.

Ketamine Intensives at The Catalyst Center

We have developed several protocols based upon the existing research on the efficacy of Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy for mental health conditions. Additionally, we have developed programs for people seeking personal and spiritual development and for mental health professionals seeking professional development and a legal, safe psychedelic experiential learning opportunity.

Intake and Medical Screening

You and our Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner will meet to discuss your medical and mental health history, answer any questions you may have about ketamine, and weigh the pros and cons of KAP for your specific situation. If you are medically cleared and together with our medical team determine that KAP is the right treatment for you, then you will move on to one of our KAP programs.

Preparatory Sessions (1-2 sessions before you begin Ketamine)

You and your KAP therapist meet for one or two sessions to discuss your history and set intentions for your Ketamine Experiential Sessions. You will talk through what to expect and explore your preferences for how your therapist can support you during and after your experiential sessions.

Ketamine Experiential Sessions 

You will be fully supported medically and therapeutically throughout each of your Ketamine Experiential Sessions. Sessions are approximately two hours with additional recovery time as needed. Plan to take the rest of the day off on your Ketamine Experiential Session days and to have a ride home.

Integration Sessions 

You and your KAP therapist will meet in the days following each Ketamine Experiential Session to integrate what came up for you in your experiential session and more deeply internalize the experience.

*Additional integration sessions can be booked if desired following the three-week intensive.

Begin Your Journey

If you are interested in learning more about The Catalyst Center Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy program, or to enroll in our KAP intensives, fill out the form below or give us a call at 720-675-7123

Meet Our Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy Team

We are proud to note that all of our KAP therapists have completed a year long intensive and are
Certified Psychedelic Assisted Practitioners.

Adrienne Long, PMHNP-BC

Adrienne is a board-certified, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). She provides Medication Management. She is an integral part of our KAP team. Because our ketamine treatment model begins with a comprehensive medical evaluation, Adrienne is often the first person on our KAP team you will meet with. In addition to being the medical provider who is present during each treatment, many clients also prefer her to be their guide and integration therapist.

Sarah Long, PsyD, CEDS

As a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS), Dr. Sarah Long believes strongly in the healing potential of psychedelics, including Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), for those suffering from eating disorders and co-occurring trauma, anxiety, and depression. She is also passionate about working with clients who are experiencing burnout, compassion fatigue, and are healing from all types of trauma.

Allison Kalivas, MA, MFTC

As a trauma specialist and an integral part of The Catalyst Center’s Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) team, Allison is dedicated to evidence-based practices and emerging research in the world of psychedelic medicines. Having witnessed profound shifts in thinking and symptom relief in her clients, she believes in the healing potential of KAP.

Kendra Doukas, MS, LMFT

Kendra Doukas is passionate about her work helping individuals struggling with long-standing depression and anxiety, especially when these issues stem from past trauma using KAP. I have been excited to see the effects KAP can have and have watched clients be able to unburden things they have been carrying for a long time. 

Katie Godfrey, PhD, LMFT

Katie is excited to see The Catalyst Center utilizing KAP. Katie believes KAP has the potential to truly help those struggling with the effects of trauma, PTSD, or depression or those who are interested in a more introspective life experience. She loves seeing clients gain a greater connection to the world around them when utilizing KAP. Katie also specializes in working with couples and the LGBTQ community.

Joey Tadie, PhD, LCP

Dr. Joey Tadie is a talented psychologist enthusiastic about the healing opportunities psychedelic-assisted therapy brings for clients facing chronic depression, anxiety, and PTSD. These problems are often painful, disruptive, and even demoralizing for clients who have endured them for years. He is excited to offer KAP to clients looking to change these negative patterns and find a new direction.

Erin Jacklin, PsyD, LCP

Dr. Erin Jacklin is the owner and clinical director of The Catalyst Center. She will admit that she was wary of using psychedelics in therapy. However, her drive to bring our clients the best and most effective therapeutic tools has resulted in training and providing KAP. She is excited to share her research and expertise.

Karmen Thulin, PsyD, LPC

If you are ready to make a change and give yourself the gift of healing, Karmen may be a great fit for you. She is easy to connect with, deeply compassionate, and has the training and knowledge needed to help you reach your goals.

Our Blog

Experiential Benefits of KAP

As a trauma therapist, I am trained in many tools to help aid trauma reprocessing and healing. I have been inspired by the Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) work I am privileged to be doing at The Catalyst Center. I have seen significant evidence that trauma needs...

KAP and the Maintenance Phase

There are three phases to Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) at The Catalyst Center. The first phase is the preparatory phase which includes a medical evaluation and a preparation meeting with a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Provider to ensure you are...

Three Reasons Why I am Inspired by KAP

By Joey Tadie, PhD, Certified Psychedelic Assisted Therapist I have been deeply inspired by the experiences I have had working as a Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) provider. After training to become certified as a KAP provider last year, I have had the...

Let’s Get Started!

There are two easy ways to connect with us. Call our office at 720-675-7123 and press extension “125” to be connected with our KAP team. Fill out the contact form to request an appointment or to learn more and have questions answered about our KAP program.
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy Interest Form
First
Last
Do you currently work with a mental health provider? (Therapist, psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, etc.?)
Do you have any previous experience with psychedelics?
We are committed to safety in our KAP program. Please select any of the following that apply to you as they will warrant a longer conversation about whether KAP is appropriate for you.