Ketamine + Cannabis Assisted Therapy

Strengths:

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• Enhances body sensation and awareness, aiding in the prevention of dissociation and promoting embodiment.

• Facilitates deprogramming of self-judgments by offering insights into the internal family system and the representation of different aspects within the mind.

• Encourages a heightened experience of emotions, counteracting emotional numbness.

• Induces a shift from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic nervous system mode, promoting relaxation and stress reduction.

• Provides access to stored memories, facilitating resolution of troubling or traumatic experiences.

• Increases awareness and sense of agency in navigating past and present life situations.

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​What is a stress response?

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The stress response encompasses physical sensations and thought responses triggered by your perception of different situations. This can lead to the release of substances such as adrenaline and cortisol, with organs responding in programmed ways to challenging or threatening circumstances.

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• Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn: These are natural bodily reactions to stressful, frightening, or dangerous events, aimed at keeping you alive when your body perceives danger.

• Mind-Body Connection: Due to the close connection between the mind and body, when we genuinely believe we are in danger, our body initiates a stress response as if the threat were real. This is because the brain interprets thoughts as reality, often leading to stress responses triggered by imagined scenarios. Anxiety attacks can be triggered by frightening thoughts, prompting a heightened stress response regardless of actual danger.

• Trauma and Stress Responses: Trauma or stress can be stored deep within the sympathetic nervous system, which can be triggered by reminders of the trauma. Physical reactions to perceived threats may include shaking, sweating, stomach pain, rapid heart rate, panic sensations, breath holding, or various emotional responses.

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Challenges:

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• Cannabis Effects and Stress: Cannabis use may evoke feelings of paranoia, unpleasant experiences, or anxious thoughts for some individuals. This can trigger stress responses, as the body reacts to perceived threats based on the mind's interpretation of the situation.

• Perception of Threat: The intensity of the stress response correlates with the perceived level of danger. Believing you are in minor danger may elicit a mild stress response, leading to physiological, psychological, and emotional changes. Conversely, perceiving grave danger can evoke a heightened stress response and significant bodily changes.

• Managing Stress: Recognizing and managing stress responses is crucial, especially when induced by factors like cannabis use. Understanding the mind-body connection and employing coping strategies can help mitigate adverse reactions and promote overall well-being.

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**While the stress response can trigger significant physiological changes, it's essential not to fear them or their effects. This response serves as the body's survival mechanism, acting as a friend in times of genuine peril. Instead of perceiving the stress response and its effects negatively, consider it as your ally during hazardous situations and circumstances.

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Therapeutic Goals

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Sovereignty:

• The capacity to take responsibility.

• The ability to be present and responsive to the world.

• Maintaining boundaries of psychological space.

• Becoming one's authentic and powerful self with self-control.

• Owning and accepting oneself fully, including flaws and imperfections.

• Factors hindering sovereignty:

  • Feelings of powerlessness (trauma).

  • Self-doubt (lack of self and external trust).

  • Seeking external solutions.

  • Fragmented internal parts and roles (internal family systems).

  • Attachment wounds (lack of belonging).

  • Dissociated memories (missing parts of life).

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Self-Love/Acceptance:

• Reconnecting with oneself, others, and the world.

• Seeing the self as a witness and higher self.

• Cultivating unconditional self-love.

• Achieving congruence with inner and outer self.

• Developing compassion and understanding for all experiences.

• Trusting subconscious processes and innate value.

• Genuine appreciation for life.

• Obstacles to self-love:

  • Negative childhood programming (perceived badness).

  • Experiences of humiliation (feelings of worthlessness).

  • Relational wounds (abuse and neglect).

  • Separation from parts (soul loss).

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Contraindications​

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Unfortunately, cannabis-assisted therapy may not be suitable for individuals with bipolar disorder, personality disorders, or schizoaffective disorders due to varying efficacy. Furthermore, while recreational cannabis use may have its benefits, the therapeutic experience of using cannabis under the guidance of a trained therapist is markedly distinct. It transitions into a deeply intuitive and supportive encounter during therapy. Even regular cannabis users often find unexpected therapeutic benefits from intentional medicinal use. Cannabis-assisted psychedelic therapy is open to individuals aged 21 and above, provided they possess a valid, unexpired ID for purchasing cannabis products. While I can offer personalized recommendations for cannabis strains, clients are responsible for bringing their cannabis to our sessions.

Please be aware: Screening for cannabis abuse will be conducted prior to treatment. Unsafe cannabis use will not be tolerated, and all therapy sessions are conducted in a controlled clinical setting.

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If you find this interesting and you are ready to make a change in your healing process, please reach out for a free, 20-30 minute online consultation with Kat Partch, Wisdom Within.

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Contact Information:

• Kat Partch, MA, LPCC

• Phone: 720-883-2373

• Email: Kat.partch@gmail.com

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3 hour session minimum, $480​

If you are a new client there is a 6 hour minimum for these treatments (investment, $960

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*At this time I do not accept insurance. 

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