Ketamine Session
The Ketamine sessions are scheduled for the 8th and 15th days of the WELL program. Breakfast is omitted on the morning of Ketamine administration, and all participants refrain from food and drink for at least eight hours prior to this experience.
You will be asked to make two agreements with the therapist to
ensure your safety and well-being. You will agree to:
- Follow any direct instructions the therapist gives you until
you both agree that the session is over.
- Remain at the location of the session until the therapist decides
you are ready to leave.
The session will last approximately two hours. At the beginning
of the session, you will have time to ask any questions you may
have. Then you will lie down in a comfortable position with eyeshades.
When you are ready, you will receive an injection of Ketamine in
your hip. The dose is between 1.5 and 2 cc, or less than half a
teaspoon, which is one-fifth of the dose used to put people to
sleep for surgery. At that time, music begins to play, and the
Ketamine visionary experience starts, lasting approximately 45
to 50 minutes. The therapist and supervising physician will attend
you throughout the session.
After the Ketamine visionary experience ends, you will remain
in a non-ordinary state of consciousness for another 50 to 60 minutes
while your ego defense mechanisms are temporarily suspended. During
this fertile time, guided
imagery is used to imprint affirmations that will reinforce the needs to maintain sobriety, integrate positive lifestyle changes and accelerate your psychospiritual growth in service of your recovery from alcohol or drug addiction.
When you have returned to your ordinary state of consciousness,
you will return to your room for further reflection on the nature
of your transpersonal experience. You are strongly encouraged to
record your experience in your journal during the recovery period.
You will have further opportunity to share your experience with
the therapist and other program participants during the wisdom circle group. This journaling and sharing of your experience is highly recommended, as it will significantly improve your processing of the transpersonal experience, further enhance its psychotherapeutic benefits and reinforce your addiction recovery.
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