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Psychedelic Clinical Therapy with Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
 


Whilst there are a few places in the world where underground or grey-area legal organisations provide therapy with MDMA and psilocybin, at present in the UK (and everywhere in the world actually, except Australia), MDMA and psilocybin are not yet licensed as formal medicines to assist psychotherapy. But ketamine is.

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I have experience of guiding over 200 ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) sessions, and have seen how beneficial this treatment can be for people with a range of mental health issues, including:

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  • Depression

  • Anxiety disorders (including Generalised Anxiety, Phobias and OCD)

  • Eating Disorders

  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Addictions (to any substances)

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When doses of ketamine are given in a controlled, clinical setting alongside guided expert psychotherapeutic support, patients who have become stuck with traditional psychiatric treatments can make great steps forward.

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From my clinic in Bristol, I am able to provde you with a course of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.

 

The course consists of:

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Before the course begins:

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  • Self-referral is made by the patient (no GP referral is required).

  • I will subsequently contact you by telephone to discuss your wishes.

  • I will then contact your GP and request a printed summary of your medical history for review.

  • You will then be invited for a face-to-face Medical Assessment appointment (60-minutes) in order for me to assess your eligibility for the treatment.

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​Medical Assessment Appointment:

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  • This includes a discussion regarding risks and benefits, a risk assessment and a detailed exploration of your physical and psychiatric medical history.

  • Pre-course psychological rating scales (to assess the effectiveness of the treatment later) will be carried out at this point.

  • Physical observations (including blood pressure, temperature and pulse - and pregnancy urine test for women of childbearing age and urine drug screen test) will be carried out.

  • You will have the chance at length to ask any questions about the intervention.

  • You will identify a named 'supportive other' who will accompany you on the drug-assisted intervention visits.

  • If we are agreed at this point that it is safe, appropriate and clinically indicated for you to undergo a course of ketamine-assisted therapy, we will then plan the dates for the course going forward. 

  • If eligibility is not agreed after this medical assessment, unfortunately you will not be able to progress further with the intervention.

  • A letter will sent to your GP at this point confirming eligibility or not.  

Weeks 1 and 2 of the clinical course:

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  • Non-drug preparation sessions.

  • We will meet weekly for two 50-minute face-to-face psychotherapy sessions, to explore your psychological issues and discuss your intentions for the forthcoming drug-assisted sessions.

  • We will discuss the nature of the ketamine experience and any other issues you wish to understand about ketamine and the drug-assisted sessions.

  • We will have a discussion about the dose ranges for ketamine and meet your wishes for the depth of experience you would like to have for the forthcoming drug-assisted sessions.

Weeks 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the clinical course:

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                                               The Drug-Assisted Therapy Days:

  • You will attend weekly, accompanied by your supportive other.

  • Each appointment will last for approximately 2-hours.

  • Physical observation checks (blood pressure, urine dipstick for pregnancy (if indicated) and drugs screen) will be repeated. Rating scales and risk assessment will be carried out.

  • Ketamine will be administered by sub-lingual lozenge (a mint-flavoured pastille. The effects begin in approximately 20-minutes.

  • You will be invited to lie back, wearing eyeshades and headphones for the duration of the psychedelic experience.

  • The effects begin to wear off after approximately 60-minutes. You will be invited to sit up and discuss aspects of the experience if desired.

  • Further blood pressure measurements are taken. If your blood pressure has been raised by the ketamine, you will be expected to stay in the clinic until it has returned to normal resting levels.

  • Once deemed fit for medical discharge, you will sign a consent to discharge form and you may return home, accompanied by your supportiove other.

  • You are advised not to drive, use alcohol or other drugs that evening.

 

​The Next-Day Integration Session:

  • The day after each guided psychedelic therapy ketamine-assisted session, you are invited to attend for a 50-minute face-to-face integration session.

  • This session offers an important opportunity to discuss and explore the previous day's psychedelic session, address the material that has emerged, and how this relates to your psychological issues. 

Weeks 7 and 8 of the clinical course:

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  • You are invited to attend for two, weekly, 50-minute face-to-face non-drug integration psychotherapy sessions.

  • At the final session (week 8) we will collect outcome data in the form of a repeat of the pre-course psychological rating scales that were collected at the initial Medical Assessment.​

After the course:

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  • The final outcome psychological rating scales are reviewed, and a letter of discharge, with the results of the course, is written to you and your GP.

  • Should you wish to repeat the course, we can discuss another referral.

  • Either the full 8-week course can be repeated, or shorter, booster courses can be provided - according to clinical need and eligibility.

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I am not currently providing any direct medical services. I will be returning to full-time clinical work in April 2025, at which point details of how to book consultations will be available on this website.

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