In this post:
- Discovering Ketamine Therapy
- Finding the Right Ketamine Candidates
- Why Ketamine Works, According to Lisa
- Preparing Clients for Ketamine Therapy
- Post-Session Integration
- Why Lisa Chooses Avesta
- The Bottom Line
Lisa, a licensed clinical social worker, has helped countless clients overcome substance use disorders and navigate healthier relationships. A few years ago, she discovered ketamine treatment as a therapeutic supplement, and everything changed. Today, Lisa selectively refers clients to Avesta Ketamine and Wellness and has witnessed transformative shifts from the treatment’s dissociative and neuroplastic effects.
“It’s like clients can finally hold their struggles lightly instead of being consumed by them,” Lisa explained.
Here, we offer Lisa’s unique perspective on why ketamine therapy works and how to maximize the treatment’s benefits.
Discovering Ketamine Therapy
Lisa first encountered ketamine therapy through a client who underwent treatment in New York.
“My client came back and said, ‘I get it. I can now upload all the therapy sessions we’ve had,’” Lisa recalls. The client’s profound shift sparked Lisa’s curiosity.
At the time, Lisa was dealing with a medical condition that made her long-term anti-depressant use problematic. Her psychiatrist suggested ketamine therapy at Avesta Ketamine and Wellness (Avesta), so she decided to try it.
“Ketamine gave me access to feelings and experiences I couldn’t tolerate before,” she says.
Lisa experienced massive symptom relief and felt inspired to help clients explore ketamine’s healing potential in similar ways.
Finding the Right Ketamine Candidates
Lisa now recommends ketamine at Avesta to a small subset of clients she feels can benefit the most, particularly those who feel stuck despite taking antidepressants or those struggling with long-standing addictions.
“I suggest ketamine therapy to people who’ve tried antidepressants or tried to quit substances but still lack the positive connection to the life they want,” she explains.
Success stories
One of the most striking success stories Lisa witnessed involved a client struggling with a decades-long alcohol dependency.
“Every time she tried to quit, the client fell back into substance use because of the depression that followed.”
After undergoing ketamine therapy, Lisa’s client experienced a critical shift. “She began feeling a sense of distance from alcohol,” Lisa says.
Ketamine allowed Lisa’s client to reframe her relationship with drinking. “She’s been sober ever since.”
Why Ketamine Works, According to Lisa
According to Lisa, ketamine’s antidepressant and anti-addiction power lies in its ability to create a “neuroplastic window,” a period of heightened adaptability in the brain.
“It’s not just about alleviating symptoms,” Lisa explains. “Ketamine allows people to input positive behaviors and eliminate negative habits during this critical period.”
Ketamine also provides emotional distance from struggles through its dissociative effects. “It’s like clients can observe their pain without being consumed,” Lisa says. This shift enables curiosity and resilience.
Finally, Lisa describes a ketamine-driven “go-mentality” that inspires clients to take action in areas of life where they feel blocked.
“After ketamine, they’ll say, ‘I don’t know why, but I just took the step. I finally did the thing, and it was ok,’” whether it’s tackling a difficult task or making a meaningful decision.
Preparing Clients for Ketamine Therapy
To maximize success rates, Lisa prepares clients for what the ketamine experience feels like and how to harness it for change.
“I explain that they might feel like they’re hallucinating and reassure them this is normal,” she says. Lisa also emphasizes the importance of “set and setting”—creating a safe, supportive environment before starting treatment.
She asks questions to help clients prepare, such as, “Who will be there to take you home?” and “Is the ketamine clinic calming for you?” Lisa encourages clients to choose music or other comforting elements to ensure they feel secure.
Lisa also emphasizes that ketamine is part of a broader healing process. It is not a panacea.
She wants clients to know that “ketamine therapy is not about instant rainbows and unicorns. It’s about opening pathways for growth.”
Lisa explains that clients must harness ketamine’s neuroplastic window to make the treatment effective. That means eliminating problematic behaviors and substances during the critical 24-48 hours after administration.
She tells patients, “If you make these changes during the neuroplastic window, you will have more odds of long-term success.”
Post-Session Integration
Lisa then provides integration therapy to clients after ketamine sessions. This process helps them make sense of the experience and apply insights into their lives.
“Initially, clients want structured integration sessions,” Lisa explains. Over time, however, she observes that many learn to integrate ketamine experiences independently and bring material into therapy only as needed.
Lisa takes a more passive role during this phase. She tracks how the ketamine treatments are going, how patients are feeling, and what changes they’re noticing. “But I really follow folks’ lead regarding how much they want to work with me with ketamine session material because I think that’s highly personal.”
Lisa also advises clients to journal or draw after ketamine sessions to capture discoveries before they fade. This process helps them reflect and turn ideas into action.
Why Lisa Chooses Avesta
Lisa attributes much of her clients’ success to the patient-centered care Avesta’s ketamine clinics provide.
“I have always felt like a person when undergoing treatments at Avesta. I feel like when I walk in, everybody knows who I am.”
Lisa describes Avesta’s approach as personal and authentic. The team regularly asks patients how they are feeling and coordinates with patients’ entire medical care team to ensure a smooth and supportive process.
“As a therapist, I’ve had calls from Avesta about my clients, and these check-ins are invaluable to coordinating a more optimized protocol.”
The Bottom Line
Lisa continues to explore ketamine therapy’s potential personally and professionally with curiosity and care. “It’s still a learning process, but what I’ve seen so far is remarkable,” she says.
Call Avesta Ketamine and Wellness today to learn how ketamine therapy can open pathways for growth and change in your life. Avesta’s Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia ketamine clinics are here to support your transformation.
