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Harm Reduction Strategies for Surviving a Pandemic - Dr. Katzman We’ve all struggled in our own ways to adjust to the unfolding global crisis. Though the severity of the impact varies widely, humanity is generally contending with not only the tangible disruptions in every domain of our lives, but also the loneliness and isolation in being cut off from nourishing social contact and our various communities. Video chat burnout may leave us with shrinking connection options. We may be in intense grief after losing a loved one; we may be overworked or furloughed, bored or overwhelmed, checked out or completely frazzled, anxious or depressed. We are trying our best to cope, and coping can look a lot of different ways.
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Discussion on Esketamine - Dr. KatzmanThe FDA approval of esketamine last week was big news for the therapeutic ketamine community, and we have been asked by many for our thoughts and comments.
Thanks to the lovely hosts at Psychedelics Today, who reached out to Dr. Katzman for her opinion, and read her statement on their most recent podcast discussing this news (21:00 - 30:00 minutes). Copied below is her statement: Rapid Depression Remission and the "Therapeutic Bends" |
| Though this discovery has been hailed as a massive boon to those living with persistent mental health concerns, their loved ones, and clinicians alike, it may also behoove us to explore the potential unintended consequence of these effective, fast-acting antidepressants. |  |
Ketamine and a Cartography of the Psyche - Dr. Grant
 | Some prospective clients may wish to anticipate their ketamine experiences. Ketamine is often surprising, leading to discoveries of new ways of perceiving oneself and one's place in the world. This creates a healing path. Preparation is a good way to show up. |
I put some client experiences during ketamine into a framework that originated with the grandfather of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, Stan Grof, who pioneered LSD psychotherapy in the 1960s and holotropic breathwork in the 1970s. He describes the framework as a cartography of the psyche, or a map of the mind. These maps show up during ketamine too.
Ketamine Harm Reduction Strategies - Dr. Katzman
 Mandelbrot set, from Wikimedia Commons | Since we work therapeutically with ketamine prescribed for mental health support, we are often asked for harm reduction tips specifically for those using ketamine recreationally. While as clinicians we prioritize the use of ketamine (and other psychedelics) in therapeutic, relational, and spiritual contexts, we are well aware that much use happens outside these formal settings. |
Our goal in providing this information is not to promote such use, but to assist you in doing so with the least risk and most benefit, should you choose to do so. Please see Dr. Katzman's Harm Reduction blog for more information about reducing risk and enhancing habit change.
So: if your party scene involves Special K, what do you need to know to keep everyone safe as possible? (Here's one top tip: try your best not to combine it with alcohol!)
Borrowing heavily from Karl Jansen’s excellent book Ketamine: Dreams and Realities (2001), let’s approach specifics for safer use of ketamine through the lens of drug, set, and setting.
So: if your party scene involves Special K, what do you need to know to keep everyone safe as possible? (Here's one top tip: try your best not to combine it with alcohol!)
Borrowing heavily from Karl Jansen’s excellent book Ketamine: Dreams and Realities (2001), let’s approach specifics for safer use of ketamine through the lens of drug, set, and setting.
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The providers and collaborators at Healing Realms write about therapeutic ketamine, psychedelic integration, harm reduction, transpersonal psychology, and more. We welcome your comments!
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