The most restorative, lifegiving way to use Ketamine or pyschedelics like Psilocybin (Mushrooms), MDMA (Ecstasy) and Ayahauska (plant medicine) – overlooked by the vast majority of providers in New York City that use unlicensed coaches who spend very little time with you before and after you’ve taken the medicine and leave you completely alone while you’re on the medicine – is that it’s absolutely crucial to have a deep, trusting alliance with a trained, licensed psychotherapist who really cares about you and is committed to being there with you before, during and after you’ve takken the medicine.
A licensed psychotherapist who has made it a priority to learn about your early childhood attachments, the emotional climate of your family as you grew up and the life stressors, setbacks and traumas you may have faced during your early childhood, adolescence and adult life is absolutely essential.
A therapist who’s good at reading your non-verbal tells and the myriad ways your feelings get played out in your body. There have been countless times meeting with people when I realize the deep sadness in their eyes, shallow breathing, a twitching leg are telling me an entirely different story than the words coming out of their mouth.
A therapist who commits to be being there with you the whole time you’re on the medicine, in the days and weeks when you’re off the medicine and can help you make sense of your deepest, most confusing feelings.
A therapist who is always compassionately curious and help you integrate new found insighs into your everyday life.
None of us can ever know ourselves in complete isolation. If we’re lucky we’ve had someone earlier in our lives who helped us discover who we really are. But if we’ve been emotionally deprived, physically abused or traumatized, we go into hiding and carry a bottomless sinkhole deep inside us along with a lingering hunger to be seen by someone, anyone we can truly trust.
This is the psychotherapist’s role in the administration of Ketamine, MDMA Ecstasy, Psilocybin Mushrooms or Ayahuasca plant medicine: To reflect back to you who you really are as you delve into the mysterious, hidden parts of yourself while you’re on the medicine and in the days and weeks when the medicine has worn off. By committing to be there with you, the therapist – in the words of Leonard Cohen – helps you discover: The beauty lost to you, yourself.
