In order to change your life, you first have to change your mind.
Change Your Mind is Denver’s newest outpatient Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) clinic. This is Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (also referred to as Psychedelic Psychotherapy) can be used to treat several disorders such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Drug Addiction / Substance Abuse, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), traumatic life events, Anxiety, and Depression. But how?
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy is a process that allows us to gain access to the unconscious. At low doses, ketamine produces a hypnotic or dreamlike state. During normal waking life, we have barriers and defense mechanisms that serve to push away unpleasant or intolerable memories, emotions, and phobias—feelings that we repress and store in our unconscious, where we can’t readily access them. Ketamine can break down those barriers and open up a filter to the unconscious.
Essentially, ketamine helps bring deep-rooted emotions to the surface, giving us a glimpse into the unconscious mind. The talk therapy helps us work through and examine those emotions in a safe and freeing environment.
In a treatment resistant population (people who have not responded to anti-depressants, other psychiatric drugs, or traditional psychotherapy), 71% of this group responded to ketamine.
Dr. Chad Johnston
— Medical Director
I was called a nontraditional medical student because I started at the age of 30 instead of 22. I referred to myself as a student who had gone out into the real world and took the time to decide what I really wanted to do with my life. I’m grateful I took the time to discover what was important in life, to me. Those experiences created a different physician compared to me entering medical school directly following my undergraduate degree.
I am from a small town of 5,000 people in the middle of Illinois. I was fortunate to watch my grandfather take care of a town of 1,100 as that small town’s only physician and my father was the veterinarian of our town. This taught me that the only reason to become a physician is the patients. This was not about myself or money, I knew that I would be able to have self-respect and be able to provide for me and my family. Being able to help others through difficult times provides rewards and gratitude that money will never bring.
I went to medical school at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Carbondale and Springfield, IL. I then trained as an internal medicine physician at the Eastern Virginia School of Medicine in Norfolk, VA. I had developed an interest in hospice and palliative care during my training so I completed a fellowship in the field in San Diego, CA. I have been out of training for about 11 years and have worked in hospice/palliative care, internal medicine and addiction. I have been working in the field of addiction for the past 8 years part time and full time for the past year.
Why addiction medicine? It’s because of how I have been impacted by addiction, I now have insight and a better understanding of the disease. I’m able to offer up my experiences. I truly enjoy coming to work and witnessing the difference we can make in a well-run clinic. It takes a team to do this work and the doctor is not always the most important, especially in the field of addiction. I don’t mind this because it’s not about me, it’s about the patient. I had a mentor tell me that when it came to running a clinic, “it’s simple, with every decision made just ask yourself, ‘is this best for the patient?”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy?
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is a unique approach to traditional psychotherapy. KAP applies the medicine ketamine within a psychotherapy session. This combination may accelerate the process of growth and change. Sessions last longer than traditional therapy, and are conducted with medical support and psychological counseling to ensure you are well cared for throughout your experience.
How does Ketamine work when administered during psychotherapy?
Ketamine was dubbed a “dissociative anesthetic” due to its tendency to produce a disconnection from our usual way of feeling and experiencing. At low doses given during a therapy session, this influence produces shifts in consciousness such as expanded states of awareness, novel ways of viewing life concerns, and freedom from the worries and anxieties of our ordinary mind-states. Psychotherapy offers real-time reflection on this experience to enhance growth and change.
How do I get approved for Ketamine assisted therapy?
In order to be approved for Ketamine assisted psychotherapy you must meet with your counselor 2-3 times for a thorough evaluation and diagnosis to determine if the treatment option is right for you. Once approved by your counselor you will meet with our physician for a physical exam and upon completion a prescription will be written.
How much does each session cost?
Individual sessions cost $300.00 per session.
How long are the sessions?
Individual sessions are 2 hours long.
Can I drive myself?
No, to participate in Ketamine Assisted Therapy you will need to arrange for a ride home.
Can I eat before my session?
It is required you fast from foods and drink only clear liquids 4 hours prior your session. Also, you should avoid caffeine.
What should I bring to my session?
You should arrive at your session in comfortable clothing. Feel free to bring an item that makes you feel safe and comfortable, a blanket, a sweater, a piece of jewelry from a loved one.
Are group sessions available?
Group sessions are available for this treatment. At this time however, due to COVID, they are approved on a case by case basis. Groups have a maximum participation of 8 clients.
Pricing
Evaluation & diagnosis required
$300
Individual Session
$250
Group Session
$200
Physician visit
$40-$80