Ketamine assisted psychotherapy
Dr Lani Roy provides psychological support under her Australian Association of Social Work insurance during the preparation, dose and integration phases of ketamine-assisted therapy (KAT) in Australia in partnership with GPs, psychiatrists and anesthetists.
(KAT) involves the use of ketamine or esketamine for therapeutic purposes. Ketamine facilitates a dissociation from the body that can allow an individual to potentially process feelings of sadness, hurt, pain, longing, grief, panic, fear, shame or guilt.
Ketamine can lower psychological defences and bodily reactions to memories, allowing an individual to explore their states of consciousness without feedback from the body signalling distress or ‘blocks’ from the mind which can prevent processing of emotions and memories.
The use of psychological therapy alongside ketamine can help to integrate these experiences after the ketamine has subsided. In addition to the newly available esketamine which is available in the form of a nasal spray, psychiatrists are able to prescribe ketamine intravenously or intramuscularly for certain conditions.
Ketamine treatment is not covered by private health insurance or under the pharmaceutical benefits scheme (PBS) under Medicare. If your therapist is an NDIS provider, the time for the psychological support and non-hospital room hire may be covered as a part of your NDIS plan.
Disclaimer: this information is not aimed at promoting use of ketamine. This is not intended to be used as medical advice or a substitute for your own practitioners advice.
Dr Lani Roy is an AMAPP accredited Psychedelic Therapist and AMAPP approved supervisor. She is trained in Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy and has worked with clients who have been prescribed cannabis and ketamine. Lani has completed training in Australia and America in a range of novel treatments.
Lani has co-created a model with Melissa Warner which focuses on metacognitive, somatic, transpersonal and relational dimensions of psychedelic therapies titled: EMPATHS Integrative Somatic Assisted Psychotherapy EISP.
Dr Lani Roy is not a prescriber of any medication or psychedelic medicines. She works externally with Psychiatrists and GP.
Lani is passionate about holistic and integrated healthcare and weaves integrative assessments, internal family systems therapy, EMDR, somatic psychotherapy, transpersonal psychology into her practice.
Videos
- This short video focuses on the anti-depressant and anti-suicidal properties of ketamine – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIzrtNun7H8
Webinars
- In this webinar Dr Cusin discusses the literature on ketamine to treat major depressive disorder and bipolar depression – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyniLKcX8hY&t=2335s
- Dr Allison Mulcahy presents the history, benefits and mechanisms of ketamine and explains how ketamine works within the brain and body https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOSpj-GI4Sc
Podcasts
Discusses healing trauma and complex post-traumatic stress disorder with ketamine – https://youtu.be/MQ_zMZQueD8
- Discusses complex trauma and the Psychedelic Somatic Interactional Psychotherapy Model (PSIP) with Saj Razvi – https://www.mayahealth.com/podcast/saj-razvi
- Discusses using psychedelic therapy to access trauma and promote healing with speaker Saj Razvi – https://behavioralhealthtoday.podbean.com/e/part-1-psychedelic-therapy-with-saj-rasvi-lpc-%E2%80%93-episode-89/
- Compares ketamine treatment, electro-convulsive therapy & Transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment resistant depression https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/treatment-resistant-depression-ketamine-vs-ect-vs-tms/id1469826718?i=1000547877495