At Folsom Trauma Therapy, I offer both psychedelic Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy and low-dose psycholytic ketamine sessions, such as Ketamine-Assisted EMDR Therapy and Ketamine-Assisted Brainspotting.
While psychedelic ketamine doses create a deeply internal experience, psycholytic ketamine allows you to remain connected to your therapist while accessing a deeper level of trauma processing.
- Physical relaxation
- Reduced fear and emotional overwhelm
- Greater self-compassion
- Increased openness to difficult material
- Continued awareness of the therapy room and therapeutic relationship
For trauma survivors who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unable to access certain experiences in traditional therapy, psycholytic ketamine can create an opportunity for deeper healing.
What is Psycholytic (Low-Dose) Ketamine Therapy?
Psycholytic ketamine uses lower doses of ketamine to create a mild non-ordinary state of consciousness without the full dissociation associated with psychedelic dosing. Rather than pulling attention entirely inward, psycholytic ketamine allows engagement in the therapeutic process while reducing the intensity of emotional reactions.
Many clients describe feeling safer, calmer, and more able to approach difficult experiences.
How Does Psycholytic Ketamine Help Trauma Recovery?
Ketamine appears to support neuroplasticity, memory flexibility, and emotional openness. It may also reduce anxiety and self-protective responses that can make trauma work difficult.
These effects make psycholytic ketamine particularly well-suited for trauma-focused therapies such as EMDR and Brainspotting. This is especially true for “over-thinkers” who may struggle to drop out of the thinking brain and into feelings and sensations.
When ketamine is combined with these therapies, each approach enhances the effectiveness of the other. Clients often report accessing material that previously felt unreachable while experiencing less distress during the process.
What is Ketamine-Assisted EMDR Therapy?
Ketamine-Assisted EMDR Therapy combines low-dose ketamine with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). I trained in this pioneering work as a Ketamine-Assisted EMDR Therapist through the Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy Institute, which developed this approach.
The ketamine helps reduce emotional overwhelm and prepare the brain for memory reconsolidation. At the same time, EMDR helps the brain process and resolve traumatic memories. Together, they may allow clients to work with material that has remained stuck despite previous therapy. Folsom Trauma Therapy is dedicated to helping clients find the freedom and relief that comes with effective trauma therapy. As an EMDRIA-trained EMDR therapist since 2009, I have extensive experience helping clients process trauma and create lasting change.
What is Ketamine-Assisted Brainspotting?
Ketamine-Assisted Brainspotting combines low-dose ketamine with Brainspotting, a brain-body therapy designed to access unresolved trauma stored beneath conscious awareness. Many clients find that ketamine helps them access deeper emotional material while remaining grounded in the therapeutic process. As a Certified Brainspotting Practitioner since 2020, I frequently use Brainspotting to help clients process experiences that are difficult to access through conversation alone.
What does a Low-Dose Ketamine Session Look Like?
Before your first psycholytic session, my partner psychiatric provider evaluates you and prescribes ketamine if appropriate. Then we prepare for the trauma-processing work by identifying specific goals and creating a clear plan for the session.
Psycholytic ketamine sessions are typically scheduled for 90 minutes. During the session, we actively engage in EMDR or Brainspotting. The medication reduces emotional barriers to processing and facilitate connections within the brain between traumatic material and sources of healing. Unlike psychedelic sessions, clients generally return to their ordinary state of consciousness by the end of the appointment. If we meet in my Folsom office you will need transportation home after the session.
Who is a Good Candidate for Ketamine-Assisted EMDR and Brainspotting?
Many people who seek Ketamine-Assisted EMDR or Brainspotting have already done a great deal of personal work. They often know what they want to address and understand how past experiences continue to affect their lives.
This approach may be especially helpful for people who feel stuck despite therapy. They may have gained insight, learned coping skills, and experienced meaningful growth, yet still struggle with recurring triggers, emotional activation, or unresolved patterns.
It can also be a good fit for people who have had difficulty processing trauma because they become overwhelmed, shut down, dissociate, or move outside their window of tolerance. When this happens, it can be difficult to stay connected to the thoughts, emotions, and body sensations needed for deeper healing.
Low-dose ketamine can help reduce emotional overwhelm while increasing access to the experiences that need attention. Combined with EMDR or Brainspotting, it may help clients stay engaged with difficult material, process it more effectively, and move beyond places where healing has stalled.
If you are interested in Ketamine-Assisted EMDR Therapy, Ketamine-Assisted Brainspotting, or psycholytic ketamine therapy, reach out to Folsom Trauma Therapy to learn whether this approach may be a good fit for you.
