Group Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy for Frontline Healthcare Workers with Hannah Cross, LCSW

Group Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy for Frontline Healthcare Workers with Hannah Cross, LCSW

Author: Lynn Marie Morski, MD, JD April 19, 2023 Duration: 36:07

In this episode of the Psychedelic Medicine Podcast, Hannah Cross, LCSW joins to discuss group ketamine assisted psychotherapy for frontline healthcare workers. Hannah is a licensed clinical social worker and therapist who specializes in trauma healing and psychedelic integration, including work on LSD and psilocybin clinical trials. 

In this conversation, Hannah shares details from the study exploring group ketamine therapy in a cohort of ten frontline healthcare workers, discussing the study design, the intricacies of group therapy, and the specific dosing protocol and therapy regimen for the patients. She reveals the very promising results of this early study and also shares a number of emotional stories of transformation from the patients. In closing, Hannah discusses the early indicators of the durability of positive effects from this kind of ketamine assisted therapy and lists a number of additional on-going and upcoming studies of group ketamine treatments for other populations.

 

In this episode:

  • The inspiration for this ketamine study
  • How the frontline healthcare workers in the study were chosen
  • What makes a person a good candidate for group therapy
  • The protocol for the ketamine assisted therapy used in the study
  • Why the therapy began with a low, sublingual dose of ketamine
  • How psychotherapy was integrated with ketamine treatments in this study
  • The reductions in PTSD, depression, and anxiety that resulted from the ketamine assisted therapy
  • Why Hannah sometimes sees an increase in anxiety towards the beginning of the therapeutic process

 

Quotes:

"Ketamine can help people access more of that self-healing energy and when that's present in a group setting and people are essentially able to shine this healing energy on each other, there's this exponential healing I think can happen." [7:16]

"When you wrap a ketamine experience up in experienced and effective therapy, there is this safety in the container that really allows people to have the inward focused journey under ketamine for that forty-five minutes to an hour." [20:03]

 

Links:

Full study: Ketamine-Assisted Group Psychotherapy for Frontline Healthcare Workers with COVID-19-Related Burnout and PTSD: A Case Series of Effectiveness/Safety for 10 Participants

Numinus website

Group ketamine assisted therapy by Numinus

Hannah's private practice, Wild Sunflower Counseling

Cedar Psychiatry website

Psychedelic Medicine Association

Porangui


Exploring the frontier of mind and medicine, the Psychedelic Medicine Podcast with Dr. Lynn Marie Morski delves into the complex world of psychedelic substances and their potential to heal. Hosted by Lynn Marie Morski, a physician and attorney, this podcast navigates the intricate intersection of cutting-edge science, clinical practice, and evolving policy. Each episode brings a grounded, expert perspective to conversations about psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, LSD, ayahuasca, ibogaine, and other compounds, moving beyond hype to examine the real-world implications of this therapeutic renaissance. Listeners will hear detailed discussions on the latest peer-reviewed research, practical insights from medical professionals integrating these approaches, and thoughtful analysis of the legal landscape shaping access. The dialogue is rooted in a commitment to safety, ethics, and evidence, offering a clear-eyed look at both the profound promise and the challenges inherent in psychedelic medicine. Whether you're a healthcare provider, a patient, a researcher, or simply intellectually curious, this podcast provides an essential, nuanced resource for understanding how these ancient and modern substances are reshaping perspectives on mental health, consciousness, and treatment. It’s a space for serious inquiry, where complex questions about healing, neuroscience, and society are met with informed, accessible conversation.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Psychedelic Medicine Podcast with Dr. Lynn Marie Morski
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