Program Overview
 

This 15 hour program, open to licensed healthcare professionals, will lay the foundations for working with ketamine for the treatment of mental health indications. It will cover the necessary pharmacology involved as well as medical and psychological screening and preparation. Techniques of facilitating altered state sessions and psychological integration of these experiences will also be covered with a special emphasis on ethics.

 

In total, the program will consist of three hours of pre-recorded (asynchronous) lecture completed at your own pace prior to attending a five hour interactive workshop online, and an optional but encouraged treatment (~seven hours across four visits) at Synaptic Institute in Portland, OR if medically appropriate.​

​

Teachings are appropriate for healthcare professionals who will be able to incorporate the tools and practices offered in this program in ways beneficial to clients or patients

​

Faculty:
 

• Alison Draisin, PsyD

• Greg Robillard, LMFT, LPF

• Olivia Hicks, ND, LPF
   

Learning Objectives and Outcomes
 

At the end of the program, participants will be better able to:
 

• Describe the clinical indications, both FDA approved and off-label, for ketamine
   

• Describe the need for enhanced consent when working with altered states of consciousness
   

• Apply concepts of intake, preparation, administration, and integration sessions in doing altered state of consciousness therapy
   

• Describe the important role of music and sound in altered state therapy
   

• Describe the physiological and psychological effects of ketamine at a variety of dose ranges
   

• Apply harm reduction principles regarding drugs of potential abuse
   

• Describe licensure requirements for prescribing and controlling ketamine
   

• Describe the storage requirements for controlled substances
   

• Apply proper documentation procedures for logging controlled substances

• Describe the material requirements for administering or prescribing ketamine
   

• Describe the mechanism of action of ketamine 
   

• Describe the various routes of administration of ketamine and their relative onset, duration, dosing, and contraindications
   

• Apply the findings of clinical trial data for ketamine
   

• Describe the history and cultural context of ketamine
   

• Utilize appropriate and consensual therapeutic touch during ketamine sessions
   

• Describe the different demands of group versus one-on-one sessions

​​
 

CE/CME
 

• We are currently seeking accreditation for CE credits for psychotherapists & NDs.

​

​​

Cost
 

• Core program (3-hours pre-recorded + 5.5-hour online workshop)

  • ​$800

​

• Group experiential (individual 30-min medical intake, two 60 minute online preparation sessions, 3.5-hr group session, 1-hr group integration online):

  • $600

​

• One-on-on experiential (90-min intake, 1-hr prep, 2.5-hr ketamine session, 1-hr integration):

  • At Synaptic: $1600

  • At AIMS: ~$2100 (most insurances accepted to cover parts of the expense)

​​

• ​​Students of professional graduate level programs within one year of graduation (pre or post) may take the entire program with a group experiential offered in the Portland area for $1100. ​​​