This blog explores why social and emotional support is important for your patients when undergoing psychedelic ketamine therapy, which reveals deep insights that require integration.

Woman looking outside a window with a view of the galaxy — Your patient’s ketamine journey can be emotionally challenging as they uncover their unconscious mind, which is why having a strong support system around them is key.

Why Is Social Support Essential During Ketamine Therapy?

Embarking on ketamine treatment can lead to profound personal growth. But during this time of healing and growth, it can be emotionally challenging for your patients. As they dive into unconscious realms and uncover deep insights, having a support system is critical in order for them to integrate this intense experience. Human connection is essential for health; which makes a trusting community so important when ketamine therapy reveals and reshapes deep neural patterns. Let's explore why your patients need support during this journey, from leveraging neuroplasticity to processing unearthed emotions. With the right assistance, your patient’s transformation through ketamine therapy can flourish.

Man walking through a colorful forest — Having someone on their side as they go through their ketamine journey is critical, especially when things get difficult.

Exploring Their Mindscape: How Ketamine Therapy Works

Ketamine therapy can be a lot of work for your patients. They’re going to experience a deep dive into the unconscious mind – maybe uncovering things that they don't necessarily want uncovered consciously. So it's really important that they have a good support system, whether it's a close friend, a family member, or someone that they trust. When they have people in their corner supporting them, that can actually help. Humans were not meant to be alone. We did not evolve as a species as solo siloed individuals. We evolved in a community.

Are you not sure how to help your patient during a scary ketamine treatment experience? If so, check out our How To Guide Your Patient Through A Difficult Ketamine Experience: A 6-Step Approach blog post.

Hand shaping clay into the form of a heart-shaped pot — Your patients are literally transforming their brain through ketamine infusions. It’s an experience that’s hard to comprehend, which is why they need people who really understand what they’re going through.

The Importance of Support Networks: Connection As Part of Integration

As your patients receive ketamine infusion therapy, it is important that they have a network around them. People that they trust. People that they love. People that can really understand what they’re going through. Think of our brain like a piece of clay. Clay can become rock hard and very stiff. Now, imagine if our minds can be like a ball of clay. We have these neural grooves that have become so conditioned with chronic habitual thoughts that don't support us and are hard to “reshape”.

Man meditating in front of mountains and a star-studded sky — As your patients go through their ketamine treatments, their brain becomes more open to changes. This allows them to incorporate new habits and mindsets for the better.

Leveraging Your Patient's Neuroplasticity for Personal Development

Your patients may have thoughts like, "I'm not worthy. I don't love myself. I don't deserve it." It’s important that they understand that these beliefs are not true. These thoughts may have been something that they picked up as a child or as a toddler. Maybe they got them from some siblings or parents. They need to be able to change that. How? Well, ketamine is really interesting because it creates new neurons and new synaptic connections. Going back to our analogy, imagine that piece of clay getting warmed up again, becoming a little bit more malleable. Ketamine “warms up” the clay, and now your patients can create new neural grooves after the therapy. To maximize benefits, it's really important that you encourage them to leverage that time after the infusions because we think it's actually the metabolites of the ketamine that seem to promote increased changes in the brain.

Learn how your patients can continue their healing after and between treatments in our 5 Practices to Maximize Your Ketamine Patient's Treatment blog.

Several group of people walking a path — Post-infusion, integration through your support community is important for you to reap the full benefits of your ketamine therapy.

Cultivating Support for Your Patient’s Healing Journey

As we've seen, ketamine treatment leads to an opportunity for deep personal work. While infusions can lead to profound biochemical changes and psychedelic experiences, integrating the experience extends beyond the clinic. Encourage your patients to cultivate a community of trusted loved ones and trained professions to process revelations, manage difficulties, and actualize growth. Our brains evolved for connection – leverage that. When your patients are surrounded by those who understand and believe in their transformation, the insights uncovered through ketamine therapy can flourish into authentic healing. Let them know that they need not walk this path alone. With support, their journey can progress further than imagined.

If you enjoyed this blog, check these out too:

How To Guide Your Patient Through A Difficult Ketamine Experience: A 6-Step Approach

Nobody wants to have a challenging psychedelic ketamine therapy experience; this goes for neither you nor your patient. In this blog, we talk about what you can do to help your patient avoid or minimize the chance of a “bad trip”

Why Your Patient Feels Tired After A Ketamine Treatment

In this blog, we explore why patients may feel tired after ketamine infusion, provide a framework for practitioners to explain this fatigue, and overview research on ketamine's energizing effects.

Why Your Patient Should Avoid Negativity After Ketamine Therapy

Discover why it's crucial for your patient to surround themselves with positive influences. Hint: it enhances their mood and takes full advantage of ketamine's neuroplastic effect. Explore a recent scientific study about the power of positivity following a ketamine infusion and its impact on treatment-resistant depression.