Why Your Patient Is Crying During Ketamine Treatments
In this blog, uncover the reasons behind the tears during ketamine sessions and learn how this deep emotional release can pave the way for true healing and understanding.
Key takeaway: Ketamine therapy often induces emotional releases in patients. As a healthcare professional, it's crucial to understand this phenomenon, validate patients' experiences, and guide them through effective post-session emotional processing.
Why Is Your Patient Crying?
As a healthcare professional considering adding ketamine therapy in your practice (or opening a clinic), it's important to understand why patients might cry during sessions. As you know, ketamine can dissolve the barrier between the conscious and unconscious minds, bringing underlying emotions to the surface. You must embrace the idea that tears during ketamine therapy are more than a physical response; they're an emotional release, integral to the therapeutic process. This understanding is crucial for effectively supporting and guiding patients through their ketamine journey.
Sometimes your patient can have a scary or challenging ketamine experience, so what can you do? Check out our How To Help Your Patients Through Challenging Ketamine Infusion Experiences blog post.
Understanding the Emotional Excretory System in Ketamine Therapy
It is vital to comprehend the emotional dynamics at play during treatments. Our bodies are equipped with systems like the urinary and digestive systems to dispose of physical waste, and in a similar vein, our tear glands function like an emotional excretory system. During ketamine therapy, patients can experience a release of pent-up emotions through tears - we’ve had patients soak through their eye masks. This phenomenon can occur due to joy, relief, or unresolved emotions.
It’s important for you to recognize and validate this emotional release. Reassure them that the tears that happened are good and nothing to be ashamed of. It is a natural and therapeutic aspect of the healing process, especially for those who have long bottled up their feelings.
Guiding Patients Through Emotional Release: Post-Ketamine Session Steps
After acknowledging and validating your patient’s emotional release, it is equally important to encourage emotional processing after the ketamine session. Emphasize the significance of the integration process after their session. Advise them to share their emotional journey with a therapist, a psychedelic integration coach, or through self-reflective practices like journaling or art. These steps are essential for translating their experience into substantive emotional healing and growth.
Explore this topic of integration and taking a psychedelic-informed approach to ketamine infusions at our blog.
The Role of Emotional Guidance in Ketamine Therapy
To summarize, understanding and managing the emotional aspect of these treatments is crucial. Recognizing the tears as a release of pent-up emotions and guiding patients through the integration process are key components of a successful treatment. It’s about more than just administering ketamine; by embracing this holistic approach, you ensure your patients not only receive effective treatment but also embark on a transformative journey towards overall well-being.
Related Questions:
Is crying during ketamine therapy a cause for concern?
Crying during ketamine therapy is not typically a cause for concern. It is a natural and therapeutic aspect of the healing process, helping with the emotional release of pent-up feelings.
How should I handle a patients' emotional release during therapy?
Acknowledge and validate the patient's emotional release. Reassure them that crying is a natural response and nothing to be ashamed of and rather should be celebrated.
If you enjoyed this blog, check these out too:
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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”.
An Integration Tool For Your Ketamine Patient: Wheel Of Life
We truly believe that integration is an essential process in ensuring your patient receives the full benefits of their ketamine treatment. In this blog, we talk about the tool called the "Wheel of Life" which you can use to guide your patients during the integration process and how you can implement it during the treatment.
Discover 5 actionable strategies to grow your ketamine therapy clinic, build trust with patients, improve marketing, and overcome slow business periods.