Areas of Focus

have questions?

Psychedelics & Ketamine

psychedelic: (adj.) describing drugs that induce changes in the level of consciousness of the mind. examples include psilocybin ("mushrooms"), DMT, LSD ("acid"), mescaline (found in peyote).

psychonaut: (noun) "navigator of the mind." an individual who has found a way to access higher states of consciousness through breathing techniques, meditation, yoga, lucid-dreaming, or responsible journeying with psychedelic medicines.

It is important to note that while psychotherapy is a way for most humans to engage in self-improvement or to address mental/behavioral health or relationship concerns, psychedelics, psychedelic-assisted and ketamine-assisted psychotherapies are not for everyone. There are crucial steps that everyone involved in any ethical, sustainable, safe and responsible psychedelic journey of any kind must, if not should, be taking to prevent injury or harm.

ketamine (C13H16ClNO): (est. 1952) a chemical derivative of a class of compounds called arylcyclohexylamines, otherwise known as "dissociative anesthetics," used for sedative and numbing purposes. approved by the FDA in 1970; quickly embraced by armed forces as a safe medical combat evacuation. discovery of anti-depressant effects in 2000; less addiction potential than opioid use for pain and PTSD in soldiers; considered the #6 most essential medicine on the planet by the World Health Organization (2023).

Even though ketamine's effects on the brain and senses are very similar, it is not technically a "classic" psychedelic, and works very differently from antidepressants or pharmaceutical medication. Ketamine functions by acting in areas and processes of the brain that control memory, plasticity, learning and sensitivity; this allow us to change how we respond to pain and inflammation. More magic happens when ketamine encourages production of proteins called Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and rapamycin (mTor) reverse damage to the connections between brain cells. That "damage?" Caused by depression, trauma, chronic pain and stress, grief, substance use, anxiety...

The positive effects of ketamine and psychedelic experiences are heightened, deeper, and more profoundly long-lasting when combined with therapy or integration.

When it comes to ketamine, the research tells us that:

when used to treat substance use, "ketamine appeared to promote abstinence initiation, improve relapse prevention, improve craving reactivity management, and increase motivations to terminate drug-use in select individuals"
when used to treat trauma, depression and anxiety disorders, ketamine was "proposed to facilitate the neuroplasticity involved in new memory formation, fear extinction, and the restructuring of traumatic memories"

Ketamine is a truly a remarkable medicine, and should only be used under clinical and therapeutic supervision and after thorough medical evaluation for safety and optimal results.

As such, I have written a treatment protocol for ketamine sessions I offer that, should this method of therapy be determined appropriate, I require that all clients follow in order to achieve the best results we can.

This treatment protocol adheres to ethical and safety standards, and also remains focused on client goals and personal preferences as treatment progresses. I take into consideration the need for flexibility in scheduling and dosing based on client's response to therapy, and do not require up-front scheduling unless preferred.

My ethical and code of conduct is informed by ethical standards of practice set by the Ketamine Training Center, the National Association of Social Workers, and the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS).

At this time, I am only offering psychedelic-integration sessions and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) sessions. Psychedelic Integration sessions do not include psychedelic or psychoactive medicine of any kind. To read more about Psychedelic Integration sessions, please click here.

Relationships & Communication

Couples therapy sessions are longer in duration than individual sessions, are focused on the health and related goals set by members of the relationship. These sessions also require a set of skills specific to relationship health, communication, safety, intimacy, boundaries, and more. I provide couples therapy sessions that range from 60 minutes to 90 minutes, both in-person or via telehealth.

Person-Centered & Holistic Approach

We're curious, and that's a solid, scientific place to start. Whether you're here for something like performance at work, or depressed mood, we will likely find some benefit in asking questions like: "what helps me show up the most?" or "what does this emotion remind me of?"

Intuitive Psychotherapy offers the opportunity for clients who are interested or curious about their own spiritual or intuitive self, and how narratives held in this spiritual self may be impacting their day-to-day, or overall wellness and fulfillment. A "spiritual self" can be described as the energetic, emotional and electromagnetic field that surrounds every living being. Other terms commonly used in place of or to describe "spiritual self" can include: aura, light-body, energy-body, light-being, spirit, soul, knowing, internal wisdom, extra self, intuitive self, etc.

Clients who find themselves seeking intuitive or intuition-informed describe themselves as "woo-woo" or "spiritual," or "connected,"

Shadow & Inner Work

inner-work: (noun; adj.) a term used to reference psychotherapy or psychoanalysis focused on the subconscious or hidden parts of the mind. other common terms used are informed by therapy method and can include "inner-child."

shadow-work: (noun) a concept developed originally by Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung, that is meant to refer to the parts of the mind deemed undesirable, shameful, embarrassing and therefore ignored (whether on purpose or not).

I believe that understanding ourselves as individuals - the deep desires that motivate and inspire us, the things that make us scared or jealous, the expectations we hold of ourselves - paves the way for greater self-compassion and healing.

Oftentimes, the issues that bring us pain, frustration, sadness, confusion, and ultimately bring us to therapy are symptoms of unmet needs. Did we sustain an injury that no one saw? Are we feeling unheard, or ignored? Were we left with questions?

Engaging in discussion about how emotions feel, where they originate and how to manage them encourages us to recognize and meet our needs. When our own needs are met, not only do we see improvement to our mood and self-worth, but that same self-compassion ripples outward in our relationships and beyond.

Areas of Focus

have questions?

Psychedelics & Ketamine

psychedelic: (adj.) describing drugs that induce changes in the level of consciousness of the mind. examples include psilocybin ("mushrooms"), DMT, LSD ("acid"), mescaline (found in peyote).

psychonaut: (noun) "navigator of the mind." an individual who has found a way to access higher states of consciousness through breathing techniques, meditation, yoga, lucid-dreaming, or responsible journeying with psychedelic medicines.

Autism & ADHD

Relationships & Communication

LGBTQIA+ and Queerness

Trauma, PTSD &Complex PTSD

Person-Centered & Holistic Approach

Perfectionism & OCD

Sex-Positive & Kink-Inclusive

Shadow & Inner Work

inner-work: (noun; adj.) a term used to reference psychotherapy or psychoanalysis focused on the subconscious or hidden parts of the mind. other common terms used are informed by therapy method and can include "inner-child."

shadow-work: (noun) a concept developed originally by Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung, that is meant to refer to the parts of the mind deemed undesirable, shameful, embarrassing and therefore ignored (whether on purpose or not).

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” - Carl Jung

let's get attuned.

connect with us here.

(720) 588 - 9197
info@ahhtherapyservices.com

3801 E Florida Avenue
Suite 500
Denver, Colorado 80210