A vital component of the journey is the integration sessions you will have with your designated psychologist to help you process your experiences. This occurs within 72 hours of the infusion, but not on the same day.
The psychologist will use a combination of psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy or dialectical behavioural therapy techniques to assist in maximising the positive benefit of this heightened neuroplastic period. This assists in imprinting these learned tools to support you in the long run, and for as long as possible.
The psychedelic used by Intrinsic Pathways is a well-known anaesthetic agent, given intravenously at low dose. It primarily works by blocking NMDA receptors in the brain, which helps balance two essential neurotransmitters: glutamate and GABA. Glutamate acts as the brain's “accelerator”, supporting motivation, learning and memory, while GABA serves as the “brake pedal”, reducing nervous system excitability and promoting calmness.
The increase in glutamate during the infusion triggers the release of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a protein often compared to “fertilizer for the brain”. BDNF promotes the growth of new neural pathways (neurogenesis) and enhances connectivity between existing pathways (synaptogenesis).
Neuroscience suggests that conditions such as depression, anxiety, addiction, PTSD, and OCD may be linked to reduced neural density, connectivity and communication. This can contribute to low mood, excessive worry and entrenched habits. Through neurogenesis and synaptogenesis, new brain regions are activated and interconnected, allowing for profound shifts in self-perception and reality.
These shifts can enable the processing of trauma, resolution of inner conflict, release of suppressed emotions and transformation of core beliefs and behaviours. Ketamine-assisted therapy combines psychedelic medicine with psychotherapy, enhancing and sustaining the benefits of the psychedelic experience.
A useful analogy is to compare the brain to a mound of clay. Traditional therapies slowly chip away at the clay over time, while ketamine-assisted therapy “heats” the clay and adds “drops of water”, making it more malleable and open to reshaping in a short period. Under the right conditions, psychedelic-assisted therapy has been likened to experiencing years of therapy in just a few hours. The psychotherapy acts as “the hands that shape the clay”, helping you use this window of neuroplasticity to move towards your goals and desired outcomes.
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