Milky way photoThe Sanctuary at Sedona

How is Ketamine Therapy used at The Sanctuary at Sedona?

Throughout the past decade, medical professionals have used ketamine not only for its anesthetic properties but also for its therapeutic value. FDA-approved and well-researched, clinical trials and studies consistently prove ketamine’s effectiveness as a psychiatric medication. When used in a rehab setting, ketamine has incredible potential to help unlock the healing process for many people.

Ketamine-assisted therapy, known as KAT, is regularly used in the treatment of many mental health and behavioral conditions including: 

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Alcohol use disorder and drug addiction
  • Chronic pain 

In these situations, the dissociative medication works by opening access to, and even creating, new neural pathways in your brain. This helps your brain and body make new physical, emotional, and spiritual connections. 

The Sanctuary’s ketamine-assisted treatment program is not just an add-on treatment. We have thoughtfully and carefully integrated KAT into our program, and your individualized treatment, as a whole. If you’re wondering exactly how we use ketamine therapy at The Sanctuary, find more information and details of our KAT program in Sedona, Arizona below.

Learn About Our Ketamine Therapy Treatment

How We Approach Using Ketamine 

At The Sanctuary, we don’t see ketamine as just another drug to soothe the wounds of trauma and addiction. We know and believe in, ketamine’s use as a medicine on the path to total healing

Because of this, we don’t administer ketamine in an uninviting clinical setting. Similarly to the rest of your therapies here, The Sanctuary’s ceremonial environment creates the framework for you to get the most healing benefits from each ketamine-assisted treatment session.

Ketamine is used as one part of your overall healing journey. It is one of the tools you can use, in a supervised setting, that propels you forward through your other treatments.

How We Integrate Ketamine into Your Treatment

Starting Ketamine Treatment at The Sanctuary

Like all clients, when you arrive at The Sanctuary in Sedona the first thing you will do is go through our intake evaluation process. At this time, our nurse practitioner will evaluate you for candidacy in our ketamine-assisted treatment program. 

If both you and our nurse believe you’re a good candidate, you’ll receive a second evaluation with our on-staff naturopathic doctor. Once approved, you’ll then begin your ketamine treatments during the second week of your program.

Our Ceremonial Ketamine Treatment Sessions

At The Sanctuary, we’ve put an immense amount of effort and care into creating an environment that guides you towards healing as much as the therapies you experience. This environment extends to our on-site ketamine treatment center too. 

The first thing you’ll notice when you step into the KAT center is how relaxing and familiar it feels. Every detail of the center adds to its restorative ambience, including the:

  • Large, comfy reclining couches 
  • Warm blankets and sleep eye masks 
  • Landscape paintings 
  • Soft natural light 
  • Specially curated playlist

Every KAT session begins with a guided intention-setting ceremony. This ceremony helps you focus your energy, open your mind and prepare your body to receive healing at its core. Then, our on-staff medical professionals will administer your ketamine dose. 

Each session lasts about two hours, including recovery time. Groups consist of four to six clients at a time. Sessions are overseen by one of our on-staff doctors, and two additional staff members stay with you to guide you safely and comfortably through the process.

Ongoing Support Beyond Each Ketamine Session 

After your KAT session, you’ll eat dinner in an intimate setting with your fellow KAT program peers. Our chefs lovingly prepare every single meal with organic, anti-inflammatory superfoods. This detoxifying diet further gives you the necessary strength to recharge and experience profound healing.

Throughout your stay at The Sanctuary, your personalized treatment schedule will include planned time for recovery and emotional processing. The day after every KAT session, you will have a KAT-related one-on-one with your therapist to further process your experiences.

Six sessions is normally the optimal amount for a ketamine infusion series, though this varies from person to person. We mindfully distribute sessions throughout your stay and integrate ketamine experiences into your overall treatment program. This means that KAT doesn’t require any additional time in treatment.

Ketamine as a Catalyst for Healing

The medicinal power of ketamine lies in its unique capacity to help people in recovery move past their mental and spiritual blocks during treatment. The Sanctuary’s science-based, ketamine-assisted treatment program can support you on your path to healing and living a life free from past traumas, wounds, and addictions. 

Contact us today to learn more about The Sanctuary at Sedona’s one-of-a-kind ketamine-assisted treatment program. 

B. Forrest Shenkman, N.M.D. Signature Photo

Dr. Forrest is a licensed Naturopathic Physician specializing in retreat-style holistic medicine, natural detoxification and cleansing, mind/body medicine, and regenerative medicine. Dr. Forrest brings to his work a sense of humility, respect, and compassion that is too often absent in the sterile, rigid world of modern medicine. He is deeply honored and grateful to be continuing this work as part of the community and healing that is taking place at the Sanctuary. [email protected]