5 Reasons Small Groups are the BEST way to experience Ketamine in 2022

Ketamine treatments for depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD and substance abuse are skyrocketing across the US.  I am so thankful to be part of a community of healers who are finding new and creative ways to offer ketamine therapy to patients seeking help and healing at this time of awakening for entheogenic (empathic) medicines.  I love working one-on-one with patients for deep healing with ketamine, but I sometimes come across resistance from patients to do this work in a small group setting, and here is the reason why I think small group healing with ketamine is not only helpful but is actually the BEST way to heal with this medicine.  The pandemic highlighted an already serious collective problem of the deep isolation and disconnection we often experience from each other.  The time has come in 2022 to re-member, re-group and re-connect with other beings for shared support, nurturing and healing connection.  We know how to keep ourselves and each other safe in the context of the ongoing pandemic, and now it is time to step into the group healing space for collaboration and connection.   

1.     Group Learning

If you’re used to doing ketamine assisted therapy for anxiety or depression on your own or one-on-one with a practitioner or counselor, you’re missing out on all the amazing learning happening with other people who are also on this journey for healing and self-discovery.  In many cultures, the incorporation of entheogens (psychedelic medicines) happens almost universally in a group setting, and this is because the medicine teachings should be shared with everyone.  Whatever you’re working on for your healing may be very different from the person sitting next to you, but they may come back with wisdom, insight or a teaching that is relevant to another aspect of your health or healing. 

2.     Witnessing and Empathy

This is also a huge reason to give yourself the gift of small group work with ketamine.  Everyone feels a little more anxious and vulnerable working with ketamine in a group setting, but this dynamic is purposeful and provides a huge opportunity to witness other people’s courage in sharing their scary, painful, or vulnerable stories and insights when working with ketamine (or other non-ordinary states).  We are hard-wired biologically to respond to other peoples’ emotions, stories, and non-verbal cues (thank you mirror neurons).  This is not a liability, this is a chance to feel a deeper level of emotion, strength and meaning in your own body/psyche when witnessing and participating bravely in a small group setting. 

3.     Deep connection through shared experience

I see the future of ketamine work in the group setting.  There is nothing more powerful than a small group of people moving through a challenging experience together and coming out the other side (i.e. AA groups, army pals, or grad school cohorts).  Doing hard work together in a small group over time is one of the most transformative and deeply connecting experiences that humans can have.  This also amplifies and augments the integration work after the journey is over.  If you have a few trusted friends or connections whom you can reach out to for support, to share insight or progress and to keep you accountable to yourself and your goals, your progress will be exponentially amplified and accelerated. 

4.     Empower yourself

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in working with entheogens in the group setting is to be empowered in my own healing.  I love doing one-on-one work with my own healers, but sitting in a group and continually turning my focus inward is challenging and has often brought my own disempowered parts up to the surface for healing.  In a group, you know the facilitator is supporting the group as a whole, which encourages you to work through your own emotions/obstacles/challenges internally.  The structure of a group requires some self-discipline and an effort to return to yourself again and again.  Many people who work with ketamine and other entheogens for healing define themselves as “deeply empathic” and often struggle to maintain boundaries with themselves and others.  When people are open in the group setting, they have the opportunity to learn how to maintain appropriate boundaries, by keeping themselves grounded, focused and not allowing themselves to be distracted with others’ emotions, noise, movements, etc…

5.     Cost

Many people are having trouble accessing ketamine and other psychedelics due to the high cost and little/no reimbursement from medical insurance at this time.  Group ketamine work is not only less expensive, but amplifies the benefits you can get from the medicine (see above reasons).  Group work is a co-creative process that works synergistically with psychedelics and ketamine and can often be offered by facilitators more frequently and for a lower cost than one-on-one sessions.