221: EFT and Ketamine-Assisted Couples Therapy with Kathryn Rheem
Sep 3, 2024
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Kathryn Rheem, Director of The Washington Baltimore Center for EFT and Co-Founder of The EFT Cafe, delves into the transformative approach of Ketamine-Assisted Couples Therapy. She discusses how this innovative method fosters emotional openness and vulnerability in relationships. Kathryn emphasizes the potential of ketamine to enhance emotionally focused therapy, tackle treatment-resistant conditions, and strengthen emotional bonds. She also highlights the importance of safe therapeutic environments and collaborative practices between therapists and medical professionals.
Ketamine serves as a therapeutic tool to reduce defenses, enabling couples to access deeper emotions and enhance vulnerability.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) provides a structured approach that integrates well with ketamine, improving emotional expression in couples.
The use of ketamine in therapy requires careful medical oversight to ensure client safety and maximize therapeutic benefits during sessions.
Deep dives
Ketamine as a Therapeutic Tool
Ketamine serves as a therapeutic disruptor, aiding individuals who have struggled to express their emotions in traditional therapy settings. This substance helps clients break down the psychological defenses that often inhibit vulnerability and emotional sharing within relationships. By temporarily lowering these defenses, ketamine allows individuals to access deeper feelings, which fosters an environment of safety and love in couples therapy. The facilitator's role is vital, as they guide clients through this emotional journey, emphasizing the importance of vulnerability and connection in healing processes.
The Role of Emotional Focused Therapy (EFT)
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) remains a cornerstone in the discourse of couples therapy, providing a structured method to enhance emotional bonding. The discussion elucidates how EFT techniques can be integrated with ketamine-assisted therapy to expand emotional expression and improve relational dynamics. Through EFT, therapists create a framework for understanding and addressing emotional responses, making it beneficial for couples seeking to deepen their connections. This synergy between EFT and ketamine offers new therapeutic avenues for those facing distinct emotional challenges.
Application and Administration of Ketamine
Ketamine can be administered in various ways depending on the therapy's goals, including intravenous infusion or intramuscular injection. In couples therapy sessions, both partners may take the substance either simultaneously or in succession, paving the way for collaborative emotional exploration. The treatment involves careful dose calculations based on body weight and a thorough medical evaluation by licensed prescribers. This multifaceted approach underscores the importance of medical oversight to ensure safety and maximize therapeutic benefits.
Patient Experiences and Integration
Patients often report significant shifts in emotional awareness and connection during and after ketamine therapy sessions. The substance is believed to enhance neuroplasticity, allowing individuals to form new emotional pathways, which are crucial for recovering from past trauma. Following initial treatment, ongoing therapy provides a space to integrate these experiences and reinforce personal insights gained during sessions. The long-term benefits can result in decreased anxiety and a more profound sense of emotional well-being, fostering healthier relationships.
Ethics and Safety in Ketamine Therapy
Safety and ethical considerations are paramount in the discussion of ketamine assisted therapy, as the substance is potent and can elicit vulnerable states. Professionals emphasize the need for clinical oversight, qualified prescribers, and a safe therapeutic environment to mitigate risks such as addiction or adverse effects. The therapeutic relationship plays a fundamental role in ensuring that clients are supported and protected during their experiences. Ethical practice demands that therapists are adequately trained in using ketamine responsibly, focusing on the clients’ well-being and treatment outcomes.
In this episode, Shane talks with Kathryn Rheem about Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Ketamine-Assisted Couples Therapy. Kathryn is the Director of The Washington Baltimore Center for EFT and the Co-Founder of The EFT Cafe. Hear how Ketamine-Assisted Couples Therapy works, how it can help couples, how long the sessions are, what the conversations look like while on Ketamine, and best practices for a smooth session.