Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy
Ketamine Assisted EMDR TherapyTM is a novel therapeutic method that Danielle Ciccone, LPCC, LMHC has co-developed with colleague Michele Topel, LPC.
A small amount of sublingual ketamine is self-administered by the client during an EMDR therapy reprocessing session to facilitate the adaptive resolution of traumatic memories.
Ketamine, at a low dose, has a calming effect that can reduce emotional overwhelm. During EMDR therapy reprocessing, clients revisit distressing memories, which can feel somewhat intense. Ketamine helps create a sense of emotional safety, allowing clients to approach these memories with less fear and self judgment.
Trauma can create rigid thought patterns and emotional responses that keep individuals stuck. Ketamine enhances neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to form new connections—helping clients become more open to new perspectives. This flexibility allows for deeper cognitive and emotional shifts during EMDR therapy reprocessing.
In EMDR therapy, protective mechanisms like avoidance or emotional numbing can sometimes block progress. Ketamine can quiet these defenses, making it easier for clients to access and process the root causes of their distress.
Ketamine often brings clients into a state of curiosity, compassion, and clarity. This state is ideal for EMDR therapy reprocessing, as it allows clients to approach traumatic memories with kindness and openness, rather than fear or self-criticism.
By combining the focused bilateral stimulation of EMDR with the neurobiological and psychological effects of ketamine, clients often experience accelerated healing. Memories that once felt intolerable become approachable, and the emotional burdens they carry can be released more readily.
These sessions can be conducted in our Thousand Oaks office, or virtually for any clients throughout the state of California.
To learn more about this method, visit https://ketamineassistedemdr.com/