What do cold plunges ❄️ have to do with ketamine therapy? ✨
Not much, on the surface...
But read on and I’ll tell you how they are related, at least in my mind!
(...and I'll share my morning cold exposure ritual!)
You might have heard that psychedelics are catalysts for change, not silver-bullet cures.
What that means is: what we put in, is what we get out, of medicine work.
Preparation and integration are arguably the most
important aspects of ketamine therapy.
Both preparation and integration play crucial roles in the depth and effectiveness of psychedelic therapy. While this post is not an in-depth guide on preparation and integration, it's important to clarify when I say “preparation and integration” I am referring to specific practices, done consistently, to connect with mind, body and spirit.
The preparation phase includes practices like mindfulness meditation, journaling and cultivating body awareness. In integration, the insights and awareness gained in medicine sessions are processed and integrated into post-session life. This is done in therapy and at home, by using the practices of preparation to help deepen integration.
Though preparation and integration might sound
like two distinct processes,
in practice, over time, they begin to feel like a continuous process
of self-love and personal growth.
So what does all of this have to do with cold plunges?
I incorporate a cold plunge morning ritual into my preparation and integration routine. This practice helps me feel grounded and starts my day with embodied presence and gratitude. Cold plunges support me in embracing discomfort, increase my somatic awareness and help deepen my understanding of my thoughts and emotions, all while cultivating self- compassion. Additionally, I do cold plunges outdoors, which has the added benefit of being in nature.
My husband Jeremy introduced me to the power of cold plunges; specifically, the Nordic Spa ritual of hot exposure, then cold, followed by quiet relaxation. He swears it cured an almost debilitating hangover on a snowboarding trip with friends. Now, I can’t vouch for its anti-hangover effects, but, for an introvert like me, quiet, relaxing spaces, like spas, have always felt like heaven. I felt guilty about my love of spas for many years. It felt indulgent and privileged, and too expensive to do often.
Yet, the more deeply I healed, the more I saw, felt, and trusted
that my nervous system had needs I longed to prioritize.
Ketamine therapy helped me connect with and trust in my body, and deepened the belief that I deserved to feel good in daily life, not just when I could afford to escape to a fancy spa!
…and that is where hot and cold come in.
Ever since my husband discovered the power of the “ water circuit” we have shared the love of hydrotherapy. One of my favorite hydrotherapy spas is Bota Bota in Montreal.
Since we can’t live at a spa, and money is not unlimited, we wanted to find a way to bring the benefits of hydrotherapy home. So, I researched cold plunges, and found this funny little guy, The Ice Pod! And, with it, I have been able to re-create the relaxation ritual that I previously found only at a spa.
My morning Nordic Spa ritual!
So, here
is my morning practice, loosely based on the protocol at Bota Bota, which you can find HERE.
is my morning practice, loosely based on the protocol at Bota Bota, which you can find HERE.Try it and see how you feel!
- Wake up early enough to have at least 30 minutes to yourself, before the day gets too busy! (I know waking up early is hard, but try it, I think you'll think it's worth it!)
- Begin with 15 minutes of hot exposure. You can take a hot bath or shower, or, if you’re lucky enough to have a Jacuzzi, that’s even better!
- The next step is the cold plunge. A cold shower works, but I use my ICE POD! I aim for one minute, but recommendations range from 30 seconds to several minutes. (I never thought I 'd be able to tolerate more than 10 seconds, but within a month of consistent practice, I can stay for one minute in 55-ish degrees, and I actually kind of enjoy it!)
- The final step is quiet relaxation for 15-30 minutes. The trick is to relax as soon as you get out of the cold. Prepare whatever you need before the cold exposure so that you will be comfortable and warm once you get out. I make sure I have a blanket, a comfortable chair, water and socks! Bonus- relax outside while the sun comes up and birds start to sing! Nature is great for mental health!
When you relax, after the cold plunge, you will most likely have the magical experience of feeling your body coming back to life. It's like a de-thawing. I notice tingling and waves of energy through my entire body. It wakes me back up to this human body I forget about all the time. It feels magical, invigorating, and I feel so alive.
I’ve done my fair share of listening to and reading about the benefits of cold exposure.
My intention in sharing is that a mindful ritual, such as hot and cold exposure, integrated into everyday life, can bring back the sacred, and make life feel special again. Ritual can help us remember ourselves, come back to our bodies, and slow down our constantly active minds, bringing us to presence.
Maybe a hot and cold circuit is not for you, and that’s ok.
You could ask yourself, "when do I feel the most present, calm, relaxed, alive"?
Consider: watching the sunrise, doing yoga, or writing in a journal. Practices, like these, done consistently and mindfully, can become self- care rituals that enrich our lives. And, for those of us doing psychedelic therapy, they can help us prepare for and integrate medicine experiences.
I hope you'll take this post as an invitation to add some daily self-care and magic to your life! ✨
❤️ Mary
Hi, I'm MaryI believe that your symptoms make all the sense in the world. There is nothing wrong with you ❤️
I also believe that, provided the right conditions, you can reconnect with a place of awe, beauty, curiosity, and aliveness that you so deserve ✨
I believe these things as a result of what I’ve learned on my own healing journey and as a trauma therapist with the honor of supporting others on this path 🤝
I approach each client with the unshakable belief that symptoms like depression, anxiety, and trauma are natural responses to unhealed emotional pain.
Ketamine, used therapeutically, can facilitate access to these tender, usually inaccessible places WHILE allowing for a client's innate wisdom and healing intelligence to come through. When this happens, transformation occurs.
And though not everyone is a candidate for psychedelic therapy, for those who are, I see profound healing over and over again.
I believe this work is my purpose, and I am honored to contribute some of what I have learned along the way in this blog. Thank you for being here 🙏
For more information about Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy, download my free resource here.
Have you ever wondered what a ketamine session would be like?
Sure, there are numerous articles about its uses and benefits, but rarely is the curtain pulled back to see the reality of what happens in a ketamine session.
🌟 Today, I'll share the 9 STEPS of a typical Ketamine session,
including my free SESSION CHECKLIST🌟
I remember how scared I was in the days before my first ketamine session. I was excited and inspired by stories of other peoples experiences, however, I had no idea what to expect. I had never been in psychedelic therapy before and could only compare it to a talk therapy session. I couldn’t grasp, really, how a Ketamine session would be different.
And though I believe facing fear and embracing uncertainty are profoundly important aspects of healing, and not to be avoided, I also believe there is enough unpredictability in psychedelic therapy that it’s important to get a sense of the typical flow and timeline of a session.
So today, I am offering you a glimpse into a ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) session.
Usually, a KAP session is in a therapist’s office, and the medicine is given either in a lozenge form or through intramuscular injection. In my office, we use lozenges. (I’ll share more about different routes of administration and office settings in a future post. Suffice it to say, there is not only one “good way” to use ketamine therapeutically - each has its own benefits and drawbacks.)
I think visual aids can make understanding more concrete. So, I’m sharing access to the KAP SESSION CHECKLIST I created to guide me through ketamine sessions with clients. I hope it’s helpful for those interested in KAP and for my KAP therapist readers, too!
This checklist includes the most typical aspects of a KAP session, including the flow. These steps are not meant to be rigid guidelines, and are not all necessary for every client. Just like playlists, the most important rule is that every session should be individualized to the client’s specific needs.
It is also important to note that a medicine session, like the one described in my checklist, only occurs after a preparation phase. This is not the first appointment with a KAP therapist (more on KAP preparation in an upcoming post!)
A typical KAP session lasts around three hours. I prepare the office prior, with beautiful flowers, candles, calming music and a cozy surface to lie on. Once a client arrives and gets comfortable, the session begins and typically follows the flow of my checklist. Here, I’ll say a little bit more about each step:
1. Discuss Logistics & Ride:
Although ketamine effects are strongest for 60-90 minutes, subtle changes can be felt for hours after a session. It is essential that clients have a ride, to know who it is ahead of time, and have contact info to coordinate pickup.
2. Review Consent and Touch:
There is no way I can do justice to this topic in a couple sentences. It is crucial that a Psychedelic therapist is trained in, and acts with integrity around, the use of touch in sessions. For the purposes of this post, what you need to know is that a therapist and client must discuss the ways touch can be used in a session for safety and/or support. (Know that supportive touch is NEVER sexual, and, only if the client requests, can include touch like holding a hand or squeezing a shoulder). Until there is an understanding and agreement about what a client consents to, the session should not proceed.
3. Decide Dose and Booster:
A client must have a screening with a medical professional prior to beginning KAP. For those who are eligible, a specific dose range will be prescribed. Sublingual ketamine dosage (using oral lozenges) is not a perfect science- weight alone does not determine the dose. For this reason, a range is prescribed and usually the recommendation is to start low and go slow. Together, the therapist and client discuss what the dose in that range will be, and, if the client wants a booster, that is usually offered 15-30 minutes after the initial dose.
4. Intention:
Prior to the KAP session, the client has been asked to set an intention. The therapist and client discuss the intention and make any changes, if the client chooses to.
5. Share Meaningful Objects:
Not all KAP sessions incorporate ritual and ceremony, but I do for the right clients. This includes inviting them to bring and share any meaningful objects that might provide support during their session. This can include things like a stone, a picture or a favorite stuffed animal.
6. Pick Card, Bless Medicine and Sage:
This is a continuation of the ritual and ceremony. Often, clients will pick an Oracle card for guidance and/or a new perspective before a journey. Also, for some, it is supportive to bless the medicine and use smudge sticks, like sage or palo santo, to cleanse the space prior to medicine.
7. Bathroom Before Medicine:
You might not know this, but Ketamine is a diuretic. And, though some of my clients limit fluids for hours before a session, once in a while, someone will need to use the restroom at the peak of ketamine’s effects. (Ok, I’ll admit- that is me- every friggen time!) It is not a problem, however, it can bring one out of the medicine experience and make it harder to get back. For this reason, I always advise clients (and therapists!) to use the restroom right before the client takes the medicine.
8. Light Candle, Restate Intention:
It can be nice to circle back to the intention so the client can be reminded why they are embarking on this journey. Lighting a candle signifies the beginning of the medicine session.
9. Get Cozy and Journey:
At this point, we’ve completed all the prep work. All there is to do is to help the client get as comfortable as possible and settle in for the journey! Often, I share a reading or meditation as clients take the medicine.
🌟 Though it is not noted above or in the checklist, I always end KAP sessions with a vegetarian
charcuterie plate, in the way my mentor taught me. Mindful eating of beautifully prepared food can bring comfort, and bring one "back to the room" and body after a journey. It is usually welcomed by clients who have been directed to fast for 4 hours prior to their medicine session.
My hope is that I’ve shed some light on the flow and steps of a typical KAP session and made it a little less mysterious for those who are just learning.
I also hope the KAP SESSION CHECKLIST, which you can access here, will provide support and direction for my fellow KAP therapists, as it has for me.
Stay tuned for more insights on navigating the world of psychedelic therapy.
Mary ❤️
I believe that your symptoms make all the sense in the world. There is nothing wrong with you ❤️
I also believe that, provided the right conditions, you can reconnect with a place of awe, beauty, curiosity, and aliveness that you so deserve ✨
I believe these things as a result of what I’ve learned on my own healing journey and as a trauma therapist with the honor of supporting others on this path 🤝
I approach each client with the unshakable belief that symptoms like depression, anxiety, and trauma are natural responses to unhealed emotional pain.
Ketamine, used therapeutically, can facilitate access to these tender, usually inaccessible places WHILE allowing for a client's innate wisdom and healing intelligence to come through. When this happens, transformation occurs.
And though not everyone is a candidate for psychedelic therapy, for those who are, I see profound healing over and over again.
I believe this work is my purpose, and I am honored to contribute some of what I have learned along the way in this blog. Thank you for being here 🙏
For more information about Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy, download my free resource here.
