New UBCO research suggests that incorporating ketamine-assisted therapy into therapists’ personal experiences can enhance the competency of practitioners.
Therapists report that their personal experience with psychedelics helps them build stronger connections with patients and a heightened sense of competence in delivering ketamine-assisted therapy (KAT), according to a new study from UBC Okanagan.
The research, led by Dr. Elena Argento, Tashia Petker and Dr. Zach Walsh from UBCO’s Department of Psychology in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, found that first-hand experience could enhance therapeutic outcomes and improve patient safety.
“Therapists consistently noted that their own experiences with psychedelics helped them build trust with their clients and gave them a deeper understanding of the patient’s journey through therapy,” says Dr. Argento, a postdoctoral researcher and lead author.
“They expressed a strong desire for formal experiential training to be included in KAT programs to improve both therapist confidence and patient safety.”
The research, published recently in PLOS ONE, found that experiential learning could bridge training gaps and enhance therapeutic outcomes in this emerging form of psychedelic-assisted therapy.
“One of the main questions we had for this research was, ‘What do providers think is most important for therapist training and in the practice of ketamine-assisted therapy?’” says Petker, a clinical psychology doctoral student and co-author of the study.
“There’s been a proliferation of ketamine therapy clinics in North America; however, we’re lacking the research needed to form standards of training and practice for therapists. Our study provides a starting point for that work.”
The study, which interviewed eight licensed therapists from Numinus Wellness clinics in Canada and the US, aimed to understand how their personal psychedelic experiences influenced their competency, therapeutic relationships and ability to navigate the unique challenges of working with patients undergoing psychedelic therapy.
“Ketamine is not a mystical thing that goes in and introduces brand new knowledge or wisdom or anything like that. It’s not installing experience in you,” one participant reported.
“This is you teaching you.”
Key findings from the study emphasized the importance of relational safety, professional development and the ability to manage risks associated with treating clients who have experienced complex trauma.
The study also highlighted that while all participants valued their formal training, they felt that existing programs lacked the experiential component with ketamine that could deepen their understanding of the therapy process.
The research, coming at a pivotal time in the acceptance of psychedelic-assisted therapies, suggests that incorporating therapists’ personal experiences into formal training programs could not only enhance the competency of practitioners but also significantly improve the overall safety and effectiveness of KAT, offering an avenue for patients struggling with mental health challenges.
“Our research suggests that experiential training might help improve provider perceived competence in effectively delivering KAT and maybe other psychedelic therapies as well,” said Dr. Walsh, Professor and co-author.
“The next step will be for future research that directly compares therapists who’ve had psychedelic experiences to those who haven’t regarding patient outcomes. It’ll also be important to refine our understanding of what type of psychedelic experiences might be most valuable for therapist training.”
