Foundations of Ketamine Addiction: Neurobiology, Risk Factors, and Assessment

A 2.5-hour, NBCC-approved CE course for licensed mental health professionals who want to assess ketamine use competently and ethically. Learn the neurobiology of ketamine, key risk factors for problematic use, and practical assessment strategies—without pathologizing clients or stepping outside your scope of practice. Designed for clinicians supporting ketamine-using clients, not for becoming a ketamine provider.
Format

Online Course

Credit Hour

2.5 Credit Hour, NBCC

Author

Dr. Lindsay Wilkinson,
Dr. Peter H Addy

Price

$ 117

Feeling Uncertain When Ketamine Comes Up in Session?

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Do you find yourself pausing when a client mentions ketamine use - unsure what questions to ask or how to assess risk without sounding alarmist?

Are you frustrated by trainings that focus on pharmacology or addiction theory but don’t help you decide what actually matters in the therapy room?

Do you worry about missing red flags - or, just as concerning, overpathologizing clients who may be using ketamine appropriately?

You’re not alone.

Many licensed clinicians are encountering ketamine in practice before they’ve had clear, practical guidance on how to evaluate use, assess risk, and respond ethically within their scope of practice.

We See the Challenges

Here’s the reality for many clinicians:
  • Uncertainty Instead of Clarity: Ketamine use comes up in session, but without a clear assessment framework, it’s hard to know what matters clinically—and what doesn’t.
  • Overcorrection or Avoidance: Some clinicians avoid the topic altogether; others default to overly cautious or pathologizing responses that don’t fit the client’s situation.
  • Blurred Ethical Boundaries: Questions about scope of practice, risk, and referral can feel murky without practical guidance.
  • CE That Misses the Mark: Many trainings focus on theory, substance details, or specialization—rather than the real assessment decisions clinicians face in everyday practice.
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But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Foundations of Ketamine Addiction: Neurobiology, Risk Factors, and Assessment replaces uncertainty with structure. It gives you a clear, evidence-based way to evaluate ketamine use, identify meaningful risk factors, and ask better clinical questions - so you can respond with confidence, ethical clarity, and professionalism when ketamine comes up in your practice.

introducing

Foundations of Ketamine Addiction: Neurobiology, Risk Factors, and Assessment

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This is a practical, introductory-level, clinican-focused CE course designed to help licensed mental health professionals assess ketamine use with clarity, nuance, and ethical confidence. Built for therapists, counselors, psychologists, and other licensed providers, this course offers a structured, evidence-based approach to understanding ketamine’s neurobiology, identifying meaningful risk factors, and conducting clinically appropriate assessments - without sensationalizing use or pushing you toward specialization.

This course is delivered as an on-demand, video-based home study program. This program offers 2.5 NBCC credit hours upon completion. Partial credit is not available.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this program, participants will be able to:
Describe the neurobiological mechanisms by which ketamine produces psychoactive and addictive effects relevant to clinical assessment.
Distinguish between therapeutic ketamine use, emerging misuse, and patterns that warrant closer clinical evaluation using evidence-based indicators.
Apply structured assessment strategies to ketamine use scenarios, including risk evaluation, red flag recognition, and referral decision-making.
Formulate ethical, scope-appropriate clinical responses when clients disclose ketamine use in therapy sessions.

Presenters

This course is taught by licensed clinicians who actively work with ketamine in real clinical settings.

The instruction draws on a combination of academic research expertise, hands-on therapeutic experience, and a deep understanding of ethical and scope-of-practice considerations.

Rather than abstract theory, the teaching is grounded in real therapy-room decision-making, helping clinicians assess ketamine use, evaluate risk, and respond with clarity, nuance, and professional confidence.

Dr. Lindsay Wilkinson

ND, LAc
Dr. Wilkinson works with patients on a wide variety of integrative mental health, gynecologic, and digestive health concerns, and has pursued focused clinical training in non-ordinary states of consciousness. Dr. Lindsay uses evidence-informed practice in both traditional and modern diagnostic techniques and treatment methods. After completing a CNME-approved residency at Kwan Yin Healing Arts Center in 2016, Dr. Wilkinson has continued to provide care with a dual focus on conventional and holistic mental health and women’s health. Dr. Wilkinson brings a comprehensive, holistic approach to her patients with an emphasis on somatic techniques incorporating bodywork and acupuncture to invite patients into body awareness, alleviate pain, and optimize the relationships between psyche and soma. Dr. Wilkinson’s passion for body-centered techniques has driven her to integrate multiple bodywork modalities into her practice, including Classical 5-Element Acupuncture, Tami Kent’s Holistic Pelvic Care, the Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy, Chi Nei Tsang visceral abdominal massage, Cranial Sacral Therapy, and Kundalini Mediumship Shamanic Healing.

Dr. Peter H. Addy

PhD, LPC, LMHC

Dr. Peter H. Addy is an expert in the field of psychedelic substances and states of consciousness. With 15 years of experience, Dr. Addy has established himself as an authority on the transformative effects of transcendence and wholeness. Dr. Addy's knowledge and expertise have led him to become a highly sought-after speaker and presenter, having given talks internationally on a range of topics related to spirituality, transpersonal states, psychedelic science, and research methodology. Dr. Addy is also an accomplished writer, having authored numerous scientific articles, book chapters, and popular press articles on typical and atypical psychedelics, substance abuse, and spirituality.

Course Lessons

Continuing Education Approvals and Information

NBCC-Approved Provider
Psychedelic Affirming Education has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7579. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Psychedelic Affirming Education is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
This program is designed to meet continuing education requirements for the following boards:
  • Mental Health & Addiction Certification Board of Oregon
  • Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists (OAR 833-080-0011)
  • Oregon Board of Licensed Social Workers (OAR 877-025-0011)
  • Oregon Board of Psychology (OAR 858-040-0015)
  • Washington Examining Board of Psychology (WAC 246-924-240)
  • Washington Mental Health Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Social Workers Advisory Committee (WAC 246-809-620)
Please note: The responsibility for substantiating that a particular program meets the requirements rests solely with the licensee. 

Frequently asked questions

Will this course teach me how to diagnose ketamine use disorder?

The course teaches evidence-based assessment frameworks and risk indicators to help you evaluate when ketamine use may be problematic and when further assessment or referral is appropriate. It emphasizes clinical judgment and nuance rather than checklist-style diagnosis or overpathologizing.

Does this training cover illegal or unapproved psychedelic practices?

No. The course focuses on ketamine, which is legally prescribed nationwide, and on assessment skills that are within the scope of licensed mental health practice. It does not provide training on illegal substances or facilitation outside current legal frameworks.

Do I need prior knowledge about ketamine or addiction to take this course?

No prior ketamine-specific training is required. The material is designed to meet clinicians where they are, providing clear explanations of neurobiology, risk factors, and assessment strategies without assuming specialized background knowledge.

Is this course only for clinicians who provide ketamine-assisted therapy?

No. This course is designed primarily for licensed mental health professionals who are not providing ketamine sessions but are encountering ketamine use in their clinical work. It focuses on assessment, risk evaluation, and ethical response—not facilitation or administration.

How will this course help me in actual therapy sessions?

You’ll gain practical frameworks and language to use when clients disclose ketamine use—helping you ask better questions, assess risk without judgment, clarify ethical boundaries, and respond with greater confidence and professionalism in real clinical conversations.

Do you offer accommodations for participants with disabilities?

Yes. Psychedelic Affirming Education is committed to providing equal access to our courses in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and similar laws. We provide appropriate accommodations for participants with physical, visual, auditory, and other legally-recognized disabilities. To request accommodations, please contact us. Our team will guide you through the process and respond to your request within 10 business days.