Ethical ketamine practice starts with self-inquiry.

Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy places the clinician in a position of heightened responsibility. We hold access to a medicine some clients seek with desperation, in a context where suggestibility increases and the power differential is steeper than in standard talk therapy. Our motivations do not stay outside the room. They shape the work.
The ketamine industry grew by cutting costs at the expense of screening, monitoring, preparation, and integration. That was not incidental. It was a deliberate business model. Reports on at-home ketamine telehealth continue to document the safety trade-offs. If you practice KAP, you are operating within that market structure, regardless of your intent.

Ethical practice in this modality requires clarity about the conscious reason for doing the work and an honest look at your savior impulse, the wish to be needed, or the urge to resolve your own history through a client. Examining your motives is not optional. In work this intense, self-inquiry is central to ethical practice.

This free lesson is a section from my continuing education course that addresses these questions directly.

Free lesson: Self-Inquiry and Finding Your "Why"

A nine-minute lesson from the course, focused on the reflective work that underpins ethical practice:
  • Identifying your conscious "why" for doing ketamine work, and the "shadow why" that may operate underneath it
  • Naming and exploring the savior and martyr dynamics, along with five common shadow motivations, from the wish to be revered to the urge to heal your parents through your clients
  • Options for continuing the inquiry: therapy, journaling, supervision, and other forms of inner work
Drawn from Laura Mae Northrup's Radical Healership: How to Build a Values-Driven Healing Practice in a Profit-Driven World.

The lesson is available to view with a free account. It is an unlocked section of the full course, so you will see the complete curriculum, with the remaining sections locked unless you choose to enroll. The lesson itself does not carry CE credit; the full course does.

If you want the full course, with CE credit

This lesson is one section. The full course, Ethical Guidelines For Ketamine Clinicians, runs about two hours and addresses roles and responsibilities in ketamine treatment, scope of practice, the six ACA ethics principles as applied to this work, informed consent as an ongoing process, and the specific power dynamics and financial pressures particular to this modality. The course offers 2 CE hours through Psychedelic Affirming Education, an NBCC-approved provider (ACEP No. 7579). It is designed to build a practical knowledge base for ethical decision-making. It does not replace supervised practice.

Dr. Peter H. Addy, PhD, LPC, LMHC

Peter H. Addy is a licensed psychotherapist in Oregon (LPC) and Washington (LMHC) and the founder of Psychedelic Affirming Education. He has studied psychedelics and non-ordinary states of consciousness academically for 18 years, including postdoctoral research in psychedelic science at Yale School of Medicine, and practices ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in Portland. He built PAE's continuing education catalog to make competent training accessible to clinicians.
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Watch the free lesson now to start the self-inquiry.

Testimonials

Some feedback from our students

10/10 Excellent resource for enriching your practice

Peter's understanding of the nuances of medicine work and the standards for providing ethical, fair and justice oriented treatment is clear in this course. I highly recommend this course to anyone wanting to enrich their ethical awareness and maintain integrity in the sacred practice of medicine work.

   G.N., PhD
Integrative Therapist, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, Educator on Psychedelic Ethics & Trauma Therapy

10/10 Very Satisfied

Appreciated Dr. Addy's attention to detail, as well as the lovely relational pause to incorporate information on the wounded healer and Radical Healership. :) Very authentic and important. I appreciate Dr. Addy's style and approach as well as audio and visual methods of teaching and handouts to return to if needed for reference.

  C.S., LPC
Clinical Supervisor, Therapist, Licensed Psilocybin Facilitator

9/10 Very Satisfied

Excellent training. I like how the information was presented in a variety of ways, both conceptual, as well as with case study examples. I also like the segment on radical healership and really reflecting on our own shadows and potential unconscious motivations. Important to be aware of!

  A.G., LPC
Psychotherapist, Licensed Psilocybin Facilitator

Questions

Is this the full course?

No. It's one lesson, about nine minutes, on self-inquiry. The full course runs about two hours. After you sign up, you'll see the full curriculum in the course player, with the other sections locked until you enroll.

Does the free lesson carry CE credit?

No. The full course offers 2 CE hours through Psychedelic Affirming Education, an NBCC-approved provider (ACEP No. 7579).

Do I need an account to watch?

Yes, a free account. When you click the button, you'll see a login window first. Choose Create account below the login fields if you're new. The same login works for the full course if you enroll later.

Will you email me a download?

No. There's nothing to download and nothing to wait for. The lesson plays in your browser as soon as you create the account. You will also receive occasional  clinician-focused emails from me. Unsubscribe  at any time.

I'm new to ketamine-assisted work. Is this still relevant?

Yes. The self-inquiry in this lesson is foundational and assumes no prior experience with ketamine.
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