Private Practice Startup Podcast - Episode 360: Beyond the Trip: Integrating Psychedelic Experiences for Growth

Release Date: September 7, 2024
Hosts: Dr. Kate Campbell, PhD, LMFT & Katie Lemieux, LMFT
Guest: Meredith Feud, Certified Psychedelic-Assisted Therapist and Certified Brainspotting Practitioner
Website: www.PrivatePracticeStartup.com

Introduction

In Episode 360 of the Private Practice Startup Podcast, hosts Dr. Kate Campbell and Katie Lemieux delve into the transformative world of psychedelic-assisted therapy. This episode, titled "Beyond the Trip: Integrating Psychedelic Experiences for Growth," features an insightful conversation with Meredith Feud, a certified psychedelic-assisted therapist. Meredith shares her personal and professional journey, offering valuable perspectives on integrating psychedelic experiences to foster personal growth and healing.

Meredith Feud’s Journey into Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy

Meredith Feud opens up about her dual journey as both a therapist and a client struggling with mental health issues. She reflects on her early experiences with therapy and self-medication during her teenage years:

"[03:53] D: ...I was self-medicating actually. That really helped me get through a hard time and that really helped kind of release a lot of the shame around that time in my life."

Meredith’s professional path took her through traditional therapeutic modalities like CBT and DBT. However, she felt something was missing, especially in addressing trauma. This realization led her to Brainspotting, a mind-body connection modality, enhancing her ability to help clients work through deep-seated trauma without the need to challenge or change their thoughts directly.

Her personal experience with ketamine—a form of psychedelic therapy—during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic was pivotal. Although her initial ketamine treatment lacked therapeutic support, it highlighted the necessity of integration therapy, ultimately driving her to pursue a year-long training in psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Collaboration with Ketamine Providers

Finding a reliable ketamine provider was a significant step for Meredith. Initially facing challenges with local clinics adhering strictly to the medical model, Meredith discovered Journey Clinical, a company offering remote prescribing services. She explains:

"[08:10] D: ...Journey Clinical... they've been fantastic to work with. So I've been working with them for about a year and a half now. And so I will refer a client to them. They get like a full psychiatric assessment and then they're prescribed ketamine for us to use during the ketamine-assisted therapy sessions."

This partnership allows Meredith to provide remote ketamine-assisted therapy, making the process more accessible and flexible for her clients.

The Process of Ketamine-Assisted Counseling

Meredith outlines her comprehensive approach to ketamine-assisted therapy, emphasizing client-centered care and structured integration:

1. Client Referral and Prescribing: Clients are referred to him to undergo a full psychiatric assessment and receive a ketamine prescription through Journey Clinical.

2. Session Structure: Typically, clients undergo 6-8 sessions over two to four months, either weekly or bi-weekly.

3. Dosing Sessions: Each ketamine-assisted therapy session lasts two hours, during which clients self-administer the medication with Meredith holding space for their experience.

4. Integration Sessions: Within 72 hours post-session, Meredith conducts integration therapy to help clients process and apply the insights gained during their psychedelic experience.

"[10:42] D: ...we set intentions beforehand and then usually people aren't talking during a session, but afterwards they might have some things like they want to remember. So I'll write everything down. And then within 72 hours we're having an integration session."

The Importance of Integration Sessions

Integration is a cornerstone of effective psychedelic-assisted therapy. Meredith emphasizes the critical 72-hour window post-session when neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to reorganize itself—peaks, enhancing the potential for lasting behavioral and cognitive changes.

"[13:12] B: ...is there any reason it's 72 hours or that's just kind of."
"[13:16] D: Yes... within the 72 hours following a ketamine treatment, neuroplasticity is enhanced and it stays enhanced for a couple weeks."

Integration activities vary per client, including journaling, art, music, and spending time in nature, ensuring that new insights are effectively incorporated into daily life.

Client Preparation and Safety Measures

Meredith underscores the importance of thorough preparation and robust safety measures to ensure a positive therapeutic experience:

• Preparation Sessions: These sessions address clients’ fears, manage expectations, and handle logistical aspects like ensuring device functionality and safe environments.

• Safety Protocols: Clients must have someone present at home to provide support if needed. Meredith maintains continuous communication, ensuring clients feel secure throughout their journey.

"[21:21] D: ...preparation and setting that's appropriate and safe, and then the integration afterwards, like, you know, it really is my belief that the medicine's not going to give you anything you can't handle or eventually integrate."

The Therapist’s Role During Sessions

During ketamine-assisted sessions, Meredith’s role is to hold space for her clients, providing silent support and keen observation without intervening:

"[23:32] D: ...I'm watching their breathing. I'm taking down, I take down so many notes of things that like may or may not be important for them in their integration process... someone just like attending to them for that amount of time, like it's really powerful actually."

This non-intrusive presence allows clients to fully immerse themselves in their internal experiences, fostering deep personal insights and healing.

Client Outcomes and Efficacy

Meredith shares compelling outcomes from her practice, highlighting significant transformations in her clients:

"[26:01] D: ...the majority of people that I've worked with that have gone through like the full six to eight... it's like that much of a transformation for people just to get like a break from the brain for a little while and to have a shift in perspective."

Clients have reported breakthroughs equivalent to a decade of traditional therapy in just a few sessions, experiencing reduced suicidality, enhanced trauma resolution, and profound shifts in perspective.

Meredith’s Personal Integration Experience

Meredith recounts her own experience with ketamine therapy, emphasizing the importance of having a supportive therapist during integration:

"[20:02] D: ...integration therapy session is really just therapy for the most part... I was able to process some of that... it's really like regular therapy that, you know, probably you're already doing."

This personal testimonial underscores the necessity of combined therapeutic practices for optimal healing outcomes.

Final Thoughts and Takeaways

Meredith passionately advocates for reducing the stigma surrounding psychedelic therapies and underscores their potential when used responsibly:

"[31:20] D: I really hope that, you know, the stigma around some of these medicines can be reduced and... they can be used therapeutically when in the right setting with proper preparation and integration."

She stresses that psychedelic-assisted therapy is a powerful tool for healing, not a recreational activity, and highlights the indispensable role of integration in ensuring these treatments are safe and effective.

Contact Information

Listeners interested in Meredith’s services can reach her through her website:

• Website: www.integrativejourney.com

Meredith is not very active on social media but maintains her professional presence through her website, offering blogs and contact options for potential clients.

Conclusion

Episode 360 of the Private Practice Startup Podcast provides an in-depth exploration of psychedelic-assisted therapy, emphasizing the critical role of integration in fostering meaningful and lasting personal growth. Meredith Feud’s experiences and expertise offer invaluable insights for mental health professionals considering incorporating these modalities into their practices. By reducing stigma and highlighting structured therapeutic processes, this episode serves as a comprehensive guide for those interested in the evolving landscape of mental health treatment.

Stay Connected:
For more resources, free trainings, attorney-approved private practice paperwork, and to subscribe for future episodes, visit www.PrivatePracticeStartup.com.