How Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Supports Trauma Healing

Trauma changes the brain.
It changes the body.
It changes the way you see yourself and the world.

For many people, traditional talk therapy creates meaningful insight. But sometimes trauma feels stuck deeper than words can reach. That’s where Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy (PAP) can offer a new path forward.

At Heart Wide Open Wellness, we are teaming up with Journey Clinical to offer a legal, evidence-based modality that pairs ketamine treatment with dedicated psychotherapy sessions, supporting deeper healing, more frequent breakthroughs, and lasting clinical outcomes.

If you’ve been wondering how psychedelic-assisted therapy supports trauma healing, here’s what makes this approach unique.

What Is Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy?

Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy combines the use of a psychedelic medicine—in this case, ketamine, with structured psychotherapy.

This is not a stand-alone medication session. It is a guided therapeutic process that includes:

• Careful screening and preparation
• Medically supervised ketamine sessions
• Integration therapy afterward
• Ongoing emotional support

Ketamine creates a temporary altered state of consciousness that can enhance emotional access, reduce fear-based responses, and open space for new perspectives. Therapy then helps integrate those experiences into meaningful change.

The medicine opens the door. Therapy helps you walk through it.

How Trauma Affects the Nervous System

Trauma is not just a memory. It is a physiological imprint.

It can:

• Keep the nervous system stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn
• Create rigid, repetitive negative thought patterns
• Heighten fear responses
• Block emotional processing
• Increase shame or self-blame

Even when you logically know you are safe, your body may not feel safe.

Psychedelic-assisted therapy works by temporarily increasing neuroplasticity, your brain’s ability to form new neural pathways. During this window, trauma can be processed with less emotional overwhelm and more flexibility.

What Is Ketamine?

Ketamine is a legal, FDA-approved medication that has been safely used in medical settings for decades. In recent years, it has been extensively researched for:

• Depression
• PTSD
• Anxiety
• Trauma-related disorders

When used in a controlled therapeutic setting, ketamine can:

• Interrupt rumination and negative loops
• Reduce emotional reactivity
• Promote new perspectives
• Increase openness to healing
• Encourage self-compassion

At Heart Wide Open Wellness, ketamine is always paired with psychotherapy to support safety and long-term integration.

What Does Ketamine Feel Like?

Each experience is unique. Many clients describe sessions as:

• Dreamlike
• Reflective
• Expansive
• Calm
• Insightful

Some people feel distant from painful memories, which allows them to explore trauma without being overwhelmed by it. Others experience powerful emotional release or new understanding about long-held beliefs.

Integration sessions afterward are where insight becomes transformation.

How Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Supports Trauma Healing

1. Softens the Fear Response

Ketamine can reduce the intensity of fear while revisiting painful memories, making trauma processing more accessible.

2. Unlocks Emotional Stagnation

Trauma often creates emotional blocks. PAP helps release suppressed emotions safely and intentionally.

3. Interrupts Shame Cycles

Many trauma survivors carry self-blame. Altered states can create distance from harsh inner narratives.

4. Supports Nervous System Reset

Clients often report feeling calmer, more grounded, and less reactive after sessions.

5. Deepens Traditional Therapy

PAP enhances psychotherapy rather than replacing it, allowing deeper work to unfold.

Who Might Consider Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy?

This modality may be supportive if you:

• Feel stuck despite years of therapy
• Experience PTSD or complex trauma
• Struggle with treatment-resistant depression
• Feel emotionally numb or disconnected
• Want a structured, supported approach to deeper healing

Screening and preparation are essential. Not everyone is a candidate, and safety is always prioritized.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of drug is used?
Ketamine is the medicine used in our Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy program.

How is ketamine administered?
Journey Clinical oversees the medical component to ensure safe and appropriate administration.

What is Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)?
KAP integrates ketamine treatment with psychotherapy sessions to maximize emotional breakthroughs and long-term healing.

Is it safe?
When properly screened and administered in a clinical setting, ketamine-assisted therapy is considered safe for appropriate candidates.

Learn More About Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy

We host 30-minute informational meetings where our therapists and associate therapists:

• Share how PAP works
• Explain what to expect
• Provide space for questions

If the scheduled time doesn’t work for you, you can schedule a free 15-minute call or email hannah@heartwideopenwellness to connect directly.

You Deserve to Feel Whole Again

Trauma may have shaped parts of your story, but it does not have to define your future.

At Heart Wide Open Wellness, we guide trauma survivors through safe, evidence-based Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy designed to help the nervous system reset and recover.

Healing is possible.
Breakthrough is possible.
Wholeness is possible.

Schedule a call with us to explore whether Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy is right for you.