The Art & Science of Ketamine-Assisted Healing with Dr. Stephanie Lyn Coleman
In this episode, Tara Magalski interviews Dr. Stephanie Lyn Coleman, a board-certified physician practicing in Utah. Dr. Coleman shares her journey from traditional radiology to integrative medicine, focusing on ketamine-assisted therapy for trauma, anxiety, and depression. She discusses her practice, Journeys, which combines medical oversight, psychotherapy, and group work to empower patients. The episode explores the ethical use of psychedelics, the importance of integration, and holistic healing. Dr. Coleman emphasizes curiosity, self-compassion, and community in the healing process, offering resources and advice for those interested in psychedelic therapy. Understanding Trauma Bonding: The Roots and Dynamics
Dr. Coleman’s Journey: From Conventional Medicine to Integrative Healing
Dr. Coleman’s early career in surgery and radiology exposed her to the strengths and shortcomings of the conventional medical system. While she valued the scientific rigor and technical expertise, she found the system often left both patients and providers feeling disempowered and disconnected.
Systemic Gaps: Traditional medicine excels in acute care but often fails to address chronic, trauma-based mental health issues.
Provider Burnout: The system’s focus on efficiency and volume can lead to provider dissatisfaction and a lack of meaningful patient connection.
Embracing Holistic and Psychedelic Modalities
A move to Los Angeles introduced Dr. Coleman to integrative practices—Reiki, energy work, and acupuncture—that expanded her understanding of healing. Her personal and professional exploration of psychedelics, particularly ketamine, revealed their potential to address deep-seated trauma and mental health challenges.
The Power and Nuance of Ketamine Therapy
What Makes Ketamine Unique?
Unlike classic psychedelics, ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that gently reduces bodily awareness, making it especially valuable for trauma survivors who may find full embodiment overwhelming.
Therapeutic Benefits:
Reduces Activity in the Amygdala: Diminishes the brain’s fear response, allowing patients to process trauma without being overwhelmed.
Facilitates Safe Dissociation: Offers a gentle, introspective experience that can be less intimidating than other psychedelics.
Supports Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression: Particularly effective for those with trauma-based mental health challenges.
Expert Advice:
Ketamine is not a social or recreational drug in the therapeutic context. Its power lies in turning inward, not outward. Unsupervised or high-dose use can be risky and is not recommended.
The Structure of Integrative Ketamine Therapy
Dr. Coleman’s approach at Journeys is intentionally relational and integrative, not simply pharmacological.
1. Comprehensive Assessment and Preparation
Medical and Psychological Evaluation: Ensures ketamine is appropriate and safe.
Preparation Sessions: Set intentions, discuss expectations, and build trust.
2. The Ketamine Session
Ceremonial Environment: Eye masks, curated music, and a supportive presence create a safe, introspective space.
Duration: Sessions last about two hours, with the ketamine experience itself around 50 minutes.
Therapeutic Support: A therapist or Dr. Coleman is present throughout, providing emotional support and witnessing.
3. Integration
Post-Session Processing: Patients work with therapists to make sense of their experiences, translating insights into actionable life changes.
Ongoing Support: Integration is not a one-time event but a continuous process.
Beyond Ketamine: A Truly Integrative Model
Combining Modalities for Nervous System Regulation
Journeys incorporates additional modalities to address the interconnectedness of mind and body:
Somatic Work and Breathwork: Help regulate the nervous system and process trauma stored in the body.
Stellate Ganglion Nerve Blocks: An innovative procedure to “reset” the sympathetic nervous system, showing promise for PTSD, anxiety, and even long COVID.
The Importance of Community and Group Work
Dr. Coleman intentionally avoids the term “clinic,” emphasizing that healing is most powerful in the community. Group sessions foster connection, reduce isolation, and create a sense of shared purpose.
Seek Out Group Experiences: Whether through group therapy, support circles, or community workshops, collective healing can amplify individual progress.
Value Relational Healing: The presence of a compassionate witness—therapist, peer, or group—can be as healing as the medicine itself.
Ethical Considerations and Patient Empowerment
Avoiding Commercialization and Ensuring Quality Care
Dr. Coleman expresses concern about the commercialization of ketamine therapy, which can lead to impersonal, “assembly line” care. She advocates for:
Ethical, Patient-Centered Practice: Prioritizing quality over quantity, and community over profit.
Collaborative Care: Involving multiple providers—medical, psychological, somatic—to support the whole person.
Empowering Patients
Traditional medicine often “does to” patients. Integrative ketamine therapy, as practiced at Journeys, is about “doing with” patients—empowering them to take an active role in their healing.