by Annette Pinder
The world recently learned that the death of Matthew Perry, an American and Canadian actor best known for starring as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom Friends, was ruled a homicide. Perry, who struggled with addiction, took massive doses of Ketamine that were supplied to him illegally. His unintentional death should be a warning to all of us to refrain from securing and using any psychedelic drug without the expert guidance of a trained psychedelic therapist.
Gregory Loewen, DO
Gregory Loewen, DO, a local physician and psychedelic-associated therapy Provider, explains that, when administered properly, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) can be highly effective in alleviating symptoms of severe depression and other serious mental health issues.
Too often, patients suffering from severe depression find themselves at the opposite side of a desk from their physician who willingly provides them with a prescription to ease their depression. If the drug fails to offer relief after a few weeks, they return to receive a new prescription. A few weeks later, if that doesn’t work, a combination of medications might be prescribed. Sadly, this scenario is not uncommon and frustrating.
Dr. Loewen explains that, unlike prescribing a pill, KAP is a procedure. The first step patients undergo is a comprehensive evaluation. Those who qualify, are given a small dose of ketamine, followed by one full hour of therapy in a controlled setting. Patients receive reassurance and compassionate support while being carefully guided to explore their feelings. If there is any evidence of a problem during the session, a decision is made to either switch to a different method or discontinue the use of the drug.
“I have seen many patients who struggled with severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) find that ketamine helped them. Many have experienced relief after the first few sessions, and are able to resume their routine daily activities and find peace in their lives. Some have come to come to terms with fears that they realize have been tormenting them for years,” said Dr. Loewen.
Ketamine is an FDA-approved anesthetic, but its therapeutic use in mental health is well-recognized, and supported by over 80 published reports and over 29 published randomized controlled trials. Clinical trials of ketamine, psilocybin, and MDMA are currently taking place at highly respected universities and hospitals throughout the world. They are being evaluated for pain relief, depression, alcohol dependence, obsessive-compulsive disorder, major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, Fibromyalgia, post-partum depression, depression due to Parkinson’s disease, and more.
About 30% or nearly one million people in the United States suffer from depression that is unresponsive to medication. If you think you may be one of those people who might benefit from KAP therapy, please call Dr. Gregory Loewen at 509-844-8476 to make an appointment to be evaluated.
In addition to his private practice, Dr. Loewen is a consultant for Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Care. He also works with therapists at Samadhi Therapy Associates and maintains his private practice. Visit www.gregoryloewen.com, www.samadhitherapyassociates.com, and www.roswellpark.org/research/psychedelic-science-initiative to learn more.
Dr. Loewen is working with his colleagues Jenna Witkowski LCSW and Sarah Brothwell LCSW to provide a group KAP opportunity this fall, and we are currently screening and enrolling participants. For information, please contact Jenna Witkowski at jwitkowskilcsw@gmail.com
