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This page will guide you through your journey. Please read through each section and click on the checklist box once you've finished. We’d love to hear your feedback on how to make it better!
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What's Next?

Step 1: Psychiatric Evaluation & Ketamine Consultation
‍*If you have not yet filled out your intake paperwork, please do so by clicking here. Please schedule your first psychiatric visit from this form as well. If you have not received an email confirmation for your appointment, please let us know right away.

Step 2: Medications Shipped To Your Home
‍*The medicine will be shipped to your home within 5 days after your initial clinician visit from a national pharmacy. An adult must be present to sign for the package.

Step 3: Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy Protocol
‍*Review below
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Step 4: After Receiving The Medication
‍*Please schedule your treatment preparation session with a Psychedelic Integration Guide by clicking here. Schedule 15 minutes prior to beginning your first treatment session. Your guide will schedule your post-session integration after your first treatment. 1 integration session is included per month. If you would liket to schedule additional sessions, please let your guide know.

Step 5: Follow The Protocol
‍*Begin your journal prompts prior to your first treatment. The first treatment of each month includes a Psychedelic Integration Guide. The remaining treatments will be done on your own. It is required that you text your guide before each treatment so it can be included in your chart. Treatment session #1 Heal, #2 Grow, #3 Love #4 Transcend. After your first month, focus on one of those sections for the next 4 treatments. For month 3, review with your clinician for ongoing protocols.

• Step 6: Follow The Integration Curriculum
‍*Listed below
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• Personal Client Concierge
*725.444.4645 (We will respond within 24 hours)
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Psychedelic Therapy Protocol

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Introduction to Ketamine

Understanding Your Ketamine Treatment
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The World Health Organization (WHO) considers ketamine a "core" medicine on their Essential Drugs List, a list of minimum medical needs for a basic healthcare system. At high doses, it was first FDA approved in 1970 as a dissociative anesthetic. In 2019, a similar compound, Esketamine was FDA approved for depression. Recently, ketamine has been used off label for anxiety, mood, trauma, pain, and thought expansion.

Ketamine is thought to increase the ability of the brain to form and reorganize neural connections, which we call neuroplasticity. Our brain has neural pathways that constantly change. Often, due to acute stress, past trauma, fixed beliefs and rigid routines, our brain gets stuck in the same neural pathways. With ketamine, we are improving the flexibility of the mind so our thoughts and behaviors can improve or change with more ease.The ketamine experience can relax our daily concerns and rigid thought processes, while still being consciously aware. People often describe a feeling of "letting go," which can promote a more positive outlook on life. Self-reflection with decreased negative emotional anchors can accelerate psychological and spiritual growth.

The dissociative and sensory effects of ketamine may include distorted visualization of colors, feeling suspended in space or floating, experiencing out-of-body sensations, distortion of time, and changes in visual, tactile and auditory processing.These effects typically start 5 to 10 minutes after ketamine dosing. The peak effects typically last 20 to 30 minutes, and then slowly diminish for the next hour. Some alterations in sensory perception, speech, and motor ability may continue for several hours.

Ketamine is an NMDA receptor antagonist and an AMPA receptor stimulator. AMPA stimulation results in BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). BDNF stimulates the formation of new receptors and synapses (which are vital connections between neurons). Ketamine appears to spark growth of neural connections diminished by chronic stress. Research suggests that a deficiency in these connections is associated with major depressive disorder and other mood disorders, along with difficulties with sleep, overstimulation, and focus.
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A major component of ketamine treatment is enhancing the process with therapeutic exploration, lifestyle modifications, and spiritual alignment. While the brain is in a heightened state of neuroplasticity, it is easier to incorporate more empowering and healthier perspectives and habits. At whatever pace you're comfortable with, we encourage you to participate in our self-guided therapy program. Some like to get started right away, some like to start after their first session. For best results, we recommend also working with a psychotherapist to maximize the benefits of the medicine. We can connect you to therapists within our network so you can decide which one would best suit your needs, goals, and conditions.

If you do not have a therapist and are looking for one, please let us know. Self-care integration protocol is listed at the bottom of this page. Integration is vital for the medicine to lead to lasting changes in your life.‍

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Introduction to Psychedelic Therapy

What is Psychedelic Therapy?
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Psychedelic therapy is a combination of psychedelic medicine, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Therapy, and self-improvement methods during a mental state of accelerated acceptance, peace and flexibility.

Psychedelic medicine enhances neuroplasticity, which allows our mind to overcome rigid thinking and negative thought patterns. As a result, therapeutic exploration becomes easier and more efficient. By deconstructing rigid neurological and emotional barriers, psychedelic therapy promotes transformational shifts in perspective.

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Preparation for Treatment

‍Lifestyle Protocol
We recommend starting this protocol 1-2 weeks prior to your first treatment session as it may help to increase neuroplasticity and the the likelihood of having a transcendental experience.
Here we highlight the most effective lifestyle changes. Please refer to the "Better Resources" tab for additional guidance.
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‍Diet
• Proper diet and nutrition is important. Food is medicine and the inflammatory foods that what we consume on a daily basis can cause inflammation in the body as well as the brain. We recommend following the anti-inflammatory diet, which provides guidelines on what to eat and what to avoid.
Click here for the anti-inflammatory diet.
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‍Hydration
• ½ your weight in lb. in oz. of water daily

Mindfulness
• Daily meditation for 15 – 30 minutes.
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‍Exercise/Stretching
• Motion creates emotion. Sedentary behavior worsens mental health issues. Exercise restores healthy neurochemistry and allows us to optimize our internal pharmacy.
• Find an activity that you enjoy doing and try to sweat for 30 minutes minimum every day.
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‍Screen time
• Try to minimize your screen time and excessive cell phone use. Turning off notifications and creating healthy phone habits are important for balancing neurochemistry. Please watch The Social Dilemma for additional information.

‍Limit
• Psychostimulants such as caffeine, nicotine, etc., which can reduce the efficacy of the medicine.‍‍

Social Connection:‍
We are social creatures. Humans are hard-wired for social interaction and respond negatively to social isolation. Reach out to loved ones and increase healthy social outlets.

Sleep:
Chronic sleep deprivation can impair neurogenesis. Sleep hygiene methods include keeping a dark, quiet and cold room. Maintaining a regular sleep schedule with a minimum of 6 hours nightly. Try to avoid eating in bed, working, or watching tv in bed. Practice relaxation techniques turn off all electronics, and minimize external stimulation prior to bedtime.

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Peer Support

You’ve made the decision to embark on a healing journey with Better U— congratulations! This is a big step forward, and the decision in itself is worth acknowledging in yourself. Take a minute to give yourself your love and credit.
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As you will have covered with your clinician, you will need Peer Support (PS) present at each one of your virtual dosing sessions. If you have any questions about your PS that are not covered by this piece, please reach out to your care team to address this. PS's are a critical and required part of your experience here with Better U, so we want to ensure that you feel knowledgeable and prepared.

DEFINING PEER SUPPORT
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What exactly is Peer Support?
‍They are a trusted adult (18+ years old) who is present with you throughout your dosing session. They help to ensure your physical safety, and provide a comforting presence if it’s beneficial to your experience at any point throughout the session.
As a treatment requirement, they will need to be present in the space with you during the dosing session. They do not have to be in the exact same room as you, though they will need to be present in the same living space throughout the entire part of the process. We call them PS's for exactly this reason: they are a peer, whose role it is to physically monitor your dosing treatments.
This is an essential component for your safety, but a PS serves a secondary purpose of helping instill a sense of safety and security. Knowing that there is someone here to help and assist you allows you to relax more into the experience, and fully embrace the dosing sessions.

What does Peer Support actually do?
The primary purpose of a PS is to ensure your physical safety. To do this, you must review this protocol in full to know the safety protocols and expectations required of them before the dosing session. During the session they will check in on you to ensure you are safe and secure.
If all goes smoothly in your session, as we expect it should, the PS is there to ensure things continue to move along smoothly. They will check in every 15 minutes to ensure you are safe and healthy, and at the end of your dosing session they will come in to help bring you back to a waking and lucid state. They are a facilitator, helping move the process along safely and securely.

Should anything challenging arise for you throughout your session, your PS is also there to help be a positive supportive presence. They can come sit in the room with you, assure you that you are safe and secure in your space, and be a grounding presence if the experience is challenging or intense for you. If you need to go to the washroom, the PS can help guide you there during or just after your session. In more serious edge cases, the PS is there to contact your Better U Care Team. Although these situations are rare, your safety throughout these experiences is paramount, and this is why having a PS present for each session is a requirement to adhere to our protocols.

Overall, your PS has the following general responsibilities:
• Ensure your physical safety by checking in every 15 minutes, and escorting you to the washroom if required.
• Being a supportive, positive presence if you need any support or company during the session.
• Being a direct line of contact to your Better U Care Team or to emergency services if the need arises.

What Does a Peer Support need to know?
There are no specific requirements, training, or certifications that a PS needs to have in order to be eligible to help you with your experience. They will have direct coaching and guidance from your Better U Care Team before the first session you have together, so they will have all the information and resources they need to fulfill the responsibilities listed above.
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There are some qualities that are extremely helpful to be a PS , these include:
• An empathetic, compassionate, calm, and supportive personality
• Understands the basics of psychedelic therapy and are aware of what situations may arise throughout a dosing session
• Stays calm under pressure, and follows the directions given by the Better U Care Team
• Able to be present and available throughout the entirety of the dosing session.
The specific reminders, information, and guidance that a PS needs will be covered with your Better U Care Team before the first session.
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A few reminders that are helpful to share with your PS include:
• When in doubt, you can contact the Better U Care Team for a secondary opinion. They are on call and available throughout the session if it is done during M-F (9AM-5PM PST)
• If the individual requests your presence, try not to intervene or influence, sometimes just being a strong presence is enough.
• Let the individual be in their experience as fully as possible.There may be associated side-effects that are expected for the client: dizziness, nausea, elated moods, confusion are all possible. If you have concerns, you can contact the Better U Care Team.

How do I choose a good PS?
• Over and above everything, the best criteria for determining a good PS to work with is to find someone that you feel safe and supported by. Optimally, this is someone who loves and cares for you. This is the foundation for a good relationship with your PS.
• The psychedelic experience is a sensitive experience, you can feel quite vulnerable, uncertain, exposed, while also feeling joy, love, compassion, or other strong emotions. Having someone you feel safe around to support you throughout this process is essential and can be beneficial to the process.
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An important point is that you want your PS to be supportive of the work you are doing. It can be challenging to have someone supporting you who does not believe in the power and potential of the healing path you’ve chosen. You want to feel supported and cared for throughout your sessions, rather than judged or put down, or unsafe.
This may seem obvious, but it does impact your own mindset and setting when going into a session. It’s important to be fully transparent with your PS about the nature of this experience, what may arise throughout the process, and get their confirmation that they are able to be the support and PS that you need and want throughout this process.
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What does a Peer Support need to know?
There are no specific requirements, training, or certifications that a PS needs to have in order to be eligible to help you with your experience. They will have direct coaching and guidance from your Better U Care Team before the first session you have together, so they will have all the information and resources they need to fulfill the responsibilities listed above.
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There are some qualities that are extremely helpful to be a PS , these include:
• An empathetic, compassionate, calm, and supportive personality
• Understands the basics of psychedelic therapy and are aware of what situations may arise throughout a dosing session
• Stays calm under pressure, and follows the directions given by the Better U Care Team
• Able to be present and available throughout the entirety of the dosing session.
The specific reminders, information, and guidance that a PS needs will be covered with your Better U Care Team before the first session.
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A few reminders that are helpful to share with your PS include:
• When in doubt, you can contact the Better U Care Team for a secondary opinion. They are on call and available throughout the session if it is done during M-F (9AM-5PM PST)
• If the individual requests your presence, try not to intervene or influence, sometimes just being a strong presence is enough.
• Let the individual be in their experience as fully as possible.There may be associated side-effects that are expected for the client: dizziness, nausea, elated moods, confusion are all possible. If you have concerns, you can contact the Better U Care Team.

How do I choose a good PS?
• Over and above everything, the best criteria for determining a good PS to work with is to find someone that you feel safe and supported by. Optimally, this is someone who loves and cares for you. This is the foundation for a good relationship with your PS.
• The psychedelic experience is a sensitive experience, you can feel quite vulnerable, uncertain, exposed, while also feeling joy, love, compassion, or other strong emotions. Having someone you feel safe around to support you throughout this process is essential and can be beneficial to the process.
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An important point is that you want your PS to be supportive of the work you are doing. It can be challenging to have someone supporting you who does not believe in the power and potential of the healing path you’ve chosen. You want to feel supported and cared for throughout your sessions, rather than judged or put down, or unsafe.
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This may seem obvious, but it does impact your own mindset and setting when going into a session. It’s important to be fully transparent with your PS about the nature of this experience, what may arise throughout the process, and get their confirmation that they are able to be the support and PS that you need and want throughout this process.

PEER SUPPORT FAQ
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• Can I do a session without my PS?
No, PS’s are required to be there in the physical space with you for the dosing sessions. This is for your safety and security, and is a requirement to continue treatment with Better U.

• Can I change my PS?
Yes, you can change your PS. Just ensure that they have the supportive information they need, they have the contact information for your Better U Care Team (+1 725.444.4656)
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• Does my PS need to be in the room with me?
No, they don’t need to be in the same room, though they do need to be in the same dwelling for the duration of your session, and do check-ins every 15 minutes during the dosing session. They do not need to stay in the room the entire time, unless this is something you request.

• What if I don’t live with anyone?
You can ask a friend or family member to be present in your space just for the dosing session. You are also able to have your session at another location. The PS must be present with you for your dosing session.

• Does my PS need to appear on video?
- Yes. During the initial preparation call with your Better U Care Team before your first session, your Guide will ask to see and speak to your PS. They must be present and available to speak at this time in order to move forward with your dosing session.

Conclusion
Peer Support's are an essential component of the Better U psychedelic therapy process and protocol. They help ensure safety, security, and powerful healing experiences for you.
If you ever have any questions about the PS process, please reach out to your Better U Care Team. We are here to help, and the PS is an essential part of Better U treatment, so we want you to feel safe and supported throughout this process.
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As you prepare to embark on your Better U healing journey, we hope this was helpful, and that you have a beautiful experience in your sessions.

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Self-Administration Instructions

Day of the Session
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Setting
Find a comfortable and quiet room without distractions or any external interference. Consider adding aromatherapy. Sit upright on a couch or comfortable recliner during the absorption stage, then after 12-15 minutes, once the medicine is fully dissolved, you may lay down.
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• Potential health benefits of aromatherapy:
Chamomile: Reduce stress
Clary sage: Promote relaxation
Eucalyptus: Clear sinuses
Ginger: Reduce nausea
Lavender: Better sleep
Lemon: Increase happiness, improve concentration
Peppermint: Boost alertness, reduce headaches
Rosemary: Increase focus
Sweet orange: Reduce anxiety
Ylang-ylang: Decrease stress

• Avoid pets, partner, roommates or family members as external stimulation may lessen the inward journey.
• Put an eyemask on after absorption is complete. Do not remove the eye mask for at least 1 hour. Do not try to stand, walk, or use the restroom for 2 hours after administering the medicine. If you absolutely have to get up, ask your Peer Support to assist you.

Materials
• Journal: Keep a journal or voice recorder within arms length.
• Medication: Have the medicine ready.
• Head Phones: We strongly recommend using headphones during your session.
• Eye Mask: We strongly recommend wearing a sleep-mask during your session.
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Set
Set refers to your mindset. How are you feeling right now?
Psychedelics can amplify our internal state. If you're not in a good mindset, try meditating, journaling more, or doing some breathwork exercises to help calm your mind. The goal is to avoid bringing in stressful energy into your treatment session
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Guided Meditations
Breathwork
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Journal Exercises (See Below)

Intention Setting *Journal Prompt
Be mindful of your thoughts going into the experience and recognize it takes practice and effort to learn how to consciously shift your attitude or response to the feelings you are having.
• A great first step for setting your intentions is to think about what brought you to Better U and what you’re hoping to change in your life. Your intentions work best when they are personal, specific, and focused.
• Write down your intentions before each treatment session. Writing them down is crucial for solidifying these goals in your mind. Prepare 1-2 intentions per session.

Common themes include:
• Improving awareness of strengths, weaknesses, blindspots, roadblocks, etc.
• Exploring creative problems and inspirationsHealing from past traumas
• Improving relationships
• Overcoming bad habits
• Cultivating gratitude
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Every morning write down 3 things that you are grateful for:
1. Experience or relationship from the past *to displace negative memories/thoughts from the past
2. Something you are looking forward to in the future *to replace uncertainty/anxiety about the future
3. Something in your immediate surroundings *to stay present and achieve peace ‍
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Timing
Find a time when you don't have any responsibilities after the treatment session. Some people prefer first thing in the morning on their day off, while others prefer to do the treatment at night. Make sure you have time after your treatment session for reflection and integration.
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Fasting
We recommend not eating or drink for three hours prior to the ketamine treatments. Nausea is a potential side effect so we want the stomach to be completely empty.
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• 3 hours before the session you should avoid all food.
• 1 hour before the session avoid all drinks.
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Bathroom
We highly recommend using the restroom prior to sessions. Even if you don't feel like you have to, try. This is to avoid having to get up during or immediately after your session, since you will be feeling physically limited and should not attempt to walk unassisted.
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Fall Precautions‍
• Make sure your Peer Support is there to physically support you in the event that you have to stand/walk.
• The biggest risk is falling when trying to walk during your treatment session.

No Texting or Calls
Absolutely no texting people or making phone-calls during sessions or 1 hour after your session is complete.
• Phone must be on airplane mode.

Taking the Medicine
Have your playlist ready and your phone on do not disturb.
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• Sublingual: Hold the medicine under your tongue or in your cheeks bucally until completely dissolved, which may take up to 20 minutes. Keep holding the medicine in the mouth without swallowing for at least 12-15 minutes, circulating it periodically, and then either spit the remainder into a cup or swallow.
* For the psychedelic/psychological benefits, the medicine/saliva must be held in your mouth for at least 12 minutes. Ketamine does not absorb effectively once it reaches the digestive tract. Some people prefer to swallow after the 12 minutes has passed and the medicine is fully dissolved, as it may increase the amount of medicine which will enter the body and increases the duration of the treatment session. Spitting out the medicine may lessen the effects and the chance of getting nauseous (around 5% will feel nauseous).
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Duration of Treatment
• Effects begin in around 10 – 15 minutes but may take up to 30 minutes for full effects.
• You should expect the journey to last around 45-90 minutes.
• Some individuals may find the medicine interferes with sleep while for others it aids in sleep.

Dosing
• While your provider may have given you customized dosing instructions, we typically recommend starting with a 100 mg lozenge then working your way up from there (this will be determined by your clinician). If you are fearful or anxious about your first experience a 50 mg experience can be like training wheels.
• If the dosage does not induce a trance-like experience, you may need to increase the dose. This will be determined between you and your Better U clinician.

Frequency
Treatments will take place once or twice a week, determined between you and your Better U Clinician. In order to avoid tolerance and maintain safety, we do not recommend treatments more than twice per week.

Better U Guide
Schedule an appointment with your Better U Guide before your first treatment session to answer any questions and prepare you for your journey.

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Music

‍Music is integral for the experience. These are the best playlists we have found for enhancing the transformational effects of the medicine.
*If you are using Spotify, be sure to turn on the crossfade settings so there isn't a pause between tracks as this may lessen the experience.

These playlists have been specifically curated to take you on a journey and to the self-reflecting benefits of psychedelic therapy.
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• Meditation (recommended for 1st session, calming/relaxing)‍
• Heal
• Grow
• Love
• Transcend - play the first track during the initial administration of the medicine. After 12 minutes, put on track 2 and let the rest of the playlist play out.
• Mind Karma (Ram Dass) Playlist
• Release
• River of Peace Playlist
• Johns Hopkins Psylocibin Playlist
• NYU Psylocibin Trial Playlist
• Sunrise Reflections Playlist‍

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During The Session

Ketamine produces a sense of disconnection from one’s ordinary reality and usual self that may induce or enhance feelings of creativity, purpose, perspective, serenity, insight, inspiration, gratitude, empathy, connection with others and the world, openness to new ideas, psychological rebirth, and traveling outside of one’s self, among others. You may also experience visual, auditory, and other sensory effects. If, at any point, it feels overwhelming, remember to breathe and that you will come back to reality very soon.
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Depending on the dose of ketamine and the time between your last session, you may experience anything from being more aware of how your body feels, quieting of the mind, feelings of love and gratitude, all the way to feeling connecting to the Universe/God, death of your ego, and reliving past experiences from a different perspective. Ego death, connection to God, increased body awareness? What’s that all about? And why does this happen when you get ketamine treatments?The simple answer is: ketamine’s dissociative properties.

‍Ketamine-Induced Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness(What Ketamine Therapy Feels Like):
Ketamine has a long history of use as an anesthetic agent for medical procedures and surgery. How ketamine allows for sedation during these procedures is due to its dissociative property. This dissociative property “disconnects” the mind from body by disrupting the action of the neurotransmitter (aka brain chemical) glutamate. When ketamine is used for non-anesthetic indications (KNAI), it can create novel experiences for the patient. Because of this property, patients become dissociated and can have a “ketamine-induced non-ordinary state of consciousness.” According to Dr. Eli Kolp, a pioneer of ketamine therapy, there are 4 types of experiences.

‍Empathogenic Experience:
• Awareness of body
• Comfort and relaxation
•Reduced ego defenses
• Empathy, compassion, warmth, love and peace
• Euphoria
• Mind is dreamy with non-specific colorful visual effects

‍Out-Of-Body Experience (OBE):
• Complete separation from one’s body
• Significantly diminished ego defenses
• Visits to mythological realms of consciousness
• Encounters with non-terrestrial beings
•Emotionally intense visions (e.g., deceased relatives, spirits)
• Vivid dreams of past and future incarnations
• Re-experiencing the birth process

Ego-Dissolving Experience:
• Departure from one’s body
• Complete ego dissolution/loss of identity
• Experienced physical (body) and psychological (mind) death
• Experience being a single point of consciousness simply aware of itself
• Reliving one’s life aware of how actions have affected others, with moral judgment of self
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‍Transcendental Experience:
• Ecstatic state of the dissolution of boundaries between the self and external reality
• Complete dissolution of one’s body and self (soul)
• Transcending normal mass/time/space continuum
• Collective consciousness
• Unity with Nature/Universe
• Sacredness
• During these experiences, a patient may relive memories, emotions, and stories which may contain unprocessed and/or repressed feelings. While this may not sound very appealing, this release allows for an opportunity to work through or process these past experiences and feelings.

Ketamine's dissociative psychotropic effect results in better outcomes:
Is this dissociation and non-ordinary states necessary for recovery and healing? Some doctors and providers who administer ketamine treatments believe that this is a side effect of ketamine, and that the real change and improvement in symptoms are a result from the the biochemical, neurological phenomena (i.e neuronal changes). In a study by Lukenbaugh, the data from 108 patients with treatment-resistant depression and bipolar disorder who received a single subanesthetic ketamine infusion were analyzed. The study showed people had a more robust and sustained antidepressant effect when they experienced dissociation during the ketamine infusion compared to those who did not. All of the subjects reported that these ketamine-induced experiences were important, to varying degrees, in their personal self-understanding. Studies like these point to just more than the biological-neurochemical effects of ketamine in allowing for improvement in pain, anxiety, and depression symptoms. The new perspectives, insights gained, and releasing of repressed memories and emotions coupled with the biological changes probably contribute to why ketamine is so much more effective than other traditional treatments.

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1st Treatment Session: Heal

HEAL

This journey will start with self healing, a process of finding peace and acceptance with hardships, losses, traumas, and stressors. You will work on letting go of toxic thought processes and attachments.

• Choose your emotional habits and find power in impermanence.
• Build healthy habits to cleanse the body and mind.
• Construct healthy relationship and improve difficult environmental factors.

Relaxation techniques:
• Meditation
• Stretching
• Breathwork
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JOURNAL PROMPT: HEAL
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You can think of these statements, requests, or questions as the beginning of a dialogue you are initiating with a special part of your subconscious mind - your Inner Healing Intelligence.

Awareness
• Can you recognize memories that are emotionally charged that you are holding on to or that have been on your mind?
• What are the feelings associated with this memory? Anger? Guilt? Sadness? Regret?
• What is getting in the way of releasing these feelings?
• What opportunity would be there if you were able to release these feelings? Write it down.
• What are the causes of my depression or anxiety?
• How can I be a better friend, family member, or partner?
• Help me understand what's holding me back at work?
• How can I be more patient, understanding and empathetic?
• How can I overcome my bad habits?
• Where am I stuck in life?
• What’s holding me back?
• How does my behavior compare to my goals, values, and self-beliefs?
• What would I like to change about my life?‍
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Letting Go
The first step of your journey is to relax/meditate to prime the body and mind for transformation.
• In what areas of your life do you feel out of alignment? (work, family, relationships, health, etc.)
• In each of these areas, what do you feel is keeping you out of balance?
• Is there anything in your life you need to clear out that may be unnecessary, outdated, or irrelevant?
• What aspects of yourself and your life do you not fully accept?
• What prevents you from accepting them?
• What self-limiting beliefs do you hold? (e.g. I am not _____ enough, the world is against me, waiting for the other shoe to drop, etc.)
• What emotional patterns do you want to shift? (e.g. lethargic, short-tempered, anxious, etc.)
• What regrets and/or resentments do you hold that you are ready to let go of?
• Who would you like to forgive and why (including yourself)?‍‍

• Please write 1-3 affirmations to support yourself during your experience (e.g. I am strong and worthy of a life that I love, I trust and let go of that which no longer serves
me, etc.) (LifeMap*)‍

RELAXATION GUIDANCE

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2nd Treatment Session: Grow

GROW
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Once we find relaxation and peace, we will continue our intention towards self growth. We will start to reframe our stories in an empowering direction and prioritize our motivations. Through self-analysis we will lean into our strengths and understand our weaknesses without shame, blame, or judgement. We’ll work to eliminate, delegate, or improve our weaknesses. We’ll identify bad habits and build a plan to reconstruct heal other habits. Our focus on growth is the foundation of all our self improvement work.
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JOURNAL PROMPT: GROW
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• Where would you like to feel more love and acceptance in your life?
• How would you live your life differently if you knew you could not fail?
• What would your life look like in a month/year/10 years?
• Be as detailed as you can. Visualize it. How does it make you feel?
• What lights you up?
• What grounds you?
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JOURNAL EXERCISE: LIFE MAP
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The first step in any therapeutic journey is self-inventory. The Better U method of self-assessment is called a Life Map. Our Life Map consists of the 4 categories that contribute to our overall wellbeing: the physical, emotional, environmental, and spiritual factors. This follows the psychological model known as the Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual assessment.
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A Life Map is a great visual tool for preparing to tell your life story to others. It helps to identity the high, low, and in-between points in your life and to think through the significance of those events in your story. On a large piece of paper create a timeline marked with the most important events of your life. Start with where you’re originally from and the family you grew up in and go until the present. You may represent each event with a drawing or simply write a word or two that describes it.
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Consider including:
• Influential people
• Places you’ve lived (i.e., geographic locations, houses lived in, etc.)
• Family life - How did your parent’s marriage impact you?
• Significant events
• Education, jobs, hobbies and interests
• Religious background
• Successes & joy – What has delighted you the most in your life?
• Failures & sorrow – What has disappointed you the most in your life? What have been your deepest hurt(s) and disappointments?

CBT WORKBOOK

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3rd Treatment Session: Love

LOVE

While continually choosing peace and growth, we will then focus our intention on self-love, which is the foundation of internal happiness and external relationship building.

• In order to receive love or show love, we must love ourselves first.
• If you learn to love yourself, then you’ll learn to accept and even be grateful for all the difficult times of the past. Your story will be beautiful, no matter the details, because it brought you to who you are today.
• We will identify our love languages, tend to insecurities, and remove shame, blame and judgment from our self-acceptance.
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JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT
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• What is a characteristic that makes you unique?
• Why did you pick this trait in particular and what does it mean to you?
• How do you like to practice self care?
• What are some of the most effective ways to look after your body, heart, and mind?
• What are your top 3 favorite personality traits about yourself?
• Who makes you feel supported, safe, and loved? Also, what are some ways you can show gratitude to the people closest to you?
• What do you think you need to make more time for at the moment? Also, is there anything that you need to let go of?
• In this present moment, what makes you feel proudest of yourself? Take a moment to jot down some goals that you’ve accomplished so far this year!
• What is something about yourself that you’ve grown to love? Why are you grateful for this attribute?
• How do you positively impact the people in your life? (We often tend to forget about all the little ways we help those around us!)
• Sit in silence and listen to your body and mind. How are you truly feeling today? Also, in what ways can you listen and attend to your inner voice?
• Think of 5 things you’ve learned about yourself over the years. How have these moments of self-discovery brought more joy in your life?
• If you could speak to yourself from 10 years ago, what would you tell your past self? Also, what do you think your past self would thank you for?
• What does love mean to you? Define self-love in a sentence. What steps can you take to love yourself more each day?
• What is something that you still need to forgive yourself for? How can you take the necessary steps to acknowledge your feelings in a healthy way?
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What is your love language? Click here

SELF-LOVE WORKBOOK
Follow this workbook and make the entries in your journal. ‍
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4th Treatment Session: Transcend

TRANSCEND
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‍When our self work has brought us to inner peace and clarity, our final phase of our growth journey will be to transcend the needs and desires of the ego and focus our intention on improving the world around us.

• Self-transcendence is finding purpose in something bigger than self. Some find their purpose in parenting, others in helping people.
• Some find purpose in their career, others in their communities. There is no right or wrong answer, but the goal is to find our own meaning in the world around us to align with an empowering purpose.
• Start to connect with the mystery, beauty, and awe of life.

JOURNAL PROMPT
Aligning interests, experiences and skillsets into purpose and meaning for our daily lives.
Explore the areas of overlap.
Past:
Current:
Future:
(Purpose workshop coming soon)
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Post-Treatment

Aftercare
When you are feeling back to baseline, go ahead and eat, drink or go about your day or evening.
• Preferably consume lighter foods like fruits, nuts, seeds, etc.
• Make sure to re-hydrate yourself with water or tea.

Safety
• Do not drive until you are back to baseline (we recommend no driving the day of the session).
• Do not operate heavy machinery.

Major Life Decisions
• Don’t make any major life changes (e.g. starting or ending a relationship, signing a binding contract, quitting your job, making large purchases, leaving the country) for at least a couple days after your treatment.

Monthly Clinician Follow-Up
• Please continue to the Integration section to continue your journal prompts and post-treatment work. Schedule your monthly follow-up with your psychiatric provider below:

Please schedule your monthly follow-up appointment

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Integration

Integration
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Integration is the process of incorporating the insights and discovered during your journey back into yourself and your life. All of the information you have received as well as thoughts and feelings that have arisen need to be digested, reflected upon and consolidated into actionable behaviors. If you simply re-enter your daily routine without a reflection period you will lose out on or simply forget the lessons learned from the medicine. Worse, you will never get a chance for the “aha moments” from the experience to manifest in your life. Integration allows for lasting changes from psychedelic treatments.
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“Transformation lies in the integration of altered states into altered traits.”
~Anonymous

Integration reinforces new neural pathways through behavioral practices giving
you opportunity to create new possibilities for operating in the world.

Steps for integration: Connecting with others

Professional Counseling
Psychotherapy: Sublingual ketamine works best as part of a comprehensive treatment program that includes regularly meeting with a counselor, psychologist, coach, or therapist to assisting your integration and discussing life experiences that may be coming up in sessions. I recommend bringing your integration journal or art with you to your sessions to help you weave them into a coherent narrative during therapy. Some examples of places you can go to
find a therapist:
§ https://www.anywhereclinic.com
§ https://calmclininc.vegas
§ https://psychedelic.support/network/

Hypnotherapy: This kind of therapy works with the subconscious mind where a lot of our maladaptive habits and behaviors emerge from. Hypnotherapy can help you uncover patterns in your subconscious holding you back from making the changes necessary to transform your life.

Group therapy: Finding support groups to help you heal (from depression, addiction, codependency, etc.) can be highly rewarding. This is especially the case for people working with
addictions to food or substances.
12 Step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous or Overeaters Anonymous can produce astonishing results.

Somatic Therapy: Some people benefit dramatically from massage, bodywork, rolfing, cranio-sacral therapy, Egoscue, or other physical body based integration techniques. For many people, their pain and trauma is stored in their fascia—the connective tissue. Working with this aspect of the body can help release tension, clear negative energy, and resolve pain.

Friends
Talking to friends about your life can be deeply therapeutic. Consider asking a very close friend if they will sit with you and listen with compassion and without judgment and without advice.

• Being able to express yourself openly and authentically can help with processing your experience and the emotions that come up around it.

Family
Some people find it helpful to call loved ones and make amends and find deeper healing in having difficult or long-avoided conversations.
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Intention Repetition
Remember the intention you created for yourself? Intentions are like an arrow pointing your daily choices in your life in the direction of your goals, which are like targets that move you towards your vision, which is the place you would be if you were to achieve your goals. Read that sentence again.
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• Your emotions are the bow holding the arrow, creating the tension to power the arrow of your intentions towards your goals. If you want to hit the bullseye and make your vision a reality you need to practice archery daily.Some people even go as far as to take a sugar pill (e.g. tick tack or mint) every day with their intention as a physical tool to increase their commitments to the
changes they want to make happen.
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*To reinforce your intention create a ritual out of this experience:

Step 1
Clear all distractions & gather your tools. Grab a glass of water and a journal and pen.

Step 2
Identify your emotional state.
• Ask yourself how you are feeling and get really clear on whatever emotions you are experiencing in the moment (e.g. excited, happy, nervous, shaky, sad, etc.).
• Write it down. If you are really worked up, meditate for a few
minutes & center yourself.•

Step 3
Decide what your intention is and write it down.
• Maybe you committed to do something
• Maybe you want to feel different in some way
• Maybe you want to manifest a result out of your control.

Step 4
Describe why you want what you want.
• Keep asking “why” until you get to the core emotion you are seeking. (e.g. I want to find a new home. Why? I want a fresh start? Why? I want to start a new life somewhere else. Why? I want a new community. Why? I want to feel safe and secure. Bingo!).

Step 5
Notice if any resistance comes up.
• Really dig underneath what comes up for you when you sense this resistance.
• Do you believe you don’t deserve to heal? Can you imagine how you would feel if you did? Who would you be if you weren’t depressed?
• Are you afraid you can’t get what you want? How would you feel if you got it? Do you believe you are worth it?
• Are you apathetic about your life? What would it feel like to be free and excited about life?
• Are you afraid of being alone? Remind yourself there are billions of people in this world.
• Are you frustrated you haven’t made more progress? Think of some of the things you have made progress on.
• Are you frustrated at not being where you want to be in life? How can you appreciate what you have right now and welcome in even more?
• Do you feel a sense of scarcity or lack? Imagine what it would feel like to feel abundance and freedom from fear of not having enough.
• Are you overwhelmed? Can you sit with that feeling and really let yourself feel it until it is released and you feel peace?
• Are you confused by choices? This kind of feeling is your brain’s way of keeping you where you are as a safety mechanism. Committing to change is the first step to getting clarify and moving forward.
• Write out on a separate page what’s under your resistance, tear out the page, crumple it up, and let it go. Notice what it feels like to overcome the resistance.

Step 6
Activate your intention.
• Commitment: What would your life look like if you achieved your goal? Close your eyes, visualize it, and write it down.
• Feeling: How would you feel if your intention came true. How would that change your present experience of life? Write it down.
• Result: How would achieving this result change your life? What would having this result do for you? Write it down

Step 7
Create your statement.
• Always phrase your intentions in the positive and in the present tense and avoiding words like need, should, just, like, might, maybe.
“...I feel good no matter my circumstances”
“...I know I am worthy”
“...I will land my book deal”
“...I find my next home”
“...I manifest more abundance”
“...I feel safe”
“...I find a new partner”
“...I will find a new job that brings me joy”
“...I accept my circumstances and write my own story”
“...I let go of grief”
“...I feel centered and calm”
“...I release my pain and trauma”
“...I will create the vision for the life I want”
“...I will complete my to do list today with grace and ease”
“...I let go of all obstacles in the way of optimal health”
“...I let go of relationships no longer serving me”
“...I will exercise 20 minutes a day because it makes me feel
good”
“...I will pause before each meal, eat consciously, slow down and chew my food thoroughly”

Step 8:
Take action.
• Center yourself
• Say your statement
• Think of this as a daily way to connect and recommit to the vision of your life you are trying to create. Typically, life changes happen fairly quickly if you are in alignment with truth, but if you are out of alignment all of your blocks will come up (e.g. limiting beliefs, untrue programming, lack of self-worth) and you will need to work through them with yourself or ideally with a therapist to expand your belief system and grow your self-worth.
Pro-Tip: To reinforce your intention, repeat it to yourself before you go to bed as you are about to fall asleep. Repeat your intention statement aloud. You may even want to write it down and carry it with you as a visual statement and read it as often as possible throughout the day.

Self-Care
Taking time for yourself.

• Schedule self-care time after your session. I recommend sessions be performed Friday night or Saturday morning to give you a full day of integration.
• Body work to help “ground” and consolidate the experience. I recommend massage therapy and bodywork to almost all of my clients.
• Infrared sauna can also be therapeutic, but please wait a few hours after your session to avoid any risk of dehydration or falls from residual medicine in your system.
• Healing modalities that may assist in your integration include yoga, acupuncture, yin yoga, Pilates, calisthenics, float tanks, tai chi, qi gong, etc.

Questions to ask yourself
• Where are you neglecting yourself?
• How will you better care for your brain?
• How will you better care for your body?
• What nutritional changes do you need to make?
• What physical changes need to happen?
• How will you better nourish yourself and your spirit?
• Nature time: Spend some time in nature to cultivate a calm, reflective state of mind so you have space to connect to yourself to deepen the healing process.
• A recent study published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, found a causative connection between nature relatedness and psychedelics. In addition, nature
exposure improves the human stress response and immune function.

Art Therapy
• Some people find painting, drawing, sculpture, collage, movement, or dance to work better than words. Ideally your preferred reflection modality will be something you want to do and can be preserved in some sort of record to look back upon.
• Art is a beautiful form of self-expression and can help you learn how to see and relate to yourself. It can help you examine different parts of yourself.
• Example Exercise: Artistically express your shadow self by drawing an dark emotions that came up for you during your journey.
• Example Exercise: Artistically express your higher self by drawing or painting how you feel energetically when you are operating from your highest good.

Written Integration
• Turning insights into actions: This is an initial brainstorm and meant to be an iterative process. Create a list with two columns:
- Column 1: List your most impactful insights and observations from the session. Please try to consolidate your reflections into no more than 5 key items.
- Column 2: Create a corresponding suggestion for how you can weave each insight into your day to day life.
a.) Example: Feeling of forgiveness and compassion for X
b.) Example: Write letter/ have conversation/create closure ritual
c.) Example: Felt connection to higher self or inner guide
d.) Example: Create a small altar in bedroom to honor this part of me

Journaling:
We highly encourage journaling after each session and ask yourself questions to reflect on your experience.
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• What were the major themes, thoughts, emotions, somatic sensations, realizations about self and others, challenges, and/or predominant colors/imagery you experienced?
• Do you recall any specific signs, visions, memories, insights, ideas, concepts, or perspectives that came up during your experience?
• What is calling you to be of service to yourself or others in the world?
• How are you different?
• What has changed or shifted in you?
• What do you wish to bring back from your session or journey and incorporate into your life? Did any passions, interests, goals, desires, needs come up for you?
• In what ways did introducing ketamine shift or amplify your normative mind/body state?
• Did any challenges come up for you during your trip such as fears, judgements, blames, insecurity, sadness, guilt, jealousy, insecurity, resistance, denial, shame, or feelings of abandonment?
• How can you frame this in language that another person can understand and what are you trying to communicate?
• What does your physical body, emotional feelings, rational intelligence and transpersonal awareness tell you about what is arising in non-ordinary states of consciousness?
• Did any clear truths, intuitions, instincts, aha moments, epiphanies, breakthroughs or clarity emerge?
• Based on your answers to all these questions, how can you make meaning of your experience?

Personal Development
We have put together an entire folder of personal development workbooks designed to help you:
• Identify your values
• Create goals in different parts of your life
• Find your dharma or purpose
• Reflect on your previous year
• Create the vision for your upcoming year
• Review your heroes journey (we recently added Joseph Campbell’s the hero’s journey worksheet so you can look at your life and ask yourself what stage of the journey you are on. The mono-myth is especially useful for individuals who are struggling on their path to freedom).
• Many patients have found significant benefit from having a structured way of thinking through your life by asking yourself the right questions.
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Internal Family Systems (also known as “Parts Work”)
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• Unresolved conflicts between different parts of ourselves can make us feel stuck and can underly the difficulties we have in life achieving our goals or reaching our potential. Sometimes it even
impedes our ability to achieve results in therapy because part of yourself may be trying to protect you from difficult feelings that come up which we interpret as a threat to our sense of self or our
psychological safety. When you give all parts of yourself a voice, it can help you resolve your trauma and develop a more embodied sense of self. So who are these different parts of ourselves? As you learn about different parts below, take some time to reflect and journal on who the parts of you are and who needs attention or recognition (who needs to be seen?)

After completing these integration steps, please contact your Care Coordinator or Psychedelic Guide for continued integration steps.

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Better Content

First Steps

Introduction to Ketamine

Introduction to Psychedelic Therapy

Introduction to Psychedelic Therapy

Lifestyle Protocol

Preparation for Treatment

Peer Support

Peer Support

Self Administration Instructions

Self Administration Instructions

Music

Music

During the Session

During the Session

Session 1: Heal

Session 1: Heal

Session 2: Grow

Session 2: Grow

Session 3: Love

Session 3: Love

Session 4: Transcend

Session 4: Transcend

After The Session

After The Session

Integration

Integration

What's Next?

Introduction to Ketamine

Introduction to Psychedelic Therapy

Preparation for Treatment

Peer Support

Self-Administration Instructions

Music

During The Session

1st Treatment Session: Heal

2nd Treatment Session: Grow

3rd Treatment Session: Love

4th Treatment Session: Transcend

Post-Treatment

Integration

Project Overview

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name

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