Motor City Hypnotist
Motor City Hypnotist
Ketamine: The Emerging Game-Changer in Mental Health Treatment
Can ketamine be the game-changer in mental health treatment? Discover the potential of this cutting-edge therapy as we unravel its growing popularity in addressing depression, anxiety, PTSD, and more. Our office is thrilled to offer this innovative treatment, and we're eager to dispel any misconceptions while sharing insights with a sprinkle of humor. Engage with us during live Facebook sessions as we explore why ketamine is becoming a favored option for many navigating mental health challenges.
Psychotropic medications are often tools, not solutions, in the battle against mental health disorders. Join us as we examine the nuanced role of antidepressants and benzodiazepines, and discuss the limitations that some face when relying solely on these medications. Enter ketamine-assisted therapy—a promising alternative, especially for those with treatment-resistant depression. We'll dive into its historical context, its mild hallucinogenic effects, and the structured therapeutic approach required for effective use. The science behind neuroplasticity offers hope, showing how ketamine might create new pathways to healing when conventional medications fall short.
Take a closer look at the process of ketamine therapy, from initial consultations to the financial hurdles and insurance challenges involved. Our clinic is excited to implement this therapy, with our team, including Dr. Singh, gearing up to guide individuals on this transformative journey. The decision to invest in mental health is personal, and we're here to provide all the necessary resources and support. As a special treat, meet Hershey, the lovable cockapoo looking for a home, underscoring our commitment to both mental health and community welfare. Don't miss this captivating episode filled with humor, insights, and a touch of heart.
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Change your thinking, change your life!
Laugh hard, run fast, be kind.
David R. Wright MA, LPC, CHT
The Motor City Hypnotist
David Wright: 0:00
In this episode of the Motor City Hypnotist Podcast, we're discussing ketamine-assisted therapy. Now, as soon as I say that there are going to be a lot of reactions out there Sounds heavy. It is heavy, but it's not really. And I'm going to break down some misconceptions and myths that happen because somebody famous, we'll get into it, okay, we'll clarify it, but I'm going to tell you why. Ketamine-assisted therapy is becoming more and more of a positive treatment for people with depression, anxiety, ptsd, long-standing behavioral issues, addictions. And again, there are some doubters out there. But I'm going to go through it. And the big thing that I want to break the news here first is that our office is now providing ketamine assisted therapy.
David Wright: 0:51
The big word, there was assisted yes, assisted yes absolutely, and I'll get into that when we get into the episode as far as how that will work, as far as the logistics, but I'm excited because it's another tool that we have to help people feel better and function better. Love it, I can't wait time. Um, we're gonna give away free stuff, yeah, so if you want that, stick around please, we'll be right back.
Matt Fox: 1:15
This sounds like something for the authorities in detroit.
Annoncer: 1:19
Well, jokes on you.
Matt Fox: 1:20
I'm living to 102 and then die at the city of detroit guys like this antique over here out of detroit, spawned in the hellfires of motown, take him to detroit, no, no, not detroit, no, no, please.
Annoncer: 1:38
Station in drambuie, it's worse than detroit. We did not have, as a unit, the confidence that we felt like we needed to beat Detroit. Let's go to Detroit. Now you're talking brother. I don't think so. He plays for Detroit now. Do they have many farms in Detroit?
Matt Fox: 1:55
Detroit to Michigan. I go to school. I know where Detroit is.
Annoncer: 1:59
Get ready for the Motor City hypnotist, david R Wright. Originating from the suburbs of Detroit, michigan, he has hypnotized thousands of people from all over the United States. David R Wright has been featured on news outlets all across the country and is the clinical director of an outpatient mental health and hypnosis clinic located just south of Detroit, where he helps people daily using the power of hypnosis. Welcome the Motor City Hypnotist, david R Wright.
David Wright: 2:46
What is going on, my friends? It is David Wright, the Motor City Hypnotist. We're back with another episode of the Motor City Hypnotist podcast. You better believe it, you bet your ass. That's Matt Fox, the other voice you hear. He's hanging out with me doing my podcast, producing things. He's pushing buttons, he's messing with the computer.
Matt Fox: 3:04
I'm only here to understand that you were in Knight Rider.
David Wright: 3:08
Yes, and we're going to get to that. Okay, so we're here on the palatial podcast your Voice, Southfield Studios, hanging out on a Monday evening doing a podcast.
Matt Fox: 3:16
Yes, we are.
David Wright: 3:17
So those of you out there listening, whatever platform you're on, know that we are on Facebook Live every time we record, so you can join us as we do these episodes and ask questions, be involved in the conversation, check in, say hello, whatever you want to do. So come on and join us Facebook Live. Motor City Hypnotist Facebook page. It's broadcast there every Monday evening, except for holidays and occasional misses or whatever. Very good, typically every Monday from 8 to 9. Eastern Standard Time. So follow us there and as usual, we're giving away free stuff. Yep, let me tell you where you can find me, folks. My website is motorcityhypnotistcom.
David Wright: 3:52
As I said in the last episode and probably a couple before that, now's the time to start planning your events for the spring. That means post-prom parties, grad night parties, even graduation parties in your home. I've done a few of those nice. So if you're looking for entertainment and a hypnotist for your all-night party or your post-prom party, now's the time to book it, because I'm already my schedule is filling up. I just said last episode I had a one of the schools. I've one of the high schools I've done a few years in a row. I couldn't do this year because I was already booked, so their date was already taken.
Matt Fox: 4:26
So you do this and you would do this in homes as well like like an eight, nine year old, you will brush your teeth you will stop whining, you will shut your trap. No, wow, I got dark. Don't shut up that got real dark there for a second.
David Wright: 4:44
Oh great Odin's raven.
Matt Fox: 4:46
It's crazy, I don't know you will clean your bedroom.
Annoncer: 4:51
That escalated quickly. I mean that really got out of hand fast.
Matt Fox: 4:55
You will not go snooping in your parents' bedroom, yeah, please don't.
David Wright: 4:59
You don't know what you'll find. Right, I have to tell the story off, off air matt. But okay, remind me about that, I will finding things near your parents. Oh, jesus, yeah, okay, I can't. Good night, everybody.
Matt Fox: 5:10
I gotta go see you. What kind of radio show is this? And we'll save that to see if it's uh, it's, it's uh podcast worthy it's not, uh, it's not audience. You're gone, yeah all right, go on. So check out my website. You can get a quote in minutes. It's automated. You Clean up your desk. You're gone All right, go on.
David Wright: 5:24
So check out my website. You can get a quote in minutes. It's automated. You just put in your information, you'll get a quote. You can book it, confirm it and pay your deposit online and lock your date. All right, so check that out. Cool. My social media Facebook and YouTube are both Motor City Hypnotist and on Snapchat and Instagram, motor City Hypno. That's H-Y-P-N-O. Perfect and, as we've done every single episode up to this one, which is 281, free hypnosis guide, just text the word hypnosis to 313-800-8510. You'll have that hypnosis guide within a couple of minutes and it will also give you a link. It's my Google link for the Motor City Hypnotist asking you to leave a review so you can leave a review on the podcast. You can leave a review if you've seen me in person. You can leave a review if you've seen a show. They all apply. Just leave a review. Be fantastic, it's time. Here we go.
Matt Fox: 6:19
Yep, that's how winning is done now I think that what you have there I know you prep a lot, but I think the good news, uh story today, yeah, should be you being a knight rider, okay, so let's cover that real quick.
David Wright: 6:42
so I, I've, I've, I've a lot of of trainings in my career, okay.
David Wright: 6:47
You know, after school, uh, you know I trained to be a hypnotist. Um, we have to have CEU credits. I've done a lot. I've done a lot of training through that. But I've done a lot of hypnosis training, especially stage hypnosis training. When I started the entertainment side of things probably like what 12, 15 years ago, something like that, Okay, so my buddy Richard was putting on a training, it was in Vegas but it was at the house of Catherine Hicklin, Okay, I don't know, if you know who she is.
Matt Fox: 7:14
It rings a bell, but I don't.
David Wright: 7:16
She was oh, I forgot her name. She was in Knight Rider. She was David Hasselhoff's love interest, the blonde okay, go on. So I've met katherine a few times, but her the training was at her home in vegas. She's got a this, this theater next to her home, you know, with seating and everything. That's where we did our training. Okay, so we're in the midst of our training, you know, hanging out, and she says oh, do you guys want to see kit? I'm'm like what?
Matt Fox: 7:45
Oh, it's in her garage. You see the original one. I thought you meant you were in the show. No, I was in the car.
David Wright: 7:52
Oh, yes, that I knew. I thought you were in the show. I would have been eight at the time, or 12 or 15 or whatever. So yeah, no, I was in the car, Okay. Okay, okay, yeah, yeah, I sat in the original kit car and they started it up and the lights were on.
Matt Fox: 8:06
Did it talk to you too? Didn't talk. Yeah, I know, turn it I know.
David Wright: 8:10
So, anyway, that that's my, that's my brush with fame, with kit I love that yeah, I'll show you. I think I maybe showed you a picture at some point, or did I? I don't think you showed me. Oh, I have a picture somewhere, I'll pull it up. We'll pull it up later, I'll show you. The little kid nerd in me went. Oh, oh, I know I was sitting right in a seat. I held the wheel. I held that.
Matt Fox: 8:29
It wasn't a wheel steering wheel, it was like an airplane steering wheel.
David Wright: 8:33
Yeah, I forgot where I was at, matt.
Matt Fox: 8:37
We were going to do. That's how winning is done.
David Wright: 8:40
Oh we're winner of the week already.
Matt Fox: 8:41
Winner of the week. So yeah, I'm winner of the week.
David Wright: 8:43
Yes, you're winner of the week. That's how winning is done All righty. Matt got choked up from my kid story. He's so jealous A little bit.
David Wright: 9:02
Okay, a 12-year-old schoolgirl who was losing her sight was stunned when her favorite actress, kate Winslet, helped her fulfill her visual bucket list. Okay, not only did the Titanic star donate $5,000 so Lily Rae could see the Northern Lights, she also invited her and her mother to join her for a night at the theater in London. Uh-huh, she also invited her and her mother to join her for a night at the theater in London. The girl, who lives in Nottingham, england, was diagnosed with Stargardt disease last December, an inherited condition that causes blurriness in the central part of the eye, so she can't see faces. Yeah, I don't know. They didn't really explain how much that affects her.
David Wright: 9:41
Okay, okay, they didn't really explain how much that affects her. Okay, her mom, emma, set up a GoFundMe campaign to help her daughter enjoy as many visual experiences before her sight worsens or goes away for good. Wow, okay, and the Oscar-winning actress was so touched by her brave battle that she reached out to do something personally. Lily Rae and Emma traveled to London to meet Kate before the trio went to the Barbican Theater to watch the play my Neighbor Totoro. Okay, no, idea what the play? No, me neither.
David Wright: 10:11
It just felt like we'd known each other forever, said Emma Kate was very, very welcoming. It sounds like a funny thing to say, but she was just normal, very humble. Winslet also arranged for the girl to tick off another item on her list feeding tigers at Nowsley Safari Park in Prescott, england. I'm sorry, matt, I know, I know no.
Annoncer: 10:32
No.
David Wright: 10:34
Don't shut me up.
Matt Fox: 10:35
So what else would you like to do, young lady?
David Wright: 10:38
I want to feed the tigers. Well, since you can't see you might lose an arm but oh Great.
Matt Fox: 10:44
Odin's raven, you can't see, you might lose an arm. But oh Great Odin's raven, you couldn't see him coming so go on. Wow, that's so Back to it.
David Wright: 10:52
Yeah, okay, Okay, yes. We are so grateful for her donations and help in raising the profile of Lily's condition. Lily created a thank you card for Kate and her family and she did it in Braille. Condition Lily created a thank you card for Kate and her family and she did it in Braille. The campaign managed to raise more than 10,000 pounds for the fun activities on her visual bucket list so she could enjoy them before her site deteriorates further.
David Wright: 11:15
Earlier this year, Lily Ray fulfilled her dreams of going to South Africa on a safari. She also went to see Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower and the Tower of Pisa and Pompeii in Italy. Wow, People have been so generous and they've really understood what we were trying to do for Lily Ray. Emma noticed her daughter's poor eyesight when she was five and struggled to read at school. Stargardt disease affects one in 10,000 people, according to the Macular Society, and causes blurriness in the central part of the eye, but it is hoped she may at least keep some of her peripheral vision. Currently she can only see from six feet away and uses a front side of 64 to read her laptop.
David Wright: 11:59
Now, I'm not an optometrist or an ophthalmologist Okay, despite her condition, brave Lily Ray refuses to be downhearted. If there's anything you feel is wrong with you, it's not a disability and no one should see it as a disability. They should see it as an ability.
Matt Fox: 12:17
Wow, that's it Good for.
David Wright: 12:19
Wow, yeah, kate Winslet, lily Ray, the little the girl so to Lily Ray, the little girl who's losing her sight, and to Kate Winslet for being just a solid stand-up person. That's just. That's fantastic.
Matt Fox: 12:29
Wow Great story.
David Wright: 12:30
Yes, thank you, and definitely winner of the week.
Annoncer: 12:41
That's how winning is done, goodness gracious.
David Wright: 12:43
Yes, it is so back to it.
Matt Fox: 12:48
Yes, so we're going to talk about something that the practice has got going on.
David Wright: 12:51
Yes, so we're talking about ketamine-assisted therapy. So that raises a lot of questions right off the bat. So first of all, I just want to make the announcement and I think I prefaced or teased it last session that our clinic is now providing ketamine-assisted therapy. Now I'm just going to walk you through the logistics of that, but before I do that, I just want to explain what ketamine is and why it's being utilized now as a therapy intervention. So we all know that a lot of people with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia they need psychotropic medications many of them to be able to function, the mix, though they have to have the right dosage.
David Wright: 13:35
And that's really the difficult thing about psychotropic medication For somebody who has severe depression and is suicidal. Yes, there are antidepressants suicidal, yes they're. They're antidepressants and typically they come in two and I don't want to get too deep into the weeds here about mao inhibitors and ssris. Okay, so they're different types. They, they, they. They affect the brain in a different way and I, for simplicity's sake, I'm going to dumb this down really far.
David Wright: 14:00
Imagine your brain is has a bunch of spark plugs in it. Those are your synapses. Those are what fire when you're thinking or when you're telling your body to do something. A synapses is I kind of compare it to spark plug, because in a synapses an electrical current jumps from one to the other. Those are the signals, and that electrical current is carried by neurotransmitters in the brain. So if those neurotransmitter levels are off or broken or not working, you're going to feel anxious or depressed or have schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, depending on what is happening in your brain.
David Wright: 14:36
So what we found over the years with psychotropic medications like antidepressants or benzodiazepines, which are typically anti-anxiety medications, like Xanax, like Klonopin, klonazepam they do help, but it helps the symptoms. It doesn't cure the cause. If that makes sense it does. Now I'm always and I tell my clients this and I'm firm on this medication is not a solution. It's never a solution, it's always a tool. So think about that when you're thinking about medication, because I've had clients that have been on benzos or on antidepressants for 20, 30 years and it's just a part of their life. Now, if they need it, that's great, but I feel like my goal for my clients is let's get you to the point where you don't need the medication. Let's work on yourself and your coping mechanisms and your patterns so that someday you may not need this medication.
Matt Fox: 15:36
So is it more of the medication that they have been taking for the 20, 30 years? Are they keeping the spark plugs from not sparking?
David Wright: 15:47
Typically what they do well. So with depression, let's handle depression just on its own for a minute, okay. So typically there's a lack of neurotransmitters or your synapses are not firing to their almost. Think of it as a car running at low RPMs It'll never get up to speed. Okay, once you add the medication, it increases that neurotransmitter activity which makes you feel better.
Matt Fox: 16:12
Which raises your mood, your RPMs there.
David Wright: 16:14
Yeah, your RPMs go up. So there is a place for psychotropic medication. And believe me, I'm not anti-medication. I just hate people going to that as their first is their first solution or is their only solution. So over the years, of course, there were always looking for alternative ways, something that's not a chemical, chemically enhanced experience in life. If that makes sense, it does. So ketamine I'll give you a brief thing. Ketamine was developed back in the 50s and was used a lot in the Vietnam War for field medication for soldiers who were injured. Okay, they would give it to them on the field to help them with their injury or to disassociate them with. So ketamine is a hallucinogenic. You lost your arm here, yeah, but then your mind is not right, it just kind of disconnects your mind from the body, okay so.
David Wright: 17:17
So it is a hallucinogenic. Compared to other hallucinogenics, like lsd, or like plesobin or magic mushrooms, this is a much less. It's a much calmer hallucinogen if that makes sense.
David Wright: 17:32
It does okay. So what the theory is behind ketamine treatments is that that you see a therapist. They do an evaluation. We talk about what your goals are. So here's the thing with ketamine assisted therapy. Matt brought it up right in the beginning. He said assisted yes, that is key word, because you can get ketamine. I mean, you can get it on the street, just get high. But that's not really, it's not goal-oriented, there's no focus to it, it's not with intent, if that makes sense. So what we do with ketamine is we have an intake session where we talk about what are you struggling with, what are the things you want to change, talk about what are you struggling with, what are the things you want to change. And then what happens is, after that initial session if they're a good candidate for this, then we bring them in for a second session, which is called a dosing session. Who makes the assessment the intake for-? So there are two assessments that are done. One is the therapist themselves. They will see a client.
David Wright: 18:29
Let's say I do an intake with Joe. Joe says I've been severely depressed for many, many years. I've tried medications. They don't work. I've been suicidal. I've had attempts in the past. So it's almost like we've been working on this for a long time, but nothing seems to help. That's a good candidate, okay. So then I can say to him well, there is a possibility of something working for you, which is ketamine. So and again I want to simplify this as much as possible I can get into the scientific and the medical part of it. Just the word ketamine's got a stigma. Well, it does, and I'm going to cover that in a moment. So what ketamine does? It? Kind of, like I said, it disassociates you from your body, it gives you different insights, it lets your brain free up, just to wander and go wherever it says. So what? In theory, what this does, and in practice also, is that your brain has a neuroplasticity. It's where your brain makes new connections, new connections in your synapses.
Matt Fox: 19:28
It's like someone that's had a stroke and they have to reignite those synapses. Yes, exactly.
David Wright: 19:33
Right. So what ketamine does is allows you to see things differently, it gives you a different insight. And then, once the ketamine, once that dosing session is done, we do a follow-up session, which we call integration. That's where we talk about the experience and say, hey, you know, I noticed during your dosing session you're smiling or you're laughing or you seem happier. That may not happen, but I'm just bringing up a random, you know, observation. Okay, so we can talk about that. And they said, well, yeah, I kind of thought about it and it didn't seem that bad at the time, and then I'm kind of seeing it differently now. So so, in a nutshell, that's kind of the simplistic way that we would use ketamine.
David Wright: 20:17
Now, like Matt said, there there's some stigma attached to this. The most recent example, of course, is Matthew Perry, and I have to bring that up because you know, once he passed away, the news came out that he was on ketamine. So then everybody started freaking out and they're like, oh, don't mess with that, don't mess with ketamine. Now, to be fair, that could have happened with any antidepressant, any pain medication, any benzodiazepine. It could have happened with Tylenol, it could have happened with ibuprofen, it doesn't matter If you take too to, it's going to hurt you, right? And in his situation, ketamine wasn't being used for clinical purposes, it was just used to cope. Yeah, if that makes sense.
Matt Fox: 21:01
It wasn't, it was. I'm going to use this in quotation. It was assisted in quotations.
David Wright: 21:09
You know, allegedly, allegedly well, and the other thing too is I believe, according to what I've read and again it's hard, hard to figure out what's true and what's not that he's probably pretty much a daily user. Yeah, that that was, that it was a constant thing, so right. So any medication used to an extreme is going to be dangerous, so just keep that in mind. Ketamine has been proven safe and effective over the past 60 years. In fact, it's still on the market and clinicians are able to prescribe it. If there were a big issue, that wouldn't happen, it would have been pulled immediately.
Matt Fox: 21:47
Yeah, in your practice it is being used responsibly, absolutely, you're, you're there, you're seeing your, your patient, your client through the experience of using ketamine the proper way absolutely so.
David Wright: 22:02
Let me tell you what a session would look like. You would come in for an intake, we would evaluate you. I'll use I'll use joe again. As an Joe comes in, he's been depressed for 20 years. Or Joe might be an existing client of mine that's been suffering with depression and we've tried and tried and it just there's no movement. It seems stuck. That would be a good candidate. And I would say to Joe hey, joe, I have a new possibility here. Would you like to try ketamine assisted therapy? That would give you insight, it would increase neuroplasticity in your brain, allow you to see and think things differently, and that could help with your depression. And he says, sure, I would. What resources?
Matt Fox: 22:44
do you know you talking to a client about a new? You know it's trying something new, treatment right treatment you want to give them and I'm sure and I know you do you give them the resources for them to do their own, absolutely absolutely I want to make sure that you know that, that you feel that this is right for you.
David Wright: 23:00
I don't, you don't want to make the decision for no, no, you want at all to make that I'm simply offering that and I'm giving them the information and they're deciding good, so say, joe says yeah, I, I want to do this, I'm like all right. So then I give him a reference to Journey Clinical. This is a different company. Journey Clinical handles the medical side of things, as far as the evaluation, the prescription and sending it out to you.
Matt Fox: 23:23
So they go through another intake session Another second intake with a psychiatrist.
David Wright: 23:26
Okay, yep, so once that second psychiatrist is done and he approves it, he will prescribe the ketamine as medication. Right, it will get sent to the client. It's in in the way, in. So so here's the thing, and again, I want to make sure that this is very clear we are not a medical clinic. We don't do ivs, we don't do shots, we don't do anything like that.
David Wright: 23:51
So the ketamine that you would get would be a sublingual tablet that dissolves under your tongue, okay, kind of like nitroglycerin for heart patients, and they get it in the mail and they get it. Yes, they get it sent to them, they get it in the mail. Okay, yeah, I mean a lot. Most medication is sent by mail. Now, most prescriptions, I mean in general. Yeah, so you would come into my office with with your, with your prescription in hand, and then you would. We would have the brief introductory period where you use the bathroom, you get comfortable, take your shoes off, lie down, put a mask on, I'll have music going, throw in a movie, yep, and you put that, that dose of ketamine under your tongue, and then you just let it dissolve for the next 15 minutes, then you spit it out and then for the next 45 or 60 minutes you have your trip, whatever you want to call it, but there's someone in the room with them.
David Wright: 24:45
Yes, I, I'm, I'm next to you the whole time. Yeah, and, and that's the, and that's the whole thing with assisted, because people don't know what to expect. It could cause some anxiety and cause some fear.
Matt Fox: 24:55
It might cause them to panic a little bit yeah, Cause they're seeing and thinking things that they they've never thought before.
David Wright: 25:00
Right, right and, and that can be scary. So the big thing is, yeah, and they just, you know, if you get anxious they'll talk you down. We'll do some deep breathing, we'll do some grounding exercises, do some meditation, so all of this kind of fits in. So once that dosing session is done, you come back within a week or maybe a week later and then we do what we call an integration session, where we talk about your experience, talk about new insights you've gained, talk about how you think of things differently now.
Matt Fox: 25:31
Is this how Stephen Wright came up with all of his material? It could have been Maybe so, oh, great Odin's raven that man's got some wild thoughts. He does Same with Jack Handy.
David Wright: 25:49
Yes, deep thoughts, my favorite deep thoughts Sidebar. I drove my nephew. I told my nephew I was going to Disney world, so we drove for a few miles and I pulled out to a broke, burned down, abandoned building. I said, oh no, somebody burned Disneyland down. He cried and cried, but I thought it was a pretty good joke.
Matt Fox: 26:09
That's traumatic.
David Wright: 26:16
What in blazes are you talking about? I don't know. It's, it's, it's out there, so anyway. So so with the ketamine, the whole idea here is that that we just change the way your brain works and in through typically um, a, a, typically a, a whole session or a whole series of ketamine treatments would be like six to eight treatments.
Matt Fox: 26:40
Okay, I was going to say Spaced, you know, A month two months apart.
David Wright: 26:44
Yeah, I mean you want to have a session every week, so it'd be a dosing session, integration, dosing, integration, wow. So you always have an integration session between dosing because you want, as opposed to this place. I took my son, where they just hooked him up and left him for a half hour or hour and a half and let him go home. They never talked about it. There was no integration, there was no discussing, there was no way to kind of connect what you experienced to what you want to change. So that's the important thing. So again, six to eight dosing sessions, but in between each of those sessions is what we call an integration session, where we talk about your experiences and work on it and try to change that thinking.
Matt Fox: 27:21
That integration session sounds like it's connecting pathways. Yes, and it's creating different pathways.
David Wright: 27:27
And we're developing new pathways and new ways of thinking. Yes, and that's why this, and I'm not going to say here's the thing, it's not a silver bullet, it's not a miracle cure, and I know some people have touted that, who have gone through this. People have been severely depressed and after going through ketamine treatment, they said my I it's, it's a miracle, I, I'm totally different.
David Wright: 27:49
Now, everyone's different, everyone's brain chemistry and that could be an exception, that, but the whole point is is that there is some data that shows the effectiveness of ketamine and being able to change thinking patterns and the way you perceive yourself, and that's the biggest benefit of this. So people think, ok, so what's it going to cost? So here's the thing.
Matt Fox: 28:12
Insurance.
David Wright: 28:13
So with therapy, when you come in for an intake session to evaluate, your insurance will pay for that. It's an intake session, it's a therapy session. I'm a licensed therapist. It's just like a normal session would be. The dosing session, however, is not covered because that's a medical thing and, even though we're present, we're not the prescriber, we're not giving them the medication, we're not doing anything medically related. That're not giving them the medication. We're not doing anything medically related.
Matt Fox: 28:40
That's where the psychiatrist comes in.
David Wright: 28:42
That's where the psychiatrist comes in.
David Wright: 28:43
So the dosing session would be a cash pay. So think of it like this You're going to do a session, an intake session, that's paid by the insurance. Every dosing session you have is going to be cash pay, because we're not doing technically, we're not doing therapy, and that's beyond my scope of practice. Okay, that's handled by the doctors who prescribe the medication. The dosing session, the dose, the dosing session, even though I'm there to guide them and and make sure they're okay, but that, but the step between we haven't prescribed the medication so we're not.
Matt Fox: 29:16
You're recommending it, yes, but then they go to the psychiatrist for their second evaluation right.
David Wright: 29:23
The second intake no they don't have a, they only have one intake. Okay, they have one intake with the psychiatrist. So so let me clarify they have one intake. They intake with me. I say, yeah, you're a good candidate. Let me refer you to the psychiatrist at Journey Clinical. They see that psychiatrist. They get prescribed two doses, two sessions. That comes in the mail. They make an appointment with me for the dosing session. They take it in session while I'm with them. They pay your practice, they pay my practice for the session, even though they've already paid the psychiatrist for that session. Now I can't speak to their model as far as their charges or how they bill it.
Matt Fox: 30:03
Okay, or if the patient's insurance would cover it.
David Wright: 30:07
Correct and typically what I've heard and I've been in some peer groups regarding this a lot of times what some clinics will do is what we call a super bill. It's just a printed billing with what the procedure code is when it was, date, time, whatever and they can submit that for reimbursement. Now I can tell you, just from the information I've gathered, insurance will not reimburse for dosing sessions because we're not really doing. We're not doing the therapy in the dosing session. We're just there as a guide.
Matt Fox: 30:39
But are they covering the actual medication? That's kind of marvellous. No, that's what you have to pay for, the insurance company is not covering.
David Wright: 30:45
They're not covering ketamine right now. That's what I was trying to get to. That's one of the things they're pushing for. There's a lot of lobbyists and a lot of other advocacy groups that are kind of pushing for this to get covered. Sure, as of right now it is not.
Matt Fox: 30:59
Yeah, the folks in the lobbyists in DC need to get to work yeah.
David Wright: 31:03
They need to, they need to work on this. So it's really that, and let me just again break it down Simply you come in to see me for an intake. You're a good candidate. I refer you to journey clinical. You talk to their psychiatrist. He prescribes you the medication. You schedule back with me for your dosing session. Your first dosing session Got it. They come in, we get them comfortable, they take the medication. You see them through that, I see them through that. Typically, you want to have like a three-hour window and when you come in for that you have to have a chaperone with you, somebody to drive you Sure and to take you home because you can't drive.
David Wright: 31:40
Right. So you know, the whole time period on that dosing session is, I'm going to say, three hours. Sometimes it's not quite that long, it could be two or two and a half, but we want to make sure, you know, some people emerge quicker, some people stay in for longer. So we just we splot that time out. Plan on not working that day yes, absolutely and definitely it's not something you're going to be, you know, going out and doing a bunch of stuff. You want to make sure the rest of your day is free. Yeah, yeah.
Matt Fox: 32:08
Got grocery shopping to do. I got to make dinner.
David Wright: 32:11
No no, that's, that's not but. But here's the thing that this is another possibility for people who've been struggling for a long time with mental illness whether it be depression or anxiety or ptsd or substance abuse that that can help you just rewire the way your mind thinks and in so doing, again, the theory is that once those new neural pathways are are made, that these other things become less of an issue. You just feel better, you think better, you think better of yourself, and that's why this treatment is so promising. Over the last I'm going to say the last few years there's not a lot of documentation on it before, like the last 10 years- Okay, so it's still somewhat new.
Matt Fox: 32:58
It's not new new, but yeah, but's still somewhat new.
David Wright: 32:59
It's not new, new, but yeah, but it's fairly new. I mean, think about it. We're just now getting to the point where you're I don't want to say normal, but your normal mental health clinic could be offering the service. Sure, and before that wouldn't have happened unless you had a doctor or a nurse on staff. Now we do have a doctor on staff. Now he doesn't want to be there five days a week to oversee all of the medical portion, but but again, that's why we teamed with this company journey clinical. They've been doing this, they they're doing it all over the country and, in fact, michigan just got approved that. They just added Michigan to their list a couple months ago. Wow, so I'm, I'm one of the first ones in Michigan in. No, that's good for you. So if you have questions about this, here's the thing. This was very brief. It was like a 20 minute overview. Yeah, maybe 25 minutes.
Matt Fox: 33:46
I still have lots of questions.
David Wright: 33:47
And there are going to be questions. So here's what I would suggest Reach out to me on my Facebook page. You can reach me through my website, you can just email me. I'll answer any questions you have, but I really do. And what will happen in my clinic? Because right now we have 10 therapists and our doctor, dr Singh, who's our psychiatrist Eventually, what will happen is we're going to get everybody in the clinic through this training process so that they're able to do the ketamine-assisted therapy Nice. So if you feel like you've tried and tried and things just don't change, or if you've been on the same medication for years and you don't feel like it's helping, this could be a possibility for you. And again, a lot of people have reported great success and really life-changing experiences after doing this.
Matt Fox: 34:42
Nice, I'm glad you're adding that, yeah.
David Wright: 34:44
So again, if you have questions I know there's a lot of them and here's the thing If you call me and say I'm interested in ketamine, I'm going to bring you in for an intake. We'll have an hour to talk all about it. I'm going to have materials to give you. We have a whole packet that you're going to take home and read over and decide whether this is right for you. Okay, and that is. That is the big thing, that this is not something that we take lightly, because it is a medication and something we have to be careful with, right, but the potential here is huge and and it could be something that could help a lot of people. So again, if you're interested or if you have questions, in fact, if you email me or even reach out to the office and just say, hey, I want more information on ketamine treatment, I'll send you stuff. You can just read it at home and decide if this is a fit for you. It's on your website, in fact. I have it right here.
David Wright: 35:36
This is kind of the basic, basic introductory worksheet what is the cost? What is journey clinical, what is ketamine? How does ketamine feel? I mean, a lot of questions will be answered in the handouts, we give you all right and then you can decide yeah, this is something. I want to go, I want to do excellent, all right, wow, again. It's. It's hard to end this because I know there's so many questions, because it's it's like we're just scratching the surface, but but we'll come back and revisit this because I am, without a doubt, we're probably gonna have some clients coming up in the next few months so, as this continues to evolve in your practice, I know you're going to want to to talk about it and absolutely this is your show.
Matt Fox: 36:15
You can do whatever the hell, you want yeah absolutely. Yeah, I would love to revisit this as time progresses. How is it coming along? What's it looking like? What are some of the things that you're seeing that are helping you?
David Wright: 36:24
Real quickly and I just realized that it's right on my sheet and I didn't mention it. So when you see the psychiatrist at Journey Clinical to get your prescription, the consultation is $250 and the medication is $88 for two sessions and the medication is $88 for two sessions. So $250 plus $88 is $338. Yeah, so that would be your cost for your just getting in the door, nice, and then probably for those dosing sessions it'll probably be similar costs. Now I know here's the problem.
Matt Fox: 36:55
That's a big amount If you're paying at least 250 bucks every other week I had to do the math again in my head. I'm glad I got it right.
David Wright: 37:05
That seems like a lot, and it is, but here's the thing. If I were to say to you, this is going to cost you a few thousand dollars, just throw it out there, but in six to eight weeks you're going to be transformed, would that be worth it to you? That that's up to the person to answer. Absolutely, and and there's no wrong answer. They might say no and I'm like okay that's fine.
Matt Fox: 37:31
Do I have the funds out of pocket?
David Wright: 37:32
they might say yes or will.
Matt Fox: 37:33
I want to go into debt well, that's the other thing too.
David Wright: 37:37
It's you have to evaluate what's best for you, right, and I know that is a financial thing and and I understand it. But at the same time, if somebody told me I I'm just thinking in general, just crazy hypotheticals, but if somebody said I can give you three thousand dollars, you're going to be happy the rest of your life, I'd be like sure, yeah, let's do it Now. I can't guarantee that. I'm not overstating the effectiveness of this, but if you're willing to work and you're willing to put in the time and go through the program, I am confident that you're going to see some changes. All righty, that. I am confident that you're going to see some changes.
David Wright: 38:21
Yeah, alrighty, that is ketamine assisted psychotherapy. That very, very broad overview, very broad overview. And if you guys just shoot me a message or or even post it on the Facebook page, if you want to learn, if you want to, if you want to get more detailed about this, we can do that. Just let us know. If it's something you want, definitely we can address it. All. Right, fantastic, before we go, hershey needs a home, have we? Have we looked at hershey?
David Wright: 38:45
there was a hershey, but it's a different one. Okay, uh, it's a cockapoo. It's born in 2022. Okay, so a couple years old. Yeah, neutered male she's. He's 20 pounds. Dog friendly friendly. Yes, kid friendly over five. Okay, activity levels low, medium. Cat friendly. Cat friendly unknown.
Matt Fox: 39:05
Okay, most of them are unknown. There's Hershey. Are you Okay? Look at that face, are you sure? Hershey hasn't been on the show before?
David Wright: 39:13
I don't believe so. Because I recognize that Unless she showed back up or else he showed back up.
Matt Fox: 39:18
Because I recognize the bandana. For some reason Do you, unless they reused the bandana?
David Wright: 39:23
I mean. So here's what happens, and I've noticed this Well, it probably happens with every rescue, but I focus on Detroit Dog Rescue because that's in our area. I have seen dogs that are on there and then I won't see them for a couple months and then they're back. So that's disappointing. But Hershey could be a return, I don't know.
Matt Fox: 39:41
But if you look at that, face.
David Wright: 39:42
How could you not how?
Matt Fox: 39:43
could you not want that?
David Wright: 39:45
little boy. Yeah, hershey, merry puffins, hershey needs a home. Detroitdogrescuecom slash adopt. Thank you, check it out. Appreciate that he's waiting.
Annoncer: 39:56
He's waiting.
David Wright: 40:01
Check it out. He's waiting, he's waiting, she yeah for sure. Alrighty folks, thanks for joining us. We'll be back next Monday from eight o'clock to nine o'clock Eastern standard time, if you want to join us on Facebook live. In the meantime, change your thinking, change your life, laugh hard, run fast, be kind. We'll see you next time.