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Mindful Focused Therapy

Ketamine + EMDR 2.0

Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy

Carefully prepared, clinician-guided sessions that pair ketamine-assisted psychotherapy with trauma-focused work.

Illustration of two faces in profile with an open door and steps between them

The basics

What are psychedelics?

Trauma can leave your brain feeling stuck, like parts of your mind are frozen in pain. Years of stress can shrink the connections that help you think, feel, and heal, keeping fear, sadness, or shame on repeat.

Psychedelics, like ketamine, act like gentle fertilizer for the brain. They help new growth appear where trauma once left emptiness. Research suggests they may encourage the growth of tiny branches called dendritic connections. This allows your mind to experience memories differently, leaving space for safety, compassion, and clarity.

Paired with EMDR 2.0

When combined with trauma-focused therapy such as EMDR 2.0 within 24 hours of a ketamine session, the brain is especially open. Old memories can be felt without being trapped by them, letting you rewrite your story with resilience and understanding.

The medicine

What is ketamine?

Ketamine is a medicine that has been used in hospitals for years. Lately, it’s gained attention for helping people heal from depression and trauma.

Trauma can leave the brain feeling stuck, replaying the same fear, sadness, or shame over and over. Ketamine works by helping the brain grow and rewire itself—a process called neuroplasticity. Research suggests ketamine may support synaptogenesis, the growth of new connections between brain cells, which may give your mind a fresh way to process emotions.

Paired with trauma-focused therapy like EMDR 2.0, ketamine is used to make it easier to approach difficult memories and emotions in session, with your clinician guiding the work.

An example

Imagine someone who feels panic whenever they hear a car horn after a traumatic accident. The memory and fear are still there, but ketamine helps the brain create new pathways. With therapy, the horn can become just a sound, not a trigger for terror. The brain learns a new, safer response to old pain.

In session

What to expect during a ketamine + somatic experiencing session

  1. 01

    A safe, private space

    Your session begins in a safe, private space where you will receive your ketamine dose. As the medicine takes effect, you may notice your body becoming more aware of subtle sensations—warmth, tingling, or energy moving through you.

  2. 02

    Amplifying positive sensations

    Using somatic experiencing, we amplify these positive sensations, helping the body feel pleasure, openness, and vitality—almost like a deep, full-body sense of joy. This elevated state creates a window where the mind and body feel safe and connected.

  3. 03

    Gently exploring your trauma

    From this place of positive energy, you are guided to gently explore your trauma. Because your body feels strong and supported, you can view past experiences differently—feeling empathy, understanding, and even compassion toward yourself or others involved. This perspective allows new insights and wisdom about your trauma to emerge naturally.

  4. 04

    Grounding and EMDR 2.0 follow-up

    The session concludes with a sense of grounding and integration. About 24 hours later, a follow-up EMDR 2.0 session works with the memories and feelings that came up, while the experience is still fresh.

In their words

What our clients say

R.R

Los Angeles, United States

I've been doing trauma for the last 3.5 years. It took me about 3 years to process the majority of traumatic situations I went through. When we got to my core belief systems, a Mindful Focused Therapy clinician, asked me...

L.A.

Los Angeles, United States

My Experience with EMDR 2.0 Therapy After losing my family members in a horrible car accident, I was overwhelmed with grief. I couldn’t talk about them without crying, and the pain felt constant and heavy. When I first started EMDR 2.0 therapy,...

P.

Los Angeles, United States

I have been working with Mindful Focused Therapy clinician using the EMDR 2.0 program I am doing so much better, I'm not sure how it works, when I started I was so Anxious and scared I would have a panic...

D.

Los Angeles, United States

I have lived through very turbulent experiences, and I have done everything in my power to suppress and avoid any feelings of troubles. I knew I needed to start therapy when I was finally able to notice I was very...

A.

Los Angeles, United States

EMDR 2.0 helped me overcome my panic attacks, flashbacks, and the weight of my traumatic experience. I was having trouble coping and processing what had happened to me with someone I had known since childhood. Unfortunately, I reacted too late...

J.

Los Angeles, United States

Since I've started EMDR therapy I have been able to live my life in the present instead of being stuck in the traumas of the past. I no longer suffer the constant images that would suddenly appear and take over...

E. (Army Veteran)

Los Angeles, United States

Emdr 2.0 has helped me tremendously with the past painful (army) experiences I had that I was struggling with and was avoiding. With emdr 2.0 I was a bit skeptical at first but the more I opened up and allowed...

R.S.

Los Angeles, United States

A Daughter’s Perspective on EMDR 2.0 As her daughter, I have seen firsthand how much EMDR 2.0 therapy has helped my mom. After losing our family members in such a horrible car accident, she carried an overwhelming amount of pain. For...

J.

Los Angeles, United States

While I had never experienced EMDR before in any therapy ( nor even EMDR 2.0) - I was introduced to it by Mindful Focused Therapy in late 2022 when we started to work together. I had just lost my beloved...

Ready to talk about what's next?

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