Dr. James Leathem

First, what is ketamine? Ketamine is an FDA-approved dissociative anesthetic that was first approved in 1970 and has been included on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) List of Essential Medicines since 1985. It has been administered billions of times on planet Earth. When administered off-label at subanesthetic doses, ketamine has demonstrated the ability to rapidly alleviate symptoms of depression, PTSD, anxiety, and certain chronic pain conditions.

Although traditionally used as an anesthetic, ketamine at lower doses can produce profound psychedelic-like experiences, often described as a non-ordinary state of consciousness (NOSC). This makes ketamine unique as the only federally legal psychedelic medicine. At Advanced Wellness and Pain, we utilize ketamine as an atypical psychedelic and neuroplastogen, recognizing that its therapeutic potential extends beyond its direct pharmacological effects. We believe that the combination of the non-ordinary state of consciousness and the heightened neuroplasticity associated with ketamine creates a valuable opportunity for emotional processing, new perspectives, and meaningful psychological change. Our approach is designed to help patients make the most of this therapeutic window to support lasting improvements in mental health and overall well-being.

The people who come to us are often dealing with “treatment-resistant” Depression, PTSD, or anxiety and, in one way or another, feel stuck despite having tried other treatment options. Maybe you're wanting something more from life, you wish things were different, or you haven't been able to shift out of where you are.

That can look very different from person to person. You might be so depressed that you can't leave your house. Or maybe your depression is mild– you're a parent, you're working, you're busy, but you still feel stuck. Maybe you've tried SSRIs, talk therapy and they haven't worked sufficiently for you or the side effects of the medications outweighed the benefit.

Anxiety is a big umbrella term, too. You might feel it mostly in your mind, or you might also feel it in your body– like your nervous system is constantly stuck in fight or flight. We refer to this as autonomic dysregulation. We offer an additional specialized procedure called the Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB). However, for now, we will focus on our ketamine program. More on the SGB and how it can help later.

You don't have to be struggling at a severe level to find this work useful. Some people come in for personal evolution and a shift in perspective. Their mental health survey scores are subclinical, but they feel stuck or they're simply curious about exploring the intentional use of psychedelics in a safe, legal setting with a trained professional.

This work can also support people experiencing chronic pain, including migraines, neuropathies, complex regional pain syndrome, and fibromyalgia. Pain has both physiological (physical) and psychological (emotional) components. We practice patient care from a wholistic perspective utilizing a Bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach.

Generally, after going through ketamine therapy, people tell me life feels lighter. The inner critic is less noisy. They feel more responsive, less reactive, more aware of their thoughts, and more able to change the internal thought channel. Their life may be the same situationally but they now view it through a new perspective.

Before we begin the actual treatment, you'll come in for a free 45-minute consultation with one of the founders– all board-certified anesthesiologists.

I want people to realize that ketamine isn’t simply ketamine. It's different every place you go. The set and setting matter: your mindset going into it, the environment you're having the infusion in, the dose, the route of administration and the integration support before, during, and after all matter immensely.

That's why, for me, it's not just giving people the medicine and expecting they're going to change. It's giving you the medicine in a supportive container.

I’ve utilized psychedelic medicine in my own personal life as a profound catalyst for healing and a shift in consciousness. But for most of my career, my work was as an anesthesiologist in hospitals and surgery centers.

When COVID hit and elective surgical procedures stopped, suddenly I barely had any work.