emPATH, LLC
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is a type of therapy that helps people heal from trauma. We combine ketamine with therapy to help people process memories and emotions in a different way and ultimately unburden from past trauma.
Ketamine is approved by the FDA as a dissociative anesthetic. It is most commonly used for anesthesia and pain reduction in urgent care or emergency settings. It has over 50 years of safety data and is on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) list of essential medications.
In the1970s, ketamine was used with soldiers in Vietnam, for the treatment of PTSD. Research on Ketamine for depression started in the early 2000s. In the past 10 years, there is growing research on ketamine for the treatment of depression, PTSD, OCD, anxiety, addiction, and suicidality.
Ketamine crosses the blood brain barrier (BBB) and blocks N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors on inhibitory neurons in the brain. This increases glutamate (an excitatory neurotransmitter), improves the synapses (the spaces between neurons where information is exchanged), and increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF); ultimately leading to neuroplasticity (rewiring in the brain and improved neuronal communication). This can shift our default mode network (DNM) which changes the way we recall or process memories and helps overcome learned helplessness.
Clients can experience relief in symptoms the day of treatment and it can last for days, weeks, or months; depending on the number of sessions, history of trauma, therapy experiences, resources and support systems.
Safia Lyon, APRN
I am a born and raised Wichitan. I graduated from WSU in the Fall of 2007 with my BSN. I began my nursing career in the St. Joseph ER, where I built my nursing foundation managing the acute and urgent needs of my patients. I very quickly realized how the life experiences and lifestyle choices of my patients strongly correlated with their healthcare concerns. I felt like the ER didn't provide an atmosphere for me to truly help my patients thrive. I ended up in cosmetic care at a local clinic, where I met Dr. Davis (PHW). He was transitioning into functional medicine at that time and his enthusiasm was contagious. With this new understanding of finding the "root cause" of illness and my passion for education, I knew this was how I wanted to practice medicine. It was also during that time that I was starting my family and had 3 babies in less than 3 years.
In Spring of 2015, I decided to go back to school for my Masters through the online program at Walden University. The same month I started school, Prairie Health and Wellness was looking for a phlebotomist. This was how I got my foot in the door. I spent as much time as I could learning from the PHW team: then Dr. Davis, Dr. Marvin, and Joleen. I graduated in Fall of 2016 and got my APRN license for Family Practice that December. In Spring of 2017, I completed the Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice (AFMCP) training through the Institute for Functional Medicine.
In Functional Medicine, we strive to find the root cause of symptoms. I learned that the root for many of my patients was dysautonomia, an imbalance in the nervous system. Through my own healing experience and my work with patients, I found trauma to be at the root of this dysautonomia. Desperate to learn more about the connection between trauma and our physical health, I began reading books and listening to podcasts on the subject. I completed training through Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Ketamine Training Center (KTC) in spring of 2023. I work with Guide MindBody Therapy, to help offer Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP).
I am currently working on my Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) certificate and am scheduled for completion in August of 2025. This work is my passion.
