Loosening Up: The KA-EMDR™ Podcast

Ep 8: Learning Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy from the Inside Out: Interview with Dr. Dana Girard

In this episode of Loosening Up: The KA-EMDR™ Podcast, Danielle Ciccone and Michele Topel sit down with psychologist Dr. Dana Girard to discuss her journey from traditional psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to KA-EMDR™. After completing the Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy Institute's introductory course, experiential training, and consultation group, Dana shares how low-dose ketamine combined with EMDR opened the door to a deeply meaningful personal healing experience that continues to shape her work today. Together, they explore the differences between psychedelic and psycholytic ketamine experiences, the unique role of EMDR in facilitating transformational change, and why maintaining engagement, dual awareness, and therapist attunement can be so powerful. Dana also shares a moving account of her own KA-EMDR™ experience, highlighting how unexpected insights, symbolic imagery, and emotional processing led to lasting shifts in her relationship with herself and her father. Whether you're curious about KA-EMDR™, considering integrating it into your practice, or simply interested in the intersection of ketamine, EMDR, and personal transformation, this episode offers a thoughtful and inspiring perspective. Key Topics: * Psycholytic vs. psychedelic ketamine experiences * The role of dual awareness in KA-EMDR™ * Why experiential learning matters for clinicians * How low-dose ketamine can enhance EMDR processing * Personal transformation, integration, and lasting change * Bringing KA-EMDR™ into clinical practice About Our Guest: Dr. Dana Girard, PsyD Licensed in California and Oregon https://drdanagirard.com/ [https://drdanagirard.com/] dgirardpsyd@gmail.com [dgirardpsyd@gmail.com] (650) 889-8765 Learn More:  Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy Institute:  https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com] Our published, peer-reviewed research article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41186022/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41186022/] KA-EMDR™ Training: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/training [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/training] KA-EMDR™ Consultation: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/consultation [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/consultation] KA-EMDR™ Therapist Directory: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/directory [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/directory] Email: info@ketamineassistedemdr.com [info@ketamineassistedemdr.com]

Ep 7: Gentle but Powerful Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy: Interview with Ashley Hartman

In this episode of Loosening Up: The KA-EMDR™ Podcast, Danielle Ciccone interviews Ashley Hartman, a trauma therapist and yoga teacher specializing in complex trauma, attachment focused healing, EMDR, IFS, somatic therapies, and Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy. Ashley shares her personal journey into psychedelic-assisted healing, what drew her to KA-EMDR™, and why she describes the experience as both gentle and powerful. Together, Danielle and Ashley explore how low-dose ketamine may help clients access difficult material without becoming overwhelmed, creating opportunities for deeper processing, increased self-compassion, and meaningful transformation. They discuss attachment wounds, protective parts, witness consciousness, embodied healing, and the unique ways KA-EMDR™ can help clients who have felt stuck despite years of therapy. Ashley also shares what she has observed in her own clients, including increased access to emotional material, greater agency, and shifts that continue well beyond the therapy session. Memorable themes from this conversation: * "Gentle but powerful." * Healing does not require losing control. * Protective parts are not the problem. They are trying to help. * Clients are not broken; their systems are working exactly as designed. * Transformation occurs when emotional learning shifts, not just when insight is gained. * The client is ultimately the medicine they have been waiting for. Whether you're a therapist interested in integrating ketamine with EMDR therapy or someone curious about innovative approaches to trauma treatment, this conversation offers an inspiring look at what becomes possible when healing feels both gentle and powerful. About Our Guest: Ashley Hartman, LCSW, PMH-C Licensed in Colorado and Illinois https://www.the-sacred-becoming.com/ [https://www.the-sacred-becoming.com/] ashley@ashley-hartman.com [ashley@ashley-hartman.com] (708) 480-2016 Learn More:  Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy Institute:  https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com] Our published, peer-reviewed research article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41186022/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41186022/] KA-EMDR™ Training: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/training [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/training] KA-EMDR™ Consultation: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/consultation [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/consultation] KA-EMDR™ Therapist Directory: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/directory [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/directory] Email: info@ketamineassistedemdr.com [info@ketamineassistedemdr.com]

Ep 6: Healing Complex Trauma with Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy: Interview with Sasha Flores

In this episode, Danielle Ciccone and Michele Topel sit down with therapist and Army veteran Sasha Flores, LCSW to explore her experience integrating Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy into her work with complex trauma. Sasha shares how her own healing journey led her to seek approaches beyond standard EMDR after discovering that parts of her system continued to block access to deeper processing. She discusses how low-dose ketamine combined with EMDR created a sense of safety and nervous system protection that finally allowed difficult material to be fully experienced and processed. Together, they discuss: *Why preparation and stabilization still matter in KA-EMDR™ *How low-dose ketamine may make overwhelming material more tolerable *The importance of relational safety and co-regulation in trauma healing *Working with military veterans, first responders, and complex PTSD *Why therapists doing their own healing work matters *The role of consultation and collaboration with medical providers *How clients can begin accessing joy, playfulness, and connection after years of survival This conversation offers an honest and deeply human look at the transformational potential of KA-EMDR™ when used thoughtfully, relationally, and with clinical intention. About Our Guest: Sasha Flores, LCSW, LCSW-S, SWICL Licensed in Texas, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado https://www.thekindmindcounseling.com/ [https://www.thekindmindcounseling.com/] horizonsofhope@pm.me [horizonsofhope@pm.me] (361) 202-5238 Learn More: Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy Institute: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com] Our published, peer-reviewed research article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41186... [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41186022/] KA-EMDR™ Training: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/... [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/training] KA-EMDR™ Therapist Directory: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/... [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/directory]

Ep 5: Getting to the Root with Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy: Interview with Jessica Chacon

In this episode of Loosening Up: The KA-EMDR™ Podcast, Danielle Ciccone sits down with Jessica Chacon, an integrative therapist based in Colorado, to explore how Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy is helping clients get to the root of trauma more quickly and effectively. Jessica shares how she integrates EMDR therapy with low-dose ketamine (psycholytic dosing) to support deeper processing, reduce defensiveness, and accelerate access to core emotional memories. Together, they discuss why this approach can create a powerful middle space between traditional talk therapy and psychedelic experiences—making healing both more effective and more accessible. You’ll hear real-world clinical insights on how KA-EMDR™ can support clients struggling with trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, grief, and substance use, as well as how this model may help clients move beyond feeling stuck in therapy. They also explore: * How low-dose ketamine enhances EMDR reprocessing * Why clients can reach the root of issues in fewer sessions * The role of preparation, pacing, and clinical judgment * Why this approach may reduce long-term therapy dependence while increasing transformational outcomes Whether you’re a therapist curious about integrating ketamine with EMDR, or someone exploring innovative trauma treatments for yourself, this conversation offers both practical guidance and a deeper understanding of how real change happens. About Our Guest: Jessica Chacon, LPC Licensed in Colorado https://www.sweetgrasstherapeutics.com/ [https://www.sweetgrasstherapeutics.com/] jessica@sweetgrasstherapeutics.com [jessica@sweetgrasstherapeutics.com] (720) 695-1372 Learn More: Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy Institute: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com] Our published, peer-reviewed research article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41186022/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41186022/] KA-EMDR™ Training: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/training [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/training] KA-EMDR™ Consultation: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/consultation [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/consultation] KA-EMDR™ Therapist Directory: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/directory [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/directory] Email: info@ketamineassistedemdr.com [info@ketamineassistedemdr.com]

Ep 4: Accessing Self-Compassion with Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy: Interview with Lauren Battista

In this episode of Loosening Up: The KA-EMDR™ Podcast, we sit down with Lauren Battista, an EMDR therapist based in Colorado, to explore how Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy can help clients access deeper self-compassion and move through emotional blocks that often keep them stuck in traditional trauma work. Lauren shares how integrating EMDR therapy with low-dose (psycholytic) ketamine has transformed her work with clients experiencing complex trauma, rigid defenses, and chronic self-criticism. Through powerful clinical examples, she describes how KA-EMDR™ supports adaptive information processing (AIP) and memory reconsolidation, allowing clients to access and reprocess experiences that previously felt unreachable. Together, we explore: * How KA-EMDR™ helps soften protective blocks and reduce emotional avoidance * Why combining ketamine assisted psychotherapy with EMDR creates both structure and flexibility in trauma treatment * The emergence of self-compassion, especially in clients with deep shame and self-judgment * How “loosening” the system supports nervous system regulation and deeper trauma processing * What it looks like when therapy shifts from feeling stuck to meaningful, accelerated healing Lauren also reflects on how this modality has deepened her trust in the therapeutic process—and in her clients’ innate capacity for trauma healing when the right conditions are in place. This conversation highlights a core principle of KA-EMDR™: when blocks soften, the system opens—and new learning becomes possible. About Our Guest: Lauren Battista Licensed in Colorado https://denvermetrocounseling.com/lauren-battista [https://denvermetrocounseling.com/lauren-battista] lauren@denvermetrocounseling.com [lauren@denvermetrocounseling.com] (303) 809-3341 ext. 6 Learn More: Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy Institute: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com] Our published, peer-reviewed research article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12587818/ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12587818/] On-Demand Introductory KA-EMDR™ Training: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/introcourse [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/introcourse] Virtual KA-EMDR™ Experiential Training: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/experientialtraining [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/experientialtraining] KA-EMDR™ Consultation Offerings: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/consultation [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/consultation] KA-EMDR™ Therapist Directory: https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/directory [https://www.ketamineassistedemdr.com/directory] Email: info@ketamineassistedemdr.com [info@ketamineassistedemdr.com]