EXCLUSIVE: NYC's Ketamine Therapy Provider Nushama Talks Integration, Safety & Holistic Care

(Part one of three.)

In view of the latest news regarding the DEA’s telehealth regulations and the closing of two renowned ketamine clinics with facilities in the U.S., Benzinga had the opportunity to interview Jay Godfrey, co-founder of the NYC-based ketamine-assisted therapy center Nushama. 

The market movement is making a couple of things clear. For instance, the need for basic, common standards for treating patients with the only lawful psychedelic to date. 

This added to the fact that National Patient Safety Awareness Week is underway (March 13 to 18), Nushama generously shared an outline of the center's 11 safety best practices:

• Set: Preparation before psychedelic journeys, setting intentions, doing breathwork, and communicating to members what to expect during the full spectrum of possible experiences. Ongoing integration therapy after journeys and available continuously between journeys, plus weekly year-round integration circles.

• Setting: Journey environment, including zero-gravity chairs, eye masks and playlists, with the company of integrators; medical elements (IV drip, blood pressure monitor, scale) for safe and therapeutic psychedelic use. Journey rooms are booked for 3 hours, allowing extra time after the 1-hour journey for members to return to their present state.

• Clinically-validated protocols: Primary protocol builds on existing data and includes 6 IV treatments over 3-6 weeks. The KARE Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) protocol has been proven 86% efficacious for abstinence after 6 months.

• Medical screening: Psychiatric and medical intakes, plus urine toxicology and full blood panels for screening certain diagnoses.

• Medical monitoring: Pre-journey vitals, weight, consent, and dosing; monitoring throughout the journey; post-journey vitals, integration, and car service.

• Medically supervised dosing and delivery: Member decides with the medical team what dose feels appropriate for the treatment and anticipated outcome; custom dosing by weight, also considering prior use of ketamine and psychedelics. Every drop of ketamine is counted per a DEA license and stored behind a triple safe—only doctors dose and nurses administer.

• Clinicians are informed by ethical guidelines.

• Member-operated safety control: Ability to stop the journey if the experience becomes uncomfortable for the patient. 

• Membership is informed by the Neuro Affective Relational Model (NARM), which aims to change how members view their diagnosis, relate to it, and transform as a result. 

• Therapy team collaboration. 

• Medical symptom management onsite: The availability of medications onsite to deal with any adverse event, commonly including elevated blood pressure and nausea. 

Coming Up: EXCLUSIVE: NYC’s Ketamine Therapy Provider Nushama Co-Founder Tells The Whole Story

Photo: Benzinga edit with photo by Sonis Photography and Hananeko_Studio on Shutterstock and Nushama.