Healing Beyond Talk Therapy: My Path with Psychedelics

When I began my journey with psychedelics, I had no idea how profoundly they would transform my understanding of healing, trauma, and self. What started as an exploration of altered states became a cornerstone of my personal growth and a pathway to freedom from long-held patterns of pain and self-doubt. This is my story of how psychedelics—particularly ketamine-assisted therapy—helped me reconnect with parts of myself I had long forgotten.

A Sneak Peek into Possibility

Psychedelics weren’t a completely new concept to me. My first significant experience was with a substance often associated with euphoria and connection. For me, it was about so much more. In one session, I felt an ease and comfort with my body that I didn’t know was possible. For the first time, I loved my body—not for what it looked like, but for what it was. I danced freely in a crop top that night, no longer weighed down by the years of self-criticism and insecurity that had shaped my relationship with myself, my body and my belly.

Then came a natural plant medicine. During a spontaneous camping trip with friends, I had a profound moment of clarity that completely reshaped my relationship with food and body image. It was as if years of self-loathing were lifted in an instant. I felt like a goldfish, swimming freely for the first time in a larger, clearer tank, blissfully unaware of the pain that had once haunted me. That afternoon marked the beginning of a more compassionate relationship with myself—so much so that I later immortalized it with a half-sleeve tattoo on my arm.

These experiences were just the beginning. They gave me glimpses of what healing could look like and planted the seed for my eventual deep dive into psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Burnout as a Catalyst for Change

In my 33rd year, burnout hit me harder than ever before. It wasn’t just the typical exhaustion—I was unraveling physically, emotionally, and mentally. My body refused to cooperate, manifesting chronic fatigue, pain, brain fog and perimenopause to top it off. Despite all the tools I had as a psychotherapist—boundaries, mindfulness, and self-care—I couldn’t escape the cycle of overwork and perfectionism that had defined so much of my life.

Burnout didn’t just expose cracks in my ability to cope; it broke open doors I had long kept sealed. Childhood trauma I had compartmentalized for decades came rushing to the surface. By this point, I had already dedicated countless hours over a decade working myself with various Registered Psychotherapists and Social Workers. I knew I needed something more than traditional therapy to address the root of my struggles. Logically I knew that my triggers and patterns didn’t make sense, yet I knew I needed to access subconscious beliefs; my body was keeping score. That’s when I turned to ketamine-assisted therapy.

Ketamine-Assisted Therapy: A Deep Dive into Healing

Ketamine-assisted therapy was unlike anything I’d experienced before. By this point, I had already explored psychedelics recreationally, but this was different—it was deliberate, structured, and guided by a skilled Registered Psychotherapist. After being approved for six sessions, I walked into my first prep meeting feeling equal parts nervous and hopeful. We talked about my trauma patterns, my childhood, and the beliefs that had shaped my adult life. It was clear that there were deeper layers to explore, and I was finally ready to do the work.

In my first few ketamine sessions, I confronted truths about myself that I had spent years avoiding. Memories of my parents’ choices and their impact on my perfectionism came flooding back. For the first time, I was able to see how the belief that "love is conditional upon achievement" had shaped my behavior—not just in my career but in how I treated myself. It was painful, but it was also freeing. Ketamine opened a door to understanding that I couldn’t have accessed through talk therapy alone.

One of the most transformative aspects of ketamine therapy was its ability to unlock lost memories. I began to piece together fragments of my childhood that had long been buried, allowing me to see the connections between my early experiences and the patterns I was living out in adulthood. It wasn’t about blaming my parents—they were doing the best they could with the tools they had—but about understanding the roots of my workaholism and perfectionism so I could finally begin to break free.

The Ripple Effects of Psychedelic Healing

The benefits of my ketamine sessions didn’t stop in the therapy room. As I processed the experience, I noticed shifts in other areas of my life. For the first time, I was able to resist the urge to "flee" a job that no longer felt aligned—a pattern I had repeated time and again in moments of dissatisfaction. Instead, I chose to pause, reflect, and allow myself the space to explore what I truly wanted.

Ketamine also helped me reconnect with compassion—for myself and for others. I began to see my parents’ choices through the lens of their own childhoods and generational struggles. This newfound empathy didn’t erase the pain of the past, but it softened its grip on me, making space for forgiveness and understanding.

Why Psychedelics Worked When Talk Therapy Couldn’t

For years, I had relied on traditional therapy to work through my struggles, but there were limits to what talking could achieve. Psychedelics, particularly ketamine, provided a different kind of access—a way to bypass the logical, analytical mind and tap directly into the subconscious. They allowed me to see myself more clearly, without the filters of shame or judgment that often accompany self-reflection.

My previous experiences had given me glimpses of what was possible, but ketamine took me deeper. It created a safe container to explore the beliefs and patterns that had been running my life without my full awareness. It was as if the therapy let the pressure out of a bottle that had been shaken for decades, releasing tension I didn’t even know I was holding.

Moving Forward with a New Perspective

Today, I continue to feel the ripple effects of my psychedelic healing journey. The lessons I’ve learned have shaped how I approach my work, my relationships, and myself. While I still have moments of doubt and difficulty, I now have tools—and a sense of trust in myself—that I never thought possible.

Psychedelics aren’t a magic fix, but they have been a powerful catalyst for change. They helped me access parts of myself I had buried for years and gave me the courage to face them head-on. If there’s one thing I’ve learned through this journey, it’s this: healing isn’t about erasing the past—it’s about learning to hold it with compassion, letting it guide you toward a more authentic version of yourself.

Written by Lindsey Thomson, Registered Psychotherapist & Creatrix. Check out more of Lindsey's writing and her other free resources at www.mymomentummind.com.