A Note from our ​medical faculty

Understanding Intramuscular (IM) Ketamine for Leadership Coaching


Welcome to our resource page on the transformative potential of Intramuscular (IM) Ketamine in ​leadership coaching. Here, we will explore the unique properties of Ketamine, the specific type used ​in IM applications, and why it is especially well-suited for group settings.


What is IM Ketamine?


IM Ketamine involves the administration of Ketamine directly into the muscle with a syringe, allowing ​for a controlled and steady absorption into the bloodstream. This method is chosen for its precision ​in dosing and rapid onset of effects, making it a preferred approach for coaching settings.


The Type of Ketamine Used


The type of Ketamine typically used in IM applications is racemic Ketamine, which contains equal ​parts of two mirror-image molecules: R-Ketamine and S-Ketamine. This form is known for its ​balanced and comprehensive therapeutic effects, providing a holistic experience that supports both ​psychological and physiological aspects of growth and healing.


The Timeline and Experience of a Ketamine Session


A typical IM Ketamine session lasts about 1 to 2 hours, with the most intense effects occurring within ​the first 30 to 60 minutes. Here's a general timeline of what to expect:


  • Initial Effects (0-10 minutes): After the injection, you will begin to feel the effects within minutes. ​A sense of relaxation, being held, and mild euphoria often sets in, and you may start to feel less ​attached to your surroundings.


  • Peak Experience (10-60 minutes): The peak effects occur during this period. You might ​experience vivid imagery, altered perceptions of time and space, transpersonal experiences, and ​deep introspective thoughts. This can be the most profound phase of the Ketamine session, ​where significant insights and emotional breakthroughs are often experienced, leading to deep ​personal transformation.


  • Gradual Return (60-120 minutes): As the effects begin to wane, you will start to feel more ​grounded and aware of your environment again. This is a crucial time for reflection and ​integration of the insights gained during the peak experience.


Throughout the session, two medical faculty will be present to assist and advise you, ensuring a safe ​and supportive experience.


The Science of Ketamine in the Brain


Ketamine's unique effects on the brain make it a powerful tool for growth and healing. Scientifically, ​Ketamine works by:


  • NMDA Receptor Antagonism: Ketamine blocks NMDA receptors, which are involved in pain ​transmission and mood regulation. This action helps to reset abnormal neural pathways ​associated with depression and anxiety.


  • Glutamate Surge: By blocking NMDA receptors, Ketamine induces a surge in glutamate, the ​brain's primary excitatory neurotransmitter. This surge promotes synaptogenesis, the formation ​of new synaptic connections, which is crucial for learning, memory, and adaptability.


  • Neuroplasticity: The increased glutamate and subsequent synaptogenesis enhance the brain's ​neuroplasticity, allowing it to reorganize and adapt. This is particularly beneficial for overcoming ​rigid thought patterns and emotional responses.


Ketamine as a Tool for Leadership Coaching


Ketamine, a gentle dissociative anesthetic with the potential for powerful psychedelic properties, has ​been increasingly recognized for its capability to facilitate profound personal insights and emotional ​breakthroughs. When used in leadership coaching, Ketamine can help individuals:


  • Soften Barriers: Ketamine's ability to soften the ego temporarily can help leaders transcend their ​usual mental constraints, allowing for new perspectives and creative problem-solving.


  • Enhance Emotional Intelligence: By accessing deeper emotional layers, leaders can develop a ​greater understanding of their own and others' emotions, expanding empathy and interpersonal ​skills.


  • Foster Resilience: The introspective nature of a Ketamine experience can help leaders confront ​and process past challenges, building resilience and emotional fortitude.


Why Ketamine is Especially Well-Suited for Groups


Group settings offer a unique dynamic that can amplify the benefits of Ketamine-assisted coaching ​sessions. Here are some reasons why Ketamine is particularly effective in group environments:


  • Shared Experiences: Group sessions create a sense of belonging, structure, and shared purpose, ​helping participants feel supported and understood. This collective experience can enhance ​individual breakthroughs and foster belonging to community.


  • Diverse Perspectives: Engaging with a variety of viewpoints and experiences within a group can ​enrich personal insights and promote a more comprehensive understanding of complex issues.


  • Enhanced Communication: The open and tender state induced by Ketamine can facilitate deeper ​and more authentic communication among group members, strengthening team cohesion and ​trust.


  • Collaborative Problem-Solving: The collaborative environment of a group setting allows for ​collective problem-solving and brainstorming, leveraging the unique strengths and perspectives ​of each participant.


Potential Side Effects, Risks, and Contraindications


You will be asked to lie down during the KAP session, as your sense of balance and coordination will ​be adversely affected until the medicine has cleared. Other possible adverse effects include: blurred ​and altered vision, slurred speech, mental confusion, excitability, diminished ability to see things that ​are actually present, diminished ability to hear or to feel objects accurately (including one’s own ​body), anxiety, nausea and (in rare cases) vomiting. If nausea/vomiting is a concern for you, you can ​talk with the Lead Embodied Medical Faculty about anti-nausea medicines to use during the dosing ​sessions.


Visual, tactile, and auditory processing are affected by this medicine. Familiar music may appear ​quite different to you, even unrecognizable. Synesthesia, a mingling of the senses, may occur. ​Ordinary sense of time may become distorted. Ketamine generally causes a significant increase in ​blood pressure and in some cases elevated pulse rate (tachycardia), and agitation and anxiety may ​occur. Some people experience headaches after the sessions, and ketamine has in some cases ​caused and/or stopped migraines.


You may experience changes in personality, mood, and cognition during group coaching, and in the ​days and weeks that follow. Ketamine has been shown to worsen certain psychotic symptoms in ​people who suffer from schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. It may also worsen underlying ​psychological problems in people with personality disorders and/or dissociative disorders. If you have ​been or are presently diagnosed with these disorders, you may not be a candidate for Ketamine-​assisted coaching. Repeated, high dose, chronic use/abuse of ketamine has caused urinary tract ​symptoms and even permanent bladder dysfunction. Pregnant women and nursing mothers are not ​eligible because of potential effects on the fetus, or nursing child (the effects of ketamine on ​pregnancy and fetus are undetermined). Untreated hypertension is a contraindication to ketamine ​use, as it causes a rise in blood pressure. Similarly, a history of heart disease may make you ineligible ​to participate. Ketamine should not be taken if you have hyperthyroidism. Lead Embodied’s Medical ​Faculty will assess you for any medications you are already taking and any possible adverse ​interactions. You should never discontinue the use of medications that you are already taking or add ​any new medications without first consulting with Lead Embodied’s Medical Faculty.


How Long Might It Take to See Beneficial Effects?


Some people report feeling immediate beneficial results after a first Ketamine-assisted coaching ​session; for others, it takes longer. You may not be able to identify shifts or learnings right away. ​Some of what arises may feel temporarily distressing. The ketamine experience itself is designed to ​open you, while at the same time to enable and access your own healing wisdom. The coaching ​support you will receive will aid you in making your experience(s) more valuable and understandable ​to you. Not everyone feels strong benefits; as with traditional coaching, results can vary widely and ​there are no guarantees.


Potential for Ketamine Abuse and Dependency


Ketamine and other hallucinogenic compounds do not meet official criteria for potential chemical ​dependence, since they do not cause tolerance and withdrawal symptoms. However, “cravings” have ​been reported by individuals with a history of heavy use of psychedelic drugs. In addition, ketamine ​can have effects on mood/emotion, thinking and perception that may make some people want to use ​it repeatedly. Therefore, ketamine should never be used except under the supervision of a ​prescribing medical professional, and as directed by that professional.


Voluntary Nature of Ketamine-Assisted Coaching Participation


Please be aware that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet established the ​appropriateness of Ketamine-Assisted coaching and its use is considered “off-label.” The only uses of ​ketamine officially approved by the FDA are as an anesthetic and (more recently) a nasal spray for ​depression. This awareness is important in understanding any liability associated with your use of ​ketamine.


Your decision to undertake Ketamine-Assisted Coaching is completely voluntary. Before you make ​your decision about participating in Ketamine-assisted coaching, please ask any questions you may ​have about the process.


Even after deciding to undertake Ketamine-assisted coaching, you may decide to withdraw from the ​ketamine experiential portion of coaching at any time prior to the IM injection.


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IM Ketamine can be a powerful tool in leadership coaching, offering unique benefits that can assist in ​deepening personal and professional growth. Its suitability for group settings can further enhance its ​potential, creating a supportive and dynamic environment for transformative experiences. By ​integrating Ketamine into leadership coaching, individuals and teams may unlock new levels of ​insight, emotional intelligence, and resilience.


We hope this information provides a clear understanding of how IM Ketamine can be a valuable ​addition to leadership coaching. Should you have any questions or wish to explore this approach ​further, please do not hesitate to reach out.



Your Dedicated Medical Faculty,


Dr. Crystal Dawn, MD