As the field of mental health evolves, we are witnessing a profound shift—psychedelic-assisted therapies are no longer fringe; they are here, and neuroscience is catching up with what indigenous and healing communities have known for centuries. At Green Mountain Counseling, we have already begun integrating Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) into our practice. Though ketamine has been FDA-approved as an anesthetic since 1970, its “off-label” use in treating depression, trauma, and anxiety has been studied for over two decades. Research shows that KAP can reduce conditions such as treatment-resistant depression symptoms in up to 70% of cases, often providing rapid relief where traditional therapies stall.
With the passing of Colorado’s Natural Medicine Health Act, we join Oregon as the second state to have a regulated path for legal psychedelic facilitation. Green Mountain partners with licensed facilitators in Colorado that have been through extensive training and are governed by DORA (the Department of Regulatory Agencies). As the Clinical Director, I will continue to pursue expanded offerings for legal and professional psychedelic facilitation training to serve our clients, and to remain informed and at the leading edge of this movement. Psilocybin shows remarkable promise for complicated grief, individuals navigating significant and terminal medical diagnoses, and entrenched and devastating conditions like postpartum OCD that have proven otherwise untreatable. These are areas where current modalities often fall short, yet psychospiritual approaches like psilocybin therapy create openings for deep transformation—melding neuroscience with the innate human drive for meaning and healing.
Meanwhile, MDMA-assisted therapy is expected to receive FDA approval in the next few years, specifically targeting severe PTSD. Like psilocybin, MDMA represents a new class of medicine that works not by numbing symptoms, but by fostering a state of openness, safety, and connection—conditions that are essential for real healing. Ultimately, with legalization and regulation, this allows for healthcare professionals to collaborate, integrate, and truly help our clients heal in the deepest possible way.
As the landscape of therapy expands, Green Mountain Counseling remains committed to thoughtful leadership, ensuring that these powerful tools are integrated safely, ethically, and in service of true, lasting wellness. And while not all of our payor sources support these treatments, we will continue to offer accessible care as much as possible. And there are many signs that these treatments will be reimbursable through medical insurances, much like chiropractic care and acupuncture are, in the coming year or two.