You can desperately want relief. You can be exhausted by depression, anxiety, or the patterns that have kept you stuck. You can walk into your first ketamine treatment hoping this is finally the thing that works.

But ketamine isn’t magic—and the medicine can’t do all of the work for you.

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, Ketamine Coach Anna Kristall explores what it actually means to be ready for ketamine therapy and why ketamine preparation, your nervous system, your subconscious mind, your support system, and your willingness to participate in your healing can matter just as much as the medicine itself.

Using the metaphor of preparing soil before planting a seed, Anna explains why two people can receive the same ketamine dose from the same provider and walk away with completely different experiences—and why that doesn’t necessarily mean ketamine “worked” for one person and failed the other.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The difference between wanting relief and actually being ready for change
• Why ketamine is better understood as a catalyst, not a magic fix
• How your nervous system’s capacity can affect your ability to integrate change
• Why Anna doesn’t love the idea of ketamine as a simple “six-session fix”
• How to think about ketamine healing as a season rather than a quick solution
• Why your subconscious mind can reinforce both helpful and unhelpful beliefs
• The difference between being open to ketamine and being genuinely ready to participate
• Why fear doesn’t necessarily mean you aren’t ready for ketamine
• How your relationships, environment, and support system can influence your ketamine experience
• Three questions to ask yourself before beginning—or continuing—your ketamine journey

Most importantly, readiness isn’t a test you have to pass.

You don’t need a perfect life, a perfectly regulated nervous system, or every piece of your healing figured out before you begin. The goal isn’t perfect conditions. It’s becoming ready enough to honestly engage with what comes up and participate in the changes you’re asking ketamine to help create.

Before your next ketamine session, ask yourself:

Am I actually prepared for my life to change?

Not just your mood—but potentially your relationships, habits, thinking, and the stories you’ve been telling yourself about who you are. Then ask what support you have around you and whether you’re willing to actually do something with what emerges from your journeys.

Because the more you participate in this work, the more you can get out of it.

Mentioned in This Episode

Episode 28 — Should You Go Solo or Have a Sitter? Pros and Cons of Ketamine Journeys

Ketamine Starter Portal — Access free ketamine resources, including resources connected to Episode 28.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

Ketamine Preparation Protocol — Anna’s comprehensive preparation program created from years of one-on-one work preparing clients for ketamine journeys. Learn how to prepare your subconscious mind, understand what you’re planting during the neuroplastic window, and become an active participant in your ketamine healing process.

👉 www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

Topics

Ketamine therapy, ketamine treatment, ketamine preparation, preparing for ketamine therapy, first ketamine session, ketamine integration, ketamine healing, ketamine for depression, ketamine for anxiety, psychedelic therapy, psychedelic integration, subconscious mind, nervous system regulation, neuroplasticity, ketamine coaching, at-home ketamine, ketamine-assisted therapy

The problem is... you probably don't even realize how heavy it is anymore.

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, Anna Krishtal explains one of the most profound—and overlooked—experiences people have during ketamine therapy: realizing that depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other long-standing mental states may not actually be who you are.

Using the metaphor of carrying a backpack filled with years of stress, trauma, coping mechanisms, and emotional survival strategies, Anna explores why ketamine can feel so life-changing even without dramatic visions or emotional breakthroughs.

Because sometimes healing isn't about discovering something new.

Sometimes it's simply remembering what it feels like to put the backpack down.

You'll also learn why the contrast between your old baseline and a new experience of lightness may be one of the most powerful catalysts for lasting healing, how the brain's Default Mode Network keeps you locked into familiar patterns, and why small shifts often matter far more than the dramatic psychedelic experiences people expect.

If you've ever wondered whether your ketamine session "worked," or worried that you didn't have a big enough breakthrough, this episode is for you.

In this episode, you'll learn:

•  Why depression, anxiety, and PTSD often become part of your identity 
•  The backpack metaphor that explains emotional weight 
•  How ketamine temporarily quiets the Default Mode Network 
•  Why contrast—not catharsis—is often where healing begins 
•  The surprising power of "small cracks" during psychedelic therapy 
•  Why chasing a perfect ketamine experience can actually get in the way 
•  How integration helps expand small moments of change into lasting transformation 
•  What to notice after your ketamine session instead of asking, "Did it work?" 

Resources Mentioned

🎧 Episode 102: Why a Disappointing Ketamine Session Might Be the Most Important One You Ever Have

🧠 The Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)

Learn how to prepare your subconscious mind before ketamine so you can get more out of every journey.

👉 https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

🤝 Work With Anna One-on-One

Sometimes it's difficult to recognize your own patterns when you're living inside them. Personalized coaching helps you identify the "small cracks" that become lasting transformation.

👉 https://www.annakrishtal.com/coaching-info

Loved this episode?

If this conversation changed how you think about ketamine, depression, or healing, please:

⭐ Leave a review

📤 Share this episode with someone preparing for ketamine therapy

🎙️ Follow Ketamine Connections so you never miss an episode.

Because sometimes the most important healing isn't the dramatic breakthrough.

Sometimes it's simply discovering how light you were always meant to feel.

In today's episode of Ketamine Connections, we're breaking down one of the biggest misconceptions in the psychedelic space: the idea that there's a hierarchy of psychedelics.

Here's the truth: there is no "best" psychedelic.

Ketamine isn't a lighter version of psilocybin. Mushrooms aren't a scarier version of ketamine. Ayahuasca isn't the "advanced level." Every psychedelic works differently in the brain, interacts with different receptors, and offers its own unique medicine.

More importantly, comparing psychedelics often distracts you from the healing that's already available right in front of you.

If you've ever worried that choosing ketamine somehow "doesn't count," or felt like you're taking the easy way out compared to someone else's psychedelic journey, this conversation will help you let go of that belief and fully trust the medicine you've chosen.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why comparing ketamine to other psychedelics is like comparing apples and oranges
• The biggest mistake people make when choosing a psychedelic
• Why there is no hierarchy of psychedelics
• How comparison quietly sabotages your healing
• Why trust matters more than the specific medicine you choose
• How to stop wondering if you're doing psychedelics "the right way"
• Why fully committing to your ketamine journey can create deeper transformation

Mentioned in this episode:

🧠 Episode 98: The Perfectionist's Guide to Ketamine

Learn how perfectionism and ego can quietly interfere with your healing journey.

🎧 Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)

Want to get more out of your ketamine treatments before you even begin? The Ketamine Preparation Protocol teaches you how to prepare your subconscious mind, set meaningful intentions, and maximize the neuroplastic window that ketamine creates.

👉 https://www.annakristhal.com/kpp

If Ketamine Connections has helped you better understand ketamine therapy, psychedelic preparation, or integration, I'd be so grateful if you'd subscribe, leave a rating, or share this episode with someone who's trying to decide whether ketamine is the right path for them.

Every share helps more people find trustworthy, evidence-informed education about ketamine and psychedelic healing.

Until next time, stay curious, stay courageous, and I'll see you next week on Ketamine Connections.

But what if the thing that actually makes a ketamine session "bad" isn't what comes up... but how we relate to what comes up?

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, ketamine coach and hypnotherapist Anna Krishtal breaks down one of the most common concerns she hears from clients: "What if I have a bad ketamine trip?" Drawing on years of guiding clients through ketamine preparation and integration, Anna shares why fear often disguises itself as logic, how the subconscious mind accidentally rehearses the very experiences we're trying to avoid, and why surrender—not control—is one of the most important skills you can develop before treatment.

You'll also learn the three ways fear commonly shows up before ketamine therapy, why hard sessions are often the most transformative, and how proper preparation can completely change your relationship with challenging experiences.

In this episode, you'll learn:

•  Why fear of a bad ketamine trip is one of the biggest barriers to healing 
•  The three ways fear shows up before ketamine therapy: bracing, white-knuckling, and fear of punishment
•  Why "worrying is praying for what you don't want" from the perspective of the subconscious mind 
•  How the subconscious mind processes fear differently than the conscious mind 
•  Why resistance—not difficult content—is what creates a bad ketamine experience 
•  The difference between a hard session and a bad session 
•  How curiosity transforms challenging ketamine journeys 
•  Why surrender is a skill you can practice before your treatment 
•  How anxiety may actually prepare you for working with ketamine 
•  Why preparation—not luck—is one of the biggest predictors of a meaningful ketamine experience 

Resources Mentioned

🧠 The Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)
Prepare your subconscious—not just your body—for ketamine therapy. Learn the skills of surrender, intention-setting, nervous system regulation, and integration before you ever sit in the chair.
https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

🌱 The FREE Ketamine Starter Portal
Not ready for KPP? Start here with free ketamine education and resources.
https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

💛 Submit Your Ketamine Transformation Story
Have ketamine changed your life? I'd love to hear your story—and you may even be featured on a future episode of Ketamine Connections.
https://forms.gle/9bVh2QHkJf4X6TqM8

📝 Listener Survey
Help shape future episodes of the podcast by sharing what you'd like me to cover next. It takes less than three minutes.
https://forms.gle/RZb29Ecwn9vRkQTC9

The fear of a bad trip doesn't have to stop you from healing.

The medicine isn't judging you. It isn't punishing you. And difficult moments during ketamine therapy aren't signs that something has gone wrong.

More often than not, they're invitations.

The good news? Curiosity, surrender, and trust aren't personality traits—they're skills. And skills can be learned.

If this episode helped you feel more prepared for your ketamine journey, I'd be so grateful if you'd leave a review and share it with someone who's been afraid to take the first step.

Stay curious.

"Did it work?"

Maybe your first journey felt profound, emotional, or even life-changing, and your second felt... ordinary. Or maybe you expected vivid visuals, deep insights, or an overwhelming breakthrough, but instead found yourself wondering if you did something wrong.

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, we're exploring one of the most important truths in psychedelic healing:

You get the trip you need—not necessarily the one you want.

We'll talk about why every ketamine journey is different, why comparing sessions can actually hold you back, and how learning to trust the medicine can completely change your healing process.

Using a real client story, I walk you through how expectations almost convinced one client that ketamine had "stopped working" after an incredible first session—and how looking one layer deeper revealed that his most valuable healing wasn't happening during the journey itself, but afterward.

We'll also explore why so many people question whether the insights they receive are "real," what your Default Mode Network has to do with self-doubt, and how to recognize the difference between forcing meaning and allowing genuine insight to emerge.

If you're preparing for ketamine therapy, already receiving ketamine treatments, or simply trying to get more from your psychedelic integration process, this episode will help you approach your sessions with greater trust, curiosity, and confidence.

In this episode, we discuss:

•  Why every ketamine journey feels different 
•  What "you get the trip you need" really means 
•  Why expecting every session to feel profound can create disappointment 
•  How comparing ketamine sessions keeps you from seeing what's actually happening 
•  The difference between trust and control during psychedelic healing 
•  A real client story about expectations, fear, and learning to listen to the medicine 
•  How to tell the difference between genuine insight and overthinking 
•  The role of the Default Mode Network in ketamine therapy 
•  Why your body often recognizes truth before your mind does 
•  How ketamine integration turns experiences into lasting change 

Resources Mentioned

✨ The Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)

If you're preparing for ketamine—or want to get more from the treatments you're already doing—my signature framework walks you through exactly how to prepare your subconscious mind before treatment so you can maximize the neuroplastic window afterward.

➡️ https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

✨ Join the FREE Ketamine Starter Portal

Inside you'll find free resources, recommended podcast episodes, preparation tools, and updates on upcoming integration offerings.

➡️ https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

Submit Your Ketamine Transformation Story

Has ketamine changed your life?

I'm looking for listeners who are willing to share their stories on the podcast to inspire others who are just beginning their healing journey.

Submit your story here:
https://forms.gle/RZb29Ecwn9vRkQTC9

Enjoying the show?

If this episode helped you feel more confident about your ketamine journey, I'd be so grateful if you'd subscribe, leave a review, or share it with someone who could use a little more hope today.

If you live with anxiety and you're considering ketamine therapy, you've probably wondered:

"What if my anxiety ruins my ketamine experience?"

It's one of the most common fears I hear from clients.

But what if you've been looking at anxiety the wrong way?

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, I share a perspective that completely changed how I understand anxiety after years of studying the subconscious mind and coaching ketamine clients.

Instead of seeing anxiety as a liability, what if it's actually been preparing you?

Through the story of one coaching client, "Casey," we explore why anxiety and ketamine have more in common than most people realize, how anxiety can become an unexpected strength during ketamine therapy, and why your anxious mind may be more prepared for this work than you think.

We also dive into the Default Mode Network (DMN), neuroplasticity, and why preparation is one of the biggest predictors of lasting transformation.

In This Episode

• Why anxiety is so often misunderstood
• The biggest fear anxious clients have before ketamine
• How anxiety may actually prepare you for a ketamine journey
• The surprising overlap between anxiety and altered states of consciousness
• The difference between personality and subconscious patterns
• How ketamine quiets the Default Mode Network (DMN)
• What the neuroplastic window is—and why it matters
• Why preparation and integration create lasting change

Resources Mentioned

📝 Listener Survey
https://forms.gle/RZb29Ecwn9vRkQTC9

💙 Submit Your Ketamine Transformation Story

🚀 Ketamine Starter Portal (Free Resources)

🧠 Ketamine Preparation Protocol

Help Shape Future Episodes ❤️

The listener survey takes less than three minutes and helps me understand:

• Where you are in your ketamine journey
• What you're struggling with
• What questions you want answered
• What episodes you'd love to hear next

Your responses directly shape the future of Ketamine Connections.

📝 Listener Survey:
https://forms.gle/RZb29Ecwn9vRkQTC9

If This Episode Helped You...

Please consider:

• Leaving a review
• Sharing this episode with someone considering ketamine therapy
• Sending it to your therapist or clinic
• Completing the listener survey

Because psychedelic conversations are still restricted online, most new listeners find this show because someone shared it with them.

Thank you for helping these conversations reach the people who need them most.

Submit Your Ketamine Transformation Story 

One hundred episodes.

Honestly... I almost skipped celebrating this milestone.

I had a completely different episode planned, but then I realized something: I'm only going to have one Episode 100.

So today, instead of talking about ketamine preparation, psychedelic integration, or the subconscious mind (although those inevitably sneak into the conversation), I'm taking you behind the scenes of what it actually took to build Ketamine Connections.

The truth? This podcast took me more than a year to launch.

Not because I didn't know what I wanted to say, but because I had to overcome the beliefs that convinced me I wasn't qualified enough, wasn't ready enough, and wasn't "perfect" enough to speak publicly about the work I love.

In this deeply personal episode, I share the fears that nearly kept this podcast from ever existing, the healing that allowed me to finally press publish, and the promise I made to myself before recording Episode 1:

Show up every week. No matter what.

One hundred weeks later... here we are.

I also reflect on how dramatically the ketamine landscape has changed since I began coaching in 2021—from expanded access to ketamine therapy, to the growth of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP), to the increasing number of therapists and clinicians seeking training in preparation, integration, and subconscious mind work.

Most importantly, this episode is an invitation.

I want to know who you are.

Whether you're preparing for ketamine treatment, already in your healing journey, a therapist, clinic owner, or simply someone who's curious about the power of the subconscious mind, I want to create this show for you.

Inside the show notes you'll find a short listener survey where you can tell me what you need, what you're struggling with, and what topics you'd love to hear in future episodes.

After 100 episodes, this feels less like my podcast...

...and more like our community.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for listening.

Thank you for making these first 100 episodes possible.

Here's to the next hundred.

In This Episode

•  Why it took over a year to launch Ketamine Connections
•  The subconscious beliefs that almost stopped me from ever starting 
•  The mindset shift that changed everything: Give up the goal or give up the belief
•  What 100 consecutive weekly episodes has taught me about healing, consistency, and courage 
•  How the ketamine therapy landscape has evolved since 2021 
•  Why therapists have become one of the largest groups listening to the podcast 
•  My vision for future clinician training in ketamine preparation and integration 
•  Why asking for help has become one of my biggest growth edges 
•  How you can help shape the future of Ketamine Connections

Resources Mentioned

•  Listener Survey https://forms.gle/RZb29Ecwn9vRkQTC9
•  Submit Your Ketamine Transformation Story 
•  Ketamine Starter Portal (free resources) 
•  Ketamine Preparation Protocol 
•  Previous episode about taking a year off social media : Episode 46

Help Shape the Next 100 Episodes ❤️

If you've been listening to Ketamine Connections, I'd love your help.

Please take just a few minutes to complete the listener survey. It helps me understand:

•  Where you are in your ketamine journey 
•  Whether you're a client, therapist, or clinic owner 
•  What questions you still have 
•  What episodes you'd most love to hear next 

Your feedback directly shapes the future of this podcast.

•  Listener Survey https://forms.gle/RZb29Ecwn9vRkQTC9

If You Enjoyed This Episode...

The biggest way you can support Ketamine Connections is completely free:

•  Leave a review 
•  Share this episode with someone considering ketamine therapy 
•  Send it to your therapist, clinic, or provider 
•  Share it with someone who needs hope 
•  Complete the listener survey 

Because of restrictions around psychedelic content on social media, nearly every new listener discovers this show through word of mouth.

Thank you for helping these conversations reach the people who need them most.

In this deeply vulnerable episode of Ketamine Connections, entrepreneur, CEO, speaker, and six-time author Brett Olson shares what it was like to spend nearly a decade living with depression despite having everything he thought should make him happy. 

Married for 39 years, a father of six, grandfather of eleven, and the builder of a highly successful career, Brett couldn't understand why he felt disconnected from the very life he had worked so hard to create. The harder he worked to protect what he had built, the further he drifted from himself. 

Just ten days into his ketamine journey, Brett joins the podcast to share the breakthroughs that changed everything.

He opens up about the business collapse that triggered years of scarcity and survival mode, the moment a ketamine provider helped him recognize that his fight-or-flight response had been stuck "on" for nearly a decade, and the profound relief of waking up one day to discover that the depression was simply gone. 

Together, we explore what it means to move from scarcity to abundance, why presence became more important than success, and how healing isn't about becoming someone new—it's about removing everything that's been standing between you and your authentic self. 

This conversation is especially powerful because Brett is still in the middle of his ketamine protocol. At the time of recording, he is only four infusions into treatment, offering a rare and honest glimpse into transformation while it's happening. 

In This Episode, We Discuss:

•  Living with depression despite having a successful life 
•  How business trauma can create long-term survival mode 
•  The connection between scarcity, stress, and emotional disconnection 
•  What it feels like when the fight-or-flight response becomes chronic 
•  Brett's breakthrough realization during ketamine therapy 
•  Why abundance became one of his biggest lessons from treatment 
•  Learning to be present after years of feeling disconnected 
•  How ketamine helped him reconnect with joy, gratitude, and motivation 
•  The difference between achieving success and experiencing peace 
•  Why healing is often about returning to yourself rather than becoming someone new 

Resources Mentioned

•  Ketamine Preparation & Integration Coaching 👉 https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp
•  The Ketamine Starter Portal 👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free
•  Feelings Chart 
•  Drama Triangle Framework 
•  Breathwork and Box Breathing 
•  Yoga and Mindfulness Practices 

Ready to share your story on the Ketamine Connections podcast? Use the form below to submit your interest (no commitment, just interest):

 👉 https://forms.gle/LZp56i4NuBCbR2879

“I just want to make sure I’m doing this right.”

And while that sounds completely reasonable, especially if you're someone who likes to be prepared, organized, and successful, it may actually be the very thing standing between you and the transformation you're looking for.

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, we're talking about a surprising truth:

The same part of you that helped you build a successful life may not be the part of you that needs to lead your ketamine journey.

If you're a high achiever, a researcher, a planner, a note-taker, or someone who likes to optimize everything, this episode is for you.

We'll explore why trying to "do ketamine right" can actually keep you stuck in the very patterns you're hoping to heal, how ketamine works with the Default Mode Network, and what it really means to approach ketamine with presence, curiosity, and receptivity.

You'll also hear a powerful client story about a CEO who discovered that healing wasn't about building a better wellness plan—it was about putting the list down.

In This Episode:

✨ Why "doing ketamine right" is the wrong goal
 ✨ The hidden trap of perfectionism and optimization
 ✨ How high achievers accidentally bring burnout into healing
 ✨ What the Default Mode Network has to do with ketamine therapy
 ✨ Why ketamine works best when you stop trying to control the experience
 ✨ The difference between performing and receiving
 ✨ The role of curiosity in psychedelic healing
 ✨ How to prepare for ketamine without overthinking it
 ✨ What true readiness for ketamine actually looks like

Mentioned in This Episode

🎧 Episode 95: Five Things Seasoned Ketamine Journeyers Know That Newbies Haven't Learned Yet

🎧 Episode 65 with Troy Leonard

🎓 Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)

The self-paced course designed to help you prepare for ketamine, understand your subconscious mind, create a powerful intention, and make the most of the neuroplastic window.

👉 https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

Connect With Anna

If you're preparing for ketamine and want support before, during, or after your journey, you'll find resources, courses, and coaching opportunities in the links below.

👉 https://www.annakrishtal.com/coaching-info

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, I welcome back therapist and mind-body medicine practitioner Sean Hershey for a fascinating conversation about the connection between chronic symptoms, emotional health, and healing.

Sean shares his personal journey from years of debilitating IBS, restrictive diets, medical appointments, and failed treatments to discovering a completely different paradigm—one that transformed both his health and his career. 

Together, we explore why so many people with chronic symptoms reach the end of the medical road still searching for answers, how emotions can manifest physically in the body, and why healing often requires looking beyond the symptom itself. 

We also discuss the role ketamine may play in helping people access emotional safety, reduce nervous system activation, and create the conditions for deeper healing through neuroplasticity. 

In This Episode:

✨ Sean's personal experience with chronic IBS and years of unsuccessful treatments
 ✨ The surprising discovery that changed everything for his healing journey
 ✨ Why chronic symptoms aren't always caused by structural problems in the body
 ✨ The connection between emotional repression and physical symptoms
 ✨ How chronic pain can function as a danger signal within the mind-body system
 ✨ The role of neuroplasticity in healing chronic conditions
 ✨ Why some people improve when they address emotions rather than symptoms
 ✨ The overlap between ketamine therapy, nervous system regulation, and emotional healing
 ✨ Common chronic conditions that may have a mind-body component
 ✨ Why hope is often the most valuable resource people bring into healing

Resources Mentioned

📚 Healing Back Pain by John Sarno

📚 Mind Your Body by Nicole Sachs

🎙️ Sean's Podcast:
 Mind Body Medicine for Chronic Pain

🌐 Sean's Website:
 MindBodyMedicineForChronicPain.com

Connect With Anna

If you're preparing for ketamine and want support before, during, or after your journey, check out the resources below:

🎧 Join the Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)
 👉 https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

🎧 Access the Free Ketamine Starter Portal
  👉https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, we're diving deep into one of the most misunderstood concepts in the ketamine space: the neuroplastic window.

You've probably heard terms like neuroplasticity, Default Mode Network, and subconscious mind tossed around in conversations about ketamine therapy. But what do they actually mean? More importantly, what do they mean for you and your results?

In this episode, I break down what happens in the brain during and after a ketamine session, why ketamine creates a unique opportunity for change, and why so many people unintentionally leave the most important part of the journey untouched.

We'll explore:

✨ What the neuroplastic window actually is
 ✨ How ketamine affects the Default Mode Network
 ✨ Why the subconscious mind matters so much in healing and transformation
 ✨ How long the neuroplastic window stays open after a session
 ✨ Why you can't "think" your way into lasting change
 ✨ The difference between conscious goals and subconsciously sound intentions
 ✨ What to do in the hours and days after ketamine to maximize your results
 ✨ Why ketamine is the door—not the transformation itself

If you've done ketamine, are preparing for your first session, or you're wondering how to get more from the sessions you've already had, this episode is for you.

Resources Mentioned

🎧 Join the Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)
 👉 https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

🎧 Access the Free Ketamine Starter Portal
  👉https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

After working with hundreds of ketamine clients, I've noticed a clear difference between people who are brand new to ketamine therapy and those who have spent months or years working with the medicine. And no—it isn't that seasoned clients are more enlightened, more evolved, or somehow "better" at ketamine.

They've simply learned a few things through experience. 

In this episode, I break down the five biggest mindset shifts I see happen over time and why these lessons can dramatically change how you approach ketamine therapy, integration, and healing.

If you're new to ketamine, this episode may help you avoid some of the most common pitfalls and frustrations. And if you've been working with ketamine for a while, you may recognize just how much you've grown through the process.

In This Episode:

•  Why you don't need every ketamine session to make sense 
•  The biggest mistake people make when trying to "figure out" their experiences 
•  Why every ketamine journey feels different—and why that's actually a good thing 
•  The difference between controlling a session and surrendering to it 
•  Why asking "Am I doing this right?" can keep you stuck on the surface 
•  How subconscious change often happens before you can see evidence of it 
•  The role of trust in psychedelic healing and ketamine integration 
•  Why some of the most powerful transformations begin with subtle shifts 

Key Takeaway

The biggest difference between new and experienced ketamine clients isn't knowledge—it's trust.

Trust that not every session has to be dramatic.

Trust that healing doesn't always happen on your timeline.

Trust that the subconscious mind is working beneath the surface, even when you can't yet see the results.

And most importantly, trust that transformation is unfolding, even when it doesn't look the way you expected it to. 

Resources Mentioned

•  The Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP) 👉 https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

In this deeply personal episode of Ketamine Connections, Anna Krishtal shares what unfolded during the recent live round of the Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP) — and why healing in community can unlock something that solo work often cannot. 

This episode explores the power of group healing, vulnerability, subconscious transformation, and the unexpected magic that happens when real humans gather with a shared intention to heal. Anna reflects on the themes that emerged during the live KPP calls and explains why ketamine journeys may happen alone in the chair… but preparation and integration were never meant to be solo sports. 

Inside this episode:

•  Why community accelerates healing 
•  The “group field” that forms in transformational spaces 
•  How witnessing someone else’s vulnerability can unlock your own 
•  Why live conversations create breakthroughs no self-paced course can replicate 
•  The neuroscience and subconscious impact of storytelling and connection 
•  The role of preparation and integration in ketamine therapy 
•  What liminal space actually is — and why discomfort is often part of transformation 
•  Why healing work deepens when it’s witnessed by others 

Anna also shares powerful moments from the live round of KPP, including participants uncovering long-held subconscious patterns, experiencing emotional breakthroughs, and discovering new levels of honesty, safety, and connection through shared healing experiences. 

One of the biggest takeaways from this episode:
 You do not have to do this alone.

Whether you are preparing for ketamine therapy, integrating a psychedelic experience, or simply navigating personal transformation, this conversation is a reminder that community itself can become medicine. 

Topics covered in this episode:

•  Ketamine preparation 
•  Psychedelic integration 
•  Healing in community 
•  The subconscious mind 
•  Group healing dynamics 
•  Vulnerability and transformation 
•  Liminal space and personal growth 
•  Neuroplasticity and connection 
•  Ketamine coaching 
•  Emotional healing and nervous system safety 

Resources + Links:

• Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP) 👉https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp
• Free Ketamine Starter Portal 👉https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

If this episode resonated with you, send it to someone who’s navigating ketamine therapy, psychedelic healing, or the messy middle of transformation. Sometimes hearing “you’re not alone” lands differently when it comes from someone walking the path too.

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, I sit down with therapist Sean Hershey to talk about his experience inside the Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP), what surprised him most about ketamine therapy, and how intentional preparation completely changed the way he approached the medicine. 

Sean shares how he came to ketamine after years of personal healing work and why he quickly realized that ketamine alone wasn’t the thing creating transformation. Instead, it was the combination of intention setting, subconscious awareness, integration, and participation in the healing process that shifted everything. 

We talk about:

•  why ketamine is not a “magic pill” 
•  the importance of preparation before ketamine sessions 
•  subconscious healing and shadow work 
•  intention setting for ketamine therapy 
•  how Sean’s intentions evolved from “let go” to “allow” 
•  why trying too hard can block the healing process 
•  the difference between passive healing and active participation 
•  how ketamine accelerated emotional healing already in motion 
•  why people often misunderstand what ketamine actually does 

Sean also shares his fears before starting ketamine therapy, including concerns about “bad trips” due to previous experiences with cannabis, and how ketamine ended up feeling completely different than he expected. 

One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that ketamine can open the door to the subconscious mind — but lasting transformation happens through the choices, awareness, and actions that follow. 

If you’ve been wondering whether ketamine therapy is “worth it,” or why preparation and integration matter so much, this episode is going to completely change the way you think about the process.

Resources & Links

🌐 Sean Hershey Website
🌐 Mind Body Medicine for Chronic Pain
🌐 Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

This episode was born out of the American Society of Ketamine Physicians Conference 2026 here in Austin, where I reconnected with Robin Arnette, founder of SoundSelf—and got to experience their work firsthand. 

And honestly… it opened up a conversation that I think this space really needs.

Because most clinics understand that there’s something important about set, setting, and experience… but they don’t necessarily know how to create it.

So what ends up happening?

People take ketamine…
 and then just sit there waiting for something to happen.

In this episode, we talk about what becomes possible when you move beyond that model and start thinking about ketamine as part of a full, immersive experience.

We get into SoundSelf—an interactive, biofeedback-based technology that uses your voice, visuals, and sound to guide you into altered states of consciousness. Instead of passively receiving the experience, you’re actively creating it in real time.

And that shift—from consumer to participant—is everything.

We also talk about “Ketamine Plus,” which is essentially what we discuss on this podcast all the time:

How do you take the neuroplastic window that ketamine opens…
 and actually use it?

Because if you don’t?

You go right back into the same patterns.

This conversation explores:

•  why the experiential side of ketamine is often overlooked 
•  how somatic and sensory practices deepen healing 
•  what it means to learn surrender before you’re in a psychedelic state 
•  and why getting out of your head—even briefly—can be a huge breakthrough 

One of the biggest takeaways for me was this:

A lot of people aren’t struggling because nothing is happening…

They’re struggling because they don’t know how to work with what’s happening.

And that’s something we can learn.

I also share my own experience trying SoundSelf at the conference—what it felt like to use my voice to shape the experience, and how surprisingly restorative it was after a full few days of being in that conference environment.

We’re in a really interesting moment where ketamine is becoming more mainstream…

But the art of how to use it?

That’s still catching up.

And this episode is a glimpse into what the future could look like when we start to bridge that gap.

Resources + Links

🌐 https://soundself.com

📍 https://soundself.com/near-me

🎵 Golden Ratio

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

What actually makes ketamine therapy work?

At the American Society of Ketamine Physicians, Psychotherapists and Practitioners conference, I asked 15 professionals—doctors, therapists, and providers—this exact question.

Different backgrounds. Different practices.

Same answer.

👉 Preparation and integration are everything.

🧠 Here’s the Truth Most People Don’t Hear

Ketamine can open the door.

But it doesn’t walk you through it.

“The medicine opens the door… and it is up to you to walk through it.” 

Without intention, preparation, and integration…

It becomes just another experience instead of real change.

💡 In This Episode

You’ll hear directly from experts on:

•  Best ketamine administration methods (IV, IM, lozenges, nasal) 
•  Why mindset going in matters more than you think 
•  What actually determines long-term results 
•  The role of integration in lasting transformation 

🔥 If You’re Thinking About Ketamine…

This is the difference:

People who prepare → change their lives
People who don’t → hope something happens

🚀 Join the KPP Live Round

For the first time in over a year, I’m running a live round of the Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)

This is where we:

•  Set your intention (the right way) 
•  Prepare your subconscious mind 
•  Make sure the change you’re walking in for… actually happens 

👉 Join the interest list:  https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Watch on YouTube 👉 https://youtu.be/P3QRc_QwP1o

If you’re preparing for ketamine, there’s a very high chance you’re setting your intention wrong.

And I say that with so much love — because almost no one is actually taught how to work with intention in a way that the subconscious mind understands.

In this episode, we’re breaking down 3 of the most common mistakes people make when setting a ketamine intention — mistakes that can quietly sabotage your experience and leave you wondering why ketamine “isn’t working.”

Because here’s the truth:
 Ketamine doesn’t fail.
 But without the right direction, your subconscious mind doesn’t know where to take you.

We’ll talk about:

•  Why vague intentions like “I just want to feel better” don’t work 
•  How being too specific or outcome-focused can actually block your process 
•  The hidden danger of expectation and attachment during your ketamine journey 
•  How your subconscious mind actually responds to intention (and why most people get this wrong) 
•  What it really means when you feel like “ketamine isn’t working” 

This episode is your invitation to shift from hoping something happens…
 to actually guiding your experience with clarity and intention.

Because when your intention is subconsciously sound, ketamine becomes a completely different experience.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Watch on YouTube 👉 https://youtu.be/P3QRc_QwP1o

Most people walk into ketamine hoping it will change their life.

And for many… it does—at least temporarily.

But here’s what almost no one is talking about:

Ketamine doesn’t create transformation on its own.
 It opens the door.

What you do with that opening is what actually determines whether your life changes—or stays exactly the same.

In this episode, we’re going deeper than surface-level preparation and into the real mechanism behind lasting results: your subconscious mind.

Because if you don’t understand how to work with the 95% of your mind that’s running the show…
 you’re essentially trying to change your life using willpower alone.

And that’s where most people get stuck.

Inside this episode, I break down the exact framework I use with clients to turn ketamine from a temporary experience into real, embodied transformation—so you’re not just “trying something new,” but actually becoming someone new.

🎧 In This Episode:

•  Why ketamine alone isn’t what creates lasting change 
•  The role of the subconscious mind in psychedelic transformation (and why it’s everything) 
•  The biggest mistake people make when using ketamine—and how to avoid it 
•  How ketamine interacts with the Default Mode Network to access deeper programming 
•  The 7-step framework for turning ketamine into real, lasting change 
•  Why intention is your “GPS” (and why “I just want to feel better” isn’t enough) 
•  The difference between symptom relief vs. true life transformation 
•  Why integration is what actually changes your identity—not the session itself 
•  How to stop looping the same emotional and behavioral patterns 

🌿 The Truth About Ketamine

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window.

But without direction…
 that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

Most people focus on logistics—when to eat, what to wear, how long the session lasts.

But the real work?

It’s happening underneath that.

Inside your subconscious patterns.
 Your beliefs.
 Your identity.

And if you’re not actively working with those… you’re missing the part that actually creates change. 

🔗 Want to Do This the Right Way?

If you’re listening to this and thinking:

“Okay… I don’t want to just try ketamine. I want this to actually work.”

I created something for you.

For the first time in over a year, I’m running a live round of the Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)—where I guide you through this process step-by-step.

👉 Join the interest list:
 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

👉 Prefer to join KPP today and do the live round with us later?
👉 https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

Inside, you’ll get:

•  All the details 
•  Dates + structure 
•  First access when doors open 

💛 Already in KPP?

Keep an eye on your inbox—you’ll be getting a special invitation to join this live round.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Ketamine is having a moment—and if you’re here, you’ve probably already felt the pull toward it.

But here’s the truth that doesn’t get talked about enough:

Most people are walking into ketamine completely unprepared.

Not because they’re doing something wrong…
 But because no one ever showed them how to actually work with the experience.

In this episode, I’m sharing what proper ketamine preparation really looks like—beyond logistics, beyond “don’t eat before your session,” beyond what your clinic is telling you.

We’re talking about:

•  how your subconscious mind plays a role in your results 
•  why intention setting is the difference between a meaningful experience and a missed opportunity 
•  what it actually takes to turn ketamine from “something you tried” into real, lasting change
•  and why preparation is the bridge between the medicine and your transformation 

I also share something new I’m bringing back for the first time in over a year—a live, guided round of the Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP).

This is a more connected, supported way to move through this work together… and honestly, something I didn’t realize how much I missed until recently.

If you’ve been listening to this podcast and thinking:
 “Okay… I want to do this the right way,”

This episode is for you.

🎧 In This Episode:

•  Why most ketamine experiences fall short (and it’s not the medicine) 
•  The real role of the subconscious mind in psychedelic healing 
•  What “proper preparation” actually means 
•  Why community + guidance changes everything 
•  Who the live KPP round is for (and who it’s not for) 
•  How to know if you’re ready to go deeper 

🔗 Want to Join the Live Round?

If you’re interested, you can join the interest list here:
 👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

You’ll get:

•  all the details 
•  dates + structure 
•  first access when doors open 

💛 Already in KPP?

Keep an eye on your inbox— you’ll be getting a special invitation to join this live round.

🌿 Final Note

Ketamine opens the door. But you’re the one who walks through it. And you don’t have to do that alone.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

If you’ve ever gone into a ketamine session, sat in the chair, and thought, “wait… what am I actually supposed to do right now?”—this episode is for you.

Because most clinics are doing exactly what they’re trained to do: monitoring your vitals, administering the medicine, and making sure you’re physically safe. And then… you’re left alone. No guidance, no framework—just you, the medicine, and a room. 

In this episode, we shift from passive patient to informed patient—the person who knows how to actually work with ketamine. Because while the clinic is focused on your body, your inner experience is yours to guide. 

We walk through the three most common moments in a clinical ketamine session—medical check-ins, pre-session small talk, and being left alone during the journey—and how to use each of them intentionally. From setting and speaking your intention (one of the most powerful ways to prime your subconscious), to understanding how your brain is being shaped in those moments right before and during the medicine, to making the most of the neuroplastic window instead of defaulting to distraction.

We also get into one of the most overlooked parts of the experience: the recovery window. That period after the medicine wears off isn’t just downtime—it’s a fertile space where your brain is still open and impressionable. Capturing what came up, whether through journaling, voice notes, or reflection, is what turns insight into real change.

The big takeaway? Your clinic has a checklist—and it’s the right one for what they’re trained to do. But it’s not the whole picture. That part is yours. And the more intentionally you show up to your sessions, the more you move from “something I tried” to something that actually changes your life. 

If you’re here, you’re already doing it differently. And that matters more than you think. 

🔗 Resources

• Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP) – Learn how to set powerful intentions, work with your subconscious mind, and get the most out of your ketamine sessions 👉 https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp
• Ketamine Starter Portal (Free) – Access guides, checklists, and resources from the podcast all in one place 👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

More insurance companies are now covering Spravato (esketamine nasal spray), which is increasing access to ketamine therapy in a powerful way.

But increased access also means many patients are entering treatment without preparation, guidance, or integration support.

In this practical and compassionate crash-course episode, ketamine coach and hypnotherapist Anna Krishtal shares 3 essential tips to help you make the most of your Spravato sessions — even if your clinic provides little instruction or a clinical environment that feels impersonal.

If you’re currently receiving Spravato treatments — or considering starting — this episode will help you understand how to use the neuroplastic window intentionally so ketamine can create real, lasting change.

✨ In This Episode You’ll Learn:

•  Why scrolling on your phone during ketamine sessions can reduce therapeutic impact 
•  What to listen to during Spravato treatment for subconscious healing 
•  How to create a meaningful internal container even in a medical office 
•  What the neuroplastic window is — and why the hours after ketamine matter 
•  Simple integration practices to support transformation after each session 
•  How preparation and integration influence long-term outcomes with ketamine therapy 

🌿 Resources Mentioned

Start with the free Ketamine Starter Portal →
https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

Learn about the Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP) →
https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp

💛 Loved This Episode?

Share it with someone doing Spravato or considering ketamine therapy.
 Your share could help someone turn a confusing medical experience into a transformational one.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Healing doesn’t happen in a straight line.

In this deeply personal heart-to-heart episode of Ketamine Connections, ketamine coach and hypnotherapist Anna Krishtal shares what she has been witnessing in her clients lately — powerful transformation that looks sudden on the outside, but is actually the result of months (or years) of inner work.

If you’re in the research phase… the fear phase… or the “I’ve tried everything and nothing is working” phase — this episode is for you.

Anna talks about the reality of the messy middle in healing — the disorienting space where old patterns are dissolving but the new version of you hasn’t fully stabilized yet. It can feel like nothing is happening… like you’re scrubbing and soaking the same pan over and over again.

But then one day, something shifts.

Through client stories, compassionate insight, and a powerful spoken “wish” for listeners, Anna reminds you that transformation is not a miracle but rather the result of patience, integration, and continuing to show up for yourself even when progress feels invisible. 

If you’ve been wondering whether ketamine healing can really work for you… or whether you’re already closer than you think… this episode will meet you exactly where you are.

In This Episode

• What the “messy middle” of healing actually feels like
 • Why progress in ketamine work often looks slow before it looks sudden
 • Why your dream and desire for healing may still be alive — even after everything

Resources Mentioned

✨ Ketamine Starter Portal (free guides, tools, and resources)
https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, Anna Krishtal—hypnotherapist, ketamine coach, and host of the show—makes a bold claim:

Hypnosis might be the most powerful psychedelic tool available.

In this episode, Anna explains why hypnosis works on many of the same mechanisms as psychedelics—quieting the Default Mode Network, opening a state of neuroplasticity, and allowing the subconscious mind to reorganize itself. 

You’ll also hear Anna’s personal story of discovering hypnosis years before psychedelics, and how the two modalities complement each other in powerful ways.

If you’ve ever been curious about how to change your mind and befriend your mind actually works, this episode will open a whole new world.

In This Episode

• Why hypnosis could be considered a psychedelic tool
• The real meaning of the word psychedelic (“mind manifesting”)
• How hypnosis and psychedelics affect the Default Mode Network
• Why alpha and theta brain states are key to subconscious change
• How psychedelics amplify what’s already inside the mind
• Why intention and preparation matter so much before psychedelic experiences
• Anna’s journey into hypnosis before discovering psychedelics

Episodes referenced:

• 26: Breathwork is the First Legal Psychedelic with Liz Sanders
• 81: Rejection is Protection: Dr. James Leathem on Ketamine, Persistance, and Transformational Medicine (Part 1)
• 82: What is the Ego? Ketamine, Integration, and Neuroplasticity (Part 2 with Dr. James Leathem)
•  15: I Didn’t Expect This After My First Psychedelic Ceremony—Here’s What Happened
• 67: Psychedelics Didn’t Change My Life—Here’s What Did

The Ketamine Preparation Protocol:

If you want to learn how to prepare your subconscious mind properly and use that neuroplastic window intentionally, explore:

✨ The Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)- https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

If you tried ketamine therapy and it didn’t change your life the way you hoped… this episode is for you.

And if your biggest fear is spending the time, money, and hope on ketamine only to feel disappointed? This conversation will change how you see the entire process.

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, I break down one of the most misunderstood truths about ketamine therapy:

👉 The glimpse is not the transformation.

Ketamine doesn’t “fix” you. It disrupts old patterns. It opens a neuroplastic window. It quiets the default mode network and gives you access to a new perspective. But what you do with that window determines whether your life actually changes.

We talk about:

• Why ketamine therapy may feel like it “worked” — and then faded
• The difference between a psychedelic glimpse and true transformation
• How the subconscious mind runs old programming (like an outdated iOS)
• Why your brain defaults back to familiar patterns — even when they make you miserable
• The critical role of preparation and integration
• How to use ketamine’s neuroplastic window so results actually stick

If you’re wondering:

• “Did ketamine fail me?”
• “Was that experience real?”
• “Why did I go back to my old patterns?”
• “Is ketamine therapy worth it?”

This episode will help you reframe disappointment as feedback — and show you what actually makes ketamine work long-term.

Because here’s the truth:

Ketamine is the spark.
 You are the variable.

With the right preparation, support, and integration, ketamine can absolutely accelerate healing for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and emotional patterns — but transformation requires participation.

If you want to learn how to prepare your subconscious mind properly and use that neuroplastic window intentionally, explore:

✨ The Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)- https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp
 ✨ 1:1 Ketamine Coaching - https://www.annakrishtal.com/coaching-info

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

In Part Two of my in-person conversation with Dr. James Leathem, we pick up exactly where we left off: defining the ego.

In psychedelic work, “ego dissolution” is a phrase we hear constantly — but what is the ego, really? Dr. James defines it not as arrogance, but as the learned identity of self, meaning the accumulated conditioning, patterns, and protective mechanisms that shape how we experience the world.

From there, we move into the technical depth of ketamine therapy.

We discuss mode of administration (IV vs IM vs nasal), dosage considerations, and why steady-state IV infusions create a different arc of experience. We unpack high-threshold nervous systems, tolerance, and why needing a higher dose is a nervous system conversation, not a moral one.

We also explore music as medicine and the original shamanic tool that guides the journey where language cannot reach.

And at the core of this episode is the most important equation:

Ketamine + daily integration practice = transformation.

Ketamine alone is not the line in the sand. It opens a neuroplastic window. What you do during that window determines whether you reinforce old patterns or build new ones.

We talk about:

• Positive vs negative neuroplasticity
 • Using substances for insight vs using substances to numb
 • The difference between escaping yourself and moving toward yourself
 • Why the best integration is discovering that the answers were within you all along

We also reference Casey Dubrovic’s book Psychedeliciatry (Episode 68 of this show), including his powerful framework:

Name it to tame it.
Feel it to heal it.
Reframe it to reclaim it.

You can find his book linked below, along with Dr. James’ Genius Network talk on transformational medicine.

And in true Dr. James fashion — this episode ends with not one, but two raps, so make sure to listen through to the end.

🔗 Resources Mentioned

👉Dr. James Leathem – Genius Network Talk
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BamUlV5KPB8

👉Casey Dubrovic, Psychedeliciatry
https://www.amazon.com/-/he/PSYCHEDELICIATRY-Methodology-CASEY-DUBRAVCIC-PMHNP/dp/1966212925

👉Episode 68 – Casey Dubrovic on Ketamine Connections

👉Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP) www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

In this in-person episode of Ketamine Connections, I sit down with Dr. James Leathem — anesthesiologist turned psychedelic pioneer — to explore what transformational medicine actually means.

We talk about rejection as redirection, trusting the process, and what it takes to build something meaningful — in medicine and in life. Dr. James shares his journey from failing into medical school twice to building a comprehensive ketamine clinic model rooted in safety, preparation, and integration.

We break down what makes ketamine therapy effective for depression, PTSD, and anxiety — and what most people misunderstand. Neuroplasticity is neutral. Ketamine may open the door, but what you do afterward determines whether you reinforce old patterns or build new ones. It’s a tool, not a cure.

We also explore safety as the foundation of healing, why ego is attachment to familiar suffering (not arrogance), and how anxiety can be reframed as “future awareness.” This episode ends on a cliffhanger as we begin defining ego — a conversation that continues in Part Two (come back next week!), where we dive deeper into clinical protocols and methodology.

Dr. James has also spoken about transformational medicine and the future of ketamine care.

If you’re considering ketamine therapy, or want to understand how to maximize its impact through preparation and integration, this episode is for you.

This episode is educational and not medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your treatment plan.

🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Advanced Wellness & Pain – Scottsdale & Gilbert, Arizona
• Joe Dispenza (Neuroplasticity reference)
• Inside Out 2 (Film)
• Ketamine Preparation Protocol

👉 https://www.youtube.com/@KetamineConnections

I hope you had a beautiful, love-filled Valentine’s Day. 💛

In this final Sunday Sneak Peek, Anna officially retires the three-month experiment and shares why she’s refining the rhythm of Ketamine Connections.

Sunday Sneak Peek was an experiment — a way to test whether two episodes a week created more connection. But this show has never been about maximizing output. It’s about serving and connecting with you.

Instead of splitting energy, Anna is choosing to pour fully into one powerful, intentional Wednesday episode — the long-form conversations you’ve come to know and trust.

At the same time, the show is expanding in new ways:

• Full video episodes on YouTube
• More short-form clips
• New ways to deepen connection in 2026

Because the goal isn’t more content. It’s more connection.

Inspired by the idea of “burning the forest you love to make space for something better,” this episode marks a refinement — not an ending.

Join us Wednesdays for one strong, grounded episode each week. And come hang out on YouTube as the next chapter unfolds.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, I did something a little sneaky — I called ketamine clinics across the country as a “secret shopper.”

Not as your ketamine coach. Not as someone who has worked in preparation and integration for years. Just as a curious first-time patient asking simple questions:

What do you offer for preparation?
 What support exists for integration?

What I found was a mixed bag.

Nearly every clinic immediately discussed medical clearance, fasting instructions, medication review, and transportation logistics. All of that matters. Safety is essential. But when I asked about mental and emotional preparation — things like intention setting, nervous system regulation, or how to navigate fear — the answers were inconsistent.

Some clinics are beginning to offer intention-setting guides or pre-session conversations. Others confuse preparation with therapist-guided sessions or focus solely on the medical model. The field is evolving, but education around working with ketamine — not just administering it — is still catching up.

Integration followed a similar pattern. Many clinics collaborate with therapists or recommend sessions within 24–72 hours of infusion. That’s progress. But integration is often labeled as optional or supplementary. And if someone doesn’t know they need integration support, will they seek it out?

Probably not.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window. Preparation sets the tone. Integration determines whether insights become lasting change.

In this episode, I break down what proper preparation really means, why integration is the difference between “something I tried” and “something that changed my life,” and the exact questions you deserve to ask a ketamine clinic before starting treatment.

This isn’t about shaming providers. It’s about elevating the field — and empowering you to advocate for your healing.

Ketamine opens the door.
You’re the one who walks through it.

Resources Mentioned

Ketamine Starter Portal
👉 www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

Episode 28: Should You Journey Solo or With a Sitter?
A full breakdown of whether you need a trip sitter or therapist-guided session, plus a companion quiz inside the Starter Portal.

Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)

👉 www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

 A comprehensive preparation program designed to help you:

• Understand how ketamine works on the brain
• Learn how the subconscious mind operates
• Set powerful, effective intentions
• Regulate your nervous system before sessions
• Navigate difficult emotions if they arise
• Make the most of the neuroplastic window afterward

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

In this Sunday Sneak Peek episode of Ketamine Connections, Anna shares a preview of an upcoming episode that’s been in the making for over a year.

For this episode, Anna cold-called ketamine clinics across the United States, not as a ketamine coach or professional in the field, but as a curious, anxious first-time patient. Her goal was simple: to understand what information clinics provide when patients ask about mode of administration, preparation, and integration, without being prompted by an expert.

What emerged from these conversations wasn’t about individual clinics being “good” or “bad,” but about the patterns and themes that show up again and again when patients explore ketamine therapy. This sneak peek sets the stage for Wednesday’s full episode, where Anna shares clips from those calls and breaks down what she noticed, and what listeners should be paying attention to when choosing a clinic.

If you’re in the exploration phase of ketamine therapy, these first conversations matter. How a clinic responds to your curiosity, anxiety, and questions is often your first indication of whether it’s the right fit for your nervous system.

🎧 Full episode drops Wednesday, February 11, featuring real call clips and Anna’s conclusions from these conversations.

🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Episode 36: How to Choose a Ketamine Clinic
  A full breakdown of essential questions to ask when evaluating ketamine providers.
• Ketamine Clinic Vetting Guide (PDF) is inside the Ketamine Starter Portal
  A downloadable list of questions pulled directly from Episode 36, designed to support you in choosing a clinic that feels aligned and supportive.
• 👉www.yourketaminecoach.com/free
• Ketamine Starter Portal
  A free resource library with podcast-related guides, PDFs, and tools to support your ketamine education and preparation.
• 👉www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Have you ever felt like something was wrong with you, like you were a problem to be fixed, or that life would finally feel better after the next milestone?

In this deeply vulnerable episode of Ketamine Connections, the tables are turned as Dr. Ashley Irizarry returns to the podcast to interview host Anna Krishtal.

Anna shares her personal journey of starting therapy at age 11, living with suicidal ideation, cycling through years of ineffective talk therapy, and chasing external milestones in the hope that happiness would arrive “when.” She reflects on the moment she realized that nothing was wrong with her, and how true healing began when she stopped trying to fix herself and started working with her subconscious mind.

This episode explores inner child work, the malleability of memory, self-talk, forgiveness, resilience, and why trauma-specific modalities like ketamine therapy and hypnotherapy can create change where traditional approaches often fall short. Together, Anna and Ashley unpack how ketamine provides access to the subconscious mind as a tool to help you rewire outdated beliefs and step back into the driver’s seat of your life.

This conversation is about responsibility without shame, healing without bypassing, and the reminder that your subconscious mind has been trying to keep you safe all along.

Resources Mentioned

• Ketamine Starter Portal – a free library of guides, tools, and resources discussed on the podcast
  • 👉 www.yourketaminecoach.com/free 
• Share Your Story - Ketamine Connections is inviting more transformation stories in 2026. If you feel called to share your experience, you can submit your story here: 👉 https://www.annakrishtal.com/podcast

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

In this Sunday Sneak Peek, Anna shares highlights from attending the ASKP Conference (American Society of Ketamine Physicians, Psychotherapists, and Practitioners) and reflects on how meaningful it felt to see the conversation expand beyond data and analysis into real human stories — the kind we center here on Ketamine Connections.

She also shares the full-circle moment of meeting Dr. Ashley Irizarry in person and previews this week’s episode, where Dr. Irizarry interviews Anna on her own podcast. The conversation begins with the same question Anna asks every guest — and leads into a deeply vulnerable story about starting therapy at age 11, navigating self-harm and suicidal ideation, growing up without trauma-informed language, and living for years in the “I’ll be better when…” cycle.

This upcoming episode explores inner child work, the malleability of memory, forgiveness and self-forgiveness, and what it really looks like to give yourself what you actually needed.

Anna also invites listeners to share their own transformation stories as Ketamine Connections moves into 2026.

👉 Submit your story here:
 https://form.jotform.com/251955687330667

Come back Wednesday for the full episode.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

After recent headlines linking ketamine to the deaths of Matthew Perry and Jim Irsay, fear-based reporting has resurfaced scaring an already vulnerable population away from a treatment that, when used correctly, can be profoundly supportive.

So instead of asking “Can ketamine kill you?” we ask:

Under what conditions is ketamine safe—and when is it not?

This episode breaks down the missing context: the difference between clinical vs. recreational use, why the container matters just as much as the medicine, and how ketamine actually works as a catalyst for neuroplasticity, not a cure, not a miracle, and not a shortcut.

If you’re considering ketamine for depression, anxiety, PTSD, or chronic pain, or you’re already working with it, this is essential listening.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• Why fear-based headlines about ketamine are misleading—and dangerous
• The difference between relief vs. resolution in ketamine therapy
• Why ketamine is not a silver bullet (and never was)
• How ketamine opens a window of neuroplasticity—and why that window often closes without lasting change
• The critical role of medical oversight, preparation, and nervous system safety
• Why ketamine has been safely used for decades in hospitals, emergency rooms, and war zones
• How unsupervised or recreational use dramatically changes the risk profile
• Why your health history, stress load, and nervous system state matter more than the medicine itself
• What actually creates transformation: preparation, intention, and a safe healing container

Key Takeaway:

Ketamine does not change your life.
 You do.

Ketamine opens the door—but without safety, structure, and subconscious education, that door often closes without anything changing.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

✨ Ketamine Starter Portal (Free)
All of the free guides, resources, and education referenced on the podcast live here. This is the best place to start if you want to approach ketamine with intention and safety.

👉www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

✨ Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)
For those who want to go deeper into preparation, subconscious safety, and making ketamine a true turning point, not just temporary relief.

👉www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

✨ Episode 7 – 3 Fun Facts About Ketamine
 

If This Episode Supported You

Please consider sharing it with someone who’s been confused, scared, or discouraged by recent ketamine headlines. Accurate education saves hope, and sometimes lives.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Ketamine has been questioned as a cause of death in recent high-profile tragedies with Matthew Perry and Jim Irsay, and the headlines have left out crucial context.

In this Wednesday's episode of Ketamine Connections, we slow the conversation way down and ask a better question than the media does:

Not “Can ketamine kill you?”
But “Under what conditions is ketamine safe — and when is it not?”

We explore:

• why ketamine keeps becoming the scapegoat in fear-based headlines
• what the science actually says about ketamine’s safety profile
• how decades of untreated trauma, substance use, and chronic stress impact the heart and nervous system
• the difference between temporary relief and real, lasting transformation

This episode is not about minimizing risk but rather it’s about telling the whole truth so people can make informed, grounded decisions.

Ketamine is a catalyst, not a miracle.
Your body and nervous system are the container.

🎧 New episodes drop Wednesdays
 📺 Ketamine Connections is back on YouTube so follow along for full episodes and clips https://www.youtube.com/@KetamineConnections

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, Anna revisits a foundational question: Is the subconscious mind real, and why does it matter in ketamine therapy?

Using the iceberg metaphor, Anna explains how roughly 95% of the mind operates beneath the surface, quietly running our patterns, emotions, and behaviors. Ketamine works by lowering the walls between different parts of the mind, creating access to this deeper layer and opening a window of neuroplasticity.

She shares why many people feel a powerful sense of relief or possibility during ketamine—sometimes after years or decades of feeling stuck—but are left unsure what to do once the experience fades. Through the house and door analogy, Anna explains why the opening of the door is often mistaken for the healing, when in reality it’s just the beginning.

This episode covers:

• How ketamine opens access to the subconscious mind
• Why the peak experience isn’t the transformation
• The role of neuroplasticity in creating change
• Why lasting healing requires subconscious skills, not more sessions

If you want to understand how ketamine works and what actually turns insight into real change, this episode lays the groundwork.

Ready to join The Ketamine Preparation Protocol?

👉www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

This week’s Sunday Sneak Peek lands under the first new moon of the year — a moment about foundation.

New moons is a new beginning, and what a timely and auspicious this New Moon in Capricorn is today!  In addition to the energy of the New Moon and some journal questions I'm pasting below, I also cue up Wednesday’s episode, which revisits the core teaching that makes ketamine finally make sense for so many people:
the role of the subconscious mind.

If ketamine has helped you feel better but hasn’t quite created lasting change…
 or if you’re new and want a clearer map before going further…
 this is the lens everything else builds on.  I'm bringing this episode back as a "best of" series, and also adding a new segment to the episode, so come back Wednesday to check that out.

As always, take what lands and let the rest pass. 

✨ Journal Questions (from the episode)

• What am I devoting myself to?
• What do I want to build?
• What do I want to build in my life in a sustainable way?
• What am I actually committed to this year?
• What is my long-term goal, vision, or mission here?

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Why were psychedelics made illegal in the first place, and what does that history have to do with your mental health today?

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, Anna explores the deeper roots of psychedelic prohibition, tracing it beyond the 1960s into colonialism, religion, and systems of control. We look at how ancient civilizations accessed the sacred directly through plants, movement, and ceremony, and why embodied, unmediated experiences of meaning have always made authority nervous.

From ego dissolution and indigenous practices to the cultural upheaval of the 1960s, this episode unpacks what was actually happening socially and politically when the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 was passed. Anti-war resistance, Black liberation, women’s liberation, queer liberation, and communal psychedelic use weren’t isolated events, they were part of a broader cultural shift that challenged hierarchy, obedience, and imposed identities.

We also explore the work of Terence McKenna, whose insights help explain why psychedelics were criminalized, not because they were dangerous, but because they dissolve conditioning and restore direct access to meaning and self-trust.

Finally, we bring it back to the present moment: ketamine, modern mental health, and why preparation and integration matter just as much as the medicine itself.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• Why psychedelics have been used safely for thousands of years
• How colonialism, religion, and authority shaped psychedelic prohibition
• What was happening in the 1960s that led to the CSA of 1970
• The role psychedelics played in anti-war and liberation movements
• Why ego dissolution challenges hierarchy and control
• Who Terence McKenna was and why his work still matters
• How ketamine can restore inner authority when paired with integration

Resources Mentioned

• Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)
  A step-by-step preparation framework designed to help ketamine work when you do — by building subconscious safety, nervous system readiness, and intentional integration before and after sessions.
  👉 www.annakrishtal.com/kpp
• Ketamine Starter Portal (KSP)
  A free resource hub with guides and education for anyone curious about ketamine or preparing for their first journey.
  👉 www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

We’re in the final month of the Year of the Snake (Chinese lunar calendar), a phase that isn’t about dramatic shedding any more than you have, but about consolidation.

The old skin is mostly off.
 The new skin is still thickening.

In this week’s upcoming Wednesday episode of Ketamine Connections, Anna explores why psychedelics were made illegal in the first place — from colonial religion to the 1960s to modern mental health systems — and why it was never truly about safety.

At its core, psychedelic prohibition has always been about power and control.

This Sunday Sneak Peek invites you to listen with a new lens:
 How altered states can return you to a felt sense of inner authority, especially for those living with disempowering mental health states like depression, anxiety, rumination, PTSD being prescribed ketamine for help.

Tune in Wednesday for the full episode.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

If ketamine is floating around in your awareness — if a doctor mentioned it, a friend brought it up, or you’ve been quietly Googling it at night — this episode is for you.

In this first episode of Ketamine Connections in 2026, Anna Krishtal invites you to slow down before booking ketamine and understand what actually creates lasting change.

Ketamine is often framed as the thing that fixes anxiety, depression, or emotional pain. But ketamine doesn’t create the change — it creates the opening. What happens before and after the session is what determines whether ketamine becomes transformational or whether the effects fade.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why ketamine symptom relief is common in the first session — and why that doesn’t mean it will automatically stick
• Why every ketamine session feels different (and why that’s normal)
• The common dip that happens after initial relief — and why it’s not failure
• How the subconscious mind surfaces root material once safety is established
• Why your nervous system doesn’t care about trends, celebrities, or protocols
• The difference between using ketamine reactively vs intentionally
• Why preparation and integration matter more than dosage or frequency

Anna uses a simple metaphor to explain ketamine as a powerful tool — one that works best when you understand how to use it and follow the right order of steps. Ketamine opens the box, but without preparation and integration, the structure doesn’t hold.

This episode is especially for you if:

• You’ve tried therapy, medication, or other healing modalities and still feel stuck
• You felt relief once but watched it fade
• You’re afraid ketamine “won’t work for you”
• You want more than temporary symptom relief — you want emotional freedom

Ketamine isn’t here to fix you.
 It’s here to show you what’s possible — and ask you to participate.

If 2026 is the year you work with ketamine, this episode will help you do it intentionally, safely, and with the full picture in mind.

Relevant Links (Drop-In Ready)

🔗 Ketamine Starter Portal
Access all free guides, resources, and episode references in one place:
👉 www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Welcome to our first Sunday of 2026.

New Year energy is real. Beginnings loosen patterns and make change feel more available... and at the same time, it’s very common for hesitation to show up if you’ve ridden this wave before and ended up disappointed.

And that, my friend, is protection.

In this Sunday Sneak Peek, I name both sides of this moment and set the tone for the year ahead. I also preview Wednesday’s episode, the first full episode of 2026, where I ask a really important question:

If ketamine worked… how would you know?

We talk about why ketamine isn’t the change itself, but rather it’s the tool, and how real, lasting transformation comes from preparation, order, and integration, not the medicine alone. I also share why early relief is real, why things can feel better and then harder, and how that’s often part of the process rather than a sign something went wrong.

As always, all of the grounding tools and resources I mention are free inside the Ketamine Starter Portal, which is also the best way to stay connected beyond the podcast.

👉www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

New Year’s Eve has a way of activating big questions:
What needs to change? What needs to stop? What part of me am I trying to fix this year?

In this special NYE episode, Anna offers a powerful reframe for resolution season — one that invites compassion instead of self-war, and understanding instead of “new year, new me” pressure.

This episode explores why what we often call self-sabotage is actually self-protection, and how the subconscious mind isn’t your enemy — it’s your most loyal ally, still running old survival software that once kept you safe.

You’ll hear:

• why the subconscious is protecting familiarity, not happiness
• how internal conflict is created by fighting parts of yourself
• why ketamine doesn’t override the subconscious — it reveals it
• and how healing begins when you build trust with the parts you’ve been trying to silence

Anna also shares a simple but profound practice to soften the inner war and shift from self-criticism to self-leadership... a grounding way to close the year and step into the next.

✨ If you’re approaching ketamine (or life) hoping something will finally “fix” you, this episode offers a radically different, and deeply relieving,  perspective.

All of the holiday and New Year support mentioned in this episode, including free guides, grounding tools, and ways to connect more deeply, live inside the Ketamine Starter Portal.

✨ Resources Mentioned

• Ketamine Starter Portal (free tools, guides, and newsletter):
  https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free
• Jump on Anna's calendar and connect: https://tidycal.com/anna-krishtal/lets-catch-up-25
  
  

As you ring in the new year, remember:
 Nothing about you is broken.
 Healing begins when you stop fighting yourself.

Happy New Year. 💛

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

New Year’s Eve carries a real wave of possibility, and there’s a subconscious reason for that. Beginnings loosen old patterns and make change feel more available.

In this Sunday Sneak Peek, Anna names both sides of New Year energy:

• why moments like New Year’s, birthdays, and fresh starts genuinely support change
• and why hesitation can show up if you’ve ridden that wave before… and wiped out

This episode sets the stage for the full episode that will release on NYE Wednesday where Anna dives deeper into one of the most misunderstood dynamics in healing: why what we often call self-sabotage is actually the subconscious trying to keep you safe, and how real transformation begins when you stop fighting that part of yourself.

Stay until the end of this episode to hear Anna share her personal love for New Year’s — and why this moment has always mattered so much to her, and an invitation to connect.

Book in to connect with Anna here: https://tidycal.com/anna-krishtal/lets-catch-up-25

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

If you’ve been curious about ketamine therapy, especially during a season when anxiety, depression, and old patterns can feel louder, this episode breaks down what actually makes ketamine work.

In this Christmas Eve episode of Ketamine Connections, Anna Krishtal explores three well-known ketamine success stories: Trevor Noah, Kelly Osbourne, and Lamar Odom to show why ketamine isn’t a miracle cure, and why relief alone isn’t the transformation.

Ketamine can create rapid symptom relief with 50–70% of people experiencing improvement in their first session but lasting change comes from what you do after. This episode explains the difference.

✨ In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• Why ketamine works differently than antidepressants
• What rapid relief actually does (and doesn’t) mean
• How ketamine creates space from mental looping, anxiety, and trauma
• Why integration is the key to lasting change
• What celebrity ketamine stories reveal, without the hype
• Why the holidays can amplify symptoms (and how to navigate them)

🎄 Holiday Support (Free)

🎧 Episode 69: Holiday Triggers + Why You’re Not Regressing

🎧 Episode 70: Should You Tell Your Family You’re Doing Ketamine?

🌿 Ketamine Starter Portal (FREE):
Grounding tools, short audios, worksheets, and holiday support
👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

🎙️ Share Your Ketamine Success Story

Have a ketamine transformation you want to share on the podcast?

👉 Submit your story:
https://form.jotform.com/251955687330667

She reflects on why intention changes the trajectory of everything:
from how we eat, to how we move through the holidays, to how we work with ketamine as medicine rather than just a substance.

You’ll hear why:

• intention is what gives ketamine direction
• substance alone doesn’t create healing (otherwise nightclubs would be full of enlightened beings)
• learning to work with the subconscious recruits 95% of the brain
• and why last week’s episode on intention is essential listening this time of year

Anna also highlights free holiday resources available inside the Ketamine Starter Portal, including:

• a powerful grounding practice from Episode 69
• tools for navigating family triggers
• guidance for difficult conversations from Episode 70
• and access to the weekly Energy Reads newsletter

Finally, she previews this Wednesday’s episode (Episode 73)—a hope-filled conversation sharing three powerful ketamine success stories from Trevor Noah, Kelly Osbourne, and Lamar Odom, and why hearing real human stories expands what the subconscious believes is possible.

✨ Resources Mentioned

• Ketamine Starter Portal (free grounding tools + holiday resources):
  https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free
  
  
• Episode 72: How to Set a Subconsciously Sound Intention
• Episode 69: Holiday Triggers + Grounding Practice
• Episode 70: Navigating Conversations & Protecting Your Nervous System

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Setting an intention is often talked about as the most important part of a ketamine journey, and yet very few people are taught how to do it in a way that actually works with the subconscious mind.

In this episode, Anna breaks down three common ways people unknowingly set your ketamine intentions up for failure, and how these mistakes can lead to frustration, disappointment, or the belief that “ketamine isn’t working.”

Drawing from her own early psychedelic experiences, and years of working with ketamine clients, Anna explains why intention is meant to function as a North Star, not a rigid outcome or a test you pass or fail.

You’ll learn:

• Why vague, directionless intentions often lead nowhere
• How outcome-focused intentions quietly sabotage the process
• Why getting upset when sessions don’t go “as planned” is usually a sign that ketamine is working
• How intention supports you through discomfort, agitation, and the messy middle of transformation
• What makes an intention subconsciously sound versus ego-driven

If you’re preparing for ketamine, already in a protocol, or reflecting back on sessions that didn’t unfold the way you expected, this episode will help you re-orient toward the process, and use intention the way it’s meant to be used.

✨ Need help setting your intention? 

👉Join the Ketamine Preparation Protocol here: https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

✨ Want direct feedback on your intention?

Anna is currently offering 1:1 Ketamine Intention Audits—short, focused, strategic calls designed to refine the intention you already have and make sure it’s truly set up for success.
👉 https://tidycal.com/anna-krishtal/intention-audit

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

The holidays can feel like someone pressed fast-forward on life... schedules fill up, nervous systems run hot, and it’s easy to lose your center.

In this Sunday Sneak Peek, Anna shares supportive resources for navigating the intensity of the season, including a powerful grounding practice from Episode 69 and free nervous-system tools available inside the Ketamine Starter Portal.

She also reflects on this week’s Energy Read, exploring liminal space: the in-between phase of change where the old identity no longer fits, but the new one hasn’t stabilized yet, and why discomfort here is often a sign of real transformation.

Plus, a preview of Episode 72, a solo conversation on ketamine intention:

• the three most common ways people unintentionally set their intention up to fail
• how to tell the difference between a subconsciously sound intention and a goal or wish
• why frustration during ketamine work often means the process is working

✨ Special note: Episode 72 includes a limited opportunity to book a 1:1 intention audit with Anna. The booking link will be shared inside the episode and removed once spots are filled.  Be sure to subscribe to the show to receive it first.

Finally, a reminder that Mental Hygiene Moments, Anna’s free monthly group hypnosis for nervous-system support, is happening Monday, December 15th at 3:30 PM ET.

👉 https://www.annakrishtal.com/mhm

✨ Resources Mentioned

• Ketamine Starter Portal (Free grounding tools + weekly Energy Reads):
  https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free
• Episode 69: Holiday grounding practice (EFT, breathwork, regulation)
• Episode 70: Additional holiday nervous-system support

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

What do you turn to in the darkest chapters of your life when the confusion, the uncertainty, the “am I doing this right?” moments hit? And how do you find faith when nothing feels stable beneath your feet?

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Kevin Cannella, MAPS-trained psychedelic psychotherapist for a conversation that moves through 3D to 5D, the subconscious, liminal space, spiritual trust, and why our deepest transformations often begin in the moments where we feel the most lost.

✨ What we cover:

• Why life moves in repeating themes, and what it means when the same lesson keeps circling back
• The chrysalis stage of healing, aka the “in-between” where your old life is gone but the new one hasn’t arrived yet
• Why your subconscious repeats familiar patterns (even the painful ones)
• Why friction is normal on the path of growth — and what it’s trying to show you
• How to trust the process when your nervous system is screaming for certainty
• How psychedelic work (including ketamine) mirrors spiritual initiations
• Kevin’s windy path through psychotherapy, ayahuasca, Vipassana, Sufism, and faith-based healing
• The role of intuitive nudges vs. fear-based conditioning
• How to walk a spiritual path without bypassing your humanit

This is one of those conversations you’ll want to listen to more than once. Every time, you’ll hear something new, a phrase, a metaphor, a perspective that lands differently depending on where you are in your healing.

📩 Want to go deeper together?

• Join the Ketamine Starter Portal for free!  You’ll get invitations, tools, and insights I don’t share anywhere else.
  👉 Join here: https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

In this Sunday Sneak Peek we dive into a theme from the week’s newsletter that so many of you are moving through: pendulum swings and overcorrection.

When you finally break an old pattern, whether it's people-pleasing, over-giving, or anything else, the subconscious often swings hard in the opposite direction. It’s recalibration. It’s how your nervous system learns contrast so it can eventually find center.

If you want more of these weekly subconscious teachings, join my email list through the Ketamine Starter Portal where you’ll also get access to the grounding practice from Episode 69 and tools to support your ketamine journey.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

✨ Sneak Peek: Episode 71 (out Wednesday!)

This week I sit down with Kevin Cannella, a MAPS-trained psychedelic psychotherapist whose story spans 15+ years of exploring altered states, spiritual growth, and deep transformation.

We talk about:
 • liminal space (the in-between)
 • nonlinear healing & pressure as transformation
 • trusting the path when you can’t see the outcome
 • intuition and the next smallest step
 • how clarity only comes in hindsight

It’s one of those episodes that’s deeply human, validating, grounding, and full of perspective.

See you Wednesday, friends, or inside the Ketamine Starter Portal. 

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

The holidays bring people together, and that means questions, conversations, curiosity, and sometimes… pressure to share more than you want to. If you’re healing with ketamine and wondering whether (or how) to tell your family, this episode is your roadmap.

Today, Your Ketamine Coach Anna Krishtal is walking you through exactly how to decide who’s safe to share with, what to say, what NOT to say, and the three exit strategies you can use if the conversation starts going sideways. You’ll learn how to protect your nervous system, how to avoid the “psychedelic evangelist” trap, and how to let your transformation speak louder than any explanation ever could.

This episode is packed with the exact process I teach inside my 1:1 coaching and in the Ketamine Preparation Protocol, including the body-based discernment tool, the wading-in warm-up questions, and the word-for-word scripts to use if you choose to share.

Perfect for holiday gatherings, tricky family dynamics, or anyone navigating the early tender stages of their ketamine journey.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

✨ How to decide if you should share your ketamine therapy with family
 ✨ The two questions to ask yourself before telling anyone
 ✨ A simple, powerful body-based discernment process
 ✨ The “wading in lightly” warm-up questions to test someone’s openness
 ✨ 3 rules for sharing (and how to avoid oversharing)
✨ 3 exit strategies you can use anytime — with word-for-word scripts
✨ Why early ketamine healing is like a tiny baby bunny that needs protection
✨ How to avoid becoming a “psychedelic evangelist”
✨ Why letting your transformation speak is the most powerful strategy of all

Resources Mentioned

🔗 Download the free worksheet for this episode
Inside the Ketamine Starter Portal (FREE)
https://yourketaminecoach.com/free

Episode 69: Holiday Triggers + Why You’re Not Regressing

🔗 SOS Nervous System Toolkit (10-minute audio)
Free inside the Ketamine Starter Portal

🔗 Join the Newsletter automatic when you join the Ketamine Starter Portal for free: https://yourketaminecoach.com/free

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Happy Sunday and welcome back to a new Sunday Sneak Peek of Ketamine Connections!
I hope this holiday weekend was nurturing, grounding, and, maybe a little refreshing. And if it wasn’t? If it brought things up, or felt tender, or stirred family dynamics even from afar… please know that’s completely normal. Family themes run strong this time of year, whether or not they’re physically present.

If that resonates, make sure you check out Episode 69, where I talk about holiday triggers, why they do not mean you’re regressing, and how to understand what’s really happening beneath the surface. Don’t miss the last 10 minutes of that episode where I walk you through an SOS nervous system sequence you can use anytime you're activated or preparing to step into something activating.

This week’s Energy Read (my weekly subconscious newsletter) continued the analogy of “scrubbing the pan” as a metaphor for ketamine healing.
We dove into micro-wins: those tiny shifts your subconscious tries to hide, even though they’re the exact moments that move you out of old patterns and into identity-level change.

If you want the longform version of that teaching (and deeper subconscious insights every Friday), join the Ketamine Starter Portal. That’s the easiest way to hop on my email list and get the weekly energy reads delivered straight to you.

And one more thing… as I’m planning for 2026, I’m craving more touchpoints with you. More connection. More ways to hear what you want on the show. Stay tuned for an invitation soon where we get to connect more directly.

Finally: This coming Wednesday, we’re continuing the theme of family with a an episode around the theme of, “Should You Tell Your Family You’re Doing Ketamine?”  We’ll talk discernment, timing, protecting your subconscious, and how to share from a grounded place without slipping into psychedelic evangelist energy. Come back Wednesday for the full episode.

Stay curious, and I’ll see you mid-week. 💛

🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED

▶️ Listen to Episode 69 (Holiday Triggers + SOS Toolkit)

🌀 Join the Ketamine Starter Portal (Free Resources + Email List)

https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

🧠 Subscribe to the Weekly Energy Read Newsletter

Automatically included when you join the Ketamine Starter Portal.

✨ Mental Hygiene Moments (if you want to include it)

https://www.annakrishtal.com/mhm

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Why is it that you can feel grounded, peaceful, and genuinely good… and then one comment from a family member sends you spiraling back into an old emotional state?

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, we explore the real reason triggers feel so intense around family, and why these moments don’t mean you’re regressing. Using the literal definition of a “trigger,” we break down how your family of origin installed your earliest emotional “buttons,” why healing isn’t linear, and how to move through these moments with power and grace. 

We also revisit one of my favorite teaching tools: the spiral staircase of healing.  It's a reminder that even when an old pattern comes up, you’re meeting it from a higher vantage point in your growth. The version of you today is not the version of you who created that pattern, and that matters more than you think. 

At the end of the episode, I guide you through a short and powerful practice you can use anytime you’re activated, especially during the holiday season.

Whether you adore your family or have complex, tender feelings around them… this episode will help you understand what’s happening inside your brain, your body, and your subconscious mind, and teach you how to meet it with compassion and skill.

✨ What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why feeling “set off” around family isn’t a setback and what it actually reveals about your healing
• The literal definition of a trigger (noun + verb) and how it applies to emotional activation
• How your family “installed” your subconscious buttons, and why they can hit them with scary accuracy 
• Why healing is not linear and how the spiral staircase model shows your true progress
• The difference between trauma triggers and everyday emotional triggers
• How to know when you’re experiencing old programming versus genuine regression
• Tools to stay grounded, centered, and in your truth even when others aren’t
• A guided practice you can save for the holidays (or any tough moment)

✨ Resources Mentioned

Join the Ketamine Starter Portal (+ Free Subliminal for Holiday Stress)
https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Welcome back to our Sunday bonus drop of Ketamine Connections!
These Sunday check-ins land between our regular Wednesday episodes to reconnect, stay in the loop, and share what’s coming before the next episode drops.

Today, I’m sharing:

✨ A quick recap of this week’s Energy Read for the Week, including the “scrubbing the pan” analogy that explains how healing actually works  
 ✨ Why micro-shifts matter more than you think (and what next week’s newsletter will dive deeper into)
 ✨ A preview of Wednesday’s episode all about triggers, family-installed buttons, and why feeling “set back” is not regression
✨ An invitation to explore the Ketamine Starter Portal...especially if you want the free 10-minute subliminal to soften you through the holiday rush

Links from the show:

Join my Newsletter & Get Free Hypnosis + the Starter Portal Subliminal
 👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

If you missed this week’s newsletter (Energy Read for the Week)
 👉 Subscribe above so you get next week’s deep dive into why your micro-shifts matter

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

In this episode, Anna Krishtal is joined by P. Casey Dubravcic, PMHNP-BC—co-founder of Revitalize Ketamine Clinics and host of Mental Wealth Moves. We dive into what ketamine actually does, why ego dissolution matters, the four types of trauma, and how micro wins create lasting transformation long after the ketamine session ends.

Casey’s perspective blends interventional psychiatry, trauma-informed care, and cautious optimism. If you want to understand ketamine beyond the hype—and what actually creates change—this conversation is full of gold, and you may want to listen to it twice.

What We Cover

• What ego dissolution really means
• Ketamine as a catalyst (not a magic bullet)
• Intergenerational + societal trauma
• Why some people get worse before they get better
• Micro wins + sustainable integration
• The difference between symptom relief and life transformation

Connect with Casey

• Revitalize Ketamine Clinics: https://revitalizeketamine.com
•  $29 Consultation for Listeners: https://revitalizeketamine.com
•  Website: https://pcdubra.com
•  Mental Wealth Moves Podcast: https://youtube.com/@MentalWealthMoves-t5q
•  Instagram: https://instagram.com/pcdubra
•  LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/caseydubravcic
•  Facebook: https://facebook.com/casey.dubravcic

Connect with Anna:

• Ketamine Preparation Protocol https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp
• Or join my email list for weekly tools, integration tips, and podcast updates:
   https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Welcome to the first-ever Sunday bonus drop of Ketamine Connections! These Sunday check-ins will land between our regular Wednesday episodes to connect, get up-to-date, and share what to expect before Wednesday’s episode drops.

Today, I’m sharing:

 ✨ A quick thanks of your support of my 7-year alcohol-free anniversary

 ✨ An invitation to our totally free Mental Hygiene Moments hypnosis meetup tomorrow

✨ A preview of Episode 68 with Casey Dubravcic (dropping Wednesday!) 

 ✨ Why listeners are loving this week’s Energy Read for the Week and how to join my weekly newsletter to go deeper into subconscious healing

Links from the show:

Mental Hygiene Moments (Tomorrow!)

My FAVORITE free monthly offering: A 30-minute Zoom meetup where we do group hypnosis for nervous system support, integration, and subconscious alignment.

📅 Monday, Nov 17 @3:30PM ET 👉 Join here: www.annakrishtal.com/mhm

Join my Newsletter and receive Free Hypnosis Inside the Ketamine Starter Portal

 👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

Episodes mentioned:

Episode 67: Psychedelics Didn’t Change My Life—Here’s What Did

Episode 15: My full story leading up to that transformational shift, I Didn't Expect This After My First Psychedelic Ceremony - Here's What Happened

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Seven years ago, psychedelics cracked Anna’s world wide open. In this deeply personal anniversary episode, she reflects on what’s unfolded since that first ceremony—quitting every addiction at once, rebuilding her identity from the ground up, and learning what true transformation really means.

This episode isn’t about that experience (you can hear that story in Episode 15: I Didn’t Expect This After My First Psychedelic Ceremony—Here’s What Happened). Instead, it’s about everything that came after: the humbling, nonlinear, spiral staircase of healing that led to lasting change.

Anna shares the lessons that seven years of integration have taught her about pacing, forgiveness, emotional healing, and how no ceremony (no matter how powerful) can replace the slow, sacred work of becoming who you’re meant to be.

If you’ve ever wondered how to turn a psychedelic breakthrough into a lifelong transformation, this one’s for you.

🔑 In This Episode:

• The truth about what really changes your life after psychedelics
• Why healing is cyclical, not linear (and why that’s good news)
• How the subconscious mind continues the work long after the medicine wears off
• The humbling lessons of forgiveness and heart-opening
• Why integration is a lifelong practice

🧠 Listen if You’re Curious About:

• Ketamine integration and subconscious reprogramming
• The long-term process of psychedelic healing
• Recovery, emotional sobriety, and self-reinvention
• What happens when spiritual awakening meets real-world responsibility

💛 Resources Mentioned:

• Episode 15: I Didn’t Expect This After My First Psychedelic Ceremony—Here’s What Happened
• Episode 65: Healing Through Tears with Troy Leonard of Valor Minds
• Episode 66: How to Change Your Mind
• The Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP) — Anna’s signature process for preparing the mind and subconscious for transformation - https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp
• The Ketamine Starter Portal — free resources, guides, and next steps for your journey - https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free 

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

What if you really could change your mind—literally? 🧠

In this solo episode, Anna Krishtal, hypnotherapist and ketamine coach, unpacks the science of neuroplasticity and how ketamine therapy opens the door to your subconscious mind so you can reprogram limiting beliefs for lasting transformation.

You’ll learn:
 ✨ What neuroplasticity actually is, and why it means your brain can change at any age
 ✨ How ketamine heightens neuroplasticity to make change easier (and sometimes even fun)
 ✨ Why symptom relief ≠ transformation, and how to move beyond quick fixes
 ✨ The role of the Default Mode Network (DMN) in keeping you stuck in old identity patterns
 ✨ A practical thought exercise to experience how deep-seated beliefs are formed, and how to rewrite them
 ✨ The difference between using ketamine and transforming with ketamine

Anna explains how combining ketamine-enhanced neuroplasticity with subconscious reprogramming turns temporary insight into lifelong change. You’ll discover how to become the author of your story instead of the character on repeat, and why understanding your subconscious is the key to walking a brand-new trail in your brain.

🎧 Listen if you’ve ever wondered:
– Is it really possible to rewire my brain?
– How does ketamine help me change long-held patterns?
– What’s the difference between relief and real transformation?

📘 Resources Mentioned
→ Join Anna’s free class: How to Use Ketamine to Transform Your Subconscious Mind: https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/ketamine-ready

 → Explore the Ketamine Starter Portal for free guides and tools to support your journey https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

💬 About the Show
Ketamine Connections is the first podcast dedicated entirely to ketamine healing. Hosted by Anna Krishtal, a hypnotherapist and psychedelic coach, the show demystifies ketamine therapy through science-based education, client stories, and subconscious tools for integration and transformation.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Why is the drug that ruins families legal, and the one that’s helping veterans heal still illegal?

This week’s conversation pulls that question wide open.

Marine Corps veteran Troy Leonard, co-founder of Valor Minds, shares how psilocybin microdosing pulled him out of the spiral of PTSD, insomnia, and alcohol, and how he’s now helping thousands of veterans rediscover peace, purpose, and their humanity.

Troy’s honesty is equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking. Together, we dive into:

✨ The stigma and silence around PTSD in the military
 ✨ How microdosing transformed Troy’s mood, sleep, and relationships
 ✨ Why alcohol is celebrated while life-saving psychedelics remain criminalized
 ✨ What it’s really like to come home from war and try to live again
 ✨ The science and soul of healing the nervous system naturally
 ✨ Why the veteran community is leading the psychedelic-healing movement
 ✨ And the mission behind Valor Minds—to bring the veteran-suicide rate down to zero

🔗 Resources & Links

• 🍫 Connect with Valor Minds: Instagram @valorminds
• 💛 Explore the Ketamine Starter Portal: all free guides, tools, and resources in one place → https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Is ketamine supposed to be fun? In this episode, Your Ketamine Coach Anna Krishtal unpacks a most common (and misunderstood) questions she gets—especially from newcomers and conference audiences. She shares what “fun” actually means in the context of psychedelics, what non-specific amplifiers are (and why they matter), and how fun and healing don't have to be mutually exclusive when it comes to healing with ketamine.

You’ll also hear shout-outs to the Psychedelic Institute of Los Angeles, where Anna recently spoke, and an invite to her free webinar, “Is Ketamine Right for Me?” happening November 6.

🔗 Links Mentioned

• 🧠 The Psychedelic Institute of Los Angeles 
• 🎟 Free Webinar  
• 💫 Ketamine Starter Portal (KSP) 

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Have you ever followed every rule, checked every box, done everything right—and still ended up exhausted, unfulfilled, or wondering why it isn’t working?

In this deeply honest conversation, Anna Krishtal sits down with Josh Terry to talk about the moment high-achieving people hit a wall and realize more effort isn’t the answer. Josh shares his personal story of following the rules into full-blown burnout—literally sitting in an ice bath until his body turned black and blue—and how that experience changed everything about the way he lives, works, and coaches others today.

Together they unpack:

• 💡 The real definition of burnout: “Continually taking on tasks that require more energy than they give—until there’s nothing left.”
• 🧠 How overdoing becomes a coping pattern for smart, motivated people—and why it feels so righteous.
• 🔄 Josh’s antidote: doing what’s possible, not what’s “necessary,” and recognizing yourself as the variable in your success equation.
• 🪞 Why burnout is really a crisis of hope—and how hope rebuilds when you honor your capacity.
• 🌿 How altered states like ketamine (and other tools for state change) can create the awareness needed to rewrite your story.
• ✨ The mindset shift from adding more to strategically removing what’s not working so your system can thrive again.

If you’ve ever been the person who prides themselves on pushing through, this episode is your permission slip to slow down, recalibrate, and start doing what’s truly possible.

 Resources & Links

• Josh Terry: @JoshTerryPlays | joshterryplays.com
• Free Class 👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/ketamine-ready
• Download The Ketamine Starter Portal: Your free library of prep guides, integration tools & resources → https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free
• Work with Anna: The Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)
  — a structured course to prepare your mind and nervous system for ketamine’s transformative potential - https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

We talk a lot about how to prepare for ketamine on this show… but what about what happens after?

In this episode, I’m breaking down the top three things to avoid after your ketamine session, and what to do instead. Because while ketamine can open the door to change, you decide what happens once you walk through it.

You’ll learn how to protect your insights, integrate them intentionally, and avoid the common pitfalls that slow your transformation.

Whether you’re fresh out of a session or you’ve done multiple rounds, this one will help you stay grounded, curious, and connected to your process.

Listen if you want to:

✨ Understand what integration really looks like
✨ Keep your transformation grounded and sustainable
✨ Avoid impulsive moves and spiritual whiplash
✨ Stay connected to your healing journey long after the session

Mentioned in this episode:

💫 Join the Ketamine Starter Portal (free)

🎧 Learn more about the Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

 In Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Austin Harris (NeuroRelief Ketamine & Infusion Therapy), we get practical about the how: protocols, dosing, duration, and why real-time titration + compassionate integration support can make outcomes stick. I bring my hypnotherapist lens to connect subconscious programming with the on-the-ground practices that turn insights into a new baseline.

We cover:

• Why two-hour infusions can open therapeutic doors shorter sessions miss
• Real-time titration: keeping depth consistent as tolerance shifts mid-infusion
• Why “six sessions” is the sweet spot for durable neuroplastic change (and my parallels from hypnosis work)
• Compassionate care as medicine: how kindness changes outcomes
• At-home vs in-clinic: why leaving the house matters for subconscious cues
• Spravato’s role in mainstream awareness (and what that did—and didn’t—change)

If you’ve wondered why some people walk away transformed while others don’t, this episode maps the protocol, mindset, and support that make all the difference.

🔑 Missed Part 1? Go back one episode to Episode 60 for integration fundamentals, discomfort as medicine, and how ketamine interrupts old patterns.

—
 Guest: Dr. Austin Harris (NeuroRelief Ketamine & Infusion Therapy, Sherman Oaks, CA)
Board-certified cardiothoracic anesthesiologist with a background in psychology; 16+ years delivering ketamine infusions; known for two-hour, real-time–titrated IV protocols plus structured integration.

Connect with Dr. Harris / NeuroRelief
• Website: neuroreliefketamine.com
• NAD+ Therapy: neuroreliefketamine.com/nad-therapy-los-angeles/
• Chronic Pain: neuroreliefketamine.com/chronic-pain/
• Substance & Alcohol Recovery: neuroreliefketamine.com/substance-abuse/
• Instagram: instagram.com/neuroreliefketamine_la/
• Facebook: facebook.com/NeuroReliefKetamine
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/31390155/

—
 Resources & next steps
• Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP): https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

• Ketamine Starter Portal (KSP) — free resource library: https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

In Part 1 of my conversation with Dr. Austin Harris, we explore why integration is the most important part of ketamine therapy. We talk about the “snow globe” effect of psychedelics, why avoiding discomfort blocks healing, and how ketamine helps expand your window of tolerance so you can access more joy and freedom.

You’ll learn:
 • Why integration is the key to making ketamine therapy stick
 • The “snow globe” metaphor for breaking old patterns
 • Why discomfort is medicine—and how to stay with it
 • How anxiety can become a practiced state (and how to unlearn it)
 • Why processing emotions is about feeling, not just thinking

👉 This is Part 1. Next week in Part 2, we’ll dive into Dr. Harris’s unique two-hour, real-time titrated infusion protocol, the six-session gold standard, and how compassionate care changes outcomes.

—
 GUEST: DR. AUSTIN HARRIS (NeuroRelief Ketamine & Infusion Therapy)
 Board-certified cardiothoracic anesthesiologist with a background in psychology and 16+ years delivering ketamine infusions. Founder of NeuroRelief in Sherman Oaks, CA, where he combines real-time titrated IV ketamine with mindfulness, CBT, and certified integration coaching between infusion days.

Connect with Dr. Harris / NeuroRelief
 • Website: neuroreliefketamine.com
 • NAD+ Therapy: neuroreliefketamine.com/nad-therapy-los-angeles/
 • Chronic Pain Protocols: neuroreliefketamine.com/chronic-pain/
 • Substance & Alcohol Recovery: neuroreliefketamine.com/substance-abuse/
 • Instagram: instagram.com/neuroreliefketamine_la/
 • Facebook: facebook.com/NeuroReliefKetamine
 • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/31390155/

—
 🔗 Ready to prepare for your ketamine journey the right way?
 • Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP): https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

• Ketamine Starter Portal (KSP): https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/free

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

That feeling of “Am I ready?” before ketamine? It’s normal. Your subconscious mind is wired to cling to the familiar, even if the familiar isn’t working. In this pep talk episode of Ketamine Connections, Anna Krishtal (Your Ketamine Coach) speaks directly to the nerves, doubts, and questions that come up before your first session.

Inspired by a client who said, “This isn’t going to be easy,” Anna reminds you: “Yeah, and you wouldn’t want it if it were easy.” Hard things are hard, and they’re also what make transformation real.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why the voice in your head saying “not ready” is just your subconscious resisting change.
• How stepping into the unknown is actually a skill you’re building.
• Why research can only take you so far and how ketamine is about lived experience, not theory.
• A powerful truth you may not want to hear: the version of you on the other side of ketamine already has the answers you’re looking for.

If you’re standing at the edge of your first ketamine journey, this pep talk is here to walk with you through the nerves and into the bravery of showing up for yourself.

✨ Ready for more support? The Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)
gives you structured guidance to feel confident, prepared, and supported every step of the way.

✨ Looking for tools, guides, and resources in one place? The Ketamine Starter Portal (KSP)
is your hub for everything you’ve heard Anna talk about on the show.

You don’t need to have all the answers going in, you just need the courage to begin. This pep talk will help you get there.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

What’s the difference between at-home ketamine and in-clinic ketamine therapy? In this episode of Ketamine Connections, I sit down with Jeff Kaplan, CEO of DaytrypRx, to explore the growing world of at-home ketamine treatment.  Jeff started as a ketamine patient in 2022, and became so passionate about its healing potential that he's made it his career. 

We talk about:

• Jeff’s personal healing journey from depression and PTSD through ketamine
• How at-home ketamine works (lozenges, nasal spray, and even a NEW ketamine patch)
• Cost, comfort, and safety differences between clinic ketamine and at-home ketamine
• Why intention-setting is the #1 rule for any psychedelic or ketamine journey
• The importance of integration and how working with a guide can make your results last

If you’ve ever wondered whether ketamine therapy for depression or anxiety is best at home or in a clinic, this episode will give you clarity, hope, and practical steps for your healing journey.

👉👉 Link to try at home Ketamine with DaytrypRx👈👈

✨ Ready to prepare for your own ketamine journey?
 Check out my Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP) here → https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

✨ Get all my free resources inside the Ketamine Starter Portal (clinic vetting guide, hypnosis tracks, difficult trip guide + more) → https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/offers/a5piQPRz/checkout

🎧 Subscribe to Ketamine Connections for weekly conversations about ketamine therapy, psychedelic healing, and integration.

#KetamineTherapy #AtHomeKetamine #KetamineForDepression #DaytripRx #KetamineIntegration

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

If you’ve ever Googled “what does ketamine feel like?”  this episode is for you!

In today’s solo episode, Your Ketamine Coach Anna Krishtal breaks down one of the most common questions I hear from clients and curious listeners: what ketamine actually feels like during a journey. The truth? It’s different for everyone, and it can even change from one session to the next. But there are some common threads worth knowing before you go in.

We’ll cover:

• The most common ways people describe the ketamine experience (floating, vastness, dreamlike states, or pure stillness).
• Why your dominant sense (think: sight, sound, touch, knowing) shape your experience.
• How ketamine interacts with your subconscious mind to create feelings of spaciousness, oneness, or even deep rest.
• Why the meaning you make from the experience matters more than the sensations themselves.
• A bonus mini-hypnosis at the end to help you drop into calm and clarity right now.

Whether you’re preparing for your first session, supporting a loved one, or simply curious, this episode will give you grounded, compassionate insight into the world of ketamine therapy.

✨ Resources mentioned:

• Ketamine Starter Portal
  – free guides, checklists, and hypnosis tracks.
• Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)
  – the complete 3-step program to prepare your mind and body for ketamine.
• Episode 3 l The One Thing To NOT Do Before Ketamine

If this episode resonates, share it with someone who’s considering ketamine or leave a review—it helps the KC Crew grow!

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

What happens when your entire life is built on doing more and running away? For Nathania Stambouli, founder of Yogi Flight School and SoulTribe Adventures, ketamine was the turning point that forced her to stop overworking and finally face her lifelong pattern of avoiding intimacy. In this episode of Ketamine Connections, Anna and Nathania explore how ketamine pulled her out of old stories, gave her contrast she couldn’t ignore, and helped her step into a whole new way of leading, loving, and living.

✨ In this conversation, we cover:

• How all addiction, including workaholism often masks fear and trauma, and how ketamine disrupts that cycle
• Why running from relationships feels safer until ketamine shows the deeper pattern underneath
• The illusion of control, and how surrender in medicine work rewires our nervous system
• Why intention matters (and why you don’t always get what you think you’re asking for)
• The truth about ketamine safety: you’ll never see what you can’t handle
• Why “once you see it, you can’t unsee it” and how integration turns that awareness into transformation

🌿 If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in cycles of overwork, overachieving, or pushing love away, this episode offers both inspiration and a roadmap. Ketamine brings relief, AND restores choice to help you break lifelong patterns with clarity and compassion.

📌 Resources & Links Mentioned

• Connect with Nathania: Instagram
  | Yogi Flight School
  
  
• Free Ketamine Starter Portal: Download here
  
  
• Explore the Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP): structured support for safe, transformative journeys

🔑 Keywords for SEO

Ketamine therapy and workaholism, psychedelics for relationship healing, avoiding intimacy and ketamine, overachiever burnout recovery, psychedelic integration for love, breaking patterns with ketamine, surrender and control in psychedelic therapy.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

When it comes to ketamine therapy, there’s one piece almost nobody talks about—and yet it can completely shape your journey: music.

I can’t tell you how many clients have shared stories of bringing all sorts of music into their sessions—everything from spa tracks to heavy metal. (Nothing against heavy metal, but deep dissonance and aggressive lyrics can actually work against the coherence your brain is trying to create in a psychedelic state.)

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, Your Ketamine Coach Anna Krishtal breaks down:
✨ Why music is more than just background noise—it’s a co-facilitator of your journey
✨ The neuroscience of how music influences brainwave states, coherence, and emotional processing
✨ Best practices for choosing music that supports your ketamine experience (spoiler: ambient, lyric-free, seamless playlists are your friend)
✨ The dangers of commercials, dissonant sounds, or sharp instrumentals mid-journey
✨ How subliminal tracks can supercharge your results by planting affirmations directly into the subconscious

💡 Pro tip: The music you listen to during your journey can also support integration. Playing the same tracks later in meditation, nature walks, or quiet reflection can help re-anchor you to the insights and states you touched in your session.

🌟 Free Resource for You

If you want to experience this firsthand, I’ve created a free 10-minute subliminal track designed to support your subconscious during ketamine and integration. You’ll find it inside my Ketamine Starter Portal—along with every freebie I’ve ever shared on this podcast.

👉 Grab your free subliminal + the entire portal here: yourketaminecoach.com/offers/a5piQPRz

Keywords to Boost SEO

ketamine music playlist, ketamine therapy preparation, psychedelic music, ketamine journey tips, ketamine subliminal, subconscious reprogramming ketamine, best music for ketamine, psychedelic playlist, ketamine integration

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

In this expansive conversation, Anna sits down with Alli Waddell, wellness expert and co-founder of Illumma, Austin’s leading ketamine infusion clinic. With two decades of experience in healing and over 14,000 ketamine infusions under her belt, Alli shares what she’s learned about who ketamine really works for, and who might not be ready.

Whether you’re considering ketamine therapy or supporting others on their psychedelic path, this episode breaks down the patterns that lead to success, the red flags of avoidance, and how to approach this work from a place of radical honesty, preparation, and deep self-trust.

You’ll hear:

• How to know if you’re ready for ketamine therapy
• Why “just showing up” isn’t enough (and what to do instead)
• The most common patterns in clients who thrive
• What gets in the way of deep transformation
• How your relationships, mindset, and daily habits influence your healing
• Why ketamine isn’t the work—it’s the catalyst

If you’re feeling unsure, not-quite-ready, or just overwhelmed by all the options...you’re not alone. And you’re in the right place.

💊 Want to Feel Truly Ready for Ketamine?

The Ketamine Preparation Protocol was designed to help you prepare mentally, emotionally, and energetically for a life-changing ketamine journey.

Whether you’ve already booked your sessions or you’re still deciding if this path is for you, KPP will help you:

✅ Clarify your intention
✅ Understand what ketamine can (and can’t) do
✅ Rewire your subconscious patterns
✅ Avoid the most common mistakes
✅ Feel supported before, during, and after your sessions

🌀 Learn more: annakrishtal.com/kpp

🧠 About Alli Waddell

Alli Waddell is a respected wellness expert with 20+ years of experience and a fierce commitment to radical honesty and self-love as core components of healing. As co-founder and CEO of Illumma, she’s helped shape Austin’s most trusted ketamine infusion clinic. Her vision for the psychedelic space is rooted in ethical, sustainable, and consciously led business.

Connect with Alli:
 🌐 illumma.com
📸 @alliwaddell
📸 @illummaclinic

🔗 Links + Resources

• Illumma Ketamine Clinic: illumma.com
• Follow Alli on Instagram: @alliwaddell
• Follow Illumma: @illummaclinic
• Ketamine Preparation Protocol: annakrishtal.com/kpp

💬 Loved this episode?

Please leave a review, share it with a friend, or tag us on Instagram with your biggest takeaway!
 And make sure you’re subscribed so you never miss a moment of ketamine wisdom.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Relief, rewiring, and why the real work is never done.

Have you ever wondered if it’s okay to go back for another ketamine session, even if you’re no longer in crisis? Are you afraid that your relief is fading and that something went “wrong”? Or maybe you’re asking the big question: Did the ketamine even work if it didn’t last?

In this powerful listener-inspired episode, Anna answers a nuanced and common question:

“Is it okay to return to ketamine even if my depression is under control?”

This episode breaks down what it really means when ketamine “stops working,” and what you can do to deepen, sustain, and build on the relief you’ve already experienced.

You’ll learn:

• Why some people feel better after 1 session, while others need 6+
• The difference between temporary relief and lasting change
• What upregulated neuroplasticity really means (and how long it lasts)
• The psychedelic model of healing vs. the psychiatric model
• How contrast (even fleeting lightness) is actually a crucial breakthrough
• Why wanting a ketamine booster isn’t “abuse” and how to decide if it’s right for you
• What it means to heal in layers, and how to know when you’re ready for the next one
• Why preparation + integration are what make the ketamine experience transformational

✨ Plus: Anna shares personal stories of moving from white-knuckle survival to joyful permission, and reclaims the radical truth that feeling good is a legitimate reason.

🔗 Resources & Links

📘 Referenced Episodes:

• 🎙 Episode 12 – Ketamine Integration vs. Psychedelic Integration
• 🎙 Episode 15 – I Didn't Expect This After My First Psychedelic Ceremony - Here's What Happened
• 🎙Episode 28 – Should You Go Solo or Have a Trip Sitter? Pros and Cons of Ketamine Journeys
• 🎙 Episode 36 – How to Choose a Ketamine Clinic: Questions to Ask Before You Book
• 🎙 Episode 39 – Ketamine & Astrology: A Psychedelic Integration Convo with Danielle Mercurio

🧠 Explore the Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP):
Ready to prepare deeply, or return to the medicine with clarity? KPP is for you.
→ Join the Ketamine Preparation Protocol: https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

📖 Book Mentioned:

• Drug Use for Grown-Ups by Dr. Carl Hart

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Ever look back and realize just how far you’ve come… but at the time, you couldn’t see it at all?
That’s what we’re talking about today with the lovely Dr. Ashley Irizarry, functional medicine doctor, ketamine therapy advocate, and co-founder of New Wave Medicine up in the Seattle area in Burien and Renton, WA.

This episode is one big pep talk, and explains why that's important.

We talk about that oh-so-human habit of being so focused on the next goal that we forget to witness our own becoming, about how ketamine has a funny way of bringing us face-to-face with who we really are, and helping us build the courage to step toward it, one small, scared, beautiful step at a time.

Inside this conversation:

• Why it’s totally normal to feel scared before ketamine, and why that’s not a sign you’re doing it wrong
• The real magic of ketamine retreats (yes, time and space do matter)
• How functional medicine and ketamine work together to create lasting change
• The power of choosing yourself again and again, especially when it’s hard
• Why “stuck” isn’t actually real (it just feels very, very real)
• What integration looks like beyond the journal and into your life

If you’re in a season of questioning, transitioning, or low-key wrestling with your comfort zone… this one’s for you.

🔗 Resources & Links

• Explore Ashley’s work + retreats: www.newwavewa.com
• Upcoming retreat: October 23–26, 2025 – Cle Elum, WA (mention Ketamine Connections for 10% off!)
• Follow Ashley: @dr.ashley.irizarry | @newwavemed

Ready to prepare for ketamine with intention? Learn about my signature guide: Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP) https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Welcome back to Ketamine Connections! 🎉 We're celebrating 51 episodes with a casual fireside-style chat about one of the most powerful forces shaping your life: your brain, aka your subconscious mind.

🧠 In this episode, Anna dives into:

• What the subconscious mind actually is (and why it makes up 95% of your brain)
• Why rewiring your subconscious instead of relying on willpower is the key to real transformation
• The science behind neuroplasticity and how the brain stays malleable at every age
• A powerful client story that shows how belief change can feel so natural you forget you ever struggled
• A tree analogy to help you understand the roots of subconscious patterns
• Why trying to change your life with conscious effort alone often leads to burnout
• A simple toothbrush trick to start retraining your brain tonight

✨ If you've ever wondered:

• “Can I actually rewire my brain?”
• “Why do I keep falling back into the same habits?”
• “Is it possible to feel ease instead of effort when making changes?”

…this episode is for you.

🔥 Want more tools to work with your subconscious? Join the Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP) to go deeper into subconscious reprogramming, psychedelic prep, and monthly live support. 

✨ Join the Ketamine Preparation Protocol

Keywords for SEO: subconscious mind, rewire your brain, neuroplasticity, subconscious reprogramming, ketamine therapy, psychedelic preparation, ketamine coach, willpower vs subconscious, change beliefs, nervous system healing, KPP, Ketamine Preparation Protocol, belief rewiring

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

What if the thing you’ve been hoping for in your healing journey is actually possible?

In this rich and heart-centered conversation, I’m joined by Justin Lubin, founder of Perspective Wellness in Milwaukee, Wisconsin: a nonprofit ketamine clinic pioneering a low-and-slow facilitation model designed to make ketamine therapy more accessible, affordable, and effective.

We explore:

• Why feeling “stuck” is often a symptom of a missing direction (and how ketamine can reintroduce momentum)
• The difference between facilitation and therapy in psychedelic healing
• How low-dose intramuscular ketamine protocols can reliably deliver feelings of safety, comfort, and okay-ness
• The “Big Five” emotional breakthroughs clients often experience on their journeys
• Why integration is more than a buzzword, it’s how we shape neuroplasticity into lasting change
• The risks of psychedelic overuse and chasing “the one big insight”
• How grief, trauma, and old emotional patterns surface during ketamine work, and how to hold them with care
• The difference between creating meaning vs. trying to decode messages from a trip
• Justin’s training program for facilitators seeking practical, client-centered psychedelic skills

Whether you’re a practitioner, someone curious about ketamine therapy, or deep in your own healing process, this episode will leave you feeling more grounded, more human, and more hopeful.

🌐 Learn more about Perspective Wellness:
Perspective Wellness Ketamine Services
Facilitator Training Info

🌟 Want to do Ketamine right?  Preparation is the key!

If you're new to the world of ketamine and feeling unsure where to start, my Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP) was made for you. It’s a self-paced guide designed to help you reduce anxiety, set powerful intentions, and get the most out of your ketamine experience.

Whether you’re working with a clinic, using at-home ketamine, or exploring for the first time, KPP helps you prepare mentally, emotionally, and practically so ketamine isn't just another thing you try,but rather THE thing that transforms your life.

🎓 Learn more or enroll here → annakrishtal.com/kpp

🎧 Like what you heard? Leave a review or share this episode with a friend who’s curious about ketamine therapy.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

In this episode of Ketamine Connections, Anna sits down with Melanie Yost, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Brain Health Coach, and co-owner of Complete Ketamine Solutions in Destin, FL, to explore what real transformation looks like—and why it might leave you literally unrecognizable.

Together, they dive into:

• Why Melanie says “you won’t recognize yourself” after ketamine (and why Anna’s Face ID agreed)
• How ketamine helped Melanie’s best friend survive the unthinkable loss of her son
• What happens when you bring compassion and kindness into the clinical setting—and why it shouldn’t be radical
• The real cost of high-functioning anxiety and how ketamine can finally offer relief
• Why their clinic sometimes interrupts a “bad trip”—and why that might be the kindest option
• Why IV ketamine is their method of choice (and the difference it makes)
• The importance of preparation and how skipping it could set you back

Whether you’re preparing for your first ketamine journey or guiding others through theirs, this episode will leave you feeling clearer, braver, and way more seen.

About the Guest:

 Melanie Yost is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Personal Development Coach for stressed-out business owners and high achievers, and the owner of Be Well Solutions and Complete Ketamine Solutions in Destin, FL. She is a Certified Brain Health Coach and Certified HeartMath Practitioner with over 30 years of experience helping people identify the belief patterns keeping them stuck and empowering them with tools to reconnect with themselves and create lives on their own terms.

🔗 Website
📸 Instagram
📘 Facebook

Featured Resource: 

The Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP)

This episode touches on one of the biggest truths in the ketamine space: ketamine is powerful—but only if you know how to work with it.

The Ketamine Preparation Protocol is your step-by-step guide to make sure ketamine actually works for you. Inside, you’ll get:

• Proven tools to calm pre-journey anxiety
• Scripts to set powerful intentions
• The neuroscience behind how to rewire your brain
• What to do with what comes up after your session

✨ Whether you're days away from your first treatment or supporting a loved one on their journey, KPP gives you the clarity and confidence to get the most out of your investment.

👉 Explore the Ketamine Preparation Protocol here

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

In this episode, Anna breaks down why your pre-journey environment, mindset, and nervous system state matter just as much as the medicine itself.

Whether it’s your first ketamine session or your fifteenth, this episode covers exactly what to avoid, what to do, and how to set yourself up for a powerful, grounded experience.

Plus, Anna shares lessons from the 2025 MAPS Psychedelic Science Conference and how prep is finally getting the spotlight it deserves.

🔍 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why the hours before ketamine impact the depth of your journey
• What your subconscious mind is doing before you even take the medicine
• 3 things to absolutely avoid the day of your session (hint: it includes your phone)
• 3 ways to support yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally before ketamine
• Why hypnosis, movement, and intention setting can make all the difference

🌿 Resources Mentioned:

• 🧠 Free Hypnosis Library: Nervous system-regulating tracks to calm your mind before your journey
• ✨ Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP): The complete system to prepare for your ketamine experience—mind, body, and soul
• 🧘‍♀️ Nervous System Reset Yoga: Available free on the Ketamine Connections YouTube channel

🎧 Love this episode? You might also enjoy:

• Episode 3: The One Thing To NOT Do Before Ketamine
• Episode 31: When Should I Start Preparing for My Ketamine Journey?
• Episode 42: 3 Things Most People Miss When Preparing for Ketamine

🔗 Stay in the loop: Join Anna’s Email List to hear about live events, free calls, and upcoming workshops. (No social media? No problem.)

📩 Questions or thoughts about this episode? Email Anna directly via the contact form.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

What if the quietest place on earth could unlock the loudest transformation of your life?

In this episode, Anna sits down with long-time friend and floatation therapy evangelist Alissa Bestwick, aka @floatgirlofficial, to explore how float tanks (aka sensory deprivation tanks) offer one of the most effective, overlooked tools for ketamine integration and subconscious healing.

You’ll hear how Alissa found floating during one of the hardest chapters of her life and how it became a portal for personal transformation, creativity, trauma resolution, and nervous system reset. If you’ve ever wondered what float tanks are, how they work, or why they matter for people healing through psychedelics, this one’s for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• How floating mimics psychedelic states (without substances)
• What to expect during your first float and and how to get the most out of it
• Floating as a powerful tool for ketamine integration
• How float tanks can help with trauma, anxiety, chronic pain, and creativity
• Why sensory deprivation is anything but boring
• Float tanks + psychedelics: could this be the future of healing spaces?
• Tips for overcoming discomfort and building stillness tolerance

Guest Spotlight: Alissa Bestwick (@floatgirlofficial)

Alissa is a wellness enthusiast, writer, and the voice behind Float Girl, a platform dedicated to making floatation therapy more accessible and understood. Based in Austin, TX, she documents float spas across the country and uplifts the stories of transformation that emerge from these sacred saltwater spaces.

✨ Ready for Your Ketamine Journey?

Introducing the Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP) your go-to guide for preparing your mind, body, and nervous system before your first (or next) ketamine experience.

🧠 Built by integration expert Anna Krishtal
 💛 Designed to maximize transformation and minimize confusion
 📅 Self-paced, structured, and accessible

🎧 Loved this episode? Then KPP is your next step.
 👉 Join the Ketamine Preparation Protocol here 

Links & Resources:

• 🌊 Explore Float Girl: www.floatgirl.com
• 📸 Follow Alissa on Instagram: @floatgirlofficial
• 💌 Join Anna's newsletter 

Try everything twice. Especially floating.
Let your body rest. Let your subconscious speak. Let the healing begin.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Most ketamine clinics talk about meds, diet, and sleep—but no one talks about this.

In this special two-part episode of Ketamine Connections, I (Anna, your favorite Ketamine Coach) reflect on one full year off social media, and what it has taught me about subconscious programming, nervous system regulation, and why your phone might be sabotaging your ketamine journey.

If you’re prepping for a psychedelic experience (ketamine or otherwise), this episode is a must-listen. I dive deep into how media, including apps like Instagram, TikTok, dating platforms, even Spotify can affect your subconscious mind, attention span, and ability to integrate your experience. And I share personal insights from both one month and one year off social media, including how it impacted my business, mental health, and connection to my purpose.

🔑 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why social media is the #1 ketamine preparation step no one is talking about
• How media inputs shape your subconscious mind (and what that means for integration)
• My top three tools for reducing compulsive app use
• How a year off social gave me back my attention span, creativity, and presence
• The real reason I stayed off (hint: MAJOR censorship + nervous system clarity)

Whether you’re about to start ketamine therapy or already in it, this episode offers grounded insight, practical tips, and inspiration to help you get the most out of your journey.

✨ Resources mentioned:

• Ketamine Preparation Protocol – Your step-by-step guide to preparing for ketamine
• GetBrick App – The lockout tool I used to take back control 
• Free Monthly Mental Hygiene Moments – Zoom link (next call: June 23)

🎧 Listen if you’ve ever thought:

• “Why do I feel off after scrolling?”
• “I want ketamine to actually help me—not just be another experience”
• “How do I make my prep phase more intentional and effective?”

💌 Stay Connected:
Want more behind-the-scenes stories, tools, and guidance? Join my email list for real talk and real support: Sign up here.

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

In this heartfelt and eye-opening conversation, I sit down with Victoria Webster, founder of Golden Afternoon, a stunning ketamine clinic in Los Angeles—and someone with one of the most powerful personal journeys I’ve ever heard.

From being a 19-year-old in inpatient rehab prescribed a cocktail of eight medications (including anti-psychotics)… to walking away from it all and finding her way through amino acids, meditation, and eventually ketamine—Victoria shares her story with unflinching honesty and compassion.

💡 This episode is especially for you if:

• You're curious what ketamine feels like
• You’ve ever felt like psychiatric meds didn’t work for you
• You’ve been afraid to try ketamine because of past bad trips or fear of losing control
• You want to understand how to prepare for ketamine in a way that makes your nervous system feel safe

We also talk about:

• What the “guardian of the mind” is and why it matters in ketamine work
• How ketamine can actually help people get off meds safely (with prescriber support)
• The subtle but massive impact of setting, music, and emotional safety
• Her exact journey from skepticism to opening her own clinic
• And the pink molecule experience that changed her forever 💗

🌿 Victoria is a mother of three, a former sitcom writer, and a somatic therapist who now runs a clinic where people come not just to feel better—but to feel transformed. And her insights? Truly medicine.

🔗 Links + Resources:

• 🌿 Golden Afternoon Clinic – Los Angeles, CA:
  www.goldenafternoon.clinic
• 📩 Connect with Victoria: victoria@goldenafternoon.clinic
• 🏥 Want help choosing a ketamine clinic?
  Listen to 
• Episdoe 36 l How to Choose a Ketamine Clinic: Questions to Ask Before You Book
• 
   → And grab the free guide to vet your options:
   Download the Ketamine Clinic Vetting Guide
• 🎧 LOVING THIS PODCAST?
  Ready to have a ketamine journey that actually works?
  I created the Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP) for people just like you—the curious, the cautious, the ones who’ve tried “everything else” and are finally ready for something real.
  ✨ Learn more or enroll here → https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp

They focus on logistics, and miss the part that actually creates change.

Ketamine opens a neuroplastic window, but without direction, that window closes without taking you anywhere new.

KPP is the framework for preparing your subconscious mind so that change is inevitable.

For the first time in 2026, I'm running it live.

👉 https://www.yourketaminecoach.com/kpp-live

Have you ever been told you’re too sensitive, too emotional, or just too much? In this powerful episode of Ketamine Connections, I sit down with Kristen Ott, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and founder of White Light Wellness, to explore how she turned that “too much” wound into a source of wisdom—and how her first ketamine journey helped rewire her relationship to it.

This conversation goes way beyond ketamine. We dive deep into the work that surrounds the journey: the repatterning of the subconscious mind, the intelligence of emotions, and what integration actually looks like in real life.

We talk about:

• Reclaiming emotional sensitivity as a gift, not a curse
• How Kristen’s first ketamine session opened the door to deeper integration
• The truth about self-sabotage: it’s not failure, it’s protection
• Why digital breaks, praying naked, and washing your hands with intention are all valid forms of integration
• How to loosen the grip of perfectionism and find healing in small, daily “touch points”
• The “witch wound” and what it really means to reclaim your power

If you’re carrying stories of being “too much” or “not enough,” this episode is an invitation to soften, to trust yourself, and to meet your healing with curiosity and compassion.

🎧 Tune in and discover how integration isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing things differently.

👤 About Kristen Ott, MA, LMFT

Kristen Ott is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, the founder of White Light Wellness, LLC, and a Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapist at Philadelphia Integrative Psychiatry. She specializes in trauma healing through a systemic, strength-based approach that blends somatic awareness with experiential practices. With 15 years of experience in clinical settings, Kristen’s work bridges psychotherapy, psychedelic integration, and group healing experiences.

She offers individual, couples, and family therapy, as well as Equine-Assisted Therapy, group integration circles, and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) sessions—both 1:1 and in groups.

🔗 Website: whitelightwellnessllc.org
📍 Based in Devon, PA
📲 Social: linktr.ee/whitelightwellnes

🛠️ Special Offers from Kristen

• Free 15-min consultation for Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
• Free trial for online Collective Healing Groups
• Discounted $175 coaching session on self-guided integration
• 10% off Ketamine Protocol at Philadelphia Integrative Psychiatry

🌿 Want to Feel Ready for Your Ketamine Journey?

Whether you’re preparing for your first session or looking for ways to better integrate what’s already come up—the Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP) is here to support you. This 3-step process helps you feel grounded, clear, and confident so that your journey isn’t left up to chance.

If this episode resonated with you, and you're ready to prepare your mind, body, and subconscious for deep transformation, learn more and join us at:

 👉