1. The psychological experience of connecting in a community.

Extensive social psychological research shows that is it often difficult to enact personal change if you do not have a strong sense of being held by and connected to a community.

Well-versed in the anthropology of rituals, we’ve done a lot of thinking and practicing on how to rapidly induce the experience of community, what anthropologists call communitas—our aim help our guests best psychologically and spiritually metabolize the medicines. We’ve developed a secular ritual based on our Cardea Method of space holding, that we believe quickly creates a sense of interconnectedness that supports your healing journey.

Here’s How It Works:

1. Open the Portal: With the guidance of a licensed therapist, we’ll gather around a blank canvas and together create pressure-free flowing art. Afterward, we invite guests to share reflections and intentions as they relate to the experience. This playful use of our imagination and improvisation creates a state of openness, curiosity, and connection to help prepare you for the ketamine session.

2. Gather in the Grotto: Our hour-long ceremonies take place in a specially curated room created for psychedelic therapies, where each guest has a designated space to lay down and get comfortable with plenty of pillows and blankets. Once everyone self-administers their ketamine nasal spray, the group will receive live vibrational sounds from our experienced sound facilitators, to deepen the experience. Eye masks will be provided and are strongly encouraged to be worn throughout the session.

3. Process after the Journey: Honoring this communitas, we invite everyone to gather in our recovery lounge over fruit and tea as they begin to explore their shared, yet inward experience. We also allow quiet space for solitude for those who’d like to remain in their processes. Cardea provides an additional integration opportunity the following week in an hour-long virtual session facilitated by a licensed therapist.

4. Ongoing integration: We believe change and growth don’t happen in isolation, but in the container of relationship. We want to promote connection between individuals, ideas, and communities. Our weekly virtual integration group is a place to breathe life into the work you’ve done at Cardea and beyond, and to be held by a collective. We hold this weekly integration group virtually each Wednesday evening, from 7-8pm. It’s an open group available to all our clients. You do not need to sign up in advance and you can join as frequently as you want. It will be facilitated each week by Zach Rieck, LCSW, our Clinical Director.

HOW DO I LEARN MORE?

The first step is to set up a free virtual 30-minute consult with our clinical director where we’ll share more information about our process and services and answer any questions you have. If you decide to move forward, we’ll conduct a medical evaluation with our doctor and nasal spray ketamine prescription will be delivered to your home in time for your scheduled group journey.

IS IT AFFORDABLE?

Group ketamine at Cardea is more affordable than it is elsewhere in New York City and most of our groups are open so you can pick and choose when to attend according to your schedule. You may also create a private group for you and your friends or family.

UPCOMING GROUP DATES?

• Friday, March 29th from 12pm – 3:30pm (acupuncture available)
• Sunday, April 7th from 12pm – 3:30pm
• Friday, April 12th from 12 – 3:30pm
• Saturday April 13 from 12 – 3:30pm (Psychedelic Sisterhood group)
• Sunday, April 14th from 12 – 3:30pm
• Thursday, April 18th from 6 – 9:30pm (acupuncture available)
• Friday, April 19th from 12 – 3:30pm (Brooklyn Psychedelic Society)
• Sunday, April 21st from 12 – 3:30pm
• Friday, April 26th from 12 – 3:30pm (acupuncture available)