On Veteran’s Day, we honor the courage and dedication of those who have served our country. At Journey Clinical, we recognize the critical need to support veterans with innovative mental health care. According to a 2014 study, 1 in 4 veterans meet the diagnostic criteria for a mental health condition, with 1 in 10 facing multiple conditions – a statistic that highlights the urgency of accessible, effective treatments.
To meet this need, Journey Clinical welcomes the opportunity to be of service to this population by making Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) more accessible:
- Journey Clinical matches the sliding scale cost that our members offer to veteran patients, with up to a 35% discount on our medical consultations
- We offer scholarship for veterans who cannot afford KAP treatment
We are deeply grateful for our veteran members and patients, and work every day to support them by expanding access to evidence-based treatments that inspire transformative healing. Many of our KAP providers largely work with veterans or are veterans themselves, and we are privileged to share some of their insights into how KAP has impacted the lives of their veteran patients below:
Amy Decker, LCSW
Amy is the founder of Life Counseling Center in Jacksonville, Florida. She is a veteran herself, having served three years in the United States Marine Corps before becoming a licensed mental health provider. With over 25 years of experience, she has a deep commitment to serving fellow veterans, and “has been and will always be committed to being in service to those who have served.”
Amy shared her journey of becoming a Journey Clinical member and supporting her veteran patients through KAP:
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Amy shared the story of one patient’s powerful transformation through Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy with his permission:
“My client is an army combat veteran who suffers from PTSD, intermittent explosive disorder, and anxiety. In only two KAP sessions, my client was able to identify the protective wall he had built around his heart after his trauma from years of military service. This wall had left my client angry – easily agitated and prone to lashing out – and relying on substances to cope.
My client now feels like he has gotten his life back. He’s stopped drinking and no longer has the routine altercations with his friends and family that he experienced in the past. He now attends church and mentors other men in his community – he is committed to keeping his heart open and living authentically. He often shares his story with other veterans and encourages them to do the work necessary to reclaim their freedom.”
Brittany Webster, LPC, NCC, MS
Brittany is based in Peachtree City, Georgia, and is a member of the private practice Serenity Tree. She is a United States Navy veteran and discussed how she supports fellow veterans in her practice through KAP:
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Jennifer Lila, LCSW & CSAC
Jennifer is a Journey Clinical KAP Provider based in Sussex, Wisconsin and is the owner of Nurtured Calm. She is a veteran and has worked as a licensed mental health provider and clinical substance use counselor for 9 years. On supporting veterans in her practice, Jennifer noted:
Although Jennifer has not yet done KAP with her veteran patients, she shared a positive outcome from a non-military patient: “I had a non-military patient complete 4 KAP/EMDR sessions and her PCL-5 score (measure to assess DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD) went from a 53 to a 22.”
LJ Lumpkin III, LMFT
LJ is based in Carlsbad, California and is the founder of Nomad Healing Practices. Coming from a military family, he has been practicing for over 10 years and works largely with veterans and first responders in his practice. LJ discussed how he has seen KAP allow his military clients to finally confront and release deeply suppressed emotions through vulnerability and trust:
LJ continued: “Before, even if they got to a place where they had this ‘aha’ moment, it would be lost because they would just be by themselves – versus having someone there to listen, reflect, and do the integration process afterwards. If we’re able to be in a space with someone else with our default mechanisms down, we can see that healing and explore it.”
LJ shared the transformation of a veteran patient following KAP treatment:
“One of my clients had a long career as a Marine veteran and police officer, and sought out KAP for treatment as they approached retirement. The results from KAP were remarkable – my client was able to be around their kids again, as they no longer feared that they would harm them with their trauma. They are now able to discuss their feelings with their partner, which is taboo in both military and law enforcement culture. Specifically, they were able to express their grievances rather than pushing them down as they had been doing for most of their life. Being able to get them to a place where they felt validated and able to articulate their feelings in a healthy way was huge.”
S. Anthony (Tony) Reigle, LPC
Tony is the owner of Reigle Therapeutics and is based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He served for 6 years on Air Force Active Duty and an additional 6 years in the Air National Guard. As a Journey Clinical member, Tony hosts the KAP and our Military and First Responders group, where he supports and shares insights to fellow members that do KAP work with those populations. When asked about supporting military and first responders in his practice, Tony shared:
Timothy L. Hook, LCSW
Timothy, a Journey Clinical KAP provider based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, served in the U.S. Air Force for 21 years before transitioning to a career in behavioral health. He shared how KAP has helped his clients process trauma and break free from maladaptive behaviors:
“One patient who struggled with porn and masturbation addiction for over 20 years without relief is now counting sobriety in months, rather than hours or days. Another veteran client had been reclusive and paranoid to the point of not being able to keep a job or leave their house without panic attacks for years. They are now able to function as a parent to their child in public places. I believe it is a real win that I would not have been able to do without KAP, or would have at least required many more months of therapy to do.”
Timothy also spoke about the transformative relief that KAP can provide to veterans, and how he works to integrate KAP in his practice:
Timothy added: “While psychedelics can significantly aid in healing trauma, true progress requires equipping clients with essential skills such as mindfulness, emotional regulation, and effective communication to replace maladaptive responses learned through trauma. I believe KAP can be a powerful tool on this journey."