In September of this year, a pilot complex training program of group ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, initiated by an American charitable foundation, started Heal Ukraine Trauma. Vladyslav Matrenytskyi, director of the Expio clinic, took part in the development of the program. The first group of psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and clinical psychologists completed a one-month course of theoretical and practical training, including at the Expo clinic, and can now provide this therapy to their patients.
Due to the scale of the mental health crisis in Ukraine, 11 million people are projected to need psychosocial support, so solutions that maximize resources and go beyond the 1-to-1 patient-provider model are important. Due to the effectiveness and legal status of ketamine, this training will have a real impact now.
In the long term, the KAP group model may serve as a basis for psychedelic group therapy if psychedelic drugs become legally available in Ukraine. After the initial pilot project, the program will be expanded to more therapists, allowing them to expand their capacity to eventually reach thousands of people with KAP therapy.