Ketamine Group Experiential

a ketamine-assisted group program for therapists 

May / June 2026

This experiential program invites psychotherapists to deepen their understanding of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) through their own carefully supported process. The intention is not simply to “experience ketamine,” but to create space for therapists to return to themselves, tend to what they carry from their clinical work, and renew their capacity for presence and attunement. Through this, participants gain firsthand insight into the client perspective and can explore, clarify, or refine how KAP aligns with their practice.

The experiential program includes: two (sublingual Lozenge & intramuscular IM) ketamine group sessions; individual preparation and two group integration sessions.  The group is limited to five therapists in order to create a setting that is intimate, supportive, and carefully held.

Registration is now open, sign up here. 

A Small, Carefully Held Group Experience

"The Experience Meets You Where You Are"

Ketamine is a powerful medicine, and its effects vary meaningfully depending on dose, preparation, and setting. In this group, participants are supported in exploring the full therapeutic arc of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in a safe and intentional environment.

At lower, psycholytic doses, ketamine can soften psychological defenses and create space for reflection, insight, and perspective on entrenched patterns. At higher doses, the experience tends towards immersive states that can open new ways of relating to oneself and one's inner world.

Participants will experience both sublingual lozenge and intramuscular (IM) ketamine, supported by IFS-oriented, trauma-informed therapists and medical staff.  The first group session, using lozenges, focuses on opening the group process and allowing participants to become familiar with the medicine and the group container.  The second group session, using IM ketamine, allows for more immersive experiential work and inward exploration, and offers therapists direct experience with a form of ketamine administration that is often central to clinical practice but less commonly included in training settings.

Each participant works with a dose that feels right for them, with the option to deepen the experience through booster dosing as the session unfolds.  There is no pressure - only invitation.

A Ceremonial Therapeutic Setting

We create a ceremonial environment similar to those used in plant medicine retreats, while maintaining the structure and safety of a clinical setting.

The setting in which ketamine is offered shapes the experience.

In this program, the group is held within a ceremonial therapeutic container that draws from both psychotherapy and traditional plant medicine practices. Ceremony provides structure, intention, and reverence for the process, helping participants settle the nervous system and enter the work with clarity and presence.

We incorporate music and ceremonial supports such as cacao, hapé, and cleansing smoke to help participants enter the experience with greater presence. These elements have long been used in traditional contexts to support grounding and integration and may be offered at the opening or closing of the ceremony.

Within this container, participants are supported by IFS and trauma-informed therapists and medical staff, creating a space that is both psychologically safe and experientially deep. The intention is to support connection with an innate healing intelligence within the psyche. In IFS, this is referred to as Self - a state characterized by calm, curiosity, compassion, and clarity. Ketamine experiences often create a temporary opening in which individuals can reconnect with this inner center, sometimes experienced as a remembering of who they are beneath layers of conditioning and protective patterns.

 
Why Work in a Group?

There is something unique that happens in a group setting that individual work alone cannot deliver.

Some of the most powerful aspects of healing occur in relationship.

While ketamine experiences are inherently personal, sharing the process within a small group can significantly enhance the therapeutic work. As participants listen to others describe their experiences, insights, and emotional shifts, it often resonates with their own inner process in unexpected ways.

This can amplify the therapeutic impact. Participants frequently find that another person’s experience illuminates something within themselves, helping them recognize patterns that might otherwise remain outside awareness. Witnessing others move through transformation can also foster a powerful sense of shared connection.

In KAP, these resonances can be especially meaningful. As individuals access deeper states of awareness, the presence of others connecting with their own inner wisdom can help strengthen and stabilize the experience. For many participants, the group becomes a mutually reinforcing space where healing can unfold both individually and collectively.

Preparation & Integration

Preparation and integration are essential parts of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.

Integration work is key. Without it, the experience can remain just that - an experience.

Integration helps translate the insights and emotional shifts that arise during ketamine sessions into meaningful understanding and lasting change. Group integration can be especially powerful, as hearing how others make meaning of their experiences often refines one's own understanding and helps anchor insights over time.

We observe:

Dates & Location

Dates for individual therapy and medical intakes to be scheduled (Virtual)

Group KAP Lozenge Session 1 - May 22nd, 9am-12pm (Montville, NJ)

Group Integration Session 1 - May 28th, 7pm-8pm (Virtual)

Group KAP IM Session 2 - June 5, 9am-12pm (Montville, NJ)

Group Integration 2 - June 11, 7pm-8pm (Virtual)

Our Experience Team

Nick Fonarev, LCSW

Nick is a trauma-oriented therapist supporting clients in safely integrating difficult life experiences by cultivating a connection to their innate healing resources. He is trained and certified in Internal Family Systems (Level 3), Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KTC), Psychedelic Therapy and Integration (Fluence), MDMA-Assisted Therapy (MAPS/Lykos), and Integrative Harm Reduction Psychotherapy. Over the past decade, he has led psychedelic, psychological, and medical support teams with MAPS’ Zendo Project, helping individuals navigate challenging and acute psychedelic states and transform them into meaningful experiences of growth.

Avi Burnbaum, LMSW

Avi's integrative clinical approach draws from a variety of clinical modalities and embodied mindfulness practices. Avi has extensive experience facilitating psychedelic integration for both individuals and groups, helping participants translate insights from expanded states into meaningful changes in daily life. In addition to his clinical work, he is a cacao ceremony guide and musician who offers kirtan and contemplative music for yoga and meditation spaces, helping create grounded, supportive environments for healing and transformation.

Julia Bramwell, MD

Julia Bramwell MD, is a licensed physician and the founder of InvestInMyHealth.com, a precision and root-cause medical practice focused on optimizing mental and physical well-being. After more than 25 years in clinical medicine, Dr. Bramwell developed a special interest in innovative therapies that support the healing of the nervous system and recovery from depression, trauma, and burnout. She provides medical screening and prescribing for ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) and collaborates closely with therapists to ensure safe, thoughtful, and ethically guided treatment experiences. Dr. Bramwell brings both deep medical expertise and a compassionate, patient-centered approach to her work, with a commitment to helping individuals reconnect with resilience, clarity, and a renewed sense of possibility.

Heather Fonarev, AGCNP

Heather is a Nurse Practitioner with experience in surgical oncology and critical care at NYU Langone. She also worked in the ICU, where she gained clinical experience with ketamine for anesthesia and acute pain management.  She is trained in the medical use of ketamine for mental health treatment and is currently completing her Psychiatric-Mental Health NP certification. Heather is a GAPS-certified diet practitioner and is passionate about holistic health, nutrition, and movement practices, including dance and yoga. Her work now encompasses prescribing ketamine for therapeutic use and supporting mental wellness, personal growth, and psychological healing.

Cost

$1,500 includes all services listed above, with the exception of sublingual ketamine (lozenges), which participants will obtain directly from the pharmacy following medical assessment.

The Flyer

Interested in Joining?

If you are interested in participating, you can sign up to receive additional information, or email nickfonarevsw@gmail.com to schedule an introductory call. 

You will receive additional intake materials and screening forms so we can determine whether this program is a good fit.

Ketamine Consultations

Consultations Available

Nick offers 60min consultations for clinicians working with KAP at a fee of $200/hr.

Reach out to nickfonarevsw@gmail.com to schedule.

Ketamine Experiential Training

Coming Soon

Includes didactic and experiential components. Fill out form below to receive updates.

Contact Us

+1-347-470-5199
nickfonarevsw@gmail.com

Copyright © 2026 AnycolorWellness, LLC.

All rights reserved.