Treating job-related stress with psychedelic group therapy: a case series on group ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for healthcare workers and first responders
Luke Flynn, Martin Krsak, Mary Rondeau, Danielle McCarty, Melanie Walker, Doreen Horan, S. Forstner, Scott Shannon
Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology October 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1177/20451253251383415 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Retrospective cohort analysis Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Frontline healthcare workers and first responders with job-related stress and burnout |
| Intervention | Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy |
| Duration | 7-week program including three ketamine sessions and four group psychotherapy sessions, with follow-up 2 weeks after the final session |
| Topics | Esketamine Ketamine Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Health care Stress reduction Intervention counseling Stress linguistics Adverse effect Group psychotherapy Group periodic table Mental healthcare Psychotherapist Clinical psychology Psychological stress |
| Key findings | Group ketamine-assisted psychotherapy was associated with significant reductions in anxiety, depression, trauma symptoms, and burnout among healthcare workers and first responders. |
Abstract
Background: Job-related stress and its extreme form, burnout, continue to affect almost half of all frontline healthcare workers and first responders. Current treatments are inadequate.
Objectives: To evaluate a model of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) delivered in a group format to address symptoms of anxiety, depression, trauma, and burnout via repeated measures of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)-7, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9, PTSD Checklist (PCL)-5, and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).
Design: A retrospective cohort analysis of KAP’s effect on GAD-7-item scale, PHQ-9-item scale, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and MBI. GAD-7, PHQ-9, and PCL-5 were administered prior to the first group meeting, on the last group date, and 2 weeks after the completion of the final session. MBI was measured twice, as a pre- and post-intervention test. Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ-30) was collected at each integration.
Methods: Participants were recruited via self-referrals and professional collaborations. Participants were screened into groups of six after completing a medical evaluation to rule out contraindications. The seven-week program included three ketamine sessions and four group psychotherapy sessions. Descriptive statistics of the cohort, pre- and post-KAP measurement comparisons, regression modeling, and visualizations were prepared.
Results: Median age was 41 years (24–60), 44% female, and 3% transgender. Participants were 97% White and 3% Hispanic. Many were receiving treatment for depression (59%), anxiety (50%), PTSD (34%), addictive disorders (37%), and other behavioral health conditions (37%). Median pre- versus post-KAP scores for GAD-7 (9.5 vs 6, p = 0.003), PHQ-9 (12 vs 5, p < 0.001), PCL-5 (27 vs 10, p < 0.001), and all three subcomponents of MBI were improved. The last value of MEQ-30 (75 vs 105, p < 0.001) was higher than the first.
Conclusion: KAP in group settings may offer a rapid reduction in depression, anxiety, and trauma-related symptoms. Adverse events were rare. This psychedelically oriented treatment model may represent a viable intervention for epidemic job-related stress in the healthcare workplace and larger controlled studies are warranted.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on ketamine and psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.