A patient-oriented mental health recovery effort: Working across sectors to alleviate suffering related to burnout, post-traumatic stress disorder, or treatment resistant depression

The mental health of healthcare providers is understudied and inadequately supported, especially given the current pandemic. Workplace stress can lead to burnout, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD), which affects morale, absenteeism, retention, and patient care. The focus of this application is to address PTSD and TRD with a combination therapy involving Roots to Thrive (RTT) Communities of Practice (CoP) with Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). The RTT CoP have documented enhanced efficacy for resilience, mental wellness and cognition. Ketamine is described as the single most important advancement in the treatment of depression in over 50 years.

My program of research innovatively examines the synergy of these two interventions, an evidence-based treatment known as RTT CoP-KAP. My research aims to lead the development and implementation of a more inclusive mental health model that continues to prescribe connection to self, spirit, and community as the primary healing modality, and further supporting with medicine-assisted healing modalities (beginning with ketamine and then expanding to include MDMA).