EpiphanyClinic BC
Our goal at EpiphanyClinics is to help you meet your full potential in life. We offer diagnostic assessments, counseling, coaching, medication management, on-line programs, educational webinars, advocacy and group support. Come in and see us.
We have re-branded. Our new name is EpiphanyClinic BC. The epiphany is the 'aha' moment when you put two and two together generating a transformative insight. We call that 'neuroplasticity.'
To encourage more neuroplasticity, I've teamed up with a group of therapists and we're now offering psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy in North Vancouver. It promises to be a game changer.
Why Treat ADHD?
ADHD is the most common neuro-developmental disorder in children. It is more heritable than eye color. It's more common than anxiety and bipolar disorder combined. At least 50% of those kids grow up to be adults with ADHD.
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Sure, it's not caused by genetics, and yes, it's made worse by childhood trauma, but it's not caused by trauma.
Yes, trauma results in epigenetic changes, but the genetic predisposition has to be there. Epigenetics may determine whether a tomato is red or green, but it won't change a tomato into a red-pepper.
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People who have ADHD are twice as likely to drop out of school, become parents in their teens, have their electricity cut off, get fired, go bankrupt. They are three times more likely to fail in relationships, get divorced or get injured in car accidents.
But the greatest injury of all, is the steady decline in self-esteem that accompanies repeated failure, despite their best effort. That's a catastrophe.
Low self esteem is the common denominator in homelessness and I've a assessed a lot of homeless and hopelessly addicted people. ADHD is a factor. I don't know the exact numbers, but it's a lot.
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ADHD is not a religion that you have to "believe" in. A physician saying they don't believe in ADHD is like a cardiologist saying they don't believe in diabetes.
Why we offer psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy
How can psychedelics help me?
Psychedelics don't have much of an effect on ADHD.
But psychedelics do help people manage trauma. I've never seen anything like it to be honest. Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is counseling, turbo-charged by the mind-jiggling effects of psychedelic molecules. Psychedelics allow us to look at scary things, with less fear.
By addressing the underlying trauma that drives addiction, we get better outcomes. People are not as unstable, so the need to cope with substances, is less.
As substance use subsides, life with ADHD is more manageable.
How do psychedelics work?
We know quite a bit about how they work, but there are still a lot of unknowns.
We know all psychedelics have their effects throughout the same brain circuits as anti-depressants. All psychedelics hit the same receptor as Prozac (5HT2a).
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Usually 'cross-talk' from different parts of the brain is constrained, so that you don't get overwhelmed by unnecessary information. Psychedelics increase the conversation amongst different parts of the brain that usually don't talk to one another.
By increasing the amount and volume of chit-chat across different brain areas, it is possible to put 2 and 2 together, where perviously they did not seem to be connected. That's the basis for the aha! moment. Seeing something new, yet looking at something old. Seeing a connection between two things that previously escaped you.
Psychedelics also trigger learning through the same pathways as anti-depressants. We call it neuroplasticity. Basically they feed the brain allowing neurons to grow together.
But there's more.
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Psychedelics can perform another magic trick. They disconnect the usual circuits, allowing new circuits to connect. They turn off the, 'It's all about me, aren't I special' circuit (Default Mode Network, DMN).
Temporarily turning off the DMN allows you to see the world through different eyes. Psychedelics allow you to 'walk a mile in someone else's shoes', and that's exactly the part of the brain that lights up when you use psychedelics, the empathy circuits.
Psychedelics trigger insights that facilitate adaptation, learning and change, mysteriously allowing the brain to disconnect from unhelpful circular patterns of thinking that may be contributing to mental health distress.
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Taking psychedelics, is like shaking the snow globe. After the snow falls, all the old tracks are gone.
During the session, ketamine provides the opportunity for psychedelic exploration, which allows you to objectively and safely revisit past events, life experiences, and traumas.
When paired with the structure and support of talk therapy, there’s an opportunity to establish new tracks, new connections, stories, habits, thought patterns, and perceptions for better, overall mental health.
All of a sudden, you’re able to see the bigger picture. That allows you to process and integrate the old emotional attachments and belief systems that have been making you feel powerless all these years. It's a bridge to healing.
How it Works
1
Mental Health Assessment
2
Psychotherapy Assessment
3
Psychedelic Session
4
Psychotherapy Integration
Group Support
Repeat step 3 and 4
add groups and contemplation
Psychedelic Integration
The real magic is how psychedelics allow you to re-tell the story of your life's journey, the good with the bad, in a blame-free way, to make a cohesive narrative that allows the past to integrate into the present.
Choose your location
The first rule of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is: 'Set and Setting'. Our first goal is to get to know you. Our second goal is to treat you where you are most comfortable: at our clinic; at your home; or a hybrid model which includes the best of both
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Moving Pieces
To whom it may concern,
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The impact that EpiphanyClinic has had on my life is inexpressible. To start, it felt like there were so many moving pieces. I didn't have the tools to communicate my needs. Anyways, they just cut right through all the static. It changed everything and set me on the path to --not just actualizing my potential-- but finding contentment within myself (I can't overstate the difference it makes to a confused kid, just having somebody on your side; someone to speak for you, when you aren’t able to speak for yourself)
It was a real turning point in my life. Dr. Ocana made a difference. Sorry if it's a little cheesy, I just don't think I've ever properly thanked him.
