Mignon Walker, MD

Dr. Walker became interested in ketamine because of it's evidence based therapeutic value in treating depression. She was fascinated with it's potential to have a lasting impact on mental and emotional wellbeing but quickly realized that as a stand alone intervention, it is not enough to clear deeper nervous system charges linked to profoundly stressful events, early childhood developmental, attachment, and core belief wounds. People feel better after taking the medication, but the underlying subconscious patterns and destabilizing charges remain. The dissociative nature of ketamine makes it a challenge when addressing dissociation. Cannabis is profound as a therapeutic ally because it is associative. It facilitates awareness of the body sensations, release of profoundly negative feelings, and safe release of the intense charge associated with traumatic episodic memories. When combined with therapy, cannabis and ketamine have effects that lasts 1.5-2 hours, making the interventions more manageable than other psychedelic medicines, but the healing potential is equally profound. Because traditional treatments for trauma, anxiety, and depression are unable to address the dissociative aspects, ketamine and cannabis are used to reduce inteference from the talk oriented, rational, controlling parts of the mind that block processing of dissociation. Healing emotional wounds requires working with the nonrational, nonverbal felt senses accessed through somatic, bottom up methods. Clearing charges linked to stress that get locked into the nervous system, especially the parts of the brain that regulate memory, emotions, the survival response (the limbic system) and how the body processes the physical component of stress (the somatic nerves), is the key to long term relief. The SLIP™ model is both restorative and transformational for patients. Releasing excess nervous system charge and a return to a healthy grounded nervous system state is the future of mental health and early evidence positions the SLIP™ model as one of the most effective interventions available. A healthy nervous system is the key to managing stress and maintaining healthy relationships, and these are achievable with therapy. The somato-limbic release achieved with SLIP™, with ketamine or cannabis is an absolute game changer for patients and providers.