Introduction

Below is the Tucson Counseling Associates Ethical Guidelines for our Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy Clinic (KAP). For many, ethics are seen as coming from within and we believe that it is additionally important to make intentional statements and guidelines that explicitly outline ethical behaviors to guide our work. The work of consciousness is at times messy and while we make the below aspirations we are not without mistakes and acknowledge that there may be unconscious biases that inhibit us from achieving these goals. Therefore, this document is intended to be a “living document” in that we strive to continue to listen to the experiences of others so that we may grow and refine our ethical pledges.

 Tucson Counseling Associates respectfully acknowledges that we are located on the occupied lands of The Tohono O’odham and Yaqui peoples. We at TCA in general and in the Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy Clinic specifically, honor the indgenous practices passed down through culture and lineage of entering into non-ordinary states of consciousness, through the use of psychedelics. While many of us are not the direct recipients of this wisdom, through elders and culture, we are grateful for these teachings and to The People who have shared their knowledge with the wider population. We acknowledge the great power and privilege that the dominant culture holds including the pharmaceutical and wellbeing industries and us in the psychiatric and therapy fields. We understand that we have a strong influence on the narrative around psychedelics including what they are, who has access to them, and how they should be used. We pledge to hold this power ethically and with mindfulness; advocating for a social justice approach to this work.

 We deeply honor those who came before us in this work, the experiences of others, the awareness of how these medicines function in nature and honor the advancement of psychedelic therapies through western research, on the benefits of these medicines on our minds, bodies and spirits.

 We strive to be careful not to appropriate indigenous cultures and rather seek to pass on the themes of this wisdom through a sense of interconnectedness and reverence for the gifts that mother nature provides through her plant medicines, including those that are used as smoke medicines during psychedelic work. We acknowledge that smoke medicines are used in very specific ceremonies and ways that are sacred and private to indigenous peoples and in no way are trying to duplicate these ceremonies. Rather we may, if requested by our clients, use sage, herba santa, palo santo and other smoke medicines as an aromatherapy to enhance and ground the psychedelic experience through our sense of smell.

 The therapists involved with the KAP clinic have agreed to do their own inner work in traditional therapeutic contexts as well as non-ordinary states of consciousness so as to be more effective and informed clinicians.

 We endeavor to create a trusting space for the client’s Inner Healer to emerge. We do this by using non-directive/non-suggestive approaches to therapeutic work trusting in the inner wisdom of clients to move them toward a healing equilibrium.

 We practice non-violence by allowing clients to decide for themselves what areas of work they want to engage in and asking for explicit permission from them at every step in the therapeutic process. Our non-directive approach to this work means that we aim to drop any agendas we may hold for “what is best” for the client and we will never at any time direct our clients to do things to which they are not in agreement.

 Sexual touch is NEVER appropriate in ANY therapeutic context. At times, therapeutic touch such as through the use of energy work, emotional support through hand holding or touch on an arm or back may seem appropriate in a given context. Therapists will always check to see if this is wanted or invited by the client and clients can always say no. Therapeutic work is just as effective without the use of touch.

 By practicing the ethical foundations of non-violence, support of the Inner Healer, healthy therapeutic/relational boundaries and interconnectedness we envision a ripple effect through this work beginning with the healing in our clients, extending into their communities and world at large. The South African value of Ubuntu encapsulates our ethical pledge: “I am because you are”. We heal and become great through sharing ourselves with others and understand that we are not here accomplishing our goals without others.

Pledge

Tucson Counseling Associates respectfully acknowledges that we are located on the occupied lands of the Tohono O’odham and Yaqui peoples.

 We believe in non-violence and support our clients to determine what they need in therapy

 We believe each of us has an inner healer that wants to come forward to move us toward health in our bodies, minds and spirits

 We believe in holding healthy therapeutic and relational boundaries through letting go of our own agendas and listening to the needs of our clients

 We believe in interconnectivity and through healing ourselves we in turn heal our families, communities and the earth herself.

 We believe plant medicines/compounds are healers and teachers

 We believe that access to psychotherapy, medicine including plant medicines should be available to all regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender, age, ability or socio economic status

 We believe the narrative around the use of psychedelics should include all voices, not just those in the medical/mental health fields.

 We believe in the ethical use of psychedelics in psychotherapy and hold humble reverence for the privilege of holding space for the healing journey to emerge in our clients.