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One year after opening a Canadian Centre for Psychedelic Healing office in Sault Ste. Marie to treat those suffering from severe mental health issues, staff are encouraged with the results they’ve seen in their clients.

The centre works with people who have suffered long periods of anxiety and depression that stop them from living their lives to the fullest.

“It’s been the most fulfilling work I’ve done in 16 years of being a registered social worker. We’ve had folks who have considered medically assisted dying and we’ve had folks who are extremely suicidal who have made attempts at taking their own life," said Ashley Irwin speaking to SooToday.

The local Canadian Centre for Psychedelic Healing office, located in Suite 303 at 390 Bay St., is the sole provider of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) in the region.

“We’ve had almost 50 clients through the clinic. We’ve had an 88 per cent success rate reported by clients. In traditional psychotherapy you don’t see those results in  such a short term model. It’s been lovely to see the large range of folks we’ve been able to support. Suicidality has been dissipated and. People have shown a new sense of fulfillment and compassion toward themselves. We’ve had an individual with OCD, and the ritualistic OCD urges have completely gone away after just one session,” Irwin said.

“It’s the most exciting work. It’s groundbreaking and it’s incredible that ketamine is here in Sault Ste. Marie,” said Julie Myers, a registered social worker for the past 15 years.

Clients can refer themselves for KAP treatment if they feel their mental health issues have not eased after two attempts at treatment with antidepressants and/or traditional counselling.

“A lot of times we’re working with folks who’ve been on several antidepressants that haven’t really supported them to feel fulfilled, alive and participating in life, and they’re reporting that ketamine is helping them come back to themselves. So that’s been really neat to see the difference,” Irwin said.

KAP involves the use of ketamine, a pediatric anesthetic, to ease entrenched negative attitudes within the mind.

“We use ketamine in low doses and it induces a psychedelic state. It can really assist in diminishing symptoms of treatment-resistant mental health issues,” Irwin said.

“Ketamine acts as a catalyst in treatment. It really elevates the therapeutic process and acts as a catalyst to much more rapid change and shifts in perspective,” Myers said. 

“Basically it allows clients to promote forgiveness toward self and others, to end something negative that might be causing intrusiveness in their life through symptoms of flashbacks and nightmares. A client may feel like there's been a weight lifted from them. They feel much more connected to themselves in mind and body and more connected to a sense of community, participating in events and daily living,” Irwin said.

The process begins with a phone call to a nurse administrator at the Bay Street office.

A nurse at the office will receive a client and measure their weight, examine their blood pressure and heart rate.

From there, an on-site nurse practitioner will decide if KAP is suitable for them.

The client then meets with social workers Irwin or Myers to outline their desired treatment goals.

A treatment session begins with a nurse practitioner administering a sublingual ketamine lozenge.

A few minutes later, the client is then guided by Irwin or Myers to a meditative, altered state. 

“They can go back and reprocess something that happened with a lighter, more pleasant emotion to be felt,” Irwin said.

“For a lot of clients who may have struggled with traditional therapy who don’t feel comfortable opening up, that psychedelic state is providing them with an enhanced comfort level and they’re able to open up more. With ketamine it’s just a whole new ball game. People are willing to open up and the results of that are pretty incredible.”

Social workers will then use a process called integration, which is an attempt to instill new habits and healthy tendencies in a client, such as enjoying nature or taking up creative pursuits once the brain is at an optimal level of functioning. 

“There tends to be a really significant level of motivation after,” Myers said. 

After a ketamine session with a social worker, the client will be checked by a nurse to verify if their overall state, including their mobility, is in check before they leave the office.

On average, prep time before a session with a social worker lasts for 30 to 45 minutes, the ketamine-induced altered state lasts for 45 to 60 minutes and post treatment integration with a social worker is approximately 45 minutes, a treatment session usually two and a half hours in duration.

Sessions are longer for clients who have been suicidal.

Clients are not left unattended.

The office’s treatment course consists of six sessions, two per week for a three week period. 

A post-treatment summary is written in which clients are asked if their treatment goals have been met or if they feel a need for further treatment.

“Most often there isn’t,” Irwin said.

“Their needs have been met and that’s nice to see for a relatively short term model of treatment. Clients have the opportunity to come back for a consultation or further maintenance appointments if needed. They can ask for a monthly followup after a course of treatment."

The office has treated clients - from teens to seniors - from the Sault and Algoma District.

The Canadian Centre for Psychedelic Healing is monitored by Health Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Health.

In the past year the Centre has acquired Field Trip Health and has offices in Ottawa, Vancouver, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay and Toronto.

Treatment sessions are not covered by OHIP and cost approximately $3,700. 

A good benefit plan can cover up to approximately $2,200 of that amount, Irwin said.

“It’s hard not to get extremely passionate about it because we’re seeing the results. We want to shout it from the rooftops, that it’s here in the Sault and it’s working so well. Traditional therapy can be a struggle and progress is sometimes slow but every one of these sessions feels groundbreaking,” Myers said.

At Saint Louis University, future family psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners learn to apply the nursing process and medical/medication management to promote optimal mental health while engaging in active, ongoing collaboration with clients, their families, significant others and the interprofessional team.

Students pursuing the family psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner program at SLU work with children, adolescents and adults of all ages with acute or complex mental health needs or psychiatric diagnoses. SLU's family psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner program encourages evidence-based, culturally sensitive, recovery-oriented and holistic care.

At Saint Louis University, we partner with our students on clinical placement. Besides being paired with a faculty mentor with expertise in students' desired field of study, SLU helps students obtain preceptors for their clinical rotations.

The Valentine School of Nursing is renowned for excellence in nursing education. U.S. News and World Report consistently ranks our MSN-NP program as a top program in their Best Graduate Schools survey.

Curriculum Overview

Saint Louis University's post-master's nurse practitioner certificate programs are conducted almost completely online, requiring only two visits to the St. Louis campus.

A minimum of 15 credits is required for completion of a post-master's nurse practitioner certificate program. The total number of credits varies, depending on the particular certificate pursued.

At the Valentine School of Nursing’s discretion, students may transfer three to six credits of graduate-level coursework to be applied toward their post-master's certificate program of study.

Student files are individually reviewed. Students may be able to petition for advanced standing in courses such as “Advanced Health Assessment,” “Advanced Pathophysiology” and “Advanced Pharmacology.”

Careers

Upon completion of the post-master's nurse practitioner certificate program, you will qualify to take the certification exam through the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board.

According to a U.S. News & World Report ranking, the median salary of nurse practitioners in 2022 was $120,680. The best-paid 25% of NPs made $129,680 that year; the lowest-paid 25% made $99,540. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 52.2% employment growth for nurse practitioners between 2020 and 2030. In that period, an estimated 114,900 jobs are projected to open up in the NP profession.

Admission Requirements

• A master's degree in a nursing specialty, preferably from a program accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency
• A college cumulative grade point of 3.20 or higher
• Completion of a graduate-level physiology or pathophysiology course and a beginning health assessment course, or the equivalent thereof
• Experience in an advanced practice role in nursing is preferred
• Proof of completion of an American heart care provider course is required after acceptance.

The Valentine School of Nursing adheres to the principles of a holistic admission process in which selection criteria are broad-based and linked to our University’s and school’s mission and goals. While we do consider academic metrics we also look at applicant experiences, attributes, potential for success, and how applicants may contribute to the school’s learning environment and to the profession.

The curriculum for this program meets the educational requirements for licensure as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in the State of Missouri. Note that the Missouri Board of Nursing may impose additional requirements on candidates prior to granting a license; we encourage you to investigate these requirements.

The Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing has not determined whether the curriculum for this program meets the educational requirements for nursing licensure in any other states or territories. However, graduates of our APRN programs are eligible to sit for National Board Certification Exams in all states and territories. We encourage you to investigate the requirements in your state or territory prior to accepting an offer of admission.

Saint Louis University School of Nursing accepts applications to the pediatric primary care post-master's certificate program from students living in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Application Requirements

Please follow the five steps outlined below to apply:

Requirements for International Students

International students on F1 or J1 student visas are not eligible for admission, as these programs are conducted entirely online. For additional information, contact the Office of International Services.

Application Deadlines

• Fall admissions: Priority admission is April 15 with an application deadline of June 1.
• Spring admissions: Priority admission is October 15 with an application deadline of December 1.

  If the application deadline has passed for your semester of interest, please contact gradnurse@slu.edu. Late applications may be accepted.

Tuition 

Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:

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Information on Tuition and Fees

Miscellaneous Fees

Information on Summer Tuition

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Financing for this program may be available through grants, scholarships, loans (federal and private) and institutional financing plans.  For price estimates, please review the SLU Cost Calculator.  

The Valentine School of Nursing offers scholarship and graduate research assistantship opportunities to eligible graduate students.  Additionally, most nursing students will participate in a tuition assistance program provided through their employer.

For more information, visit the student financial services office online at https://www.slu.edu/financial-aid.

Continuation Standards

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.