In partnership with Nue Life.
Though headlines for the past few years have been dominated by COVID-19, in the background a more silent epidemic has been raging: that of deteriorating mental health. In fact, 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. are now experiencing some form of mental illness – hardly surprising given the curveballs this new decade has thrown at us.
But as sobering as that statistic may be, there's never been a better time to reach out for help. While conventional antidepressants have been the dominant recommendation for decades (and can still be necessary in many cases), research and word-of-mouth grows every day around the field of psychedelic therapy. Ketamine in particular has been shown in emerging studies, to have transformative effects on depression, and to work faster than traditional antidepressants to address anxiety and PTSD without these same side effects.
Despite how sizable these benefits can potentially be, the process of obtaining – and safely utilizing – a psychedelic drug is understandably daunting for most newcomers. Nue Life seeks to fill in that gap with intentional, supportive and holistic treatment plans. Encompassing everything from the initial ketamine treatments to equally vital non-ketamine aftercare, Nue Life employs group integration sessions and one-on-one health coaching along with a data-synced app to maximize positive health outcomes.
And unlike other clinically-administered ketamine programs that require inpatient visits, they deliver all of this to their clients' doorsteps.
A NUE APPROACH
Nue Life's program differs from a traditional course of antidepressants in several key ways. Firstly, their Nue App provides access to staff, along with real-time biofeedback by pairing with Apple Watch's health monitoring system. The app also has treatment-enhancing features such as playlists designed by musicologists, and voice note capabilities. The ability to create a fully formed user experience in-app was part of what excited Nue Life's Co-founders, who envisioned a delivery process as cutting-edge as the therapy itself.
According to Nue Life, ketamine can also offer a much faster relief than traditional antidepressants – sometimes in as little as 24-48 hours – through experiences that have the potential to be both spiritual and existential. In fact Sonam Kline, the Director of Nue Life Health, underwent the program herself and felt profound healing in the first session alone. She was able to find closure and acceptance after a devastating miscarriage by communing with her unborn daughter in a way that was so loving that she finds herself coming back to it months later.
If any of that sounds too woo-woo, organizations such as Yale Health and the National Institute for Mental Health also advocate for ketamine's therapeutic use based on concrete neuroscience. Given in low doses, ketamine is able to maximize the production of glutamate, the compound that allows our neurons to communicate effectively. This allows for new connections, literally opening up more pathways in our brain, including those that may have closed up during prolonged periods of stress or anxiety.
With that in mind, Nue Life promises to bring "neurons, not neuroses" – and while the program is quickly expanding beyond the current states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, treatment is available to clients 18 years or older in those locales right away.
HOW IT WORKS
After answering the medical screening questions and completing a medical consultation with one of Nue Life's providers, clients receive their Welcome Kit in just two to three days' time. But first: there's options. Nue Reset is the one-month program ($1,399) that includes six ketamine experiences – the recommended base number after which many clients feel wholly satisfied. However, the Nue You program is available for those who wish to dive a little deeper, offering 18 ketamine experiences over four months at a cost of $2,999, with various payment options available.
Both programs call for taking a sublingual oral lozenge at home 1-2 times a week, under the guidance of a Sitter, either in person (think a family member or a friend) or a virtually-appointed one from Nue Life at an additional cost. While the experiences themselves can be quite powerful, ketamine rapidly clears the body in just 2-4 hours, meaning that clients should be able to continue living high-functioning lifestyles with no need to set aside days for recuperation.
Throughout, Nue Life accounts for factors ranging from clients' trepidation around trying ketamine to their intended therapeutic goals as they formulate the most effective dosage. It's an ongoing, holistic process, aided by individual health coaching and multiple group integration sessions, as well as the Experience Trackers clients fill out after their first, third and sixth experiences. All of this provides the context for Nue Life to adjust the dosage of each lozenge throughout the program – and starts to lay the groundwork for continued long-term benefits.
AFTERCARE: FOR THE LONG TERM
Another area where Nue Life differs from an institutional setting is with its personalized aftercare program Nue Care. Open to anyone who completes either of the above treatment plans, Nue Care ($249/month for a 6-month membership) is designed to give clients concrete takeaways that set them up for long-term healing. Where other providers often seek to provide patients with more ketamine in order to turn a profit, one of Nue Care's objectives is to reduce dependence on any kind of pharmaceutical treatment – including ketamine itself.
Nue Life does this by setting up individual check-ins with an integration specialist designed to set wellness goals and put tangible plans in motion. And– full disclosure here – my mother, Jane Petree, M.A., though not affiliated with Nue Life, is an integration specialist herself. Having completed a certification program in Addiction Recovery & Psychedelic Integration, she described integration to me as the process of actively working through what comes up in dosage sessions.
"If you just take ketamine, psilocybin, what have you, in a vacuum, you might feel great for a few days but then immediately fall back into old patterns," she elaborated. "It's so important to work with a professional to look at what was revealed to you and how you want to act on those new insights moving forward. It's even more important than having the psychedelic experiences themselves."
That same philosophy is the backbone of Nue Care, which aside from the individual integration coaching also employs one-hour weekly group sessions and consultations with a medical provider. All of this is designed to help clients track their progress with the in-app Nue Score: a three-pillared action plan for positive changes in the areas of Mind, Body and Lifestyle.
PERSONALIZED PROGRAMS
Despite conclusive research that shows the vast majority of psychedelic therapy patients benefit greatly from it, we're all individuals with our own baggage and our own goals.
And by modulating dosages throughout, providing on-call support, and using AI-assisted platforms to respond to clients' changing needs in real time, Nue Life is no one-size-fits-all program. Healing is a journey, and particularly for those who've felt disappointed or limited by traditional medicine, ketamine can be a remarkable catalyst for positive change.
FIVE MORE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT NUE LIFE
- Nue Life is experienced in the field, having administered over 35,000 ketamine experiences to over 4,000 clients.
- Nue Care subscribers gain members-only access to discounted a la carte services ranging from to 1-on-1 health coaching and group integration sessions, individual therapy with a therapist experienced in psychedelic integration, and additional maintenance ketamine experiences (if prescribed.)
- Nue Life also offers coaching targeted towards nutrition, sleep and movement goals to support overall well-being.
- The cost of a Nue Life program is 80% less expensive than traditional IV infusions, with another 20% discount offered to eligible frontline workers and veterans.
- For any lingering questions, booking a free discovery welcome call with their team is just one click away.
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