INTENTION SETTING
The Power of Intention in Ketamine and Psychedelic Therapy: A Compass for Healing
In the world of psychedelic therapy, whether through ketamine, psilocybin, MDMA, or other entheogens, intention is more than a helpful preparation step; it is a sacred invitation to collaborate with the healing process. As a Somatic Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapist, I’ve witnessed how setting clear, compassionate intentions can open portals within us, helping clients deepen into the work and experience more meaningful, transformative sessions.
But what does it really mean to set an intention for psychedelic therapy? And how can this process support the unique unfolding of your healing journey?
Why Intention Matters
Psychedelic states, including those brought on by ketamine, can usher in expansive awareness, non-linear insight, emotional release, and deeply felt experiences that are often difficult to articulate. These states are fertile ground for healing, but they are also tender, porous, and powerful. Having an intention is like setting the coordinates for your inner navigation system, it doesn't guarantee a specific outcome, but it helps orient you when things feel unfamiliar, emotional, or surprising.
An intention serves as:
- A grounding anchor during intense moments
- A guiding light when the path feels unclear
- A relational offering to your inner wisdom and the medicine
- A container for what your heart, body, and soul are ready to explore
How to Set an Intention
There is no right or wrong way to set an intention, but it can be helpful to approach the process with curiosity, compassion, and a sense of openness. Here are a few reflective steps to support you:
1. Create Space to Listen Inward
Before your session, carve out quiet time to connect with yourself. Sit with your breath. Journal. Walk in nature. Meditate.
Ask yourself:
- What is calling for attention in my life?
- What patterns or beliefs am I ready to shift?
- Where do I feel disconnected or longing for healing?
- What is the next layer of my awakening?
Let the answers arise without judgment or agenda.
2. Speak from the Heart, Not the Ego
Rather than focusing on outcomes like “I want to fix my anxiety,” shift toward compassionate curiosity:
- “I want to understand the roots of my anxiety.”
- “I am open to meeting the parts of me that are holding pain.”
- “I want to experience more connection to my true self.”
These intentions invite insight and healing, rather than control.
3. Keep it Simple and Soulful
Your intention might be just a few words:
- “I surrender.”
- “I open to love.”
- “I want to remember who I am.”
- “I’m ready to heal generational pain.”
Trust the simplicity. The medicine often meets us in profound ways when we’re honest, humble, and present.
During and After the Session
Hold your intention lightly. It is not a command, it’s a prayer. Sometimes the experience will reflect it directly; other times, it may take a different route entirely. That’s okay. Let yourself be surprised. Let yourself be taught. After the session, revisit your intention and journal about how it showed up....or didn’t.
Ask:
- What did I learn?
- What felt unfamiliar but important?
- How might I continue living into this intention?
Integration is where the intention takes root in your life. Continue to walk with it. Reflect on it. Let it evolve as you do.
Intentions as a Practice of Sacred Collaboration
In ketamine and psychedelic work, we are not passive recipients, we are active participants in the unfolding of our own healing. Intention-setting honors that. It says: I am here. I am listening. I am ready. It is one of the most courageous and compassionate ways we can prepare ourselves for this deep work. If you are preparing for a ketamine-assisted therapy session...or any psychedelic experience...give yourself the gift of time to connect with your intention. Even if you’re unsure, even if it feels messy, trust that your heart knows what it needs. And remember: the journey is not about perfection. It’s about presence.
With kindness and reverence,
Anissa Pfannenstiel, LSCSW Somatic Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapist