Brett Knowles LAc

Brett Knowles is a licensed acupuncturist and somatic practitioner in Boulder, Colorado, who offers psychedelic preparation and integration sessions as well as ketamine-assisted therapy. He practises at Sky Medicine on Arapahoe Ave with Sara Lewis, PhD, LCSW, and sees clients in person or online.

Approach

His work joins Somatic Experiencing, in which he is an advanced practitioner, with classical Chinese medicine, and he calls his approach contemplative and client-led. Integration sessions slow down and attend to sensation, letting meaning settle over time. Some sessions are mostly talk, others quieter and bodily, and acupuncture is optional. He holds an MA from South West Acupuncture College and a BA in philosophy from Boston University, is also a licensed massage therapist, and trained with PRATI in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and in end-of-life work. He has MAPS training in MDMA therapy but will offer it only after FDA approval.

Who it is for

Sky Medicine names trauma and early imprints, chronic stress and anxiety, major transitions or existential questions, and pain with no clear medical cause. He suggests this work especially for people left overwhelmed or sensitive by a psychedelic experience.

Practical details

Sessions have been listed at $115 to $375, in person in Boulder or online. The first step is a free 15-minute consultation. A ketamine medicine session lasts about 2.5 hours, with eye shades, headphones and music, and the effects begin within 15 to 25 minutes.

Care and safety

For ketamine, a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner from his network does the medical screening, and he can work with an existing care team. Two or three preparation sessions usually precede a medicine session, and integration sessions alternate with them. Sky Medicine lists contraindications that include heart disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, pregnancy, a history of psychosis, personality disorders, substance misuse and acute suicidal thoughts.