In this surprisingly casual video, nurse anesthetist Nick Angelis talks candidly to his patient about her experience at Ascend and Reset as she’s undergone ketamine infusions and stellate ganglion blocks. They discuss the limits of giving 100% to get healthy and list ways to use movement and non-pharmaceutical treatments to enhance interventional psychiatry. Transcript below.

Nick Angelis:
Hello and welcome to the Ascend Health Show. You’ve rudely interrupted Julie Buckeye and me while we were discussing her next appointment.

Julie Buckeye:
I think Monday would work a little better.

Nick:
A lot of times ketamine works better as a restorative treatment than a preventive one. I used to have a patient who went snowboarding regularly, and we’d always schedule his treatment afterward to help him recover rather than beforehand.

Julie:
Exactly. That’s what I’ve noticed too. After a treatment, I really need the next day to integrate, recover, and spend some nurturing time focused on myself.

Nick:
Now that we’ve called everyone rude, I guess we can start the show.

Julie is one of my patients, and we’re discussing her treatment journey while she’s still in the middle of it. I’ve always thought it was awkward when healthcare organizations showcase only their most successful patients after they’ve reached the finish line and say, “Look how perfect they are.” Julie is still actively going through treatment, so we’ll let time tell the story.

Julie:
I appreciate that approach. People often watch a testimonial and develop magical thinking. They think they’ll do one treatment and be completely fine. What’s often missing is the discussion about everything that happens along the way.

Nick:
Exactly. You see a business with dozens of five-star reviews and think it must be amazing. My instinct is usually more cynical. I wonder who didn’t have a great experience. That’s why honest conversations matter.

You own a dance studio in Cuyahoga Falls, World of Dances, and work with yoga, meditation, and movement. What was your journey into that world?

Julie:
I’ve always been passionate about mental health because of my own experiences. I’ve faced significant personal struggles, even though people looking from the outside may not realize it.

I actually entered the dance profession through my own healing journey. Movement helped me heal physically, and that gradually evolved into helping others.

My path to Ascend came through counseling. I was talking with my therapist about how every year, from July through October, my PTSD symptoms become much worse. I get triggered by school buses, smells, and other reminders. I was tired of suffering and felt like something was missing.

Ketamine was something I’d always wanted to explore, even though I didn’t know much about it. When I contacted Ascend, the entire process was easy. The office responded quickly, and from the beginning I felt cared for. That made me even more interested in learning whether ketamine could help me.

Nick:
That’s important. Healthcare isn’t always a smooth process, especially in the American healthcare system. But there’s a difference between a smooth process and a slick process.

One example is your experience with Dr. Lowers at Reset Medical. Rather than simply trying to keep you within our practice, we discussed which treatments might help you most and in what order. Before starting ketamine infusions, I suggested exploring a stellate ganglion block because it could help calm your sympathetic nervous system.

What stood out in our conversations was the question: How hard should you work to get better? Sometimes patients are working too hard, even in the pursuit of healing.

Julie:
I remember feeling that way. I often thought, “Why am I working so hard just to feel okay?”

Even though I understand how the body stores trauma and stress, it’s frustrating when your body reacts strongly and you don’t feel like you have control over it.

One thing I appreciated about Ascend was that I felt heard. It wasn’t simply a matter of choosing between different facilities. It felt like people were truly listening to my story and helping me choose the next step that made the most sense.

Nick:
You once compared it to being asked to choose between two invitations to the homecoming dance.

Julie:
That’s right. But what impressed me was that you were willing to refer me elsewhere because it was in my best interest.

In my own business, if somebody comes to me and there’s a better option available elsewhere, I want them to receive what’s best for them. Healing isn’t about keeping someone in your system; it’s about helping them find what they need.

Nick:
And that’s important because sometimes people fixate on the idea of a miracle cure. When one treatment becomes “the answer to everything,” it creates a tremendous amount of pressure and expectation.

Julie:
Exactly.

I’m probably around my fifth or sixth ketamine session now. Before starting, I didn’t know what to expect. The only person I knew who had tried ketamine did so for chronic back pain.

I also have degenerative disc disease and deal with significant nerve pain. I started wondering whether ketamine might help with that as well. If it could reduce my reliance on medications, pain management procedures, or injections, that would be meaningful.

Nick:
Reducing stigma is one of the reasons we have these conversations.

At the same time, ketamine isn’t a first-line treatment for most conditions. We want people to be educated consumers who understand whether it’s truly a good fit for them.

Julie:
One thing that surprised me was how much I enjoyed the treatments.

My first couple of sessions were overwhelming because I was dealing with a very difficult personal situation. Those emotions surfaced strongly.

Then I started experiencing breakthroughs in awareness. That’s probably the biggest benefit I’ve noticed. The treatments expanded my awareness and allowed me to shift how I interpreted situations. I found myself able to move more quickly into healthier thought patterns when something upset me.

Now, whenever I come in for treatment, I don’t know exactly what to expect, but I always know I’m in control. I can open my eyes, move around, and stay connected to reality.

Nick:
You don’t lose your agency.

Julie:
Exactly.

Nick:
That’s important because many people worry about psychedelic treatments and imagine something frightening or uncontrollable happening.

The experience does involve letting go of some control, but it shouldn’t feel like becoming a victim of the treatment. The goal is to help people find solutions within themselves rather than constantly looking outside themselves.

Many patients spend their days monitoring symptoms and wondering what medication, supplement, or intervention they need next. Ideally, treatment helps create distance from that constant vigilance.

Julie:
That’s one reason movement has been so important in my life.

Trauma affected my body in ways I didn’t even recognize at first. As a dancer, hand movements are a significant part of my art form, and I could feel the effects of tension and trauma throughout my body.

We often focus on changing our thoughts through talk therapy, but our bodies are carrying information too. Treatments like ketamine and therapies that work directly with the nervous system give us additional ways to release what we’re holding.

The day after treatment, I’m typically tired. It feels less like the ketamine is wearing off and more like my body is processing and releasing things.

Nick:
Ketamine initiates a cascade of neurochemical changes, including increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which helps support neuronal growth and repair.

We’ve also intentionally slowed your treatment schedule because you’ve shown that you can process and integrate each experience effectively before moving to the next one.

Julie:
And that’s something I’ve appreciated. Each time I come in, we talk about how I’m doing, what’s changed, and what my body seems to need. The treatment plan isn’t rigid.

Nick:
That’s especially important because people who are highly motivated to improve their health can sometimes become vulnerable to doing too much.

Instead of sending someone to multiple specialists for months, there are times we can make reasonable adjustments and learn quickly whether something is helping.

Julie:
I’ve noticed that. The approach feels individualized rather than automatic. Healing isn’t the same for everybody.

Nick:
Exactly.

You also worked with our nurse practitioner, Mark Garretson. Combining his perspective with mine helps us build a more complete treatment plan.

Julie:
One thing I’d like to mention is my experience at Reset Medical.

They were fantastic. The physicians and staff provided excellent care. Even though they offered ketamine treatments as well, I chose to continue at Ascend because that’s where my journey started, and they were the ones who referred me there in the first place.

What stood out was that both organizations were committed to my well-being rather than competing for my business.

Nick:
That’s something we tell patients all the time. If another facility offers excellent care and is significantly closer, it’s often the right choice.

People can spend so much time trying to find the perfect provider that they overlook a very good option directly in front of them.

Julie:
When you’re considering treatment, there are a lot of questions: Is it worth the cost? Which clinic should I choose? Is it right for me?

For me, it came down to finding what felt aligned.

I would encourage people to remain open-minded. Many of us rely heavily on medications that help manage symptoms, but it’s worth exploring other approaches that may support deeper healing as well.

Nick:
One of our goals at Ascend is to help people through specific seasons of life.

We have teachers who struggle during the school year but do great in the summer. We have healthcare workers who need more support during certain times. Some people come for a few months and then don’t need us for years.

Others benefit from ongoing treatments such as Spravato, and that’s perfectly appropriate too. The important thing is having options.

Julie:
How do patients know when they’re receiving too much treatment?

Nick:
It’s always a negotiation.

There have been times when I’ve told patients, “Put your money back in your wallet. It’s too soon.”

For you specifically, we’ve stretched out treatments because your body seems to benefit from having more time to process between sessions.

Generally speaking, if someone consistently needs ketamine infusions more often than every three weeks, I start asking whether a different approach might be a better fit.

The goal isn’t to create lifelong dependence on treatment. It’s to help people gain tools and resilience that reduce their need for treatment over time.

Julie:
That resonates with me because I had to let go of the idea that this was going to “fix everything.”

What I’ve come to realize is that healing is a journey. My experiences have shaped who I am, and they’ve also helped me serve others in my profession.

Now I look at treatment differently. If I’m going through a difficult season and need support, I have resources available. I don’t feel trapped by my symptoms anymore.

Nick:
That’s a healthier perspective.

We’re not trying to create a lifelong pursuit of perfect health. We’re trying to help people move out of survival mode so they can make rational decisions and evaluate treatments honestly.

Julie:
I also think education is essential.

There are still many misconceptions about ketamine therapy, even among healthcare professionals. Some people dismiss it simply because they don’t understand it.

If someone’s curious, I’d encourage them to have a conversation with someone who truly understands how these treatments work and can discuss the benefits, limitations, and risks honestly.

Nick:
That’s one advantage of having psychologists, therapists, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, TMS providers, and ketamine services under one roof. Patients have options.

Sometimes people come to us requesting ketamine and discover that what they really need is a therapist. Having multiple resources available helps us guide people toward what’s most appropriate.

We’re almost out of time, so tell everyone how they can connect with you.

Julie:
Thank you for having me.

I own World of Dances in Cuyahoga Falls. We offer movement programs for both adults and children, with a focus on healing, self-expression, confidence, and personal growth.

For adults, especially women, our classes create an uplifting environment where people can reconnect with themselves and build self-worth through movement.

For children, we focus on body awareness, safety, confidence, and healthy self-expression. Movement is an incredible teaching tool.

At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to healing and helping people bloom into the best version of themselves.

Nick:
We hope all of you bloom today as well.

Thanks for watching the Ascend Health Show.