107: Rethinking Psychedelic Healing: Trauma-Focused, Somatic & Ketamine-Augmented Therapy with Courtney Gable

In this episode, Mind-Body Psychic Medium & Executive Intuitive Coach Kara Lovehart interviews Courtney Gable, LPC, an integrative trauma-focused therapist blending somatic awareness, yoga therapy, breathwork, and ketamine-augmented therapy. Together, they explore how combining top-down and bottom-up healing creates deeper nervous-system regulation and more grounded psychedelic integration.

In This Episode
• Top-down vs. bottom-up healing: why both matter for trauma recovery
• How ketamine-augmented therapy works — and why language matters
• Somatic practices that help regulate the nervous system
• The future of trauma-conscious psychedelic therapy

Meet Our Guest
Courtney Gable, LPC, is a trauma-focused therapist with 25+ years of experience integrating ACT, IFS, somatic awareness, yoga therapy, breathwork, and altered-state facilitation. She is certified in psychedelic-assisted therapy and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, offering compassionate, ethical, harm-reduction based care.

Who Should Tune In
• Those exploring somatic or psychedelic-supported trauma healing
• Clinicians curious about integrative approaches
• Anyone seeking nervous-system tools rooted in compassion and science

Connect
Guest Website: https://www.courtneygable.com/

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Transcript

[00:00:00] Welcome & Introduction

HOST (Kara): Welcome back to the Mind Body Detox Podcast! Today we’re diving into a conversation I’ve been so excited to have — exploring trauma-focused, somatic, and ketamine-augmented therapy with the incredible Courtney Gable…

HOST: …Let’s bring her in. Welcome to the show, Courtney.

GUEST (Courtney): Thank you so much, Kara. What a lovely introduction. I’m thrilled to be here.

[00:02:00] Courtney’s Path & Integrative Background

HOST: You’ve spent 25+ years blending mind-body modalities. What inspired you to integrate IFS, somatic awareness, breathwork, and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy?

GUEST: It’s been such an organic journey…
I’m a word nerd, so even the phrase ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is something I like to reframe. I think of it more as ketamine-augmented therapy — because it’s not just “assisting,” it’s enhancing an already existing therapeutic process…

[00:05:00] What Ketamine-Augmented Therapy Really Is

GUEST: Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that, when used intentionally, softens rigid patterns and creates neuroplastic openness. But it doesn’t replace therapy — it augments it.

HOST: Yes! It’s an integrative model — not a one-size-fits-all solution.

[00:07:00] Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Approaches

HOST: Many listeners hear these terms but don’t know what they mean.

GUEST: Top-down approaches include CBT, ACT, and IFS. Bottom-up involves somatic awareness, breathwork, yoga therapy, expressive arts, nervous-system work…
The body is part of the conversation — not an afterthought.

HOST: And culturally, we’re so conditioned to stay in the mind!

[00:12:00] Trauma, Culture & the Window of Tolerance

GUEST: We live in a trauma-inducing culture. Many people collapse into cognitive strategies because it feels safer than being in the body.
We use concepts like the window of tolerance and pendulation — stepping in and out — to help people meet their experience without overwhelming their nervous system.

[00:17:00] Bottom-Up Approaches People Are Already Using

GUEST: Nature therapy, mindfulness, yoga therapy, breathwork, dance therapy… these are all bottom-up modalities people may already be doing without realizing it.

[00:20:00] Why Language Matters in Psychedelic Therapy

HOST: Let’s talk about language — “assisted” vs. “augmented,” “trauma-informed” vs. “trauma-focused.”
GUEST: Language shapes thought. “Assisted” implies deficiency; “augmented” implies enhancement.
“Trauma-focused” honors that trauma is often at the root of symptoms — not something to minimize.

[00:27:00] Working Within the System (Without Losing Integrity)

GUEST: We can’t always leave the mental-health system, but we can work ethically within it. That means transparency, harm reduction, and doing our own work continuously.

[00:37:00] What a Ketamine-Augmented Therapy Process Looks Like

GUEST: I partner with medical providers for evaluations — ketamine is not appropriate for everyone.
Preparation includes intention-setting, nervous-system grounding, expectations, and building therapeutic trust.
Sessions may be in-office, or under certain conditions, I bring the session to the client’s home — my “Mary Poppins bag” of tools!

Integration is ongoing — the medicine opens a window, but integration builds the bridge.

[00:52:00] Supporting Clinicians & Ethical Care

GUEST: I mentor clinicians to stay humble, curious, and grounded. Competence and compassion must evolve together.

[01:00:00] Hope for the Future

GUEST: What gives me hope? Every person who asks a question, shows up in curiosity, or reaches out for support. Connection is the change.

[01:05:00] Final Questions

HOST: What’s your favorite self-care practice right now?
GUEST: Meditation — especially meditative presence woven into daily life.

HOST: If you could detox one thing from the world?
GUEST: Our addiction to rigid identity. Softening creates space for connection and healing.

Educational content only — not medical advice.