Trauma, Recovery, and the Responsible Use of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy with Chantelle Thomas
Thu Feb 05 2026
In this episode of Finding New Waters, B. Reeves and New Waters Recovery CEO Justin McClendon sit down with Dr. Chantelle Thomas, clinical director at Windrose Recovery and The Manor in Wisconsin, for a deep and honest conversation about trauma, addiction, and healing.Dr. Thomas shares her extensive experience working at the intersection of trauma treatment, substance use recovery, and clinical research. She explains why addiction is often rooted in unresolved trauma, why emotional numbness is common in early recovery, and how true healing requires more than just stopping substance use.This episode explores: • Why trauma reprocessing is essential for long-term recovery • Emotional numbness, dissociation, and “thawing out” in sobriety • How ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is used ethically and responsibly • The difference between dissociative dosing and relational therapeutic dosing • Who ketamine therapy is and is not appropriate for • Why relief does not equal recovery • The risks of underground or unsupervised psychedelic use • How moments of clarity show what’s possible, not the finish lineThis is a grounded, thoughtful discussion that emphasizes safety, ethics, continuing care, and long-term recovery over quick fixes.Timestamps00:00 – Welcome to Finding New Waters01:05 – Weather check and introduction with Dr. Chantelle Thomas03:00 – Windrose Recovery and The Manor overview05:00 – Trauma and its connection to addiction07:10 – Emotional numbness and early recovery09:15 – Introduction to ketamine-assisted psychotherapy11:30 – How ketamine supports trauma reprocessing14:10 – Feeling emotions without judgment17:00 – Dissociation, numbness, and reconnecting with the body19:40 – Dosage, safety, and why context matters22:20 – Who ketamine therapy is not appropriate for24:40 – Why ketamine is not a quick fix27:10 – Why six weeks of treatment matters30:10 – Relief vs recovery and false confidence32:30 – “This is what’s possible” and sustaining progress35:00 – Recovery communities and evolving treatment approaches38:20 – Risks of underground psychedelic use42:00 – Protecting the psyche and ethical responsibility45:00 – Where to find Dr. Chantelle Thomas and her work46:30 – Final reflections and closing⸻🔗 Learn More • Windrose Recovery • The Manor • Integra Healing (Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy) • Blind Spots: Exploring What We Cannot See Podcast📱 Follow Us: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newwatersrecovery • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newwatersrecovery • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-waters-recovery • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@newwatersrecovery_nc⸻
▶️ Watch & Listen: • Podcast Website: https://www.findingnewwaters.com • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4NOV2g85KExFWU5mTz5Gjw • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-new-waters/id1684075608 • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjfAIXtiOgy1XFcwAduXgXw • YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuJOc6yLcjibGGAKgLYPCN47etJCY89mn
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In this episode of Finding New Waters, B. Reeves and New Waters Recovery CEO Justin McClendon sit down with Dr. Chantelle Thomas, clinical director at Windrose Recovery and The Manor in Wisconsin, for a deep and honest conversation about trauma, addiction, and healing.Dr. Thomas shares her extensive experience working at the intersection of trauma treatment, substance use recovery, and clinical research. She explains why addiction is often rooted in unresolved trauma, why emotional numbness is common in early recovery, and how true healing requires more than just stopping substance use.This episode explores: • Why trauma reprocessing is essential for long-term recovery • Emotional numbness, dissociation, and “thawing out” in sobriety • How ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is used ethically and responsibly • The difference between dissociative dosing and relational therapeutic dosing • Who ketamine therapy is and is not appropriate for • Why relief does not equal recovery • The risks of underground or unsupervised psychedelic use • How moments of clarity show what’s possible, not the finish lineThis is a grounded, thoughtful discussion that emphasizes safety, ethics, continuing care, and long-term recovery over quick fixes.Timestamps00:00 – Welcome to Finding New Waters01:05 – Weather check and introduction with Dr. Chantelle Thomas03:00 – Windrose Recovery and The Manor overview05:00 – Trauma and its connection to addiction07:10 – Emotional numbness and early recovery09:15 – Introduction to ketamine-assisted psychotherapy11:30 – How ketamine supports trauma reprocessing14:10 – Feeling emotions without judgment17:00 – Dissociation, numbness, and reconnecting with the body19:40 – Dosage, safety, and why context matters22:20 – Who ketamine therapy is not appropriate for24:40 – Why ketamine is not a quick fix27:10 – Why six weeks of treatment matters30:10 – Relief vs recovery and false confidence32:30 – “This is what’s possible” and sustaining progress35:00 – Recovery communities and evolving treatment approaches38:20 – Risks of underground psychedelic use42:00 – Protecting the psyche and ethical responsibility45:00 – Where to find Dr. Chantelle Thomas and her work46:30 – Final reflections and closing⸻🔗 Learn More • Windrose Recovery • The Manor • Integra Healing (Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy) • Blind Spots: Exploring What We Cannot See Podcast📱 Follow Us: • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newwatersrecovery • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newwatersrecovery • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-waters-recovery • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@newwatersrecovery_nc⸻ ▶️ Watch & Listen: • Podcast Website: https://www.findingnewwaters.com • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4NOV2g85KExFWU5mTz5Gjw • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-new-waters/id1684075608 • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjfAIXtiOgy1XFcwAduXgXw • YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuJOc6yLcjibGGAKgLYPCN47etJCY89mn