{"id":6163,"date":"2025-08-25T17:20:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T15:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/psykologvirke.no\/?p=6163"},"modified":"2025-08-25T23:01:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T21:01:11","slug":"ketaminbehandling-godkjent-i-norge-som-forste-land-i-verden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/psykologvirke.no\/en\/self-help\/ketaminbehandling-godkjent-i-norge-som-forste-land-i-verden\/","title":{"rendered":"Ketamine treatment approved in Norway as first country in the world"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Monday, August 25, a decision was made that marks a historic breakthrough in Norwegian mental health care. The Decision Forum for New Methods has agreed to introduce ketamine treatment in Norwegian hospitals for patients with treatment-resistant depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This gives hope to those who are not helped by established treatment options \u2013 and puts Norway on the map as the first country in the world to introduce ketamine treatment nationally in the public health system. There are many reasons why this is important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Psikologvirke first to offer ketamine treatment among psychology clinics in Norway<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We can thank Lowan Stewart, the founder of this development, for the first time. Axon Clinic<\/a> for. He has worked tirelessly for the past 10 years towards this goal, which was achieved in close collaboration with Ingmar Clausen, head of Psykforsk \u2013 Innovative treatment research at \u00d8stfold Hospital<\/a>, where Psykologvirke's co-founder Ivar W. Goks\u00f8yr has also been associated for the last 8 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Psykologvirke, we are proud to be the first established psychology clinic in Norway to offer ketamine-assisted therapy, in close collaboration with our long-standing colleagues at Axonklinikken. Psykologvirke now has 11 therapists certified in the method, and more are in the process of being certified \u2013 also at our specialist trauma department \u2013 The trauma center<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with most other treatment options, ketamine treatment is absolutely essential for some, useful for others, while for others it has no effect. For some, the benefit is only short-lived. Psykologvirke will help to further develop and strengthen this treatment option so that more people benefit more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more in the medical journal aboutImplementation of ketamine treatment<\/a> at the Hospital in \u00d8stfold<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ketamine and the importance of psychological expertise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Research in this field has been ongoing for many years, but has also been limited by a lack of financial incentives, as ketamine is not patentable. Most studies to date use ketamine as a purely pharmacological treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, recent research suggests that ketamine-assisted psychotherapy provides longer-lasting effects<\/a>It is therefore crucial that the psychology profession takes ownership of this development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through our expert psychotherapeutic professional community, we want to contribute to developing even more robust and long-lasting synergies between the medical and psychotherapeutic treatment components that ketamine-assisted therapy consists of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To date, research on ketamine-assisted therapy has focused on third-wave therapies. We believe there may be significant potential in combining ketamine with the psychodynamic and emotion-focused therapies in which we have expertise, such as this article exemplifies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This way, we can hopefully reach even more of those who have suboptimal benefits from both ketamine treatment and\/or psychotherapy alone. Ultimately, it's about using the tools we have to create lasting change in people's habitual patterns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Psikologvirke has already contributed to the development of psychedelic therapy in Norway for many years, and has recently contributed to a publication in a peer-reviewed journal, an international, consensus-based framework for educational requirements: A model training curriculum for psychedelic, psycholytic, and entactogen-assisted psychotherapy<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also contribute to developing the educational offerings that are now also on the way here in Norway, including at further education in psychedelic therapy at the University of Innlandet<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More indications than treatment-resistant depression<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The decision-making forum has initially approved ketamine for treatment-resistant depression<\/a>. At the same time, there is research and clinical experience that points to efficacy in other conditions as well. In collaboration with Axonklinikken, we can in some cases, after individual assessment, also offer treatment for other indications, assuming treatment resistance (link to meta-analyses behind each indication). <\/p>\n\n\n\n