Local Resources
Mental health resources in Aspen, Colorado
The Aspen Hope Center provides an array of mental health services such as crisis intervention, suicide prevention, mobile crisis response, therapy, a confidential 24/7 HopeLine, school-based programs, and referrals to appropriate providers. The Hope Center strives to decrease the stigma surrounding mental health and helping reduce the stress of navigating the system of mental health.
The Aspen Hope Line phone number is: 970-925-5858
The Garfield Hope Line phone number is 970-945-3728
The Aspen Hope Center provides a 24-hour confidential line to ensure that anyone who calls for help reaches an on-call clinician day or night, seven days per week. Having a local voice on the other end of the phone makes such a difference to those who call, and the immediate response ensures the person in need receives the appropriate help in a timely manner.
The Hope Center also partners with Colorado Crisis Services (CCS) as they have bilingual staff 24/7 and a TEXT-to-TALK line. You can reach CCS 24/hr hotline at 1-844-493-8255 or Text “TALK” to 38255.
GREATER MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS FOR COLORADO
The Colorado Crisis Center is a statewide resource for mental health, substance use or emotional crisis help, information and referrals. We formed, in partnership with the Colorado Department of Human Services, to strengthen Colorado’s mental health system. Our purpose is to provide greater access to mental health services, ensuring Coloradans get the right services in the right locations at the right time.
CRISIS LINE:
1-844-493-TALK (8255) is a 24/7/365 support line for anyone affected by a mental health, substance use or emotional crisis. All calls are connected to a mental health professional, who will provide immediate support and connections to further resources.
Aspen Strong engages, educates, and empowers mental fitness to create a healthy, vibrant community.
Our vision is for Aspen Strong to fiscally support the collaborative efforts of our Valley’s mental health resources as well as manage the mental health fund to support subsidized cost of services for residents and employees who could not afford care otherwise. Currently, Aspen Strong provides limited sponsorship funding and promotion of community organizations to support their awareness events. Additionally, Aspen Strong raises funds to support the Valley’s MENTAL HEALTH FUND. Through fundraising events and Aspen Strong partnerships we provide an annual gift to the valley’s Mental Health Fund – a grant that subsidizes patients’ mental health services.
THERAPY WHILE UNINSURED/UNABLE TO PAY:
Mind Springs Health | 970-920-5555
Mountain Family Health Center | 970-945-2840
Access the Aspen Strong Provider Directory to find private therapists that accept the Mental Health Fund.
Research studies and podcasts on ketamine assisted therapy
The research covers a range of healing opportunities, ranging from acute suicidality to depression to addiction, to complex PTSD, etc.
•Research by psychiatrist Elias Dakwar at Columbia showing that a single dose of ketamine with counseling can produce durable changes in alcohol use disorder, and also cocaine use in a separate study linked in the article:
https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/single-dose-ketamine-plus-talk-therapy-may-reduce-alcohol-use
•Additional research showing the powerful results of ketamine therapy for suicidality:
Also a good YouTube presentation by Dr. Dakwar on ketamine therapy for
ELIAS DAKWAR, M.D. “Ketamine and Psychiatry” - YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com › watch
•Here is a newly released study from Dr. Celia Morgan in the UK showing impressively strong abstinence rates for alcohol use disorder with ketamine plus psychotherapy. (In the training model from PRATI, clients must be off of alcohol for at least 48 hours prior to working with ketamine and more reasonably for at least a week.)
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/939444
The podcast with Celia and Dr. Peter Attia is here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-peter-attia-drive/id1400828889?i=1000577644724
•Dr. Robert Grant at UCSF, the brilliant researcher who developed the HIV prophylaxis PrEP, has transitioned to using Internal Family Systems therapy and intramuscular ketamine to work with deep trauma in the LGBTQ+ population and beyond. He is conducting research on his work currently.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nag9Z0Gulww
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ifs-talks/id1481000501?i=1000514100847
•Dr. John Krystal, head of psychiatry at Yale and Yale-New Haven Hospital, has been researching ketamine for mental health since 1997 and his studies have had nearly identical results over the decades regarding the medicine’s ability to heal MDD, suicidality, etc. I would also add that Dr. Krystal recognizes the value of psychotherapy in helping to greatly reduce PTSD symptoms etc. This podcast is long, 3 hours (!) and comprehensive. I would refer you to the website and the extensive show notes and research links on Tim Ferriss’ site here too:
https://tim.blog/2022/09/30/dr-john-krystal-ketamine/
Here is the transcript of the Tim Ferriss podcast.
And if that is too long… here is an abbreviated website of info on ketamine therapy done at Yale:
https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/ketamine-depression
•Fascinating research article here by University College London that strongly validates the use of therapy in combination with ketamine at the time of ketamine assisted therapy (KAP). “A rapid and lasting reduction in number of drinking days per week and volume of alcohol consumed was observed when ketamine followed MRM retrieval/destabilization, with no rebound to baseline observed for at least 9 months following manipulation.”
I would postulate that Internal Family Systems work, specifically targeting the “parts” that are involved with the urge to drink, would be most effective in this process. I’m sure other methodologies may work, but given that in the FDA trials with MDMA, 80% of clients naturally were doing parts work related to PTSD, I’m going to put my money on parts work in addition to perhaps CBT or ACT etc as further followups:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-13162-w
•Psilocybin: psychiatrist Michael Bogenschutz at NYU just published a groundbreaking study on psilocybin producing an 83% reduction in alcohol use after two psilocybin journeys. This study mirrors those with ketamine in many ways. I have a current preference for ketamine since it is legal today and clients can report complaints on clinicians to DORA etc, and it is shorter-acting so it is easier/cheaper to administer in a healthcare setting and to bring into community mental health. In my experience, the psychedelic effects of ketamine can be just a strong and it deserves more widespread respect in that sense, but as with any kind of healthcare, the set and setting is crucial to the experience and the healing outcomes. That said, psilocybin absolutely will be a key player in healthcare.