In this episode of The Functional Edge, Dr. Julia Ward interviews Dr. Alya Ahmad, MD, FAAP—Medical Director and Co-founder of Shamynds Healing Center in Sacramento—to explore the science and promise of ketamine therapy for mental health.
Dr. Ahmad explains how low-dose ketamine works as a rapid antidepressant and neuroplasticity enhancer, calming overactive brain circuits linked to trauma. She discusses why ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) is essential for lasting transformation and shares insights about how psychedelic medicine can help patients move beyond medication-resistant depression, anxiety, and chronic stress.
You’ll also hear practical advice on choosing safe treatment settings, preparing for sessions, and understanding why these therapies are redefining mental health care.
On this episode of The Functional Edge, Dr. Alya Ahmad, Medical Director of Shamynds Healing Center, shares why ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is revolutionizing mental health treatment. We explore how ketamine calms the brain’s default mode network, promotes neuroplasticity, and helps patients process trauma. Dr. Ahmad explains the difference between clinical and recreational use, and how safe, intentional therapy can bring hope to those with chronic depression and anxiety.
Dr. Alya Ahmad, MD, FAAP, is a board-certified physician, Medical Director, and Co-founder of Shamynds Healing Center in Sacramento. She specializes in integrative and psychedelic medicine, blending her background in pediatrics and psychiatry with a passion for trauma healing, narrative medicine, and consciousness research. Dr. Ahmad is dedicated to expanding access to evidence-based psychedelic therapies in safe, compassionate settings.
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Alya Ahmad, MD, FAAP
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