Ever look back and realize just how far you’ve come… but at the time, you couldn’t see it at all?
That’s what we’re talking about today with the lovely Dr. Ashley Irizarry, functional medicine doctor, ketamine therapy advocate, and co-founder of New Wave Medicine up in the Seattle area in Burien and Renton, WA.

This episode is one big pep talk, and explains why that's important.

We talk about that oh-so-human habit of being so focused on the next goal that we forget to witness our own becoming, about how ketamine has a funny way of bringing us face-to-face with who we really are, and helping us build the courage to step toward it, one small, scared, beautiful step at a time.

Inside this conversation:

• Why it’s totally normal to feel scared before ketamine, and why that’s not a sign you’re doing it wrong
• The real magic of ketamine retreats (yes, time and space do matter)
• How functional medicine and ketamine work together to create lasting change
• The power of choosing yourself again and again, especially when it’s hard
• Why “stuck” isn’t actually real (it just feels very, very real)
• What integration looks like beyond the journal and into your life

If you’re in a season of questioning, transitioning, or low-key wrestling with your comfort zone… this one’s for you.

🔗 Resources & Links

• Explore Ashley’s work + retreats: www.newwavewa.com
• Upcoming retreat: October 23–26, 2025 – Cle Elum, WA (mention Ketamine Connections for 10% off!)
• Follow Ashley: @dr.ashley.irizarry | @newwavemed

Ready to prepare for ketamine with intention? Learn about my signature guide: Ketamine Preparation Protocol (KPP) https://www.annakrishtal.com/kpp