Today's episode is one I've really been looking forward to because we're diving into something that's transforming the way we think about mental health treatment: low-dose ketamine therapy. My guest, Dr. Sharon Niv, is the co-founder of Joyous, a public benefit company helping make this kind of care more accessible and affordable than ever before.
Sharon brings a fascinating background in cognitive psychology, meditation, and technology, and she's helping bridge the gap between neuroscience and therapy in a way that's incredibly gentle, safe, and empowering for both clients and clinicians.
We'll talk about what makes psycholytic, or low-dose, ketamine different from traditional psychedelic experiences, how it can enhance the therapeutic process, and how you, as a therapist, can get trained to integrate it into your own work.
This is one of those conversations that opens your mind to what's possible in therapy, so let's jump in.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode
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Meet Sharon Niv, Ph.D.
Dr. Sharon Niv is a cognitive psychologist and co-founder of Joyous Team, a Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to making evidence-based mental health treatments accessible and affordable. Her work bridges the worlds of neuroscience, technology, and therapy with a focus on how scalable, data-driven approaches can enhance emotional well-being.
Dr. Niv earned her Ph.D. in Brain and Cognitive Science from the University of Southern California, where she conducted research on EEG biomarkers, neurofeedback, and the neural underpinnings of mood and behavior. She also holds a B.A. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from UC Berkeley and an M.A. in Clinical and Cognitive Psychology from USC.
Before founding Joyous, Sharon worked on developing virtual-reality interventions for chronic pain and neurofeedback programs designed to help people improve emotional regulation and resilience. A long-time meditation practitioner, she combines scientific rigor with a deep understanding of mindfulness and experiential learning.
Through Joyous, Sharon and her team are pioneering low-dose (psycholytic) ketamine therapy, creating safer, more sustainable pathways for individuals and therapists to experience healing and insight. Her mission is to empower both clinicians and clients with practical tools that promote neuroplasticity, compassion, and mental clarity.
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