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Introducing
The Institute for Rural Psychedelic Care
Our Mission
With a board of seven local individuals that includes physicians, nurses and therapists, the Institute for Rural Psychedelic Care began as a dream in the winter of 2022, with a two-fold mission:
To create a donation-based funding avenue for people seeking in-person KAP treatment who live in Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity counties.
To fund Ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) and psychedelic assisted therapy research.
Our Board
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Jennifer Brown
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR + FOUNDER, HUMBOLDT NEUROHEALTH THERAPEUTIC SERVICES
Jennifer Brown is the Executive Director and founder of Humboldt Neurohealth Therapeutic Services. She graduated from the California Institute of Integral Studies with a certificate in Psychedelic Therapies and Research. Jennifer has a passion for guiding clients to lean into the pain they hold so they can heal and live their best lives.
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Michael Fratkin
RURAL PALLIATIVE CARE PHYSICIAN
Michael D. Fratkin, MD FAAHPM is a rural palliative care physician with a long history of local innovation, national influence, and a passion to create access for disregarded communities. He is a founder of ResolutionCare/VyncCare, a home palliative care program, and his work has been featured on PBS NewsHour, NPR, and the Washington Post. As a Chair of the AAHPM Forum on the Safe Use of Psychedelic Assisted Therapies, Dr. Fratkin remains committed to ensuring that people facing serious illness and end of life issues have safe access to all therapies that may ease their suffering and invite healing.
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Carrie Griffin
FOUNDER, CENTER FOR NEW GROWTH
Carrie Griffin DO is board certified in family and addiction medicine and fellowship trained in maternal, child and reproductive health. Her clinical experience with pregnant people struggling with substance use disorders inspired her to become a trauma therapist and psychedelic medicine practitioner. Dr Griffin works in a variety of clinical settings in Humboldt County, including the provision of prenatal and reproductive health care at K'ima:w Medical Center and United Indian Health Services, and founded the Center for New Growth, a ketamine assisted psychotherapy, integration therapy and mental healthcare clinic.
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Roy King
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR EMERITUS, STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Roy King PhD, MD, MDiv is an associate professor emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. He holds a PhD in mathematics from Cornell University, an MD from Stanford and a MDiv from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley CA. He has published over 100 articles and book chapters in fields of research ranging from the mathematics of dopamine in the brain as a model of schizophrenia to art/poetry/yoga therapy. His clinical work centered on personality disorders and adjunctive therapy using the arts to supplement psychiatric treatment. He retired from his psychiatric practice in Arcata two years ago and has since enjoyed his nature walks and his hobbies of woodworking and photography.
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Randee Litten
NURSE MANAGER, CENTER FOR NEW GROWTH
Randee Litten is a Registered Nurse who received her Bachelors degree at Cal Poly Humboldt in 2010. Since then, she has worked as a Charge Nurse in the Emergency Department but also enjoys Humanitarian Nursing all across the globe. She had her own personal ketamine journey in 2022 which led to a passionate job change; she is currently the Nurse Manager for Center For New Growth where she offers IV ketamine treatments and Thrive Wellness, where she offers IV vitamin infusions and hydration.
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Shin Luong
LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER
Shin Luong is a licensed clinical social worker with extensive experience with the local rural community. She has worked in a variety of capacities as a social worker throughout Humboldt County since 2008. Working with the local community she tends to conceptualize our human experiences through a lens of trauma, attachments, and relationships. She graduated from formerly Humboldt State University with a Master of Social Work in 2011, and completed California Institute of Integral Studies Psychedelics Assisted Therapies and Research Certificate Program in 2024.
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Christina Thompson
REGISTERED NURSE
Christina is a mother of three amazing children. Christina has been a labor and delivery nurse for 20 years, supports monthly perinatal outreach efforts at K’ima:w Medical Center, and also works as an aesthetics' and infusion nurse locally. Christina has been a member of the Better Birthing Project since 2021, which supported California legislation change to be more inclusive of local Native naming traditions. In 2023-2024, she was the recipient of the system wide Values in Action Award with Providence. Christina has experienced the radical healing of ketamine therapy and is honored to be a board member of the Institute for Rural Psychedelic Care.
IRPC Announcements
Join Us for Our Now Monthly Bhagavad Gita Study Group
JUNE 2024
Miss last month’s Consciousness Cafe event? We had such a great turnout that the Institute for Rural Psychedelic Care is now hosting a monthly Bhagavad Gita study group!
Starting Thursday, June 13th, the group will meet the second Thursday of every month from 5:15-7 p.m. at the Center for New Growth. This offering will be facilitated by Brian Mistler and Roy King, and is offered at a donation sliding scale of $5-25, with all proceeds going to the Institute for Rural Psychedelic Care.
Hope to see you there!
Monthly Bhagavad Gita Study Group
2nd Thursdays of the month, 5:15-7 p.m.
Center for New Growth
770 11th St., Arcata, CA 95521
Facilitated by Brian Mistler and Roy King
Suggested donation of $5-25
Join Us for Our First Consciousness Cafe
MAY 2024
Join us for our first Consciousness Cafe, where we will be discussing Bhagavad Gita chapters 3 and 4 (Virtue in Work and the Religion of Knowledge), Thursday, May 16, 5-7 p.m. at Septentrio Winery! This event will be facilitated by Brian Mistler, PhD, a student of consciousness for what seems like more than 30 years, earning/sharing the wisdom and practices of self-inquiry handed down through the world’s greatest wisdom traditions.
This event is sponsored by the Institute for Rural Psychedelic Care and is offered at a suggested donation of $20.
Hope to see you there!
Consciousness Cafe: Bhagavad Gita Discussion
Thursday, May 16, 5-7 p.m.
Septentrio Winery
650 6th St, Arcata, CA 95521
Facilitated by Brian Mistler, PhD
Suggested donation of $20
Grant Support for First Responders and Palliative Care
MARCH 2024
The IRPC, under the initiative of Dr Michael Fratkin, has already received grants totaling $20,000 from the McLean Foundation and the Saudade Institute supporting a Peer Group Ketamine Assisted Therapy program for six First Responders from the Eel River Valley.
Additionally, a grant received from the OneTribe Foundation, and in collaboration with Hospice of Humboldt, will give access to two Humboldt participants grappling with end of life issues for individual home ketamine assisted therapy in partnership with a local talented End of Life Doula, Susie Ruth.
Support this work
Your donation helps make this kind of caring available to our neighbors who couldn't otherwise afford it.