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In this episode of Made for Health, Dr. Aaron Hartman sits down with Dr. James T. Leathem, DO, a board-certified anesthesiologist and psychedelic integration coach, to explore ketamine therapy, psychedelic medicine, and a different way of thinking about mental health. Dr. Leathem shares his unconventional path from business to medicine, how a near-death experience helped redirect his life, and how his background in anesthesia eventually led him into ketamine-assisted care. The conversation focuses on depression, PTSD, trauma, chronic pain, neuroplasticity, and the importance of pairing the medicine with meaningful integration work.
Dr. Leathem explains that ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic used at sub-anesthetic doses in this setting. He describes how ketamine interacts with the glutamate system through NMDA receptor blockade, which can influence AMPA signaling and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. He connects these mechanisms to synaptic plasticity, dendritic spine formation, and a period of increased neuroplasticity that may create an opportunity for new patterns and behaviors.
But for Dr. Leathem, the medicine itself is only part of the process. He emphasizes preparation, intention, integration coaching, mindfulness, journaling, sleep, and daily practices after treatment. His analogy is simple: ketamine may help put out the fire in your "mental health house," but it cannot rebuild the house for you. That rebuilding requires active participation after someone becomes unstuck.
The conversation also expands into the default mode network, spiritual experiences, stellate ganglion blocks, autonomic dysregulation, traumatic brain injury, and the wider landscape of psychedelic medicine. Throughout the episode, Dr. Leathem emphasizes individualized treatment rather than a cookie-cutter approach.
Key Topics Covered
Dr. James Leathem's unconventional journey into medicine
How anesthesiology led him toward ketamine and psychedelic medicine
Ketamine therapy for depression, PTSD, trauma, and chronic pain
The difference between anesthetic and sub-anesthetic ketamine
Why Dr. Leathem prefers an individualized approach to ketamine therapy
IV ketamine and different routes of administration
Why the ketamine experience is only one part of the healing process
Preparation, intention, and psychedelic integration
The neuroplasticity window following ketamine treatment
NMDA receptors, glutamate, and AMPA signaling
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)
Dendritic spine formation and neural circuitry
Why mental health may involve more than the traditional neurotransmitter model
Ketamine and the default mode network
Psychedelic experiences and shifts in perspective
The role of daily habits after ketamine therapy
Mindfulness, journaling, sleep, and metacognition
Stellate ganglion blocks and autonomic nervous system regulation
Ketamine in patients with complex chronic illness
Dr. Leathem's clinical experience with traumatic brain injury
Classic versus non-classic psychedelics
Psilocybin, LSD, DMT, mescaline, MDMA, and other psychedelic medicines
Why psychedelic treatment requires attention to preparation, setting, and integration
Turning trauma and suffering into growth and personal evolution

In This Episode, You Will Learn
✅ How Dr. Leathem went from anesthesiology to ketamine and psychedelic medicine
✅ How ketamine works differently from conventional approaches focused primarily on serotonin and other monoamine neurotransmitters
✅ Why NMDA receptors, glutamate, BDNF, and neuroplasticity are central to the conversation about ketamine
✅ Why Dr. Leathem believes the period after a ketamine experience can be as important as the infusion itself
✅ How preparation, intention, integration coaching, and daily practices can help patients work with the changes that follow treatment
✅ Why ketamine may help someone become "unstuck," while long-term rebuilding still requires active participation
✅ How the default mode network may relate to ego, thought patterns, and psychedelic experiences
✅ How ketamine and stellate ganglion blocks are being combined in Dr. Leathem's practice when addressing certain patterns of autonomic dysregulation
✅ How ketamine fits into the much broader and evolving field of psychedelic medicine
About Dr. James T. Leathem, DO
Dr. James T. Leathem is a board-certified anesthesiologist, Certified Psychedelic Integration Coach, and co-founder of Gilbert Chandler Ketamine Therapy Clinic and Scottsdale Ketamine Therapy Clinic. His background in anesthesia provided the foundation for his work with ketamine and altered states of consciousness.
After beginning his career in business and marketing, a series of deeply personal experiences led him toward medicine. He went on to earn his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and build a career in anesthesiology before transitioning into ketamine and psychedelic medicine. In the episode, he explains that his clinics have performed thousands of ketamine infusions and that his approach combines the medicine with preparation and integration rather than treating the infusion as a standalone intervention.
His work focuses on helping individuals struggling with conditions including depression, PTSD, trauma, chronic pain, and other mental health challenges, while emphasizing personalized care and the potential for lasting behavioral and personal change.
Connect With Dr. James T. Leathem
🌐 Gilbert Chandler Ketamine Therapy Clinic:
Gilbert Ketamine Therapy Clinic
🌐 Scottsdale Ketamine Therapy Clinic:
Scottsdale Ketamine Therapy Clinic
👨‍⚕️ Dr. James T. Leathem, DO:
Dr. James Leathem’s Profile
Follow Dr. Aaron Hartman and Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine
🌐 Website: https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/
🎒 Back-to-School 2026: Back-to-School Bundle
📺 YouTube: @AaronHartmanMD
Mentioned in this episode:
25% Off Back to School Support for Parents
Back to school asks a lot of parents, too. Support your body through the season with three physician-reviewed, foundation-first essentials: Twice Daily Multi, Quercetin + Nettles, and NAC.
For a limited time, save 25% on the Back to School Support Bundle.
Visit the link below ⬇️ Shop the Back to School Sale
Back to School Support for Parents
25% Off Back to School Support for Parents
Back to school asks a lot of parents, too. Support your body through the season with three physician-reviewed, foundation-first essentials: Twice Daily Multi, Quercetin + Nettles, and NAC.
For a limited time, save 25% on the Back to School Support Bundle.
Visit the link below ⬇️ Shop the Back to School Sale
Back to School Support for Parents

🔥 What if recovering from a concussion isn’t about pushing harder, but understanding exactly what your brain needs to heal without exceeding its limits? Read UnCurable (https://uncurablebook.com/) to explore how addressing inflammation, cellular health, nutrition, and the interconnected systems of the body can help support the natural healing process.
Concussion Recovery Requires More Than Rest: How to Support the Brain After a Traumatic Brain Injury
In this Made for Health minisode, Dr. Aaron Hartman concludes his series on concussions and traumatic brain injuries by answering the question that follows understanding the causes, symptoms, and biological effects of TBI: What can you actually do to support recovery? He walks through the framework he uses with patients, beginning with strategies aimed at decreasing inflammation and supporting the brain during both acute and chronic stages of recovery.
Dr. Hartman discusses nutrition, healthy fats, omega-3s, choline, curcumin, blood-brain barrier support, mitochondrial restoration, hormone balance, magnesium, sleep, graded exercise, brain retraining, vagus nerve activation, and therapies such as hyperbaric oxygen. One of his most important messages is that recovery must respect the brain's metabolic threshold. If exercise or cognitive activity leaves you feeling worse the following day or takes several days to recover from, you may be pushing beyond your current capacity.
Rather than looking for one universal solution, Dr. Hartman emphasizes evaluating the bigger picture, including the gut, hormones, environment, toxins, emotional health, and other factors that may influence recovery. He closes the series with a message of hope for people dealing with persistent symptoms after traumatic brain injury.
Key Topics Covered
The foundations of concussion and traumatic brain injury recovery
Why reducing brain inflammation is an early priority
The role of an anti-inflammatory TBI diet
Healthy fats, omega-3s, omega-6s, protein, and choline
Curcumin and other nutrients used to support brain health
Supporting the blood-brain barrier after traumatic brain injury
The relationship between leaky gut and leaky brain
Phosphatidylcholine and cell membrane support
Magnesium and its role in brain health
Mitochondrial restoration and energy production
B vitamins, CoQ10, and mitochondrial support
Hormonal changes following traumatic brain injury
Sleep disturbances and melatonin
Graded exercise during concussion recovery
Understanding your metabolic threshold
Why pushing too hard can worsen symptoms
Vestibular rehabilitation and neuro-ophthalmology
Brain retraining and cognitive exercises
Vagus nerve activation and nervous system regulation
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and sensory deprivation
Long-term strategies for supporting brain resilience
Why gut health, hormones, toxins, and environment may need to be addressed
Hope for people living with persistent post-concussion symptoms

In This Episode, You Will Learn
✅ Why concussion recovery may require more than simply resting and waiting
✅ How an anti-inflammatory diet and specific nutrients may support brain health
✅ Why the blood-brain barrier, gut, mitochondria, and hormones can all matter during recovery
✅ How to recognize when exercise or cognitive activity has exceeded your metabolic threshold
✅ Why graded exercise and brain retraining should be approached carefully during the chronic phase of recovery
✅ How hyperbaric oxygen, nervous system regulation, and other supportive strategies fit into Dr. Hartman’s clinical approach
✅ Why persistent post-concussion symptoms may require looking beyond the brain at the whole person
Follow Dr. Aaron Hartman and Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine
🌐 Website: https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/
📺 YouTube: @AaronHartmanMD
Mentioned in this episode:
25% Off Back to School Support for Parents
Back to school asks a lot of parents, too. Support your body through the season with three physician-reviewed, foundation-first essentials: Twice Daily Multi, Quercetin + Nettles, and NAC.
For a limited time, save 25% on the Back to School Support Bundle.
Visit the link below ⬇️ Shop the Back to School Sale
Back to School Support for Parents
25% Off Back to School Support for Parents
Back to school asks a lot of parents, too. Support your body through the season with three physician-reviewed, foundation-first essentials: Twice Daily Multi, Quercetin + Nettles, and NAC.
For a limited time, save 25% on the Back to School Support Bundle.
Visit the link below ⬇️ Shop the Back to School Sale
Back to School Support for Parents

🔥 What if the problem isn’t fat itself, but what happens to fats before they ever reach your plate? Read UnCurable (https://uncurablebook.com/) to explore a different way of thinking about chronic illness, nutrition, and supporting the body’s natural capacity for health.
Healthy Fats, Omega-3s, and Seed Oil Myths: What Most People Get Wrong About Fat
In this episode of Made for Health, Dr. Aaron Hartman sits down with legendary health educator Udo Erasmus, founder of Udo’s Choice and author of Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill, for a deep conversation about healthy fats, essential fatty acids, oil processing, and the nutritional myths that have shaped the way we think about fat. Udo shares how his experience with pesticide poisoning pushed him to take greater responsibility for his health and begin studying the relationship between nutrition and disease. That investigation eventually led him to focus on oils, which he believes are among the most easily damaged components of our food supply.
Udo explains why omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are essential nutrients and challenges the idea that all seed oils or omega-6 fats should automatically be considered harmful. Instead, he argues that the condition, processing, balance, and handling of these fats matter. He and Dr. Hartman explore how oils can be affected by heat, light, oxygen, industrial processing, and frying, as well as why Udo developed a method of producing oils with health rather than shelf life in mind.
The conversation ultimately expands beyond nutrition. Udo shares his broader philosophy of total health, explaining why physical health is only one part of the picture and why emotional health, social connection, environment, awareness, and inner peace also deserve attention.

Key Topics Covered
Udo Erasmus’ journey from pesticide poisoning to studying nutrition and healthy fats
Why he began investigating how commercial oils are produced
The difference between healthy fats and damaged fats
Why omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are considered essential nutrients
The controversy surrounding omega-6 fats and seed oils
Why Udo believes processing is a critical part of the seed oil conversation
How light, oxygen, and heat can affect sensitive oils
Industrial refining, bleaching, and deodorization of oils
Why frying can further alter oils
Udo’s approach to producing oils with health in mind
Why omega-3 fats require careful handling
The balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids
How dietary fats support the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients
The relationship between fats, mitochondria, and cellular function
Udo’s “oil change” concept for thinking about dietary fats
Common myths about fats and essential fatty acids
Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill
Your Body Needs an Oil Change
Why Udo believes health should become a teachable field
The physical, mental, emotional, social, environmental, and inner dimensions of total health

In This Episode, You Will Learn
✅ Why Udo Erasmus believes the conversation about dietary fat needs to distinguish between healthy and damaged fats
✅ Why omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are both essential to human nutrition
✅ How processing, heat, oxygen, and light may change sensitive oils
✅ Why Udo challenges the blanket claim that all seed oils and omega-6 fats are inherently bad
✅ How healthy fats can support the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients
✅ Why Udo compares changing the fats in your diet to giving your body an “oil change”
✅ How his philosophy of health has expanded beyond nutrition to include emotional wellness, environment, awareness, relationships, and inner peace

Follow Dr. Aaron Hartman and Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine
🌐 Website: https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/
📺 YouTube: @AaronHartmanMD

Connect With Udo Erasmus
🌐 Udo’s Choice:
https://udoschoice.co.uk/
📸 Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/udoerasmus/
📘 Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/theudoerasmus/
💼 LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/udoerasmus/
Mentioned in this episode:
25% Off Back to School Support for Parents
Back to school asks a lot of parents, too. Support your body through the season with three physician-reviewed, foundation-first essentials: Twice Daily Multi, Quercetin + Nettles, and NAC.
For a limited time, save 25% on the Back to School Support Bundle.
Visit the link below ⬇️ Shop the Back to School Sale
Back to School Support for Parents
25% Off Back to School Support for Parents
Back to school asks a lot of parents, too. Support your body through the season with three physician-reviewed, foundation-first essentials: Twice Daily Multi, Quercetin + Nettles, and NAC.
For a limited time, save 25% on the Back to School Support Bundle.
Visit the link below ⬇️ Shop the Back to School Sale
Back to School Support for Parents

🔥 What if the reason you're still struggling months or even years after a concussion isn't the injury itself, but the hidden factors keeping your brain stuck in a cycle of chronic inflammation? Read UnCurable (https://uncurablebook.com/) to discover how identifying and removing the roadblocks to healing can help support your body's natural ability to recover from complex chronic illness.
Why Some People Never Fully Recover from a Concussion: The Hidden Causes of Chronic Brain Inflammation
In this Made for Health minisode, Dr. Aaron Hartman explores why some people continue to experience post-concussive symptoms long after the expected recovery period. While many individuals improve within weeks or months, others remain stuck with brain fog, fatigue, headaches, cognitive changes, and other persistent symptoms for years. Dr. Hartman explains that these ongoing challenges may not simply be the result of the original injury, but of biological processes that continue to fuel inflammation and prevent the brain from fully healing.
Using a functional medicine perspective, Dr. Hartman discusses the many factors that can keep the brain trapped in this inflammatory cycle, including blood-brain barrier dysfunction, gut dysbiosis, food sensitivities, environmental toxins, mold exposure, hormonal imbalances, sleep deprivation, chronic stress, insulin resistance, nutrient deficiencies, and low omega-3 levels. Rather than treating concussion as an isolated brain injury, he explains why evaluating the whole body may be essential for helping the brain return to its natural healing state.
Key Topics Covered
Why some people develop persistent post-concussion symptoms
Chronic neuroinflammation after traumatic brain injury
Blood-brain barrier dysfunction and brain healing
The connection between leaky gut and leaky brain
Gut dysbiosis and chronic inflammation
Food sensitivities that may contribute to neuroinflammation
Mold exposure, mycotoxins, and environmental triggers
EMF exposure and blood-brain barrier health
Hormonal deficiencies that may slow recovery
Sleep deprivation and chronic stress
Heavy metals and other neurotoxic exposures
Insulin resistance, metabolic health, and brain function
Omega-3 deficiency and inflammation
Why functional medicine evaluates the whole person after a concussion
Preparing for a comprehensive recovery plan

Follow Dr. Aaron Hartman and Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine
🌐 Website: https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/
📺 YouTube: @AaronHartmanMD
Mentioned in this episode:
25% Off Back to School Support for Parents
Back to school asks a lot of parents, too. Support your body through the season with three physician-reviewed, foundation-first essentials: Twice Daily Multi, Quercetin + Nettles, and NAC.
For a limited time, save 25% on the Back to School Support Bundle.
Visit the link below ⬇️ Shop the Back to School Sale
Back to School Support for Parents
25% Off Back to School Support for Parents
Back to school asks a lot of parents, too. Support your body through the season with three physician-reviewed, foundation-first essentials: Twice Daily Multi, Quercetin + Nettles, and NAC.
For a limited time, save 25% on the Back to School Support Bundle.
Visit the link below ⬇️ Shop the Back to School Sale
Back to School Support for Parents

🔥 What if there isn't a single treatment for Long COVID because there isn't a single biological process causing it? Read UnCurable (https://uncurablebook.com/) to learn how identifying what's blocking your body's natural healing process can help create a more personalized path toward recovery from complex chronic illness.
Long COVID Treatment Requires More Than One Approach: Integrative Strategies for Recovery
In this episode of Made for Health, Dr. Aaron Hartman and Dr. Christian Jenski conclude their three-part Long COVID series by exploring the therapeutic strategies they have found most helpful when caring for patients with persistent post-viral symptoms. They explain why Long COVID is rarely driven by a single mechanism, making individualized care essential. Rather than focusing on one treatment, they discuss how clinicians often layer therapies based on each patient's biology, symptoms, and underlying contributors.
Throughout the conversation, Dr. Hartman and Dr. Jenski discuss integrative approaches including low-dose naltrexone (LDN), GLP-1 receptor agonists, mast cell stabilizers, phospholipid therapy, antivirals, peptides, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, nutritional support, and other targeted interventions. They emphasize that treatment decisions should always be made with qualified healthcare professionals and that these therapies are selected based on an individual's unique clinical presentation rather than a one-size-fits-all protocol. The episode closes with an encouraging reminder that patients living with Long COVID should not lose hope, as new research and clinical experience continue to expand available options.
Key Topics Covered
Why Long COVID treatment requires an individualized approach
Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) and its role in immune modulation
LDN for chronic pain, fatigue, autoimmune conditions, and Long COVID
GLP-1 receptor agonists and microdosing strategies
Mast cell stabilizers and antihistamine approaches
Addressing dysautonomia and POTS-related symptoms
Sleep support and nervous system regulation
Antiviral therapies for selected patients
Phospholipid therapy and cell membrane health
IV phosphatidylcholine and mitochondrial support
Peptides and emerging integrative therapies
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)
Nutritional and supplement strategies
Why treatment plans often involve combining multiple therapies
The importance of working with experienced healthcare professionals

In This Episode, You Will Learn
✅ Why there is no single treatment that works for every person with Long COVID
✅ How low-dose naltrexone (LDN) is being used as part of integrative care for chronic inflammatory conditions
✅ Why clinicians may consider different therapies based on each patient's symptom pattern
✅ How mast cell stabilization, mitochondrial support, and nervous system regulation may fit into personalized care
✅ Why restoring cellular health and reducing inflammation are important considerations in functional medicine
✅ Why hope, education, and individualized care remain central to Long COVID recovery
Follow Dr. Aaron Hartman and Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine
🌐 Website: https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/
📺 YouTube: @AaronHartmanMD
Mentioned in this episode:
25% Off Back to School Support for Parents
Back to school asks a lot of parents, too. Support your body through the season with three physician-reviewed, foundation-first essentials: Twice Daily Multi, Quercetin + Nettles, and NAC.
For a limited time, save 25% on the Back to School Support Bundle.
Visit the link below ⬇️ Shop the Back to School Sale
Back to School Support for Parents
25% Off Back to School Support for Parents
Back to school asks a lot of parents, too. Support your body through the season with three physician-reviewed, foundation-first essentials: Twice Daily Multi, Quercetin + Nettles, and NAC.
For a limited time, save 25% on the Back to School Support Bundle.
Visit the link below ⬇️ Shop the Back to School Sale
Back to School Support for Parents