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How We Treat

Treatment Philosophy

At Patriot PowerUp, we believe in harnessing the body’s innate ability to heal itself, especially when it comes to mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Our approach starts by addressing the often-overlooked inflammatory component of these conditions. Think of inflammation in the brain like a traffic jam – it slows everything down. By reducing this inflammation, we’re essentially clearing the roads, allowing for better blood flow and providing your brain with the resources it needs to function optimally. This is the first step in creating an environment where healing can truly begin.

Once we’ve tackled inflammation, our focus shifts to empowering your body and brain to heal themselves. Healing is like renovating a house – it requires a lot of energy and the right materials. That’s why we place such a strong emphasis on hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and nutrition in our program. HBOT floods your system with oxygen, providing your brain cells with the energy they need to repair and rebuild. Meanwhile, our nutrition program ensures your body has all the necessary building blocks for creating healthy cellular structures and ATP, the energy currency of your cells. It’s like giving your brain both the fuel and the tools it needs to renovate itself.

Finally, we work on increasing neuroplasticity – your brain’s ability to form new connections and pathways. This increased flexibility sets the stage for the most crucial part of our program: building new, healthier habits and thought processes. We guide you in developing routines around healthy eating, regular exercise, and mindfulness practices. These aren’t just temporary fixes; they’re lifelong skills that can help you maintain your mental health long after you’ve left our program. Our ultimate goal is to equip you with the tools and knowledge you need to manage your mental health independently, reducing the likelihood that you’ll ever need intensive mental healthcare again. At Patriot PowerUp, we’re not just treating symptoms – we’re empowering you to take control of your mental health for the long haul.

Ketamine Infusion Therapy

Ketamine infusion therapy has emerged as a promising treatment for inpatients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression. Ketamine offers rapid and significant relief from symptoms that are often resistant to traditional therapies. Ketamine’s efficacy stems from its unique mechanism of action, which includes downregulation of inflammatory marker production in the brain and upregulation of neuroplasticity through Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)1. Think of BDNF as a kind of fertilizer for your brain – it helps brain cells grow and connect better. This not only helps with depression but might also help the brain heal after an injury.

A study by Krystal et al. (2019) found that ketamine significantly reduced inflammatory markers while increasing BDNF levels, which is crucial for neuroplasticity and cognitive function. This dual action not only alleviates depressive symptoms but also potentially promotes brain healing in TBI patients. For PTSD, ketamine has shown remarkable efficacy in reducing symptom severity, with one study reporting a 67% response rate after six infusions.2

Patriot PowerUp’s veteran care agreement for TMS and ketamine treatments represents a significant step forward in providing accessible, cutting-edge care for veterans. This agreement allows providers from the VA to refer patients directly to Patriot PowerUp for treatment, streamlining the process and ensuring that veterans receive timely access to these innovative therapies. This collaboration between VA providers and specialized treatment centers like Patriot PowerUp is crucial in addressing the complex mental health needs of veterans, particularly those struggling with treatment-resistant conditions.

The rapid-acting nature of ketamine in treating depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms is one of its most notable benefits. A meta-analysis by Xu et al. (2021) found that a single ketamine infusion led to significant reductions in depressive symptoms within 24 hours, with effects lasting up to two weeks3. For PTSD, Feder et al. (2014) reported that ketamine resulted in a significant reduction in PTSD symptoms compared to a placebo, with effects evident within 24 hours of treatment4. In terms of anxiety, a study by Glue et al. (2018) observed a 50% reduction in anxiety symptoms in 12 out of 12 patients with treatment-resistant generalized anxiety disorder following ketamine infusion5. These findings underscore the potential of ketamine as a rapid and effective intervention for patients with severe, treatment-resistant mental health conditions, offering hope for those who have not found relief through conventional treatments.

  1. Krystal, J. H., et al. (2019). Neuropsychopharmacology, 44(5), 932-943.
  2. Feder, A., et al. (2021). American Journal of Psychiatry, 178(2), 193-202.
  3. Xu, Y., et al. (2021). Translational Psychiatry, 11(1), 1-12.
  4. Feder, A., et al. (2014). JAMA Psychiatry, 71(6), 681-688.
  5. Glue, P., et al. (2018). Journal of Psychopharmacology, 32(6), 663-667.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that can aid in healing various conditions, including brain injuries. It involves lying in a sealed chamber filled with concentrated oxygen at pressures 1.5 to 2 times higher than normal atmospheric pressure. This high-pressure environment allows your lungs to take in much more oxygen than usual, which then dissolves into your blood at higher levels. This oxygen-rich blood can reach areas in your body that might not be getting enough oxygen normally, especially injured or damaged tissues.

For brain injuries, this oxygen surge can help revive damaged brain cells and promote the growth of new blood vessels. It can also reduce swelling in the brain, which is often a problem after injuries. The treatment involves 40 – 1 hour sessions. The experience is painless, though you might feel pressure in your ears similar to what you feel in an airplane.

Benefits of HBOT for Brain Injuries:

  • Increased tissue oxygenation: HBOT floods the body with oxygen under high pressure, allowing oxygen to reach brain tissues that may have reduced blood flow due to damaged blood vessels. This increased oxygenation helps protect brain cells from further damage1
  • Reduced inflammation: HBOT suppresses the inflammatory response that can contribute to secondary brain damage after TBI. It inhibits inflammatory processes and increases anti-inflammatory factors3
  • Decreased cell death (apoptosis): The elevated oxygen levels delivered by HBOT help reduce programmed cell death, preserving more brain tissue3
  • Lowered intracranial pressure: HBOT decreases intracranial pressure by improving blood flow in and around the brain and reducing cerebral vascular resistance
  • Improved cognitive and motor function: Studies have shown HBOT can lead to better spatial learning, memory, and motor performance in TBI models4
  1. “Research on Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to Treat Traumatic Brain Injury.” Government Accountability Office, 18 Dec. 2015, www.gao.gov/assets/gao-16-154.pdf.
  2. Tal, Sigal, et al. “Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Can Induce Angiogenesis and Regeneration of Nerve Fibers in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients.” Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 19 Oct. 2017, www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00508/full.
  3. Hu, Qin, et al. “Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury: Bench-to-Bedside.” Medical Gas Research, vol. 6, no. 2, 2016, pp. 102-110, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5110132/.
  4. “Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Showing Promise in Treating Traumatic Brain Injuries.” OM Trial, www.omtrial.com/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-showing-promise-in-treating-traumatic-brain-injuries/. Accessed 30 Aug. 2024.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive treatment for depression that uses magnetic fields to stimulate specific areas of the brain associated with mood regulation. During a TMS session, an electromagnetic coil is placed against the scalp, usually near the left prefrontal cortex. This coil generates magnetic pulses that pass through the skull and induce small electrical currents in the targeted brain region, activating neurons and potentially altering brain activity patterns associated with depression.

TMS is typically used when other treatments, such as medication and psychotherapy, have not been effective. The treatment is administered in a series of sessions over several weeks, with each session lasting about 20 minutes. Patients remain awake and alert during the procedure, which is generally well-tolerated with minimal side effects. TMS works by modulating the brain’s neural circuits, potentially increasing neuroplasticity and helping to “reset” dysfunctional brain patterns linked to depression.

Based on the study reported in Nature Neuropsychopharmacology, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) demonstrated significant clinical efficacy in treating major depression. The research, involving 301 patients across 23 centers, found that TMS was more effective than sham treatment in reducing depressive symptoms.1 Notably, the degree of prior treatment resistance emerged as a strong predictor of positive treatment outcome. Patients who had failed to benefit from one adequate antidepressant treatment in their current depressive episode showed significantly greater improvement with active TMS compared to those who had failed multiple treatments.

  1. O’Reardon, John P., et al. “Daily Left Prefrontal Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Acute Treatment of Major Depression: Clinical Predictors of Outcome in a Multisite, Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.” Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 33, no. 12, Nov. 2008, pp. 2831-2840. Nature, doi:10.1038/npp.2008.118.

Neuropsychotherapy

Neuropsychotherapy is an integrative therapeutic approach that combines principles from neuroscience, psychology, and psychotherapy to address mental health issues. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of the mind, brain, body, social interactions, and environment, aiming to improve psychological well-being by understanding and leveraging the neurobiological underpinnings of behavior and thought processes.

Key Features of Neuropsychotherapy

  • Neuroscientific Basis: Neuropsychotherapy incorporates insights from neuroscience to inform therapeutic practices. This includes understanding how brain structures and functions, such as neurons and neurotransmitters, influence behavior and mental states.
  • Holistic Approach: It considers the dynamic interplay between an individual’s biological makeup, psychological state, and social environment. This holistic perspective allows therapists to tailor interventions that address the whole person rather than isolated symptoms.
  • Focus on Life Experiences: The therapy emphasizes the role of personal experiences in shaping mental health. It aims to reframe negative experiences and reinforce positive patterns through new, supportive experiences, thereby promoting neural rewiring and psychological resilience.
  • Therapeutic Relationship: A strong emphasis is placed on the relationship between the therapist and the client. This relationship is seen as a critical component of the therapeutic process, facilitating trust and safety, which are essential for effective therapy.
  • Mind-Body Integration: Techniques such as mindfulness and body awareness are used to integrate the functioning of the brain’s hemispheres and enhance emotional regulation and resilience.

Overall, neuropsychotherapy offers a comprehensive framework that leverages the latest neuroscientific research to enhance traditional psychotherapeutic methods, aiming for more effective and sustainable mental health outcomes.