Kettle Cove Counseling offers individual therapy and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy for adults evaluating their relationship with cannabis. Whether your goal is moderation, structured tolerance breaks, or complete cessation, Patrick Willwerth, M.Ed., LADC-I provides a grounded, non-judgmental environment to explore meaningful change.
Cannabis use patterns can be tricky to evaluate and difficult to discuss. Many struggle to determine whether personal use has shifted from a recreational activity or mindful medicinal regimen into something that feels compulsive and restricting.
You do not need to experience severe consequences to recognize that your current relationship with cannabis is no longer serving you.
Kettle Cove Counseling provides space to assess your habits without judgment, labels, or prescribed outcomes.
Recovery and change exist on a continuum. Not everyone who seeks support with cannabis intends to stop using completely. A harm reduction approach respects your autonomy and focuses on practical, self-directed goals.
Together, we can explore:
Habitual Triggers: What are the the environmental cues and emotional states that lead to automatically reaching for the pipe or pen?
Moderation & Boundaries: Developing a practical, attainable change plan, and evaluating barriers and personal progress along the way.
Alternative Coping Strategies: Exploring and practicing a variety of tools and techniques to manage stress, sleep difficulties, and anxiety without relying on cannabis as the default buffer. As Abraham Maslow wrote, "it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail." We'll work on expanding your toolbox.
For many routine users, cannabis becomes a reliable way to turn down the volume on stress, mute uncomfortable emotions, or pass the time. Reducing or stopping cannabis use often reveals an underlying sense of boredom and a lack of clear direction.
Simply removing cannabis from your daily routine leaves a void. Sustainable change requires actively filling that space with genuine engagement and purpose.
In therapy, we move beyond basic habit tracking to address deeper questions:
What values and goals are currently being deferred or stagnated by cannabis use?
What provides natural motivation, focus, and authentic pleasure in daily life?
What practices allow you to tolerate discomfort, restlessness, or difficult emotions without needing to "numb out"?
By grounding your recovery in personal values and practical skill-building, you can move away from compulsive use and toward an authentic, self-directed life.
While clinical research into Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy specifically for cannabis use disorder is still in its early stages, studies suggest pairing ketamine with structured mindfulness-based therapy can significantly reduce cannabis cravings and support habit change.¹
Kettle Cove Counseling offers Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) as an adjunctive modality for appropriate clients. In a structured, supervised setting, KAP can help:
Disrupt Rigid Patterns: The ego-loosening effects of ketamine allow some people to observe their patterns from a new perspective, and experience cravings with curiosity rather than giving in to them automatically. Ketamine can trigger a 24-72 hour window of enhanced neuroplasticity--a fertile time to establish a new routine or practice a shift in mindset.
Anchor Changes Through Intentional Integration: Medicine work is only a catalyst; sustained change occurs during integration. We'll work together to translate insights into restored motivation and new routines.
KAP is an intensive, collaborative process that requires medical evaluation and careful preparation to ensure it aligns safely with your specific recovery goals.
To learn more about our clinical model, explore our dedicated Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy page.
____________________
1. Azhari, N., et al. (2021). "Ketamine-facilitated behavioral treatment for cannabis use disorder: A proof of concept study." The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 47(1), 92–97. Read Study on PubMed / Publisher
Prior to founding Kettle Cove Counseling, I provided specialized clinical care across outpatient and home-based substance use treatment settings, and taught state-approved alcohol and substance use education classes. This background ensures that your care is practical, structured, and informed by a deep understanding of local recovery resources across the North Shore, Massachusetts, and New England. Read more about my background and philosophy here.