Learn more about Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy

Ketamine-Assistd Psychotherapy (KAP)

In recent years, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) has emerged as a promising treatment for various mental health conditions, offering new hope to individuals who have not found relief through conventional therapies. This innovative approach combines the therapeutic effects of ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic, with psychotherapy to address a range of psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and addiction. For those considering this treatment option, understanding what ketamine-assisted psychotherapy entails and what to expect is an important step.

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine is a medication primarily used for anesthesia and pain management. In recent years, researchers have discovered its potential as a rapid-acting antidepressant and anxiolytic agent. Ketamine works by modulating the activity of certain neurotransmitter systems in the brain, such as glutamate and serotonin, leading to profound changes in mood and perception.

How Does Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Work?

Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy involves the administration of a carefully controlled, low dose of ketamine in conjunction with psychotherapeutic support. Unlike traditional antidepressants, which may take weeks to months to produce noticeable effects, ketamine often induces rapid and robust improvements in mood and cognition. The psychotherapeutic component helps patients integrate and make sense of their ketamine experiences, facilitating long-term healing and personal growth.

Is Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Right for You?

Combining psychotherapy with ketamine has been shown to catalyze the therapeutic benefits of ketamine. By leveraging the unique pharmacological effects of the medicine with psychotherapy, increased insight and deep emotional processing is more easily attained than in traditional talk therapy or ketamine administration alone.

Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy offers new hope for individuals seeking relief from debilitating mental health symptoms. It has also proved useful for those who are seeking to deepen the psychotherapeutic work in which they are already pursuing. By combining the therapeutic benefits of ketamine with psychotherapeutic support, this innovative approach holds promise for transforming lives and promoting healing. If you’re considering ketamine therapy, take the time to educate yourself, ask questions, and explore whether it may be the right path forward on your journey to recovery.

Clients typically commit to three to six KAP sessions along with the mandatory preparation and integration sessions to get the most out of this therapy.

What to Expect During Treatment

• Initial Evaluation:
  Before beginning ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, you will undergo a comprehensive evaluation to assess your mental health history, current symptoms, and treatment goals. This evaluation ( 1-2 sessions) helps determine whether ketamine therapy is a suitable option and allows me to tailor the treatment plan to your needs.

• Preparation Session:
  Preparation for ketamine-assisted psychotherapy involves a practical overview of what to expect as well as working together to help set intentions and goals for our work together.

• Treatment Sessions:
  During a ketamine-assisted psychotherapy session, you will self- administer the dose of ketamine that has been prescribed to you following your medical evaluation and meeting with the psychopharmocologist with whom I work. Aft4er reviewing intentions and acclimating to the room,you will be invited to lay down on a comfortable cot, use an eye mask and self-administer the ketamine. You will also have a choice to use earphones that play a curated soundtrack to faciliate a deepening of the experience. I will be sitting next to you throughout. The ketamine expereince last approximately 45-60 minutes. The remainder of the time is for reorienting yourself to the room and for self-reflection and beginning integration. The total time is approximately 3 hrs.

• Integration and Follow-Up:
  We will schedule a follow-up integration session within the next 48 hours. The number of these sessions is flexible but one to two are essential to the process.