What is Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy?

KAP is a therapeutic modality in which ketamine is used as a complement to psychotherapy to help you experience more frequent breakthroughs and sustained improvement in your symptoms. Ketamine works by targeting neuroplasticity directly, allowing your neurons to open new and supportive pathways of thought, emotion, and sensation.

I partner with Journey Clinical, a collaborative team that takes care of the non-psychotherapeutic aspects of KAP. This includes determining medical. eligibility, developing a treatment plan, prescribing the medicine, monitoring outcomes, and collaborating with me.

Common issues and disorders treated with KAP include: trauma-related disorders, eating disorders, postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, terminal illness, and treatment-resistant anxiety and depression.

What’s the process?

  • After connecting with me, schedule a virtual evaluation with the Journey Clinical medical team. They will review your medical and psychiatric history, provide education on the treatment, and determine if you are eligible for KAP at this time.

    If you are eligible, they will develop a Ketamine prescription and a plan for treatment, and for monitoring outcomes.

    You will be sent enough Ketamine for the first 2 sessions. You will be taught to take your vitals and self-administer the ketamine before our KAP sessions.

  • Your first session will be an opportunity for me to learn about your history and your goals for treatment. Depending on where you’re at, we may meet 1-2 more times before preparing for your first KAP session. Preparation sessions serve to align on the process and set your intentions for KAP. Once you receive your ketamine, we will schedule time for dosing and integration sessions.

    It is most imperative to the treatment that you feel safe and comfortable with me and the process. We will take as much time as you need.

    Intake and preparation sessions can be covered by insurance.

  • A typical ketamine dosing session lasts 2-3 hours and can take place in-person at my office or remotely via Telehealth with the support of an appropriate chaperone.

    During a session, we will discuss our protocol. Once you take the medicine, you will be in a comfortable, reclining position wearing an eye mask and listening to calming music. It is a largely internal experience.

    We will spend some time grounding and “coming back.” Some people like to talk about their experience, while others want space to listen to music, make art, or go outside.

    One hour of psychotherapy during dosing sessions can be covered by insurance. Clients are responsible for the remainder of the cost.

  • Following the KAP session, we will meet for multiple integration therapy sessions to review how the memories, thoughts & insights from your session are affecting your life.

    I often collaborate on treatment for patients with existing therapists.

    Integration sessions can be covered by insurance.

  • After our first two KAP sessions, Journey Clinical’s medical team schedules regular follow ups with you to monitor outcomes and prescribe ketamine lozenge refills, as appropriate.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Ketamine is a legal, safe and effective medicine used to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety and PTSD. Ketamine has rapidly-acting antidepressant and mood-enhancing effects, which can begin to take effect within 1-2 hrs. after treatment and last for up to 2 weeks. It works by blocking the brain’s NMDA receptors as well as by stimulating AMPA receptors, which are thought to help form new synaptic connections and boost neural circuits that regulate stress and mood. Ketamine has also been shown to enhance overall neuroplasticity for lasting symptom improvement.

  • Ketamine can be administered via IV, intramuscularly, or via rapid dissolve tablets (RDT). While IV and IM is consdered the most effective form of treatment, it is often unaccessible due to cost, and many feel weary of such an intense experience. Kite Ketamine is RDT-only treatment, which allows us flexibility in dosing and location.

  • The effects of ketamine, which most patients find pleasant, last for approximately 45 minutes. These effects can make you feel “far from” your body, and facilitate shifts in perception that can often feel expansive in nature. Your motor and verbal abilities will be reduced, so you’ll be lying down in a comfortable position during the experience and accompanied by me, or in the presence of your chaperone at home. Once these effects subside, we’ll spend the remainder of our appointment giving you space to process and discuss your experience. While it may feel hard to articulate what happened during the experience, patients feel like the insights gained are none-the-less clear. Studies have shown that the benefits to mood and neurological growth can last up to two weeks after the Ketamine experience.

  • As a new client, you would be required 1-2 intake sessions, a preparation session, your 2.5-3h dosing session, and 1-2 integration sessions. I have a flat rate of $195/hour. Dosing sessions are $585. Insurance can cover all 1-hour sessions and one hour of psychotherapy during a dosing session. You are responsible for the remainder of the cost, which comes out to $390.

    To start, you are required a medical evaluation that costs $290. Follow-ups with Journey Clinical are expected quarterly or at the end of full treatment cycles, just like you’d see with your regular psychiatrist.

  • Insurance can cover intake, preparation sessions, integration sessions, and one hour of psychotherapy during dosing sessions. I currently accept Cigna, United Healthcare, and Aetna.

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