Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that has long been used in the setting of sedation and anesthesia. In recent years, ketamine has been utilized at sub-anesthetic doses for off-label treatment of many mental health conditions including depression, complex post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and existential and psychological exploration and growth.
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Ketamine's power is two-fold; physiological growth through glutamate NMDA-receptor antagonism leading to dendritic proliferation and increased neuroplasticity and psychological restoration by working through the dissociative journeys in a therapeutic setting in order to potentiate positive changes in perspective and character. The result is a powerful treatment that can be healing not only biologically, but also emotionally and spiritually.
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While ketamine treatment is administered in many different forms, I utilize sublingual ketamine lozenges or "troches" in office to induce a approximately 45-minute mild psychedelic, trance-like state that allows for broadened psychologic exploration. Following the experience on both the same day and subsequent day, time will be spent together processing and "integrating" the insight obtained during your ketamine experience to facilitate growth and healing.
treatment approach
Consultation
Preparation
Medication
Integration
One time 90-minute interview and medical evaluation + speaking with your therapist and/or psychiatrist in order to determine if KAP and/or ketamine prescribing is right for you
Typically 1-3 50-minute sessions in advance of first medication session to develop therapeutic connection and understanding of your dilemma, discuss treatment, and set intention
3-hour session including preparation, reviewing intention, medication administration, journey, and time for processing and recovery
50-minute psychotherapy session the day after medication session to begin discussing and processing experience to promote healing
Treatment regiments varies greatly, but typically you may expect 4-6 medication sessions over 6-12 weeks with on-going intermittent sessions as needed. Currently, I am doing primarily adjunctive work with patients already established with a psychotherapist and/or psychiatrist.
A note on insurance: because KAP is non-FDA approved off-label treatment, insurance will typically not cover the bulk of treatment.
Please reach out to discuss further!