What is Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy?

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is a holistic, psychedelic modality in which ketamine is used as a complement to psychotherapy to help eligible patients get un-stuck and experience long-lasting improvement in symptoms, particularly those with depression and anxiety.

“Ketamine feels like the great disentangler. I was able to see and UnDERSTAND things from Above In a way that I never have. ”

- Female Client

  • I offer Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) in partnership with an organization called Journey Clinical. I take on the psychotherapy portion of the experience, while Journey Clinical’s medical team supports you on all medical aspects. This includes determining eligibility, developing a custom treatment plan, prescribing the medicine and monitoring outcomes. Below is more information about KAP to help you navigate if it may be a good fit for you.

  • WHAT IS KETAMINE?

    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. 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 in a variety of ways, including IV infusion, intramuscular injection, via nasal spray and using sublingual lozenges. In my work with Journey Clinical we only use the sublingual lozenge form.

  • HOW DOES KETAMINE FEEL?

    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. 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 happens during the experience, patients feel like the insights gained are clear.

  • WHAT IS JOURNEY CLINICAL?

    Journey Clinical is a platform for licensed psychotherapists to incorporate science-based psychedelic therapies in their practice safely and effectively, starting with Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). Journey Clinical’s in-house medical team takes on patient eligibility, prescriptions and outcome monitoring, while I take on the therapy. Their collaborative care model is designed to deliver personalized treatment plans to meet your individual needs and improve long-term outcomes. See the steps below to get a sense of the process.

  • Step 1

    Initial consultation with Journey Clinical prescriber, eligibility check and ketamine prescription

  • Step 2

    Preparation sessions together to align on the process and set intentions for the KAP dosing session

  • Step 3

    KAP dosing session: You will self-administer your ketamine lozenge at my office

  • Step 4

    Integration sessions to review the memories, thoughts & insights that arose during your dosing session

  • Step 5

    Follow-up consultations with Journey Clinical prescriber with prescription refills if eligible

  • Step 6

    Ongoing integration and assessment for supplemental KAP session. Clients usually require between 2-6 session.

“Ceremonies are the way we remember to remember”

- RObin wall Kimmerer

PSychEdelic Prep and Integration

As a graduate of CIIS’ Psychadelic Assisted Therapy Masters program, I work with clients to help set intentions and integrate content from personal medicine journeys.