I offer a therapeutic modality called Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) in partnership with a few wonderful prescribers.
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is a holistic modality in which ketamine is used as a complement to therapy to help eligible clients experience more frequent breakthroughs and sustained improvement in symptoms. I take on the therapy portion of the experience, while the medical providers we work in collaboration with supports you with 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, eating disorders, burnout and PTSD. Ketamine has rapidly-acting antidepressant and mood-enhancing effects, which can begin to take effect within 1-2 hours after treatment and can 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 in a variety of ways, including IV infusion, intramuscular injection, via nasal spray or using sublingual lozenges. In my work we only use the sublingual lozenge form that is prescribed specifically to you.
How Does Ketamine Feel?
The effects of ketamine, which most people find pleasant, last for approximately 45-90 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 happened during the experience, people 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 a ketamine experience.
How Does Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Work?
- Determine if KAP would be supportive in your healing journey:
- I ask people to commit to a minimum of 3-5 sessions prior to integrating KAP to establish treatment goals and intentions, build trust and set a solid foundation for this transformative work.
- Initial consultation with medical provider:
- You schedule an initial evaluation with a medical provider I will refer you to. They will go over your medical and psychiatric history, provide education on the treatment and determine if you are eligible for KAP.
- If the medical provider determines that you are eligible for KAP, they will develop a personalized ketamine prescription and outcome monitoring plan for you.
- You will get your medicine shortly after your medical intake either via mail or picking it up at a compounding pharmacy.
- Preparation sessions:
- Once you receive your ketamine lozenges, we will schedule time together for our KAP preparation, dosing and integration sessions. Preparation session(s) will be scheduled just like regular sessions prior to the KAP dosing session. The goal of a preparation session(s) is to align on the process and set intentions for your KAP sessions.
- KAP Journey Session:
- A typical ketamine journey session lasts 3 hours takes place in-person at my office. At this time I do not provide KAP via telehealth.
- During a journey session, you will self-administer your ketamine lozenge. You will be in a comfortable, reclining position wearing an eye mask and listening to a curated playlist that aligns with your intention and musical preferences. Although a KAP journey session may be largely an internal experience, I will be present with you the entire time to hold space and provide support as needed.
- Integration Sessions:
- After our KAP journey session, we will meet for multiple integration therapy sessions to review the memories, thoughts & insights that arose during your journey, and to prepare for the next one.
- Ideally we have our first integration session within 24 hours of the journey since that is when the neuroplastic window is most open.
- Follow-up consultations with medical provider:
- Your medical provider will schedule regular follow ups with you to monitor outcomes and prescribe ketamine lozenge refills, as appropriate. The frequency of follow ups depends on your unique treatment.
How Do I Sign Up?
Who are the medical prescribers I work with?
- Dr. Jessica Pierce at New Wave Medicine
- Dr. Jonathan Drew at Whole Systems Healthcare
- Journey Clinical
What if I’m already in an established relationship with a therapist, but I want to add KAP?
- That’s great you have a therapist you are working well with! You do not have to be an ongoing therapy client to engage in KAP, and adjunct KAP work can offer powerful benefits to the work you are already doing with your current therapy process.
- One indisputable fact about Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy is that continuing with ongoing therapy even after your KAP treatment is always ideal to ensure you have the support that you need to maintain all of the new routines, practices, and behaviors that you developed through your KAP treatment.
- I will work with you and your current therapist to integrate your care and provide the supportive healing experience that you deserve. We’ll keep your therapist in the loop throughout our KAP work and support you in coming up with a post-treatment plan that you can continue to explore and implement with your therapist.
Helpful Resources:
Here are some short talks I’ve done on Ketamine-Assisted Therapy on Seed Yoga Therapy’s YouTube Channel.