Psychedelic Assisted Therapy

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 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 in a variety of ways, including IV infusion, intramuscular   injection, via nasal spray and using sublingual lozenges. In my work 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 subsided, 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.

How Does Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Work?

1. Initial consultation with a medical provider:

• • You schedule an initial evaluation with a medication provider of your choice. I will provide you with referrals as needed.  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.
  • The medical provider will write a ketamine prescription for you, enough for the first 2 KAP sessions.

2. 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 therapy sessions prior to the KAP dosing session. The goal of a preparation session(s) is to align on the process and set intentions for our KAP sessions together. 

3. KAP Dosing Session: 

• • A typical ketamine dosing session lasts 3 hours and can take place either in-person at my office, or remotely via telehealth. (Please note I may require 2 in person sessions before telehealth is an option.)
  • During a dosing session, you will self-administer your ketamine lozenge either in my office or in your home. You will be in a comfortable, reclining position wearing an eye mask and listening to calming music. Although a KAP dosing session may be largely an internal experience, I will be present with you the entire time to hold space and provide support as needed. 

4. Integration Sessions: 

• • After our KAP dosing session, we will meet for multiple integration therapy sessions to review the memories, thoughts & insights that arose during your dosing session, and to prepare for the next dosing session. 

5. Follow-up consultations with your medical provider: 

• • After our first KAP session, your medical provider may request an additional appointment(s) for 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 plan, at a minimum of once per quarter.

What is the Cost of Treatment?

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy is an affordable, accessible modality. Depending on the provider you choose, the medical intake and follow ups may or may not be covered by insurance but they would be eligible for out-of-network reimbursement.

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy:

My typical hourly rate is $155 an hour. First time dosing sessions will be booked for the 3-hour session with a flat rate of $375. Depending on the time needed after the first session, we may be able to schedule 2-hour dosing sessions for a total of $300.

Insurance does not cover dosing sessions, but insurance can be used for the preparation and integration sessions if you so choose and if I am on your insurance plan, otherwise preparation sessions and integration sessions are $155 an hour.

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.

How Do I Sign Up?

If you would like to explore the possibility of working with me on KAP, please complete my new contact me page.