What is Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)?

I offer a therapeutic modality called Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) in partnership with an organization called Journey Clinical. Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) is a holistic modality in which ketamine is used as a complement to psychotherapy to help eligible patients experience more frequent breakthroughs and sustained improvement in symptoms. 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 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 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. 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 nonetheless 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 Journey Clinical

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 before 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 between 1-2 hours and can take place remotely via telehealth.

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