Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)

Medication Session •  2-3 hours

Integrative Therapy Session •1 hour

Ketamine is a dissociative medication first synthesized in 1966. It has myriad effects on the nervous system but is widely used anesthetic in adults and children with a well-known safety profile. When given in low doses, approximately one-tenth of that required for anesthesia, it can provide a mild, slightly dissociative experience that introduces the patient to a more open inner state and can reduce depression. This allows access to a temporary lessening from one’s usual patterns and inhibitions. Higher doses are used to gain access to a deeper more transformative dissociative state. The patient is able to connect to powerful feelings of closeness and connectivity that often are inaccessible to depressed individuals. They may also be presented with the opportunity to face difficult internal conflicts and are encouraged with my support to do so. Following medication sessions, 1-3 integrative therapy sessions are critical to making sense of the material that has surfaced during the medicated session. Therapy sessions are where the long-term change work happens. KAP is simply an avenue to access deep inner material. Used in isolation, KAP alone is not sufficient to produce a deep and lasting change, it is a window of opportunity.

KAP FAQ

Do I need a driver?

A driver or ride-sharing service is required. You will be monitored to make sure you are recovering well from the experience however your judgement for fine motor tasks and decision making may still be too impaired to drive for several hours. Ketamine, especially when ingested, can have a secondary later onset that is unpredictable.

What will the medication experience be like?

Everyone has a different experience and each experience even for the same person is typically unique. There are two critical factors however to maximizing the chance for a safe journey: (mind)set and setting. This refers to the initial sessions devoted to preparing your mindset and the care we take in preparing the comforting home-like setting for your journey. There is always a risk of having a difficult experience, but this something that happens in psychotherapy with and without medications. We will help you face the inner conflicts that give rise to difficult experiences.

What are the risks?

We will review in depth the risks in person and they are covered in our consent form however some of the common risks are nausea/vomiting after the session, sedation/fatigue, and elevation of blood pressure.

Who is not eligible for KAP?

There are several potential contraindications such as uncontrolled hypertension, history of stroke, aneurysm or heart attack, psychotic conditions such as Schizophrenia or manic phase Bipolar as well as active substance abuse are unlikely to be safe to treat w/ Ketamine.

Are there other medication assisted therapies available?

MDMA for post-traumatic stress disorder and Psilocybin for refractory major depressive disorder are currently being evaluated by the FDA indicating that treatment with these medications could be available in the near future. When/if these treatments are legalized we will make every effort to make them available.