KETAMINE ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY
What is Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy?
Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy, including Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), utilizes preparation sessions before medicine sessions, followed by integration sessions. All sessions are combined with various methods of guidance from practices such as breathwork; therapeutic touch; visualization; archetypal imagery; intention setting; talk and somatic therapies; and music, all in service to promoting access to each person's inner healing intelligence.
Psychedelics, combined with psychotherapy, offer a deep dive into transformational healing and allow for greater access to our core wounds, inviting the inner healing intelligence to be experienced through the integration of body, mind, and spirit.
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine is a molecule that has been used as a dissociative anesthetic since the 1960s. It has been studied and promoted by researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health and has an extensive safety record. Recent research points to its efficacy as a fast-acting anti-depressant. Depending on factors such as medication dosage, route of administration, and intention and preparation, a ketamine session may vary in intensity from a mild shift of awareness to a profound internal journey.
Dedicated to the practice of compassionate and ethical Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Who may benefit from Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy?
Research has shown Ketamine to be a validated treatment for depression, anxiety, substance dependencies, PTSD, and other conditions. While it is being widely used for these conditions, it is still considered "off-label," meaning that the FDA has not explicitly approved it for all these uses. However, significant research supports its effectiveness and safety when used in appropriate dosage in a supportive, safe setting.
*Please note Esketamine is only currently FDA-approved for Treatment-Resistant Depression & MDD with suicidality.
Stages of Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy
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This is the initial meeting where medical and psychiatric baseline information is gathered to determine your suitability for treatment. The treatment plan and protocol are developed in collaboration with you, with a focus on each of your unique goals and needs.
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This is an informative session designed to answer any questions about the process, address concerns, and provide education. Here we spend time considering your motivation and intention for the treatment. The initial preparation session is integrated into the consultation visit. Additional preparation sessions are tailored to your needs.
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Ketamine/Esketamine administration is done safely under the supervision of your psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) in the office with careful attention placed on set & setting. The space is intentionally structured for you to drop into the ketamine experience deeply and comfortably, with the support of your trained KAP provider present at all times during the session.
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This is the therapeutic process that takes place after the ketamine medicine sessions. The work involves processing insights and information that arose during the altered state and in the days after. Integration is an ongoing process and often where the greatest benefit of treatment is derived. During integration, you have the opportunity to reimagine the stories you live and gain insight into how those stories continue to affect you. A series of ketamine sessions can allow for new ways of thinking and lead to sustained change.