What’s that mean? A Series: Ketamine - Assisted Psychotherapy

Why is Ketamine different?

Ketamine-assisted therapy is gaining attention as a powerful, research-backed option for people navigating depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental health concerns that have not responded to traditional approaches. While it is not a quick fix or the right fit for everyone, ketamine can offer a new path for healing, especially when paired with intentional, trauma-informed therapy.

Ketamine is a promising option for individuals who have not felt relief with traditional pharmaceuticals. Unlike many antidepressants that focus on serotonin, ketamine interacts with a different neurotransmitter called glutamate. Glutamate plays a key role in learning, memory, and mood regulation. By stimulating glutamate activity, ketamine supports neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to form new connections. This helps people feel less stuck and more open to change.

Ketamine is a medication that has been safely used in medical settings for decades. At lower doses, ketamine can create a dissociative or introspective state that allows people to explore their thoughts and emotions with more distance and less judgment. Therapeutic ketamine use can make talk therapy feel more accessible and spacious, helping you approach difficult patterns with curiosity rather than fear.

How is a session structured?

Ketamine-assisted therapy usually begins with preparation sessions where you and your therapist discuss your goals and what to expect. In our office, we use rapid dissolve tablets, which are taken orally and absorbed through the tissues in your mouth over the course of 10-15 minutes.

During the two-hour session, you will be comfortably reclined, often lying down with blankets and an eye mask to help you feel safe and supported. We begin with a guided meditation to gently center your awareness and prepare your mind and body for the experience. This helps create a calm, grounded space where you can feel more open to whatever arises.

Throughout the session, you will be closely monitored to ensure your safety and comfort, and your therapist will be with you the entire time. After the medication takes effect, you’ll lean into your experience and explore the thoughts, emotions, or sensations that come up. Following the session, integration meetings help you process your experience and apply new insights to your daily life.

Ketamine can open a door to healing, but it is the work you do afterward that creates lasting change. Therapy and integration are essential parts of the process.

Indicators for treatment:

• You have tried therapy or medications and are still struggling to feel relief

• You often feel emotionally disconnected or unable to access a sense of meaning

• You are seeking a more embodied or integrative approach to healing

• You are processing trauma and want support that addresses both body and mind

If you want to learn more about how I approach Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy and how we can apply it to meet your specific needs, reach out to me here.