Explore the Deep Healing of
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy
Ketamine Assisted Therapy 101
Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAP) is a holistic modality in which ketamine is taken to complement high quality psychotherapy in order to help eligible patients experience sustained improvement with symptoms. A Healing Path partners with Journey Clinic in determining eligibility, creating customized treatment plans, prescribing the medication, and monitoring outcomes. A Healing Path clinicians provide the safe setting and ongoing therapy while Journey Clinical provides the medical aspects. Learn more below.
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine is a legal, safe and effective medicine used to treat multiple mental health conditions. The documented effects of ketamine show it to be a rapid-acting antidepressant with mood enhancing effects. You could notice the mood changes as soon as 1-2 hours after treatment and last for up to 2 weeks.
Technically speaking, ketamine blocks the brains’ NMDA receptors as well as stimulating AMPA receptors which is thought to help form new synaptic connections and boost neural circuits that regulate stress and mood. Ketamine has also shown to enhance neuroplasticity for lasting symptom improvement.
How does it feel?
The effects of ketamine last approximately 45 minutes. Generally, most people find the feeling pleasant. The medicine will help you feel “far from” your body and assist in shifts in perception that can often feel expansive in nature. Your movement and verbal abilities may be reduced, but our offices are designed specifically to be comfortable lying down. After the height of the medication, you may want to spend the remainder of the appointment processing your experience. Initially you may not be able to articulate the experience, but the insights gained will be clear. Studies have show that benefits to mood and neurological growth can last up to two weeks. During your process with A Healing Path and Journey Clinical, a clinician will be by your side during the entire experience.
Why We Are Different?
Skilled clinicians with training in assisting persistant mental health conditions that find relief from KAP. The medication is tool to identifying flawed core beliefs while partnering with your therapist to make long lasting change.
- Rapid Relief of Symptoms
- Effectiveness
- Low Risk of Addiction
- Long Lasting Effects
Benefits of Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy
Anatomy of a Session
Preparation
Bring in your ketamine lozenges, before taking medication we will have a regular therapy session for the first hour. The goal of this session will be to align on the process and set intentions for the dosing session.
Dosing
Usually lasts an hour. You will self-administer your ketamine lozenge. You will then get comfortable,recline, close or cover your eyes, and listen to calming music. Your clinician will be present with you to hold space and provide support.
Integration
After the dosing session, we will have an initial integrations session to discuss memories, thoughts and insights that arose during the dosing session. This is the beginning of your processing with your therapist.
Follow Up
24 - 48 Hours After Session
Further integration session will occur within a few days of your dosing session. Discuss the experience and new insights that you may have had as you reflect on your session.
With Journey Clinic
You will have regular follow ups to monitor outcomes, discuss dosing, and prescribe refills, if appropriate. Suggested follow up minimum once a quarter.
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FAQ's
Ketamine is not suitable for everyone, and its application should be carefully considered by a qualified medical professional. Individuals with substance abuse or certain medical conditions may not be eligible for this treatment. We can partner with you to determine if you are a candidate for KAP.
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
- Bipolar Depression
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Chronic Pain and Neuropathic Pain Syndromes
After meeting with one of our therapist, a thorough intake will be completed to determine eligibility. You will then be referred to Journey Clinical for medical screening and disbursement of medication. An appointment with a therapist will be scheduled after you are to receive your medication. You will then bring your lozenges to your session. The entire session will be approximately 3 hours. We will then have an additional integration session 24-48 hours after your initial session. Additional session will be scheduled based on your customized treatment plan.
KAP Sessions are $175.00/hr. Days of dosing are usually 3 hour sessions and you have another session 24-48 hour after dosing session. Insurance will cover the initial hour of therapy before the dosing and the session a day or so later. Contact your therapist for more information.
Journey Clinic is a separate expense.
- First time clients
- Initial medical consult with Journey $250.00
- Cost of medication: $85.00 (enough for 2 sessions)
- Ongoing treatment
- Follow-up medical consultation with Journey: $150.00
- Cost of medication: $145.00 (enough for up to 6 sessions)
Unfortunately insurance does not generally cover all of the sessions, and not the dosing time. That said, insurance does cover therapy sessions before the dosing and the integration session the next day.
Most clients find ketamine easily manageable or even pleasant. Some side effects could include:
- dissociation
- anxiety
- nausea
- heart rate and blood pressure changes
Most side effects go away before you leave the office although you may continue to feel tired or slow for the remainder of the day.
We encourage and advise that you do not drive until the next day. Leaving the office requires chaperone or other assistance for your protection.
The effects of ketamine are cumulative. Each session strengthens new neuroplasticity. You treatment plan will usually include 3-6 treatment, but this is discussed according to your needs.
Journey Clinical is a platform for licensed psychotherapists to incorporate science-based psychedelic therapies in their practice safely and effectively starting with KAP. Journey Clinical’s in-house medical team takes on patient eligibility, prescriptions and outcome monitoring, while A Healing Path Counseling clinicians take on the therapy. This collaborative care model is designed to deliver personalized treatment plans to meet your individual needs and improve long-term outcomes.
Our KAP Clinicians
These clinicians deliver KAP at A Healing Path Counseling in partnership with an organization called Journey Clinical, which has a specialized medical team that determines eligibility for KAP, prescribes the ketamine, and supports us in monitoring outcomes.
If you are interested click on one of the clinicians or general information to discuss eligibility and next steps.
