WHAT IS Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy?
How Does Ketamine Work?
Ketamine is a treatment that was initially developed as a dissociative anesthetic drug approved in 1970, and used during surgeries. It has more recently been tested and applied for mental and physical health issues that include treatment-resistant mood disorders such as depression and anxiety,[1] but also for veteran-related PTSD, substance use issues, and chronic pain. It works by increasing our brain-derived neurotrophic factors, which are in our learning and memory centers in the brain as well as our central nervous systems, and it is seen as a safe and tolerable treatment by research physicians.[2]
People can experience an increase in motivation and activity when they are treated with ketamine, which means that they are more likely to be social and engage with healing activities in community with others.[3] It is an experience that leads to a new, renewed holistic view of the self as healer. Ketamine allows people to form relationships more easily, which makes it helpful to begin the process of moving towards connection. Ketamine may be a source of hope when other treatments have not been effective, especially with depression and anxiety. Ketamine can also be an effective treatment for those looking to improve their social emotional health. A mental health diagnosis is not required to benefit from Ketamine assisted psychotherapy.
Our Approuch to your TreatmentBest practices in this therapeutic modality show that treatment plans must be extremely variable and specific to each individual.[4] Specifically, good results have been shown to take place after four treatments, but also in a prolonged format over the course of four weeks. This is why psychotherapeutic preparation and assessment sessions are particularly important for ketamine treatment, and re-evaluation may have to take place more than once through the treatment process. Together, we will discover and plan for the right number of treatments for your individual needs. |
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The process
The fist step in your Ketamine assisted psychotherapy treatment plan is a medical assessment. You will be carefully screened for underlying medical concerns prior to treatment. After you are medically cleared you will then complete the Psychological Intake and Preparation Sessions. We generally recommend between one and three psychotherapeutic preparation sessions to assess your eligibility prior to ketamine treatment. In these sessions we will identify your goals and set your intentions for treatment. Once your have completed your preparation sessions your Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy Session can be scheduled. This will be a three to four hour session that will involve both medical and psychotherapy preparatory and integration interventions. Theses sessions take place in our comfortable home like offices located on the Westside of Santa Cruz. The Ketamine medicine is injected intramuscularly, your medical and therapy providers will be with you for the duration of your treatment ensuring your safety and efficacy of the treatment. Integration sessions take place within a week after your Ketamine experience. They are a critical component to help you build your inner healing skills and titrate what you have learned.
Treatment Plans and Costs
Our introductory treatment plan is offered at rate of $2,760 and includes the following components ;
- Psychological Intake (50 minutes with therapist; Telehealth): $250
- Medical Clearance Assessment (45 minutes with medical provider, in-office): $200
- Preparation Session, minimum of two (50 minutes with therapist, Telehealth): $250
- Initial Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy Treatment, one dose (3-4 hours in-office): $1,310
- Integration Session, minimum of two (50 minutes with therapist, Telehealth): $250
After you complete the initial appointments listed above, you will have the option to add additional ketamine treatment appointments. Additional add-ons:
- Optional second dose add-on during KAP journey (additional hour): $500
- Psychotherapy Session(s): Preparatory or Integration: $250
- Repeat Ketamine Journey: $1,310
Your treatment provider may recommend more than what our introductory plan offers. We will work with you to create the individualized treatment plan to best meet your needs and treatment goals. In general, we recommend committing to three Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy treatment sessions to achieve optimal benefits.
[1] Ng, J., Lui, L. M., Rosenblat, J. D., Teopiz, K. M., Lipsitz, O., Cha, D. S., ... & McIntyre, R. S. (2021). Ketamine-induced urological toxicity: potential mechanisms and translation for adults with mood disorders receiving ketamine treatment. Psychopharmacology, 238(4), 917-926.
[2] McIntyre, R. S., Rosenblat, J. D., Nemeroff, C. B., Sanacora, G., Murrough, J. W., Berk, M., ... & Stahl, S. (2021). Synthesizing the evidence for ketamine and esketamine in treatment-resistant depression: an international expert opinion on the available evidence and implementation. American Journal of Psychiatry, 178(5), 383-399.
[3] Griffiths, C., Walker, K., Reid, I., da Silva, K. M., & O'Neill-Kerr, A. (2021). A qualitative study of patients' experience of ketamine treatment for depression: The ‘Ketamine and me’project. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 4, 100079.
[4] McIntyre, R. S., Rosenblat, J. D., Nemeroff, C. B., Sanacora, G., Murrough, J. W., Berk, M., ... & Stahl, S. (2021). Synthesizing the evidence for ketamine and esketamine in treatment-resistant depression: an international expert opinion on the available evidence and implementation. American Journal of Psychiatry, 178(5), 383-399.