Over the past 20 years groundbreaking research has shown Ketamine to be helpful in treating depression, especially in individuals who have not responded to other interventions. There has also been research indicating Ketamine can be helpful in treating anxiety, addiction, and trauma. Ketamine is unique in that it works rapidly with clients experiencing an alteration in consciousness, frequently followed by an improvement in their psychoemotional state. I utilize an experiential and patient-centered approach to Ketamine Psychotherapy that includes proper preparation, support, and integration. 

What are the benefits of receiving Ketamine Psychotherapy from a psychiatrist? Psychiatric training is focused on the evaluation and treatment of anxiety, depression, PTSD and other psychoemotional disorders. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who are well-qualified to administer and medically monitor sub-anesthetic doses of Ketamine. Non-psychiatric physicians on the other hand do not have extensive training in the diagnosis and treatment of psychoemotional disorders. Often when receiving ketamine treatments from non-psychiatrist physicians or Nurse Practitioners, psychotherapy is not a component of the treatment, thereby missing a powerful opportunity for growth and healing. Psychiatrists trained in medicine and psychotherapy are in a uniquely optimized position to provide Ketamine Psychotherapy.

What is the difference between Ketamine Psychotherapy and traditional psychiatric medications? Most psychiatric medications that address depression take many weeks to work, if they work at all, whereas Ketamine Psychotherapy generally works rapidly. When taking antidepressants, the risk of anxiety and suicidal ideation actually increases during the first few days to weeks of taking the medication whereas Ketamine has been shown to decrease suicidal ideation. Psychiatric medications that do act quickly such as benzodiazepines or stimulants have a significant potential for addiction. The risk of addiction with Ketamine Psychotherapy is attenuated because you primarily receive Ketamine Psychotherapy in an office setting and always in the context of psychotherapy. The length of time people end up taking many psychiatric medications can be months to years, as there is no clearly defined duration of treatment. Ketamine Psychotherapy is a short-term, time-limited intervention. The theoretical underpinnings of traditional psychiatric medications are based on an assumption of a chemical imbalance and aims at symptom suppression. Ketamine Psychotherapy is based on the the assumption that we need experiences to change our mental states, and Ketamine Psychotherapy is one way of providing such an experience. 

How Does Ketamine Work? Ketamine works on the glutamatergic neurotransmitter system in the brain that has been implicated in depression. But, it is more useful to conceptualize Ketamine’s effects by means of the experience it produces. Ketamine provides a brief moment in time where your experience of reality markedly shifts, thereby allowing new perspectives to arise. This altered perspective and experience allows the possibility of a shift in consciousness that is influenced by the preparation and setting, and allows access to unconscious psycho-emotional content that can be processed in a psychotherapeutic setting.

Is Ketamine Safe? Ketamine has been used for decades and has a unique safety profile in that it does not suppress respiration, heart rate, or the gag reflex. The addictive properties of ketamine, like all mind-altering substances, are linked to the mindset of the individual, the environment the substance is used in, as well as the purpose the substance is being used for. In some populations Ketamine is a drug of abuse, though there actually has been research showing Ketamine to be useful in the treatment of addiction.

If I’m already on medications, can I receive Ketamine Psychotherapy? Yes. I recommend not taking benzodiazepines such as Xanax or Klonopin in the hours leading up to Ketamine Psychotherapy because it attenuates the effects. But if you are on other antidepressants you can continue taking those while you receive Ketamine Psychotherapy. 

Will I receive Ketamine Psychotherapy during my first visit? No. You will first have a psychiatric and medical evaluation. At the end of that session we will decide whether you are an appropriate candidate. We will schedule one more preparation session, and then you will undergo the Ketamine Psychotherapy sessions.