What Is Ketamine Therapy?
Ketamine therapy involves the administration of doses of ketamine via IV infusion, nasal spray, or lozenge under the supervision of a qualified medical professional and licensed therapist. Dosing sessions may be repeated every couple of days up to eight times in a treatment series. Ketamine, which has been used by physicians as an anesthetic, analgesic, and sedative since the early 1960s, is garnering increasing attention for mental health applications.
Ketamine is perhaps best known for its utility in relieving depression symptoms. As many as two out of five patients with depression fail to respond to antidepressant drugs, forcing them to seek alternatives to depression medication. For these individuals, ketamine-assisted therapy offers another option. The FDA has approved ketamine as a safe and effective therapy for treatment-resistant depression. Research also has demonstrated its effectiveness as an anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment.
Unlike common psychiatric medications that only address the symptoms of neural imbalances, ketamine promotes regeneration in the parts of the brain responsible for creating those imbalances. Antidepressants and many other psychiatric medications often take weeks to start working (if they work at all). Their benefits rapidly disappear when treatment is stopped, replaced by uncomfortable (and in some cases dangerous) withdrawal symptoms. Antidepressants also commonly interact with other medications.
In contrast, the uplifting effects of ketamine treatment appear in as little as a day or two. Depending on the patient and the number of initial treatment sessions, relief can last for weeks, months, or even years. Ketamine has few interactions and can be safely used together with SSRIs, opiates, and tricyclic antidepressants.
Pre-Treatment Preparations
Ketamine is not recommended if you are pregnant, actively addicted to an illicit substance, or have a history of psychosis. Before you can begin treatment, you will be screened for these and any other possible contraindications. Once we’ve ensured you are healthy enough for safe treatment, we’ll meet several times to discuss your situation, goals, and challenges.
Ketamine increases your brain’s ability to form and reorganize synaptic connections—something neurobiologists refer to as “neuroplasticity.” During your treatment, we will take full advantage of your brain’s malleable state by identifying negative thought patterns you’d like to get rid of and introducing new ones aligned to your goals and desires.
For example, perhaps you often feel overwhelmed by daily responsibilities. This is particularly likely if you have PTSD or if your anxiety or depression medication is not working as it should. You might sometimes think to yourself, “I am always so tired! I’m not sure I can accomplish everything I need to do.” Before, during, and after your ketamine session, you will be encouraged to replace such thoughts with more helpful ones, such as, “I feel more energetic every day and am confident I can do what needs to be done.”
Before your first ketamine experience, we will discuss the sort of environment and verbal cues that would make you feel the most comfortable. For example, you might prefer wearing an eye mask, having a specific song playing, or having a certain statement read to you. I’ll also prepare you for the minor side effects you might encounter, such as feelings of coldness or numbness in your hands or feet.
Your First Ketamine Treatment
When you arrive for your first treatment, we will review your intentions, and I will answer any lingering questions you have. I will set you up in a “nest” of pillows and make you as comfortable as possible. When you’re ready, a qualified medical professional will administer a single dose of ketamine in the form of a lozenge you will hold under your tongue.
After about 20 minutes, you will begin to feel very relaxed. You may experience the sensation of sinking into the cushions as your mind starts to disassociate from your body. You may also feel euphoric or silly. In some cases, you may experience visual hallucinations as you quietly explore your inner world. You are also welcome to talk if you desire. A medical professional will remain nearby to monitor your status, and I will stay with you the entire time to offer support and assistance. The whole experience takes about two hours, after which a friend or loved one can take you home.
Some people compare the benefits experienced within the first few days after ketamine treatment to the effects of a long-term meditation practice. You may start to see things in a more positive light and find it easier to integrate new thought patterns. Meanwhile, you will return for an integration therapy session, during which time you’ll revisit your treatment goals and envision the life you want to create for yourself.
Some people experience a dramatic reduction in symptoms after the very first session. Depending on your results, I may recommend you repeat the process as many as eight times during your treatment series to deepen and lengthen your results. We will stay in touch afterward to monitor your progress. If needed, you may come back for another session in a month or two.
Ketamine experiences can be incredibly transformational. One patient who underwent this form of treatment had always dreamed of becoming a dancer, but her depression was so severe that she spent most of the day in bed. After her first series of treatments, she not only found the strength to get out of bed but to enroll in dance classes, turning her dream into reality.
Meet Deb
I have been practicing therapy and helping people with a wide variety of mental challenges for nearly 20 years. I had previously heard good things about ketamine-assisted therapy but didn’t know much about it. When a colleague earned their certification in this unique treatment method and told me about their experience, it piqued my interest.
Initially, I was hesitant to deviate from traditional treatment methods. But I couldn’t ignore ketamine’s potential for offering relief to clients who felt they were out of options. I decided to earn my own certification, at which point I learned firsthand how powerful this form of treatment could be. Just as master’s level therapists must spend 30 hours experiencing therapy from the patient’s perspective, ketamine training required that I experience ketamine treatment for myself.
I could never have imagined the effect this treatment would have on my life. Obstacles that previously would have caused me to give up no longer felt so restrictive. Memories that used to distress me were much less threatening. I became more optimistic, open-minded, and capable. And I felt more awake and alive than I had in a long time, an effect that has so far endured.
Give Yourself An Opportunity To Heal
I am eager to share this experience with others. By completing a ketamine therapy certification program, enlisting the help of a qualified medical professional, and creating a safe and relaxing treatment environment, I have set the stage for powerful healing and awakening for my clients. If you’re ready to overcome mental health challenges and open up new possibilities, contact me for a free consultation. Together, we can explore whether this revolutionary treatment method might meet your needs.
I offer a free 30-minute initial consultation to discuss your specific counseling needs and to answer any questions you have about working with me. Please fill out the contact form to arrange a consultation,