Ketamine-Assisted Therapy
When traditional approaches haven't been enough. A different doorway for treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, or trauma.
KAP / Integration-Focused
What is KAP?
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy combines the therapeutic use of ketamine—a legal, FDA-approved anesthetic used off-label for mental health—with deep relational therapy. It's not about the medicine alone. It's about what becomes possible when your usual defenses soften and we can access what's been hard to reach.
Ketamine temporarily shifts how your brain processes information, often allowing feelings, memories, and perspectives that are usually guarded to come forward. For some people, this creates openings that years of talk therapy couldn't.
But the opening is just the beginning. The real work happens in preparation—building our relationship, clarifying your intentions—and in integration, where we make sense of what emerged and ground it into lasting change.
I trained in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy through CAP Healing and work with their prescriber network for all medical evaluations and ketamine prescriptions. My role is the therapeutic relationship: the preparation, the presence during medicine sessions, and the integration that follows.
Is KAP Right For You?
KAP may be a good fit if:
- You've tried therapy and possibly medication, and while they've helped, something still feels stuck
- You understand your patterns intellectually but can't seem to shift them emotionally
- You're dealing with treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, or trauma
- You're open to exploring your inner world in a different way
- You're willing to commit to the full process—preparation, medicine sessions, and integration
KAP is not a quick fix. It asks something of you: the willingness to sit with what arises, to do the integration work, and to let the insights change how you live.
If your struggles center on your relationship, I also offer couples therapy using Emotionally Focused Therapy. Sometimes individual KAP work supports relationship healing; sometimes couples work is the right starting point. We can explore what fits.
Who Shouldn't Pursue KAP
For safety reasons, KAP isn't appropriate for everyone. You would not be a candidate if you have:
- Active psychosis or a history of psychotic disorders (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder)
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure or unstable heart conditions
- Active substance abuse (most prescribers require 6-12 months of sobriety)
- Current pregnancy or plans to become pregnant
- Known allergy to ketamine
Some situations require careful evaluation but aren't automatic disqualifiers: bipolar disorder (with mood stability), history of substance use disorder now in remission, or controlled hypertension. These are conversations to have during the screening process.
The Process
1. Consultation
We start with a conversation—no commitment required—to see if KAP might be right for you and whether we'd work well together. I'll explain the process, answer your questions, and get a sense of your history and goals.
2. Medical Evaluation
If we decide to move forward, you'll meet with a prescriber from the CAP Healing network for a full medical and psychiatric evaluation. This includes reviewing your treatment history, current medications, and any health conditions. The prescriber determines medical eligibility and, if appropriate, provides the ketamine prescription.
This step is essential. I provide the therapy; the prescriber handles all medical decisions.
3. Preparation Sessions
Before any medicine session, we spend 1-3 sessions building our relationship and preparing you for the experience. We'll explore your intentions, discuss what might come up, and establish practices for working with difficult material. This foundation is what makes the medicine sessions effective.
4. Medicine Sessions
Sessions take place in a comfortable, private setting. You'll take ketamine sublingually (under the tongue), then lie back with an eye mask and music while I remain present with you throughout. The experience typically lasts 1-2 hours, with additional time afterward to return fully before you leave.
Most treatment courses involve 4-6 medicine sessions, though this varies based on your needs and response.
You cannot drive on treatment days—please arrange transportation.
5. Integration Sessions
Within a day or two of each medicine session, we meet to process what emerged. This is where the transformation actually takes root. Ketamine opens doors; integration is how you walk through them and stay there.
What to Expect During a Session
Everyone's experience is different, but common elements include:
- Physical sensations: Floating, warmth, heaviness or lightness, sometimes mild nausea
- Altered perception: Time may feel stretched or compressed; you may feel a sense of distance from your usual thoughts and concerns
- Emotional access: Feelings that are usually defended may surface—grief, love, fear, relief
- New perspectives: Seeing old problems from a different angle, sometimes with surprising clarity
The experience isn't always comfortable, but it doesn't need to be pleasant to be healing. I'll be present throughout to help you stay oriented and work with whatever arises.
For some people, ketamine experiences have a spiritual dimension—a sense of connection, meaning, or encounter that feels significant. If spirituality or faith is part of your life, I welcome integrating that into how we prepare for and make sense of these experiences.
Effects resolve within a few hours. Most people feel back to baseline the next day, though some notice lingering openness or fatigue.
Investment
KAP is a significant commitment of time, energy, and resources. Here's what to expect financially:
- Medical evaluation: Handled separately through the prescriber network (fees vary)
- Preparation & integration sessions: Standard therapy session rate (may be covered by insurance if you have out-of-network benefits)
- Medicine sessions: Extended session rate (includes extended session time and my presence throughout; not covered by insurance)
A full course of treatment—preparation, 4-6 medicine sessions, and integration—varies based on your needs. I'm happy to discuss specifics during our consultation.
Common Questions
Is ketamine safe?
Ketamine has been used safely in medical settings for over 50 years. At the doses used in KAP, serious side effects are rare. The most common experiences are temporary dissociation, elevated blood pressure during the session, and occasional nausea. The medical evaluation screens for conditions that would make ketamine inadvisable.
Is ketamine addictive?
Ketamine does have abuse potential, which is why the structure of KAP matters. The doses are sub-anesthetic, sessions are supervised, and the medicine is prescribed for specific therapeutic use—not given as take-home doses to use alone. In this context, addiction risk is very low.
How is this different from ketamine clinics?
Many ketamine clinics offer IV infusions with minimal or no therapeutic support—you receive the medicine, sit in a chair, and go home. KAP is different: the medicine is one part of a larger therapeutic process that includes preparation, relational support during the experience, and integration afterward. The therapy is the treatment; ketamine is what makes certain therapy possible.
Can I keep taking my current medications?
Most medications are fine, but some interact with ketamine or reduce its effectiveness (particularly benzodiazepines and some antidepressants). The prescriber will review your full medication list and advise on any adjustments.
How many sessions will I need?
Most people do 4-6 medicine sessions, plus preparation and integration sessions around each one. But this isn't a fixed protocol—we'll assess as we go and adjust based on your response.
What if it doesn't work for me?
KAP isn't right for everyone, and it doesn't help everyone it's right for. We'll check in regularly about whether the process is serving you. If it's not, we'll discuss other options.
Begin the Conversation
A free consultation to explore whether KAP might be right for you—no pressure, no commitment. We'll talk about what you're struggling with, what you've already tried, and whether this approach makes sense for your situation.
Schedule a ConsultationKetamine is FDA-approved as an anesthetic. Its use for mental health conditions is off-label, meaning it's a legal and accepted medical practice but not the drug's originally approved purpose.