Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
Ketamine is a Schedule III medication that has long been used safely as an anesthetic and analgesic agent, and in more recent years, ketamine has been used as an “off-label” treatment for various chronic “treatment-resistant” mental health conditions. Ketamine is now being used for treatment of depression, PTSD, and other psychiatric diagnoses, as well as for existential, psychological, and spiritual crises and growth.
I provide KAP in collaboration with local prescribers. If you’re interested in integrating KAP into our work together, the first step is an initial screening and a comprehensive psychological assessment to determine eligibility for ketamine treatment. If there are no known contraindications, you will be referred to a local prescriber for a KAP screening/prescribing session. You will be carefully interviewed to determine if you are eligible for ketamine treatment, including a medical history, a physical exam if deemed necessary, review of your medical/psychiatric records, and a psychiatric history. If you are eligible for ketamine treatment, you will be given a lozenge prescription for in office use. Please note that during your ketamine sessions, there will be no on-site medical presence, which is why a full medical intake/screening precedes ketamine sessions.
After the initial screening and psychological assessment, we'll begin preparing for KAP, with the understanding that we cannot proceed with ketamine treatment until it's been determined by the medical provider/prescriber that you are eligible for treatment. Initial prep sessions will primarily focus on establishing a therapeutic relationship, psychoeducation, clarifying goals for KAP, and ensuring that you have proper internal and external resources and support for ketamine treatment.
As an IFS therapist, I also integrate parts work into prep sessions, as well as somatic approaches and sandtray therapy. These approaches are intended to prepare individuals for deeper work using ketamine, and to maximize the benefits of ketamine. The number of prep sessions will vary from person to person, and can range from 4-8 sessions, although some may need more.
Ketamine sessions are scheduled for 4 hours to allow time for clients to recover before heading home. Most continue to feel the effects of ketamine upon leaving, so you will be required to have a support person drive you (e.g., partner, family member, or friend).
Ketamine sessions can also be integrated with sandtray therapy, which some find helpful in preparing for the ketamine journey and integrating their experience the following day. In this case, ketamine sessions will be scheduled for 5 hours. The first hour will be focused on working in the sandtray. Some like to use this time to create a scene or world in the sandtray that reflects their hopes and intentions for their ketamine journey.
Each ketamine session will be followed by an integration session the day after. This allows us to check-in on how you are doing, and to begin integrating the experience while it's fresh. For those who choose to integrate sandtray work into their ketamine sessions, we will revisit the sandtray and you will be able to make any changes that you wish to make based on what came up for you during your journey. Integrating sandtray therapy in this way can maximize the benefits of ketamine.
It can take time to make sense out of ketamine journeys, so we will continue to meet weekly for integration sessions throughout your ketamine treatment. If you continue to find benefit in our work together, we can continue to meet weekly or biweekly after ketamine treatment.
As with prep sessions, I primarily use IFS, somatic approaches, sandtray therapy, and psychoeducation for integration. IFS in particular has been shown to be effective for integrating (and preparing for) psychedelic experiences. Here is an article from Psychedelics Today with in depth information about why IFS blends well with psychedelic work: https://psychedelicstoday.com/2021/04/07/internal-family-systems-ifs-therapy-and-psychedelics-explainer/.
It is recommended to have at least 3 KAP sessions. This allows for familiarization with this potent experience and the amplification of its benefits. Clients with complex-PTSD or chronic “treatment-resistant” mental health conditions will generally need more than 3 sessions. The number of KAP sessions you have and how often they occur depends on presenting issues, your response to ketamine treatment, as well as availability of space (I sublease space from a collective of KAP providers), but it is recommended to not wait longer than 3-4 weeks.
Fees for Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP):
KAP intake appointment (60 minutes) = $200 for initial appointment
KAP prep & integration sessions (50-60 minutes) = $175 per session
KAP session with sandtray therapy (4-5 hours) = $800 per session
KAP session without sandtray therapy (3-4 hours) = $675 per session
Fee for intake, prep, & integration sessions cancelled less than 48 hours in advance (not billable to insurance) = $100
Fee for ketamine sessions cancelled less than 48 hours in advance (not billable to insurance) = $200
*Please note that insurance does not cover ketamine sessions. However, intake, prep, and integration sessions can be billed to your insurance. If I am out of network with your insurance, I can provide a superbill (receipt for reimbursement).
*To make KAP more accessible, I offer a limited number of reduced fee slots for those who cannot afford the full fee for KAP sessions. For those not using their insurance for prep and integration sessions, I offer a limited number of reduced fee slots for prep and integration sessions as well.