Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
To stay relevant and informed about best practices for supporting the needs of my clients, I follow current research. Because of my experience as a medical social worker, many of those I support are coping with chronic pain, issues related to end of life, trauma, and intractable mood disorders. These are all challenges that reports are indicating can find benefit from the use of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
In TX and CA, Ketamine is currently the only legally available psychedelic treatment option.
To support those of you curious about this treatment option too, I am now working with Journey Clinical — a company committed to providing affordable, convenient Ketamine treatments to clients who meet diagnostic criteria. I am not the prescriber. Doctors do that. Instead, I provide psychotherapy support before, during, and after the Ketamine experience for safety and integration. I was surprised to learn that Ketamine can be dosed from the comfort of your own home. No clinical trials, IV-infusions, or packages costing thousands of dollars required.
To see if KAP could be a treatment option for you, email me so we can set up time to assess and craft your experience. While I can come to you to provide on-site support during dosing sessions (with-in 60 miles of San Antonio, TX), I can also support via Zoom for client’s residing through out TX and CA.
Review this FAQ below that Journey Clinical put together to learn more:
What Is Ketamine?
Ketamine is a legal, safe and effective medicine used to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Ketamine has rapidly-acting antidepressant and mood-enhancing effects, which can begin to take effect within 1-2 hours after treatment and last for up to 2 weeks. It works by blocking the brain’s NMDA receptors as well as by stimulating AMPA receptors, which are thought to help form new synaptic connections and boost neural circuits that regulate stress and mood. Ketamine has also been shown to enhance overall neuroplasticity for lasting symptom improvement.
Ketamine can be administered in a variety of ways, including IV infusion, intramuscular injection, via nasal spray and using sublingual lozenges. In my work with Journey Clinical we only use the sublingual lozenge form.
How Does Ketamine Feel?
The effects of ketamine, which most patients find pleasant, last for approximately 45 minutes. These effects can make you feel “far from” your body, and facilitate shifts in perception that can often feel expansive in nature. Your motor and verbal abilities will be reduced, so you’ll be lying down in a comfortable position during the experience. Once these effects subsided, we’ll spend the remainder of our appointment giving you space to process and discuss your experience. While it may feel hard to articulate what happened during the experience, patients feel like the insights gained are none-the-less clear. Studies have shown that the benefits to mood and neurological growth can last up to two weeks after the Ketamine experience.
How Does Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Work?
Initial consultation with Journey Clinical:
If Journey Clinical’s medical team determines that you are eligible for KAP, they will develop a personalized Ketamine prescription and outcome monitoring plan for you.
You schedule an initial evaluation with a clinician from the Journey Clinical medical team via Zoom. They will go over your medical and psychiatric history with you, provide education on the treatment and determine if you are eligible for KAP.
Journey Clinical’s medical staff will write a ketamine prescription for you, and a small amount of oral ketamine will be sent to your home, enough for the first 2 KAP sessions. You will be taught to take your vitals and self-administer the ketamine lozenges by Journey Clinical’s medical team in advance of our KAP sessions.
Preparation sessions: Once you receive your ketamine lozenges, we will schedule time together for our KAP preparation, dosing and integration sessions. Preparation session(s) will be scheduled just like regular therapy sessions prior to the KAP dosing session. The goal of a preparation session(s) is to align on the process and set intentions for our KAP sessions together.
KAP Dosing Session: A typical ketamine dosing session lasts between 1-2 hours. During a dosing session, you will self-administer your ketamine lozenge at home. You will be in a comfortable, reclining position wearing an eye mask and listening to calming music. Although a KAP dosing session may be largely an internal experience, I will be present with you via Zoom the entire time to hold space and provide support as needed.
Integration Sessions: After our KAP dosing session, we will meet for multiple integration therapy sessions to review the memories, thoughts & insights that arose during your dosing session, and to prepare for the next dosing session.
Follow-up consultations with Journey Clinical: After our first KAP session, Journey Clinical’s medical team schedules regular follow ups with you to monitor outcomes and prescribe ketamine lozenge refills, as appropriate. The frequency of follow ups depends on your unique treatment plan, at a minimum of once per quarter.
What Is The Cost Of Treatment?
You may be surprised to learn that Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy can be an affordable, accessible modality. Portions of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy with me can be covered by insurance, and when not I charge my typical hourly rate. Email me directly to learn more.
Although the medical intake and follow ups through Journey Clinical are not covered by insurance, they are eligible for out-of-network reimbursement.
First-time patients:
Initial medical consultation with Journey Clinical: $250
Cost of medication: $85 (enough for 2 sessions)
Ongoing treatment:
Follow-up medical consultation with Journey Clinical $150 (at least 1X per quarter)
Cost of medication: $145 (enough for up to 6 sessions)
How Do I Learn More? If you would like to explore your curiosity about KAP, email me to discuss eligibility requirements and next steps.
More About Journey Clinical:
Journey Clinical is a platform for licensed psychotherapists to incorporate science-based psychedelic therapies in their practice safely and effectively, starting with Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). Journey Clinical’s in-house medical team takes on patient eligibility, prescriptions and outcome monitoring, while I take on the therapy. Their collaborative care model is designed to deliver personalized treatment plans to meet your individual needs and improve long-term outcomes.
Helpful Resources:
Paradigms of Ketamine Treatment by Raquel Bennett, Psy.D. for MAPS
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP): Patient Demographics, Clinical Data and Outcomes in Three Large Practices Administering Ketamine with Psychotherapy - research study by Jennifer Dore et al, 2018
Ketamine for Depression and Mood Disorders by Erica Zelfand, ND for Townsend Letter
Ketamine-Facilitated Psychotherapy for Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression by goop
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy with Jonathan Sabbagh of Journey Clinical - Psychology Talk Podcast