Ketamine- Assisted Psychotherapy
(KAP)
It can be hard to access the thoughts and feelings that we have spent a lifetime trying to push way down deep. When psychotherapy alone isn’t enough, ketamine can be a powerful augmentation.
Ketamine has emerged as a promising treatment option for individuals living with treatment-resistant depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, particularly when traditional antidepressant medications and psychotherapy have not provided sufficient relief. Originally developed as an anesthetic, ketamine has been studied extensively over the past two decades for its rapid-acting antidepressant effects.
Unlike conventional antidepressants, which primarily affect serotonin, and may take several weeks to work, ketamine acts on the brain’s glutamate system, helping to promote neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to form new connections and pathways. Many patients experience improvement in mood within hours to days, offering hope for those who have struggled with persistent depression.
Ketamine treatment for depression is considered “off-label,” meaning it is an FDA-approved medication used for a purpose other than its original approval. While this type of prescribing is common and supported by a growing body of research, it also means that most insurance companies do not cover ketamine treatments, and services are typically self-pay.
In our practice, ketamine is administered in a carefully structured, medically supervised setting, often alongside psychotherapy and integration work. This approach—commonly called ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP)—helps patients not only experience symptom relief but also explore new perspectives, process emotions, and support meaningful psychological healing.
It is important to understand that ketamine is not a cure for depression. While some individuals experience rapid relief, many require a series of treatments over time before significant improvement occurs, and the effects can diminish without ongoing care. For this reason, treatment often involves an initial series of sessions followed by periodic maintenance treatments to help sustain the benefits. Ketamine therapy is best viewed as one tool within a broader healing process, which may also include psychotherapy, lifestyle changes, and other supportive treatments.
For individuals who have struggled to find relief through conventional approaches, ketamine can offer a new pathway toward relief, renewed perspective, and meaningful progress in recovery.