Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
A safe and effective option for
depression, anxiety and PTSD
Three (3) of our therapists offer a therapeutic modality called Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) in partnership with an organization called Journey Clinical. KAP is a holistic modality in which the medication Ketamine is used as a complement to psychotherapy to help eligible clients experience more frequent breakthroughs and sustained improvement in symptoms.
We take on the psychotherapy portion of the experience, while Journey Clinical’s medical team supports you on all medical aspects. This includes determining eligibility, developing a custom treatment plan, prescribing the medicine, and monitoring outcomes. Below is more information about KAP to help you navigate if it may be a good fit for you.
Please note that we are currently offering KAP as an adjunct to your ongoing therapy or coaching process. You don’t have to move all of your mental health care to Breathing Space as we will collaborate with your current providers for your best outcome!
What is Ketamine?
Safe. Legal. Effective.
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.
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 hrs. 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.
How does Ketamine Feel?
Pleasant! Expansive!
Altered Time!
The effects of Ketamine 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.
Studies have shown that the benefits to mood and neurological growth can last up to two weeks after Ketamine dosing experiences.
While the brain is most open to reorganize and grow new connections, we can focus on making change and creating new healthy habits that will stick! Integration of the experience is critical.
How Does KAP Work?
1.
Initial consultation with Journey Clinical
Meeting
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.
Plan
If Journey Clinical’s medical team determines that you are eligible for KAP, they will develop a personalized Psychedelic prescription and outcome monitoring plan for you.
Prescription
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.
Learning
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.
2.
Preparation Session
Schedule
Once you receive your Ketamine lozenges, we will schedule time together for our KAP preparation, dosing and integration sessions.
Prep Session
Preparation session(s) will be scheduled just like regular therapy sessions prior to the KAP dosing session.
Schedule
Once you receive your Ketamine lozenges, we will schedule time together for our KAP preparation, dosing and integration sessions.
Intention
The goal of preparation session(s) is to go over the dosing process and set intentions for our KAP sessions together.
3.
PAP Dosing Session
Time
A typical Ketamine dosing session lasts between 2 and 3 hours and can take place either in-person at my office, or remotely via telehealth.
How
During a dosing session, you will self-administer your Ketamine lozenge either in my office or in your home. You will be in a comfortable, reclining position wearing an eye mask and listening to calming music.
Support
Although a KAP dosing session may be largely an internal experience, I will be present with you the entire time to hold space and provide support as needed.
Depending on your goals, more than one dosing session is often needed.
We recommend up to 6 within the first several weeks of treatment.
4.
Integration Sessions
After our KAP dosing session, we will meet for 2-3 integration therapy sessions to review the memories, thoughts & insights that arose during your dosing session, and to prepare for the next dosing session.
5.
Follow-Up Session With Journey Clinical
Monitoring
After our first KAP session, Journey Clinical’s medical team schedules regular follow ups with yoKetamine lozenge refills, as appropriate.
Frequency
The frequency of follow ups depends on your unique treatment plan, at a minimum of once per quarter.
What is the cost of KAP?
Therapy
The rate per hour for preparation and integration sessions is $155. Typically there are 2-3 of each. 3 hour dosing sessions are $500. You must schedule at least one integration session between dosing sessions. In collaboration with you, your Journey prescriber, your current therapist, and our clinical team, we will arrive at an appropriate number of dosing and integration sessions.
Insurance may cover preparation, integration and partial dosing sessions.
If we are not able to take your insurance, we participate in CareCredit for interest free financing. Please call our office for details: 315-516-8466
Journey Clinical Medical
First-time patients: $250 for the medical intake, plus $85 for prescription (Ketamine + Zofran for 2 sessions, processing and 4 day shipping)
Ongoing treatment: $150 for follow-up, plus $145 for prescription (Ketamine + Zofran for up to 6 sessions, processing and 4 day shipping)
Journey Clinical services and prescriptions are not covered by insurance and are payable directly to Journey Clinical.
What is 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 client 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.
Are you ready for some deep change?
Connect today to see if Ketamine is the
right choice for you!
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