Ketamine Assisted
Therapy
Ketamine Assisted Therapy, offered in my office, harnesses the profound healing potential of Ketamine to address a range of mental health challenges. This innovative therapy has shown promising results in treating conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), and eating disorders.
As a certified Psychedelic Assisted Therapist by the Integrative Psychiatry Institute since 2023, I collaborate closely with a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner for client evaluations and medication management, ensuring comprehensive and personalized care for each individual seeking relief and transformation.
Some questions people often ask are:
What makes a good candidate for Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy?
A good candidate for KAP would be someone in relatively good health (as determined by the prescribing practitioner, usually a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner), who despite using traditional treatments, such as other medications and therapies , has a treatment resistant mental health disorder, such as chronic depression, ptsd, and other anxiety disorders. Having realistic expectations (the understanding that this is a tool rather than a cure) and ability to consent for treatment is also necessary for someone to be a good candidate for Ketamine Assisted Therapy.
How does Ketamine work in the brain?
Ketamine changes how the brain communicates by blocking NMDA receptors and increasing the release of dopamine and serotonin, mood regulating chemicals in the brain. This can help alleviate symptoms of depression and other mood disorders by promoting changes in brain function which can lead to improvement in mental health conditions.
Can you give me an example of this?
Sure! When we are depressed or anxious, the way we see the world can be very rigid. We can think it will always be like this, I’ll never be content, I’m a failure, etc. After KAP, your brain experiences a period of neuroplasticity for up to two weeks where you may experience a more flexible or motivated state. Perhaps your desire to try a new activity outweighs the negative thoughts in your mind that you won’t do well at it. Maybe you start to fall into that rigid thinking pattern, and you notice that you’re starting to criticize yourself, and then you stop and realize it isn’t a helpful way to get better. Perhaps you feel ready to address some of the hard things in therapy that you worry will make you feel worse. Perhaps you feel more capable of making changes that you have delayed because your worries held you back.
