Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy

Dickson Psychiatric Services helps treat depression, PTSD, anxiety, other mental health conditions using Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). In general, we offer two methods for the administration of ketamine.

Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy can help individuals address a range of issues beyond just symptom relief. This type of therapy involves ongoing dialogue and integration with a trained psychotherapist to address underlying attachment, addiction, anxiety, spiritual, somatic, existential, trauma/PTSD, and relationship issues. It's important to note that this type of therapy requires explicit training in KAP for the therapist, as it's different from sitting with a trained therapist in other forms of therapy like CBT, DBT, or EMDR.

We often begin treatment with the administration of ketamine as an intramuscular injection. The second method is the administration of ketamine as an oral lozenge. This allows us to understand your sensitivity to ketamine and is a gentle introduction to the medicine. With both, we provide a dosage gradation that is respectful of the learning experience that is ketamine’s signature as an alternative medicine. We are always interested in you and your experience.

We truly offer a unique experience that differs from typical ketamine intravenous clinics. We do not administer ketamine as a drug in a medical setting for a 50-minute session with a needle in your arm. Ketamine’s extraordinary record of safety with proper use makes for our ability to serve you in a comfortable setting conducive to your having profound and life-changing experiences. We provide a therapeutic process that fosters healing and opens your mind and heart.

Another aspect that distinguishes us apart is our approach to conducting and pricing our ketamine therapy sessions. Many IV ketamine providers require clients to attend the office and complete six sessions. The treatment is predominantly administered by nurses who lack training in the consciousness aspects of the ketamine experience, and they subsequently charge patients accordingly. No one is present to help you process your experience and integrate it into your existence. Our practice, on the other hand, provides and charges ketamine treatments differently. Typically, we will assess your progress following your initial in-office appointment, and the frequency will be contingent upon the individual. We cannot predict in advance the number or frequency of sessions. This is dependent on you, your needs, the severity of your difficulty, and your response to ketamine and therapy. The “gold standard” protocol for ketamine administration for mental health treatment is 0.5-1.5 mg/kg. A single session may suffice for specific individuals; however, most individuals require 2-3 medicine sessions to progress toward their treatment objectives by expanding upon each session. For others, a plan may be developed for a course of treatment (sometimes 6 medicine sessions) or ongoing maintenance support. This all depends on your needs, presenting concerns, and the effectiveness of each experience. Booster sessions may be necessary after the induction phase, ranging from 2-12 weeks. We schedule Integration sessions (as necessary) to amplify and support the therapeutic gains clients get from their KAP sessions. We maintain a high level of availability and support. We view therapy as a crucial part of our overall process.

Each KAP session tends to last about three hours. The duration of the recovery period varies depending on your response to the medicine. You are only released to travel once it is safe to do so, and you will need to arrange for transportation home.

I strongly believe in the healing power of human relationships and the therapeutic potential of non-ordinary states of consciousness (NOSC). Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy holds enormous reparative potential by combining therapeutic elements and the biological benefits of ketamine.

Dore, J., Turnipseed, B., Dwyer, S., Turnipseed, A., Andries, J., Ascani, G., Monnette, C., Huidekoper, A., Strauss, N., & Wolfson, P. (2019) Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP): Patient Demographics, Clinical Data and Outcomes in Three Large Practices Administering Ketamine with Psychotherapy, Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 51(2), 189-198.
Drozdz, S. J., Goel, A., McGarr, M. W., Katz, J., Ritvo, P., Mattina, G. F., Bhat, V., Diep, C., & Ladha, K. S. (2022). Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy: A Systematic Narrative Review of the Literature. Journal of pain research, 15, 1691–1706. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S360733
Grob, C. & Grigsby, J. (2021). Handbook of Medical Hallucinogens. New York: The Guilford Press.