Healing with Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy

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.

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.

The effects of ketamine, which most clients find pleasant, last for approximately 45 minutes to an hour. 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, clients 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.

1. Initial consultation with Journey Clinical:

You schedule an initial virtual evaluation with a clinician from the Journey Clinical

medical team. They will go over your medical and psychiatric history with you, provide education on the treatment and determine if you are eligible for KAP.

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.

Journey Clinical’s medical staff will write a ketamine prescription for you, and a small amount of sub-lingual 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.

2. 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.

3. KAP Dosing Session:

A typical ketamine dosing session lasts between 2-3 hours and will take place in-person at our office space.

During a dosing session, you will self-administer your ketamine lozenge

in my office. You will be in a comfortable, reclining position, wearing an eye

mask if comfortable, and listening to calming music. Although a KAP dosing

session may be largely an internal experience, a clinician will be present with

you the entire time to hold space and provide support as needed.

4. Integration Sessions:

After our KAP dosing session, we will meet for an integration therapy session to review the memories, thoughts & insights that arose during your dosing session, and to prepare for the next dosing session. A series consists of 6-8 dosing sessions followed by an integration session after each dosing session.

5. Follow-up consultations with Journey Clinical:

After your second KAP session, Journey Clinical’s medical team will schedule

a follow up with you to monitor outcomes and prescribe ketamine lozenge refills, as appropriate.

Follow-up Consultations with Journey Clinical :

Journey Clinical is available for follow up and support throughout your series and can be reached at support@journeyclinical.zendesk.com

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy is an investment in your mental health and well-being with the potential to reshape your neural landscape and create marked shifts in outlook. Presence of Mind Therapy is in network with Cigna. In network insurance will cover one hour of the dosing sessions and the full hour of integration sessions. As for all out-of-network clients, we will submit for you and have reimbursement sent to you, if you have behavioral health coverage.

Presence of Mind Therapy clinicians receive advanced and specialty training to be able to offer this innovative modality. The cost is based on the individual therapist's experience level and ranges from $250-$300/hour. Sessions are 2-3 hours in length and take place over a series of 6-8 dosing sessions.  

Journey Clinical Medical Costs:

Medical Intake: $250 (covered by some insurance)

Follow-up Sessions: $150/Session (covered by some insurance)

Cost of Ketamine Lozenges: $75 for approximately 4-6 lozenges

(not covered by insurance)

If you would like to explore the possibility of working with our office on KAP, please e-mail us to discuss eligibility and next steps.

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.