Open Circle Counseling

You've done the talk therapy. It's helped, but many days still feel so hard, heavy, and overwhelming.

Maybe you've tried medications. Some did nothing. Some may be currently helping — perhaps not quite enough.

There are days when the weight feels unbearable. When you've wondered whether things will ever actually change, or whether you even want to keep going. And yet, something in you is still here. Still searching. Still trying — keep doing that. That part of you matters, and it's worth listening to.

You've tried the intellectual routes and have found good tools, yet it’s not enough. Maybe mindfulness, creativity, and movement help. Yet you're open to something that helps your brain on another deep level, that complements the work you’ve already done.

Ketamine-assisted therapy offers exactly that. For people with treatment-resistant depression, it can create a window of neurological openness that talk therapy alone often can't access — a chance to loosen what's been stuck and begin to reconnect with yourself and your life in a meaningful way.

If you've lost hope but haven't lost the desire to find it again, this might be the next step.

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine has been used in medical settings in the United States since 1970, when the FDA first approved it. It appears to prevent neurons in the brain and spinal cord from experiencing painful stimuli. It works by blocking the brain’s NMDA receptors and stimulating AMPA receptors, which are thought to help form new synaptic connections and boost neural circuits that regulate stress and mood.

For over 20 years, ketamine has been used off-label in sub-anesthetic (lower) doses to treat chronic pain, treatment-resistant depression, and other mental health issues. Ketamine has also been used to support the treatment of spiritual and existential crises.

Ketamine has rapidly-acting antidepressant and mood-enhancing effects, sometimes providing nearly immediate relief from emotional and physical pain. While the relief tends to be temporary after a single ketamine treatment, multiple treatments have proven to have a cumulative effect, successfully alleviating symptoms in approximately 70% of individuals.

Ketamine is a safe and legal psychoactive drug (a drug that affects the mind) that is classified as a dissociative anesthetic. “Dissociative” in this context means it is a substance that helps you disconnect and detach from day-to-day reality, thus disrupting your usual ways of thinking, feeling, and experiencing. The ketamine treatment helps to increase neuroplasticity, the active process of forming new brain connections, for better well-being.

Ketamine can be administered in various ways, including IV infusion, intramuscular injection, nasal spray, or sublingual lozenges. In my work with clients, I only use the sublingual lozenge form.

While ketamine alone can often have an immediate antidepressant effect, research suggests that ketamine is most effective when combined with psychotherapy.

What is Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)?

Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) combines therapeutic work with carefully dosed ketamine. (Dosing is determined by your prescriber during the medical evaluation.)

At lower doses, ketamine can temporarily soften psychological defenses — making it easier to access and process the emotions, memories, and patterns that are usually just out of reach. It creates space to slow down, turn inward, and do the deeper work.

At higher doses, ketamine produces a psychedelic effect, guiding clients into a state of non-ordinary consciousness. In this state, the usual mental chatter, self-criticism, and entrenched thought patterns can fall away — creating an opening that is difficult to access through conventional therapy alone. Clients often describe a sense of expanded perspective, emotional release, or a felt reconnection to meaning and self. This is not about escaping — it's about seeing differently. Those experiences, when explored with a therapist before and after the session, can become profound catalysts for healing and lasting change.

A skilled ketamine-assisted psychotherapist can make the ketamine experience more understandable and valuable by guiding and supporting you before, during, and after your ketamine treatment. Many clients find that ketamine treatments, combined with an empathic, well-trained psychedelic-assisted therapist, increase their sense of wholeness and motivation to engage in lifestyle changes, which leads to experiencing long-term positive change.

One of the most profound aspects of ketamine is that it asks something different of you than traditional therapy. You don't have to think your way through it, problem-solve, or find the right words.

How Does Ketamine Feel?

Slowing down and noticing in our chaotic and demanding world can be complex. During a ketamine dosing session, there is space to explore something very different from daily life.

Ketamine’s effects last approximately 45 minutes. During your journey, you may feel distanced from your body and have altered perceptions that can often feel expansive or non-ordinary. Your motor and verbal abilities will be reduced, so you’ll lie down or recline comfortably during the experience. Frequently, eyeshades and headphones playing music are used to allow for maximum benefits.  

As you come out of the effects of ketamine, the remainder of the session will be used to process your experiences. I will have art supplies, yoga props, clay, and other sensory tools to help you translate your insights. What was gleaned from the journey is often very clear and sometimes difficult to put into words. Expressive and integrative activities can help bridge the gap between what is ineffable (beyond words) and what can be put into words. I will also have tea, water, and simple snacks to help you transition back to a more ordinary state.

The days and weeks following a ketamine session are ripe for turning insights into actions. Effectively using this time window is essential for your growth. Participating in follow-up integration sessions can be very helpful in supporting your treatment goals.

What are the steps to begin KAP?

My work with you is based on your past experiences, current challenges, and specific needs and goals. This is done with a medical provider and other treatment team members.

The first step is to schedule a brief consultation call with me to determine whether we may be a good fit and ask any questions. The next step is to schedule an appointment with a medical prescriber. I work with prescribers and can provide their contact information.

What happens after the medical intake?

After the initial medical intake, we will meet for 1-3 preparation sessions, similar to psychotherapy sessions. We will cover current and past mental health challenges, intentions for the ketamine dosing session(s), and any other topics.

After the preparation session(s) comes the dosing session. (You must have someone drive you home after the dosing session, as I cannot allow you to drive yourself). You will check your blood pressure with a wrist cuff or armband. Then, you will self-administer the lozenge prescribed, typically in my office and remotely if appropriate. The dosing sessions are usually three hours in length. This allows for checking in, taking the lozenge, experiencing the effects, and transitioning from the journey to the beginnings of integration. I will provide psychotherapeutic support to anything that arises during sessions. After the ketamine dosing session, we will meet for at least one integration session. We will explore any thoughts, memories, insights that arose, and any current challenges, concerns, or questions.

I typically require 5-6 dosing sessions, as Ketamine has a cumulative effect. The prescriber will also talk with you regarding their opinion of how many dosing sessions would be effective.

What is the investment towards my healing?

Medical Intake (via a prescriber): I can refer you to the prescriber(s) I work with. The cost is approx. $250 or your co-pay if you can use your insurance.

Ketamine Lozenges (Via Prescriber) approx. $75 for 4-6 doses

Preparation Session (1 hour) $200

Ketamine Dosing Session (3 hours) $600

Integration Session (1 hour) $200

All services (except for dosing session(s) and lozenges) may be reimbursable through out-of-network. I do not take insurance for KAP services. I can create a superbill for preparation and integration sessions, which you can submit to your insurance. Insurance does not reimburse for the ketamine dosing session. 

Payment is due 24 hours before prep, dosing, and integration sessions. For example, the preparation session fee is due 24 hours before an appointment; the dosing session fee is due 24 hours before.

I have a 48-hour cancellation policy for the above services (unless there is an illness or emergency). If you cancel after 48 hours, you will be charged for the full amount of that appointment.

To read more about Ketamine

You may like to check out Kriya Institute’s recommended reading list!

It is possible to heal and change

To schedule a free, 20-minute consultation to see if we’re a good match, please get in touch with me for more information.

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