You've done the talk therapy. It's helped, but many days still feel really hard.

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

There are moments, days, weeks when things feel unbearable. When you've wondered whether your life will ever actually change. And yet, here you are. Still searching. Still trying. Keep doing that.

Maybe you’ve worked on your mind-body connection—by practicing mindfulness, movement, and creativity. They help. And yet something deeper hasn't shifted. Ketamine can work at that level, complementing everything you've already built.

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. And if you're not living with deep pain but sense that something in you is ready to shift — patterns, connection, the way you move through your life — ketamine can meet you there too.

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine has been used in medical settings in the United States since 1970. It works by blocking certain receptors in the brain — the NMDA receptors — while stimulating others, helping to form new neural connections and regulate the circuits involved in stress and mood. In simpler terms, it gives the brain a chance to rewire.

For over 20 years, it's been used off-label at lower doses to treat chronic pain, treatment-resistant depression, and other mental health challenges. It's also been used to support people navigating spiritual and existential crises — the kind of suffering that doesn't always fit neatly into a diagnosis.

Ketamine works quickly. Many people feel relief — emotional and physical — faster than with any other treatment they've tried. A single session may offer temporary relief; multiple sessions tend to have a cumulative effect, with research showing meaningful improvement in around 60-70% of people.

It's a legal, safe psychoactive medication — classified as a dissociative anesthetic, meaning it temporarily loosens your grip on ordinary reality and the habitual ways you think, feel, and experience yourself. That loosening is actually the point. It opens a window of neuroplasticity — the brain's ability to form new connections — that makes real change more possible.

Ketamine can be administered in several ways. In my practice, I use only sublingual lozenges — dissolved under the tongue. And while ketamine alone can have a powerful effect, research consistently shows it works best when paired 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.

Personal Growth & Pattern work

Ketamine-assisted therapy isn't only for those in the depths of depression. Some people come to this work feeling functional — even good — but aware of patterns that keep repeating: in relationships, in how they relate to themselves, in the ways they stay protected from true intimacy or aliveness.

The same neurological openness that makes ketamine powerful for treatment-resistant depression also creates a remarkable opportunity to examine the architecture of who you've become — and to choose differently. In a ketamine session, old stories can loosen their grip. What's been unconscious can surface with clarity. The gap between who you are and who you sense you could be becomes easier to see, and to step across.

If you're drawn to deeper self-understanding, more authentic connection, or breaking free from cycles that no longer serve you, KAP can be a meaningful part of that journey.

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 maximize benefits.  

For some, this shift in ordinary consciousness brings long-buried emotions to the surface. For others, it offers a bird's-eye view of the patterns and stories that have shaped their lives — a perspective that's hard to access in daily life.

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.

The first step is to schedule a consultation call with me to determine whether we may be a good fit and to 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 medical intake, we'll meet for 1–3 preparation sessions. These are real therapeutic sessions — we'll explore your mental health history, set intentions for the dosing experience, and work through anything else that feels relevant to bring into the room.

The dosing session itself is in person, in my office, and runs for about three hours. You'll need someone to drive you home — please plan for that in advance. Once we're settled, we'll check in, I'll answer any questions, and we may do a brief grounding or mindfulness practice to help you arrive fully. Then you'll self-administer the lozenge your prescriber has prepared for you. I'll be with you the entire time — through the experience, and as you begin to transition back. I'll offer psychotherapeutic support for whatever arises.

After the dosing session, we'll meet for at least one integration session to explore what came up — thoughts, memories, images, insights — and to connect those experiences to your life and your goals.

Most people do 4–6 dosing sessions. Ketamine works cumulatively, so the full arc of treatment matters. Your prescriber will also share their recommendations on timing, the number of sessions, and dosage.

Cost & Insurance Information

Medical intake (via prescriber): approx. $300. I can connect you with the prescribers I work with, or you may use your own if they are familiar with KAP protocols.

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

I don't take insurance directly for KAP services. However, preparation and integration sessions may be reimbursable through your out-of-network benefits — I can provide a superbill for those that you can submit to your insurance company.

The ketamine dosing session and lozenges are not reimbursable by insurance.

Common Questions About Ketamine-Assisted Therapy

Is ketamine-assisted therapy safe? For the right person, yes — and the safeguards are built into how it works. A medical prescriber evaluates you first and determines your dosing. I work only with sublingual lozenges at sub-anesthetic doses. Ketamine has been used safely in medical settings since 1970. It isn't right for everyone, which is exactly why we start with screening rather than jumping in — you'll also need someone to drive you home after a dosing session.

Who is a good candidate for ketamine-assisted therapy? KAP tends to help people who've done talk therapy and tried medication but still feel stuck — particularly with treatment-resistant, moderate to severe depression. But it isn't only for people in the depths of it. Some clients come feeling fairly functional and want to work on deeper patterns: the cycles in relationships or in how they relate to themselves that keep repeating. A medical prescriber and I both assess whether it's a safe and appropriate fit for you, which is what the initial consultation and medical evaluation are for.

How is KAP different from a ketamine clinic or infusion? At many infusion clinics, you receive the medicine and leave — the dose itself is the treatment. KAP is built around the therapy. The same therapist prepares you beforehand, supports you during the experience, and helps you integrate it afterward, so the insights actually translate into lasting change rather than fading. I use sublingual lozenges rather than IV infusions, and every dosing session is held within preparation and integration work, not done in isolation. The medicine opens a window; the therapeutic relationship is what helps you use it.

Does insurance cover ketamine-assisted therapy? Partly, and it depends on your plan. I don't bill insurance directly for KAP, but I can provide a superbill for the preparation and integration sessions, which many out-of-network plans will reimburse. If you'd like to know what your own plan is likely to cover, you can check your out-of-network benefits through Mentaya in a couple of minutes. The medical intake with the prescriber may be billable through your insurance, or runs about $300, and the ketamine dosing sessions themselves aren't reimbursable. I lay out the full cost of each step on this page so there are no surprises.

It is possible to heal and change

If you're curious whether KAP might be right for you, I'd welcome a free 20-minute conversation. Get in touch to schedule a consultation.

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