I understand that this journey with ketamine may raise some questions for you. So I’m here to provide answers and support you every step of the way.
Scroll down to get answers to questions others have asked:
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR KETAMINE WORK?
Ketamine an be effective in treating mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD. Some people also seek KAP for deeper psychological exploration. Others are interested if feeling ‘stuck’, seeking direction, navigating life transitions, processing grief and loss or simply to gain a new perspective on life.
Although ketamine is quite safe for most people, there are some conditions that will disqualify you from treatment. You will be carefully screened by the medical provider prior to taking ketamine to ensure you are a good fit.
ABSOLUTE CONTRAINDICATIONS:
Uncontrolled hypertension
Unstable cardiovascular disease
Unstable medical condition
Ketamine allergy (rare)
Active ketamine abuse or dependence
Current active mania or hypomania
History of psychosis, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder
Untreated hyperthyroidism
Recent traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Pregnant women & nursing mothers
RELATIVE CONTRAINDICATIONS / PROCEED WITH CAUTION
History of ketamine abuse or dependence
Active substance use disorder
Thyroid disease
Glaucoma
Obstructive sleep apnea
Respiratory issues due to weight
Extreme personality disorders
WHAT DOES KETAMINE FEEL LIKE?
Every experience is unique to the individual and the environment. Your experience will be highly dependent on your preparation, set and setting, and the dose range. You’ll be listening to music that will also enhance your experience of how ketamine feels to you.
Your ability to relax, let go, surrender to the experience with an open and curious mind plays a role in what ketamine will feel like.
Most people enjoy this experience. In lower doses, many describe a milder, more sensory, trance-like experience, similar to dreaming. Some people describe it as floaty with a slight shift in perspective and more awareness of body sensations. Many feel strong feelings of love, peace, joy and well-being. They may feel more empathy and compassion for themselves and others. Some describe feelings of forgiveness and understanding of self and others important to them.
Some people experience changes in energy level, becoming either more relaxed or more energetic. Their heart rate is often slightly increased as is blood pressure. They may feel hot or cold.
At slightly higher doses, people may experience psychedelic phenomena, euphoria a deep sense of spirituality, transcendence or mystical experiences.
These unfamiliar sensations and images might be surprising and new to you. Sometimes deep and painful psychological material can be accessed. Ketamine, however, reduces anxiety and helps you feel relaxed and calm no matter what you’re working on.
I’m there to facilitate and help you feel comfortably relaxed and safe as you learn about yourself, others, and life while on ketamine. We’ll observe and talk about how your heart-mind-body-spirit work together and what you create moment to moment.
WHAT IS A PREPARATION SESSION?
We will meet together for as many times as you need to prepare for your ketamine journey ahead. Being well prepared is an important part of your process and will enhance the positive effects of the medicine. We’ll take time to discuss your questions, insights, goals, concerns as well as go over every step of the ketamine dosing protocol / journey. We’ll discuss set and setting, intentions and some practical tips for getting ready to explore with ketamine. We’ll also talk about preparing for the time immediately after your experience. This will help you be more relaxed and excited for your journey.
WHAT ARE SET AND SETTING?
These refer to the conditions under which your journey is taken. Set has to do with your mindset, internal conditions, while setting is about the physical space, the outer environment in which your journey takes place. They contribute to the quality of your experience.
WHAT IS AN INTEGRATION SESSION?
We schedule your first integration session shortly after your ketamine journey. However we will have already laid the groundwork during our preparation. Integration, both in session and on your own, is a time to reflect upon and understand your ketamine journey.
Integration can be imagined as a period of planting, watering, fertilizing and caring for the new seeds of discovery from your ketamine explorations.
There will be new seeds of insight and felt experiences for you to bring into your daily life. Perhaps you’ll want to start new habits or behavioral changes that will help you maintain the positive benefits of your dosing session. Maybe you’ll plant a new identity, new story, or begin to grow new healthier patterns after ketamine’s help weeding out the old.
There will be a window of neuroplasticity in your brain that can last up to three weeks and beyond. This time is an incredibly important and rich opportunity for you to use your agency to create more of the kind of life you want.
ARE THERE ANY SIDE EFFECTS?
Ketamine has long been established as a particularly safe drug with minimal side effects or risks.
There are potential side effects some people might experience during a KAP dosing session or journey. Usually they wear off after the drug wears off in a few short hours.
Most commonly reported side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, unsteadiness, nausea, blurry vision, feeling strange or ‘unreal’, numbness or tingling in the mouth, slurred speech, headache, dry mouth or hypersalivation, trouble concentrating.
These effects resolve completely in nearly all people within an hour or so, after the acute effect of the ketamine is quickly out of your system.
Ketamine can also mildly and temporarily increase heart rate and blood pressure. This is generally a very benign and trivial increase for people with an ordinary cardiovascular system. For a small part of the population who do have compromised cardiovascular systems, the medical provider will decide if ketamine is a safe option.
IS KETAMINE ADDICTIVE?
At the dosages and frequency of administration that we use for treatments, ketamine does not pose any concerns for addiction. We carefully monitor you and continually assess your responses in order to optimize the benefits of ketamine in your care.
Heavy ketamine use can become addictive with serious physical symptoms. Addiction is possible for someone who is using it chronically and recreationally in uncontrolled settings.
However, with this approach, you will be screened and approved by a medical provider who will send you a limited prescription with only enough lozenges for our sessions. All of our sessions will be in a controlled setting.
Ironically, some people recovering from alcohol and drug addictions, as well as behavioral addictions (food, gambling, shopping, sex), may benefit from ketamine. There is careful consideration with a medical provider to weigh the benefit versus the risk for each individual and their circumstances.
Overall there is little evidence to suggest that experiences with ketamine result in long term addiction or physical harm when taken in a therapeutic setting like KAP.
HOW QUICKLY DOES KETAMINE WORK?
One of the benefits of ketamine is its rapid response rate which is an advantage over SSRIs. Your body will quickly metabolize ketamine, meaning that its effects begin to appear after about 10 minutes and last only up to 1-1.5 hours depending on dosage. By two hours post final dose, you will be back to normal. However, I ask people not to drive right after a ketamine journey.
People will often notice benefits in a matter of hours and some studies show that ketamine can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety within a day or two of treatment. Of course, your efforts in integrating your experience will also play a role.
WILL MY INSURANCE PAY FOR KAP?
For Washington state residents only: Insurance might pay for preparation and integration sessions, but not the dosing session. I’m a provider for several insurance companies. If I’m not in-network with yours, you can contact your insurance company and find out if you have Out-of-Network (OON) benefits.
Ask if your plan has OON benefits for mental health care.
Find out if you have an OON deductible and what amount you will need to pay out of pocket before your policy starts to reimburse you.
You can use this information to understand how much this therapy will cost.
If you want to use OON benefits, I can provide a superbill.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KETAMINE INFUSION CLINICS AND KAP?
Ketamine infusion clinics have become common as ketamine has grown in popularity as a mental health treatment. This approach is a medical approach. It often has a sterile environment without providing enough therapeutic or psychological support before, during or after the experience.
Instead KAP emphasizes the importance of preparation and integration to help you make meaning out of your explorations. We will work together to be mindful of your safety, ‘set and setting’ and any intentions you might bring to this work.
In addition to being less expensive, studies have shown this to be an effective process to promote greater healing and more lasting change.
WHAT IF I HAVE A ‘BAD TRIP’?
Ketamine therapy can open a wide variety of doors during a dosing session. This can include ones that are playful, pleasurable, or transcendent as well as ones that are more challenging.
You might be disappointed if your experience didn’t meet your expectations. I understand. Even so, we will work together to bring insights, consciousness and growth out of your experience.
Sometimes the most challenging ketamine sessions become the most fruitful. They can also catalyze breakthroughs in your understanding of yourself, others and life in general which lead to healing and transformation.
HOW DOES KETAMINE AFFECT THE BRAIN?
Ketamine’s positive effects include decreasing negative and anxious thoughts, improving neuroplasticity and building new synaptic connections for a stronger and more resilient brain.
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.
WHAT ARE THE ANTIDEPRESSANT EFFECTS OF KETAMINE?
Ketamine has rapidly-acting antidepressant and mood-enhancing effects that can take place within hours of use and last for weeks thereafter, with increased benefit after additional dosing sessions.
Ketamine has been shown to boost brain neuroplasticity, extending its antidepressant effect and making it easier to change thoughts and behaviors.
Ketamine impacts network in the brain that can change a person’s narrative of themselves, providing insights that help reduce the root cause of distress.
WHAT’S IT COST?
There are several variables as well as parts to ketamine work
I encourage you to reach out to me for detailed information about costs.
Got more questions? Email me and let’s connect.