Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherpay (KAP)
It all begins with neuroplasticity that informs new habits. Let’s learn how to do life in a healthy way.
KAP 101
We offer a therapeutic approach called Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) in collaboration with Journey Clinical. KAP is holistic modality where ketamine is used alongside psychotherapy to help eligible patients achieve more frequent breakthroughs and symptom improvement. We as the clinicians handles psychotherapy aspect, while Journey Clinical’s medical team manages all medical components. This includes eligibility, developing a customized treatment plan, prescribing the medication, and monitoring outcomes. Below is more information about KAP to help you determine if it may be suitable for you.
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine is a, safe, and effective medicine used to treat various mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Ketamine has rapidly acting antidepressant and-enhancing effects which can begin to take effect within 1-2 hours after treatment and last for up to two weeks. It follows a process that moves by blocking the brain's NMDA receptors and stimulating AMPA receptors, which are thought to help form new synaptic connections and boost neural circuits regulate stress and mood. Ketamine has also been shown to enhance overall neuroplasticity for symptom improvement. Ketamine can be administered in various ways, including infusion, intramuscular injection, nasal spray, and sublingual lozenges. Journey Clinical supports our work by providing the sublingual lozenge form of the medication.
How Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Works
Initial consultation with Journey Clinical
The effects of psychological trauma distress can manifest in many forms, altering one's life permanently.
Emotional distress may arise from experiencing or witnessing a single traumatic event, as the death of a loved one or act of violence. It can also result from chronic or repeated experiences psychological, emotional, physical, or sexual abuse. Regardless of the nature or of the incidents, when distressing events occur, they become the source of pain in all areas of living.
Preparation sessions
Once you get your ketamine lozenges, we will schedule time together for our KAP preparation, dosing and integration sessions Preparation sessions will be scheduled similarly to regular therapy sessions before the KAP session. In this session we focus on aligning our purpose for the process and set intentions for our KAP sessions together.
KAP Dosing Session
A ketamine dosing session lasts between one to two hours can take either in-person at office or via telehealth.
During a dosing session, you as a client will self-admin your ketamine lozenge either in our office or in your home. You will be in comfortable, reclining, wearing an eye mask and to calming music. Your clinician guide will be present with you the entire time to hold space and provide support as needed. Keep in mind a KAP dosing session may be largely an internal experience for some people.
Integration Sessions
Following your KAP dosing session, we will convene for several therapy sessions to review the memories, thoughts, and insights that emerged during your session, and to prepare for subsequent session.
Follow-up consultations with Journey Clinical
After your initial KAP session, Journey’s medical team will schedule regular follow-ups to monitor outcomes and discuss the process of ketamine lozenge refills as needed. The follow-up refills from Journey medical team will depend on your individualized treatment plan, with a minimum of once per quarter..
Follow up consultation with Journey Clinical
After your first KAP session, Journey Clinical’s medical team schedules regular follow ups with you to monitor outcomes and prescribe ketamine lozenge refills, as appropriate. The frequency of follow ups depends on your unique treatment plan, at a minimum of once per quarter.
How Does Ketamine Feel?
The effects of ketamine, which most patients find pleasant, last for approximately 45 minutes. These effects can make one feel detached from their body and facilitate shifts in perception that are often expansive in nature. An individual's motor and verbal abilities will be reduced, so you will be lying down in a comfortable position during the experience. This is only for assisted use the session, and your clinician will be with you the entire time.
When these effects subsided, you and your clinician will spend the remainder of the appointment providing you space to process and discuss your experience. While it may be challenging to articulate what happened during the experience, clients generally feel the insights gained are clear. Studies have shown that the benefits to neurological growth can last up to 2 weeks after the ketamine experience.
Estimated Cost of Treatment
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy is an affordable, accessible modality. Although the medical intake and follow ups are not covered by insurance, they are eligible for out-of-network reimbursement.
Below is a breakdown of the estimated cost and schedule of KAP treatment.
-
Journey Clinical Initial visit with Psychiatrist for evaluations: $250
For medications: $85 -
With HVWC Psychotherapist: $250
-
With Psychotherapist at HVWC: $250
-
With HVWC Psychotherapist for 2 - 3 hours: $500-$800 (Minimum 2 hours)
-
Making meaning and setting up next dosing session: $220
-
Wait 1 - 2 weeks for the next dosing session.
-
With HVWC Psychotherapist: $500-$800
-
Making meaning and setting up next dosing session: $220
-
Discuss next dosing with Journey
-
With HVWC Psychotherapist
Helpful Resources
1. Paradigms of Ketamine Treatment by Raquel Bennett, Psy.D. for MAPS
2. Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP): Patient Demographics, Clinical Data and Outcomes in Three Large Practices Administering Ketamine with Psychotherapy – research study by Jennifer Dore et al, 2018
3. Ketamine for Depression and Mood Disorders by Erica Zelfand, ND for Townsend Letter
4. Ketamine-Facilitated Psychotherapy for Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression by goop
5. Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy with Jonathan Sabbagh of Journey Clinical – Psychology Talk Podcast