"Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is a holistic modality in which ketamine is used as a complement to psychotherapy, to help eligible patients experience more frequent breakthroughs and sustained improvement in symptoms. We at BST facilitate the psychotherapy portion of the experience, while Journey Clinical’s medical team supports you on all medical aspects. This includes determining eligibility, developing a custom treatment plan, prescribing the medicine and monitoring outcomes. Below is more information about KAP to help you navigate if it may be a good fit for you.
What is ketamine? Ketamine is a legal, safe and effective medicine used in combination with psychotherapy to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance abuse, existential issues, attachment injury, and more. Ketamine has rapidly-acting antidepressant and mood-enhancing effects, which begin to take effect within 1-2 hours 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. We use the sublingual lozenge form in my work.
How does ketamine feel, and what are the benefits? Like other psychedelics, ketamine facilitates access to the unconscious - the beliefs, memories, and emotions we are generally not aware of in the day to day, but which have tremendous influence over the ways we behave, feel, and make sense of our experiences. Our approach to somatic therapy always has the aim of bringing more of this unconscious material into awareness, where it can be understood, re-evaluated, even released. Ketamine amplifies the ability of therapy to open the doors of the unconscious and let the stuck, repressed parts of us start to move. This process is critical to deep psychological healing, but can feel intense or overwhelming in the moment. This is why we believe it is so important to have a skilled therapist at hand to support you feeling safe, open and curious during and after the ketamine experience.
The immediate effects of ketamine, which most patients find pleasant, last for approximately 45 minutes. Many people feel some version of being “out of” their body, and experience shifts in perception of both inner and outer worlds. Your motor and verbal abilities will be somewhat reduced, so you’ll be lying down in a comfortable position during the experience. Once the initial effects have subsided, you may still feel more open and peaceful, and may take the remainder of the time to process and discuss your experience. Studies have shown that the benefits to mood, and the window of neurological growth, can last up to two weeks after the ketamine experience. The Polaris Insight Center in San Francisco, a leading organization in the development of KAP, offers this list of common long-term benefits:
A “time out” from ordinary mind and reality
Decrease in negative or obsessive thoughts and negative self-talk
Profound shifts in perspective on self, relationships, and worldview
A more positive outlook on challenging life situations and relationships
Increase in self-esteem and self-compassion
Enhancement of creative problem-solving abilities
Greater motivation for lifestyle or behavior changes
Relief from existential distress
Potential of having a spiritual or mystical experience"