If you’ve been in therapy for years, tried medication, read the books, done the practices, and you’re still looping in anxiety, depression, trauma, or old patterns, you don’t have to be stuck forever. Sometimes, talk therapy needs a catalyst.

That’s where Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy comes in.

I offer KAP in partnership with trusted medical providers so you get the safest, most supported experience possible. I provide the psychotherapy and facilitation. They handle the medical screening, prescribing, and oversight.

What is KAP, really?

KAP is not “take ketamine and hope for the best.” It’s a structured, legal psychotherapy modality that pairs a low dose of ketamine with preparation and integration therapy.

Ketamine temporarily quiets the brain’s default mode network (the inner critic, the rumination loop) and opens a window of neuroplasticity — about 1-2 weeks where your brain is more flexible, open, and able to make new connections. In that window, we do deeper therapy work.

The result for many people is more frequent breakthroughs, less emotional stuckness, and relief that actually lasts, often beginning within hours to days after a session, not weeks.

This is not a magic pill or an escape. It’s a tool to help you access what’s already in you, with more compassion and less fear so you can do the work with more ease. The difference can feel like flowing through the day in calm water instead of swimming against a stormy sea, trying to survive.

What does ketamine feel like?

Most people describe it as pleasant, dreamlike, and deeply internal. For about 60 minutes, you’ll lie down with an eye mask on, listening to music, while your body relaxes and your mind travels inward. You may feel “far from” your body, like you’re observing your thoughts instead of being swallowed by them. After the medicine returns you back to homebase, we spend time together making sense of what you experienced.

Is KAP right for you?

KAP is for adults who are:

• Living with treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, PTSD, or complex trauma

• Feeling stuck in talk therapy despite real effort

• Navigating grief, life transitions, burnout, or existential distress

• Wanting to process old wounds with more self-compassion and less overwhelm

• Medically and psychologically stable, and able to engage in preparation & integration

KAP is generally not a fit if you have:

• Active psychosis, schizophrenia, or mania (Bipolar I)

• Uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart disease, or hyperthyroidism

• Active substance use disorder

• Are pregnant or trying to get pregnant

• Have a history of ketamine misuse or certain dissociative disorders

This is why we start with a full medical intake — safety comes first. The medical team will determine eligibility.

I’ve done psychedelics at parties. How is this different?

Night and day. Recreational use is about having fun. KAP is about healing, with intention.

1. Set: We spend 2-3 preparation sessions clarifying your intentions and building safety, not dosing on the fly.

2. Setting: A calm, therapeutic container (in a clinic office or your home via telehealth), not a loud party room.

3. Support: I am present for the entire dosing session as your therapist and facilitator, attuned to your cues and available to support you throughout.

4. Integration: The real work happens AFTER in multiple integration sessions where we translate insights into lasting changes in your relationships, nervous system, and daily life.

Ketamine opens the door, but therapy helps you walk through it.

The KAP Process with Me

This is collaborative care. I do the therapy and the medical team takes care of the medicine.

STEP 1: Medical Intake
You meet via Zoom with a Journey Clinical or Keter Health prescriber. They review your psychiatric and medical history and determine if you are eligible. If so, we can move forward coordinating your dosing session.

STEP 2: Preparation (2-3 sessions)
We meet to get to know you better, build trust, set intentions, talk about what to expect, and create a plan for your internal journey. Preparation predicts outcomes, so we don’t skip it.

STEP 3: KAP Dosing Session (90-120 minutes)
You’ll be in a comfortable, reclined position. After taking the medicine, I stay with you the entire time —whether in person or on secure video (with a chaperone in your home) — offering grounding and support as needed. We use eye mask and curated music to support your inward experience.

STEP 4: Integration (the most important part)
Within 24-72 hours, and again in the following weeks, we meet to process what arose. This is where we connect the insight to your life, your patterns, your trauma history, and your values. Integration is what makes change stick.

We may repeat steps 2-4 of this cycle several times, depending on your needs.

Your Top Questions

Is KAP a substitute for psychotherapy?
No. It’s a complement. Ketamine without therapy is just a drug. The medicine makes your brain more open; skilled therapy is what rewires it. You can choose to continue your regular therapy while undergoing KAP.

Is KAP safe and legal?
Yes. Ketamine has been used legally as an anesthetic for over 50 years. Its use for depression, anxiety and PTSD is off-label, FDA-legal, and evidence-based. When screened and dosed medically, it has a strong safety profile. It’s even used in babies in the NICU and animals in much higher doses that what you would be getting in KAP. Common side effects are short-lived nausea, dizziness, or increased blood pressure.

Where do sessions take place?
We have two options: 1) At-home sublingual lozenges with me present virtually via telehealth and a chaperone in your home acting as my “hands and feet” or 2) In-person IM sessions coordinated through Keter Health, with me present for therapy support. We’ll choose what’s safest for your location and needs.

How many sessions will I need?
Most people start with an initial series of 3-6 dosing sessions over 6-10 weeks, each paired with preparation and integration therapy. Some feel a shift after 1-2 sessions; others need more time. We go at your pace. This is meant as a short-term treatment.

What does preparation and integration mean? Why do they matter?
Preparation builds safety and intention. Integration turns a powerful experience into actual, lasting change in your life. Without integration, it’s just an interesting day. With it, it’s therapy that can change your brain.

Investment

There are two separate fees: the therapy fee + the medical provider fee (paid directly to them).

Journey Clinical Medical Fees:

• Initial Intake: $250 (consultation) + $112 (medication & support) = $362

• Follow-up with Prescriber (required min. quarterly): $150 + $208 = $358

• Ongoing Medication Management (if needed): $250 flat fee

• Psychotherapy Fee: $200 /hour
  This covers all preparation, dosing, and integration sessions. These may be eligible for insurance reimbursement. Sliding scale is available on a limited basis for people with financial hardship.

For Keter Health pricing, inquire directly.

Efforts have been made to keep KAP as accessible as possible, and medical costs are HSA/FSA eligible.

Interested in exploring KAP?

KAP is deep work. It’s not for everyone at all times. The timing and readiness have to be aligned. The best next step is a conversation.

Email me at ruthie@mentalfitnesstherapy.org with “KAP Consultation” in the subject line. We’ll schedule a free 15-minute call to talk through your history, your goals, and whether this is a safe, aligned fit for you.

If we both feel good, I’ll refer you directly to our medical partners to begin the screening.

What is Journey Clinical?

Journey Clinical is a platform for licensed psychotherapists to incorporate science-based psychedelic therapies in their practice safely and effectively, starting with Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). Journey Clinical’s in-house medical team takes on patient eligibility, prescriptions and outcome monitoring, while I take on the therapy.  Their collaborative care model is designed to deliver personalized treatment plans to meet your individual needs and improve long-term outcomes. 

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 Assisted Psychotherapy with Jonathan Sabbagh of Journey Clinical - Psychology Talk Podcast