During Ketamine-Assisted Therapy, you will take your medically prescribed ketamine lozenges while I support you throughout the process. You will lie down on a reclining chair or mat while I sit beside you. I encourage clients to wear an eye mask so they can go inwards during their experience. I will play gentle music in the background specifically designed to enhance your ketamine experience. The effects of ketamine typically start 5 to 10 minutes after ketamine dosing. The peak effects typically last 20 to 30 minutes, and then slowly diminish for the next hour. The KAP session may involve talking, introspection, or somatic mindfulness therapeutic techniques to help you process your thoughts, emotions, and experiences during the KAP session. KAP sessions are 1-3 hours and are held either in-person at my office in Oakland, CA or via telehealth. 

The Ketamine Experience

The ketamine experience is characterized by the relaxation of ordinary concerns and usual mindset. This tends to lead to a disruption of negative feelings and preoccupations. At lower doses, you will most likely experience mild anesthetic, anxiolytic, antidepressant, and psychoactive effects. You might experience increased sensitivity to light and sound, as well as an altered sense of time. Some people experience empathogenic (similar to MDMA) effects in this dose range. This state may also enhance participation in psychotherapy, as defenses are relaxed, yet communication with others is still possible.

Higher doses are more likely to produce psychedelic, dissociative states that are largely internal journeys away from the external world. Body sensations are greatly diminished. Such journeys may provide a more robust treatment effect, often assisting in the resolution of existential concerns, accelerating psychological and (and possibly spiritual) growth, and promoting a positive change in outlook and character that I refer to as a transformative response. Sensory effects of ketamine may include distorted visualization of colors, feeling suspended in space or floating, experiencing out-of-body sensations, vivid imagery, and changes in visual, tactile, and auditory processing. An ordinary sense of time may morph into time dilation.

Some people report psychic experiences, which they perceive as bizarre or frightening, while others describe them as pleasurable, joyful, or fascinating. I have found that even frightening experiences can be of great value to your recovery process. I am trained in providing stability for those experiencing extreme states, and you will receive psychotherapeutic help and ongoing guidance as to how to make the best use of these experiences.

Two to three hours after ketamine administration, clients can return to normal functioning. Driving an automobile or engaging in hazardous activities should not be undertaken on the day of the administration, and not until all effects have stopped. You can book an Uber home or have someone pick you up.