Yes. Ketamine has been used safely in medical settings for decades — it is one of the most widely studied anesthetics in the world. In the context of KAP, it is administered at a much lower dose than surgical use, in a supervised medical setting, with a supervising physician overseeing your care.

Before any medicine session, you will complete a full medical evaluation with our supervising physician, Dr. Shawn Olson, to ensure there are no contraindications. The evaluation screens for any medical or psychiatric conditions that would make KAP inappropriate. If KAP is not the right fit for you, we will tell you clearly and help you find a better path.

Throughout the medicine session, I am present with you the entire time. You are never alone.

Yes — and the evidence behind it is genuinely compelling, particularly for people who have not responded well to more traditional treatments.

70% - of treatment-resistant depression patients show significant response to ketamine

24 hrs - antidepressant effects can begin within hours — faster than any other known treatment

PTSD - meaningful symptom reduction shown across trauma, anxiety, and grief presentations

Here is what the science shows. Ketamine works differently from every other antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication. Rather than slowly building up serotonin or dopamine over weeks, it acts on the glutamate system — specifically on NMDA receptors — which triggers a rapid release of BDNF, a protein that promotes new neural connections. In plain language: it creates a window of neuroplasticity, a period where the brain is measurably more flexible and available for new learning than it usually is.

This is why the therapy component matters so much. The medicine opens a window. What you do in that window — and in the integration work that follows — is what determines how lasting the change is. Research consistently shows that KAP, where ketamine is combined with structured psychotherapy, produces stronger and more durable outcomes than ketamine administered alone.

Studies have shown significant reductions in depression symptoms in people who had not responded to multiple prior treatments, rapid relief from suicidal ideation, and meaningful improvement in PTSD, anxiety, and grief presentations. The FDA approved esketamine (a closely related compound) for treatment-resistant depression in 2019, which reflects the strength of the evidence base.

That said, KAP is not a guaranteed cure and it is not magic. It works best for people who engage genuinely with the preparation and integration process — and for whom the timing and circumstances are right. Part of what we figure out together before any medicine session is whether this is the right moment and the right approach for you specifically.

Research references available upon request. Outcomes vary by individual.

It's completely normal to wonder about this — and honestly, fear of losing control is one of the most common things people bring into the preparation session. We talk about it directly.

Ketamine at therapeutic doses creates an altered but not unconscious state. Most people describe it as dreamlike, floaty, or deeply internal. You are not "out of it" in the way anesthesia makes you — you are present, just in a different way than usual. You can speak if you need to. You can open your eyes. You can reach out to me.

The preparation we do together before the medicine session is specifically designed to help you feel ready — not just intellectually, but in your body. By the time you arrive for the medicine session, you will know what to expect, you will have practiced working with discomfort, and you will have a clear sense of what to do if something feels hard. Difficult moments can arise — and they can also be some of the most meaningful parts of the experience. I will be right there with you either way.

KAP is not typically covered by insurance at this time. The therapy components of the work — preparation and integration sessions — may be eligible for reimbursement depending on your plan. The medicine session itself is generally not reimbursable through standard insurance.

Many clients use HSA or FSA funds to cover the cost of KAP.

Pricing varies depending on which program or service you are pursuing. Reach out for a specific breakdown — I'm happy to walk through the full cost and answer any questions before you make any decisions.

Before any medicine session, you will complete a medical intake and evaluation with our supervising physician, Dr. Shawn Olson. This appointment is separate from the therapy work — it is a medical visit to review your health history, current medications, and any factors that might affect how ketamine interacts with your body.

Because this is a medical appointment with a physician, it is billed separately from the therapy services — and in many cases, it can be billed to insurance directly. Dr. Olson's team will walk you through that process. This is one part of the KAP process that may be at least partially covered, depending on your plan.

If you have questions about the medical evaluation before scheduling, feel free to reach out and I can connect you with the right person to answer them.

Not at all — and honestly, I prefer it when you don't. KAP works best as a complement to ongoing therapy, not a replacement for it. If you have a therapist you trust, the work we do together is meant to deepen and extend what is already happening in that relationship — not compete with it.

My role is intentionally short-term and focused: preparation, the medicine session, and integration. Your primary therapist remains your primary therapist. With your permission, I will often reach out to coordinate care so that what opens up in the KAP process can be supported in your ongoing work.

If you are not currently in therapy and are interested in starting, I also offer individual psychotherapy and can discuss whether that might be a good fit alongside or following the KAP work.

Item It genuinely varies from person to person — and that is not a non-answer, it is the honest one. There is no fixed protocol that works the same way for everyone, and I would rather be truthful about that than give you a number that doesn't fit your situation.

That said, a common starting point is three sessions — roughly every other week — which allows time for preparation, the medicine session itself, and meaningful integration work before deciding what comes next. Many people find that three sessions gives them a real sense of the process and whether they want to continue.

After that initial arc, some clients return periodically for maintenance — once or twice a year, or during particularly challenging seasons. Others feel complete after the initial work. There is no pressure in either direction.

Ultimately, the pace and length of the work is something we figure out together. You are never on a conveyor belt. How many sessions you do, and when, is always a collaborative decision between us — based on how you're feeling, what's arising, and what you actually want.description