Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy

About Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) serves as a bridge to new perspectives and transformative experiences, offering hope for individuals struggling with severe depression, anxiety, and PTSD — particularly when other treatments have fallen short. At Coastwise Counseling Center, our KAP program combines the therapeutic potential of low-dose ketamine with guided psychotherapy to create profound and lasting change.

Our program features individually tailored preparation and integration phases, ensuring that every aspect of treatment is personalized to your needs. Psychotherapists collaborate closely with physicians throughout the process, maintaining the highest standards of safety while maximizing therapeutic benefit.

Key Facts About KAP

• Rapid improvement for symptoms of depression, anxiety, and suicidality — often within hours or days rather than weeks
• Supportive care for individuals navigating end-of-life concerns and existential distress
• Compatible with most psychiatric medications currently in use
• Sessions last approximately 3 hours, including preparation, dosing, and integration
• Ongoing integration support between dosing sessions to translate insights into lasting change
• Insurance reimbursement is actively pursued for eligible clients

What to Expect

Administration Methods: Ketamine may be administered as sublingual lozenges or via intramuscular injection, depending on your clinical needs and your treatment team's recommendations. Your physician and therapist will determine the most appropriate method for you.

Expected Effects: During a KAP session, you may experience a range of effects as the ketamine takes hold:

• Mild anesthetic/dreamlike state: A gentle, altered state of consciousness that allows for deeper therapeutic exploration
• Antidepressant effects: Rapid relief from depressive symptoms through ketamine's action on the brain's glutamate system
• Anxiolytic effects: A reduction in anxiety and an increased sense of calm and openness
• Psychedelic effects: At therapeutic doses, some individuals experience expanded awareness, emotional release, and new perspectives on long-standing patterns

Getting Started

The KAP process begins with a comprehensive intake assessment to determine whether this treatment is appropriate for you. This includes a thorough review of your medical history, current medications, and psychiatric background. Your therapist will also focus on rapport-building and psychoeducation, ensuring you feel fully prepared and informed before your first dosing session.

A minimum of 4 to 6 treatment sessions is typically recommended to achieve meaningful and lasting results. Each session builds on the previous one, creating a cumulative therapeutic effect that deepens over time.

Pre-Session Instructions

Treatment Applications

KAP has shown promise for a wide range of conditions, including:

• Treatment-resistant depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Trauma and PTSD
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• End-of-life distress and existential concerns
• Addiction and substance use disorders
• Eating disorders
• Spiritual growth and personal transformation