Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) Overview

I offer a therapeutic modality called Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) in partnership with an organization called Journey Clinical.

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is a wholistic* approach where ketamine is used alongside psychotherapy to help eligible patients experience more frequent breakthroughs and sustained improvement in symptoms. I handle the psychotherapy portion of the experience, while Journey Clinical’s medical team supports you with all medical aspects, including determining eligibility, developing a custom treatment plan, prescribing the medicine, and monitoring outcomes. Below is more information about KAP to help you decide if it may be a good fit for you.

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What is Ketamine?

• Ketamine is a legal, safe, and effective medicine used to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. It has rapidly-acting antidepressant and mood-enhancing effects, which can begin to take effect within 1-2 hours after treatment and last for up to 2 weeks. Ketamine works by blocking the brain’s NMDA receptors and stimulating AMPA receptors, which help form new synaptic connections and boost neural circuits that regulate stress and mood. It also enhances overall neuroplasticity for lasting symptom improvement.

• Ketamine can be administered in several ways, including IV infusion, intramuscular injection, nasal spray, and sublingual lozenges. In my work with Journey Clinical, we use the sublingual lozenge form.

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How Does Ketamine Feel?

• The effects of ketamine, which most patients find pleasant, last for approximately 45 minutes. These effects can make you feel “far from” your body and facilitate shifts in perception that often feel expansive. Your motor and verbal abilities will be reduced, so you’ll be lying down in a comfortable position during the experience. Once these effects subside, we’ll spend the remainder of our appointment processing and discussing your experience. While it may be challenging to articulate what happened during the experience, many patients feel that the insights gained are clear. Studies have shown that the benefits to mood and neurological growth can last up to two weeks after the ketamine experience.

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How Does Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Work?

1. Initial Consultation with Journey Clinical

   • You’ll schedule an initial evaluation with a clinician from the Journey Clinical medical team via Zoom. They will review your medical and psychiatric history, provide education on the treatment, and determine if you are eligible for KAP.

   • If you are eligible, the medical team will develop a personalized ketamine prescription and outcome monitoring plan for you.

   • A small amount of oral ketamine will be sent to your home, enough for the first two KAP sessions. You will be taught to take your vitals and self-administer the ketamine lozenges by Journey Clinical’s medical team before our KAP sessions.

2. Preparation Sessions

   • Once you receive your ketamine lozenges, we will schedule time together for KAP preparation, dosing, and integration sessions. Preparation sessions will be scheduled like regular therapy sessions before the KAP dosing session. The goal of preparation is to align on the process and set intentions for our KAP sessions together.

3. KAP Dosing Session

   • A typical ketamine dosing session lasts between 1-2 hours and can take place either in-person at my office or remotely via telehealth.

   • During a dosing session, you will self-administer your ketamine lozenge either in my office or at home. You will be in a comfortable, reclining position, wearing an eye mask and listening to calming music. Although a KAP dosing session may be largely an internal experience, I will be present with you the entire time to hold space and provide support as needed.

4. Integration Sessions

   • After our KAP dosing session, we will meet for multiple integration therapy sessions to review the memories, thoughts, and insights that arose during your dosing session and to prepare for the next dosing session.

5. Follow-up Consultations with Journey Clinical

   • After our first KAP session, Journey Clinical’s medical team will schedule regular follow-ups with you to monitor outcomes and prescribe ketamine lozenge refills as appropriate. The frequency of follow-ups depends on your unique treatment plan, with a minimum of once per quarter.

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What is the Cost of Treatment?

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy is an affordable and accessible modality. Although the medical intake and follow-ups are not covered by insurance, they are eligible for out-of-network reimbursement.

• Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy:

  • My typical rate for a 3hr session is $410

• Journey Clinical Medical Costs:

  • First-time Patients:

    • Initial medical consultation with Journey Clinical: $250

    • Cost of medication: $88 (enough for 2 sessions)

  • Ongoing Treatment:

    • Follow-up medical consultation with Journey Clinical: $150 (at least 1X per quarter)

    • Cost of medication: $148 (enough for up to 6 sessions)

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How Do I Sign Up?

If you would like to explore the possibility of working with me on KAP, please e-mail me at javier@eutierriatherapy.com to discuss eligibility and next steps.

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What is Journey Clinical?

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

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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-Facilitated Psychotherapy for Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression by goop

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