Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy
Sarah James LCSW, CAS from The Counseling Place offers a ground breaking approach to psychotherapy. This emerging practice of Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) has helped eligible clients become unstuck and experience long-lasting improvement in their lives. KAP helps those experiencing depression, addiction, anxiety, pain conditions, PTSD, OCD, or feeling a roadblock to their current therapy.
The first reports of Ketamine in psychotherapy were in 1973. Our brains are wired to protect us from harmful issues. These issues can be stuffed deeply within us and create a lot of struggle. Ketamine became the first psychedelic drug approved by the FDA for use in treatment resistant depression in 2019.
Ketamine’s dissociative and pain-managing processes help people safely move through many emotional and mental challenges. Ketamine helps bring down the walls and relax the client so they do not fight the mind’s natural defenses. Under Ketamine, the fear memory is activated and then moved toward extinction throughout the process. Ketamine induces changes in self-identity, mood, optimism, self-efficacy, and reduces of fear.
Sarah partners with a local medical group who are seasoned at assessing for KAP and providing the dosages needed for each session. During a KAP session, clients administer the Ketamine under their tongue. It takes about ten minutes to begin feeling the effects. The client then experiences the medication for 45-60 minutes, often times with a mask over their eyes and calming music. Sarah is there to assist if anything comes up and provide psychotherapy when the medication wears off. Clients experience incredible neuroplasticity after taking Ketamine which enhances their therapeutic growth. KAP sessions can be done in office or virtually.