Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy

Achieve deeper healing with ketamine

Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) is a cutting-edge treatment option for people struggling with conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic pain. It combines ketamine infusions with effective EMDR therapy.

Ketamine, administered in a calm, safe environment and in controlled doses, induces a relaxed, dissociative state that allows you to explore emotions and memories with less resistance, by gently breaking through any unconscious defenses.

When combined with psychotherapy, ketamine has the potential to offer transformative results where conventional treatments may have fallen short.

There are three stages to KAP - the initial journey, processing, and integration. We encourage you to embrace the experience with curiosity, a positive and open mind, and hope, knowing that each session is a valuable and unique opportunity for healing and growth.

Working with Catriona, a trusted and experienced psychotherapist who is certified in EMDR and trained in KAP, you can be assured that you’re in safe hands to explore the multitude of possibilities available to you.

How does ketamine work?

Ketamine has a unique effect on the brain, particularly through its action on the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors, which are involved in regulating mood, memory, and learning.

By blocking these receptors, ketamine increases the release of glutamate, the brain's primary excitatory neurotransmitter. This triggers a cascade of events that promotes synaptic plasticity—essentially helping the brain to form new neural connections.

This process is key to ketamine's therapeutic potential, as it helps "reset" dysfunctional patterns of thought and behavior, particularly in cases of treatment-resistant depression and PTSD. It’s ability to foster neuroplasticity makes it a powerful tool for enhancing the brain's ability to adapt and recover from emotional and psychological distress.

What KAP treatment looks like

Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is different from ketamine therapy. We combine ketamine with effective psychotherapy as opposed to just administering ketamine and leaving you to your own devices. Catriona uses EMDR for effective reprocessing of past experiences to provide deeper healing.

Treatment takes place either in Catriona’s Pasadena office or in the comfort of your own home (over zoom).

Step 1: Initial Consult

Meet with Catriona to learn more about the process, provide your personal and health history, discuss treatment goals, ask questions. If you already have a therapist, Catriona will collaborate with them as needed. One hour

Step 2: Medical evaluation

Meet with Nurse Practitioner Ashley Zawolik on zoom to review your medical and psychiatric history and evaluate if ketamine assisted psychotherapy is right for you. If it is, Ashley will develop a personalized prescription and treatment plan for you. One hour

Step 6: Integration

You’ll meet with Catriona for as many integration sessions as we feel you need in order to review memories, thoughts, and insights that arose during processing. We’ll use EMDR as necessary to reprocess.

Step 3: Receive your ketamine

Ashley will either bring your ketamine to your house and administer intravenously or send it by mail to your home along with instructions for taking intranasally or sublingually. We aim to start processing within 24 hours of taking ketamine.

Catriona’s office - you can journey

on the couch or on a special bed we set up

on the floor

Step 4: Start your KAP journey

Meet with Catriona for an in-depth preparation session to set intentions, develop resources, identify target memories to work on during processing, and select music ready for the processing session the next day. One to two hours

Step 5: Processing session

Return later or the next day for your processing session. If you haven’t already, you’ll take your ketamine dose, then make yourself comfortable on the couch or inflatable bed, put on your eye mask (provided), and listen to your choice of relaxing music. You’ll have your EMDR buzzers to provide bilateral stimulation and then you can just let go and, with my guiding support, whatever needs to happen will happen. Two to three hours

Step 7: Continuing support

After your first treatment session we’ll continue to monitor your progress by checking in from time to time. You can decide whether you’d like to continue with further ketamine assisted psychotherapy treatments or return to traditional therapy with Catriona or your regular therapist.

How much does KAP cost?

We offer a number of packages for ketamine assisted psychotherapy. A single treatment would look like this:

Initial consult with Catriona $240
Medical evaluation and prescription with Ashley: $450
Journey (preparation) session with Catriona: $320
Processing and dosing session with Catriona: $600
Integration: $240 per session

Discounts available when you sign up for a package of three or six treatments.

If you have PPO insurance you may be able to get reimbursed for some of the cost through your out-of-network benefits. Just ask for a superbill.

Other things to know

What does ketamine feel like?

Many people report feeling somewhat out of their body and while they may not be able to describe their experience they are still gaining valuable insights that contribute to growth and healing.

Is ketamine addictive?

While ketamine can be addictive when used recreationally or in higher, uncontrolled doses, when ketamine is used in a controlled, therapeutic setting—like in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy—the risk of addiction is significantly reduced. In these cases, doses are lower and carefully monitored, and the frequency of use is limited to ensure safety.

What medical conditions preclude me for taking ketamine?

Ketamine is not recommended for people who have cardiovascular conditions such as uncontrolled hypertension. Clients with active mania or a history of psychotic illnesses (e.g., schizophrenia) should not take ketamine, as there could be severe risks. Ketamine is also not indicated for clients who are actively abusing substances or have abused ketamine in the past. It is essential to talk with our Nurse Practitioner if you have a history of these types of conditions so we can determine the best plan for your care.

Where can I learn more about ketamine?

Paradigms of Ketamine Treatment by Raquel Bennett, Psy.D

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