Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy

When ketamine is used in conjunction with high-quality psychotherapy, the biochemical effects of the medicine can be paired with changes in cognitive and behavioral patterns to effect long-lasting change. Ketamine creates a dissociative experience that can help patients access emotional and psychological material that otherwise would be challenging to discuss during therapy. This creates opportunities to gain new insights into one’s depression while working with a trusted therapist.

“I would say that SeattleNTC is an incredible partner for anyone suffering any kind of mental health issue. Again, I can primarily speak for those with depression, but I would tell anyone who’s dealing with mental health issues: SeattleNTC is on the cutting edge. The staff and the doctors are extremely caring and extremely talented people. Compassionate. Very interested in the outcome and the ongoing of all their treatment.” —Karen H.
”I am so happy to say I had very successful results starting four years ago. Depression to me means a lack of energy and a desire to turn inward. I have felt new energy and sociability since starting TMS. TMS worked so well that I am willing to come forward…with the suggestion that those suffering depression try TMS.” —Tom
”The overall result: life changing. Not being depressed anymore. Didn’t expect it would work at all, but mainly because I didn’t want to get my hopes up. It was a great surprise to be healed.” —Brenna
"The physicians at SeattleNTC are wonderful and I felt they really listened to my needs as a patient. I never knew how much I could enjoy the quality of my life as I do now that I’m depression-free." —Kari
"I was skeptical it would work because I’d been on medications and seen so many doctors. Things were so dark, time felt so long. Hours felt like days, days felt like weeks. Life just feels so much better now. The biggest change is just being able to go about my daily life and my relationships are so much better. I would say that SeattleNTC is an incredible partner for anyone suffering from mental health issues. They are on the cutting edge; the staff and the doctors are extremely caring and talented." —Karen M.
”Three biggest changes in my life: I wake up every morning with gratefulness that I am happy, my energy level is off the charts, and my family is no longer suffering due to my depression.” —Jessica
"Even on medication, I experienced depressive episodes and had to drop classes. Grades were inconsistent as a result, and I had to take off long periods of time. In the past year, since starting TMS, I haven’t dropped any classes and am getting good grades again." —Erica
I just kind of sunk into a hole, cut off all my social communities, had no contact with my prior groups, and all I could do was sort of force myself to go to work, then go home. SeattleNTC introduced me to TMS and overnight, it’s like I came back to life. Everything changed. I’ve reconnected with my church groups, my community, my work and my family. My wife is very grateful, and my kids are happy to have me back. —Jim
I was seriously depressed for over a year and medication was not helping. After about three weeks of TMS treatment, I started to feel better and now I feel better than I ever have. I can’t recommend SeattleNTC enough! All of the staff was knowledgeable and kind. —S.R.

How does SeattleNTC’s KAP program work?

You will have an intake first with one of SeattleNTC’s physicians to determine whether KAP, or one of our other treatments, is right for you. You will then meet with one of our specialized KAP therapists for an intake session to ensure that you two will work well together and have all of your questions answered. If you choose to proceed, you will have a series of preparatory sessions with the therapist to prepare for the medication-assisted experience. You will then have a series of 2-hour medicine-assisted therapy sessions in the clinic, each followed in the days after by a one hour integration session via telehealth to work on making changes in your life. Psychotherapy in and after the sessions offers a unique opportunity to uncover new ways of understanding your mental health challenges. You will be in a private room with your therapist during treatment to create the most therapeutic setting possible for your treatment. While many of our patients do best with intranasal ketamine, we also offer sublingual and, soon, intravenous options.

Will my insurance cover KAP?

Unfortunately, insurance generally does not cover ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. We understand that KAP is a significant financial investment in your health and we hope that the robust response that can be achieved in a shorter treatment time will be a worthwhile investment.

Does Ketamine have any side effects?

Most patients find ketamine treatments to be very easily manageable or even pleasant. However, side effects during the 2 hours of monitoring may include: dissociation, anxiety, nausea, heart rate, blood pressure changes and others. Most of these side effects go away by the time a patient leaves the clinic – some patients may feel tired or slow for the remainder of the day. Most patients do not have side effects between treatments. Your doctor and therapist will go over possible side effects in more depth before you start treatment.

How long does KAP take to work?

The effects of KAP appear to be cumulative. We recommend an initial intensive course of 5-8 sessions to get the most robust results.

Are there any restrictions when taking Ketamine?

We require that patients not drive home from a ketamine treatment and recommend that they do not drive until the next day after a restful sleep. There are no restrictions on non-treatment days.

How is SeattleNTC different?

As a true subspecialty psychiatric clinic, we are not a “one trick pony” – we offer all of the leading FDA-approved options for treating depression which has not responded to medications and traditional psychotherapy, as well as leading cutting-edge options such as KAP. This means that we are able to think holistically about your history and needs when planning your treatment, to ensure we select the treatment best suited to you, Our expert physicians are present in clinic every day to make sure you are safe and well cared for during your treatments.