We are committed to ensuring these emerging therapies are available and to delivering them in a safe & supported way
Psychedelic Assisted Therapies & Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness (NOSC)
Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy, including Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), utilizes preparation sessions prior to medicine sessions, followed by integration sessions. All sessions are combined with various methods of guidance from practices such as meditation; relaxation and yogic breathing exercises; visualization with archetypal imagery; intention setting; talk and somatic therapies; mindfulness; and music, all in service to promoting access to each person’s inner healer to allow healing and wholeness to emerge.
For more information on Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness (NOSC), please use the following links: What are they? Why Access them? You can also find information on achieving NOSC through holotropic breathwork here.
NOSC & Psychedelics, combined with psychotherapy, offer a deep dive into transformational healing and allows for greater access to our core wounds, inviting the inner healing intelligence to be experienced through the integration of body, mind, and spirit. Additionally, preparation sessions can also be an opportunity to experiment with NOSC through Music only: A safe and supported way of experiencing NOSC through the use of music and integration techniques for those concerned about or naive to the use of psychedelics.
“The wound is the place where the light enters you.”
― Rumi
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine is a molecule that has been used as a dissociative anesthetic since the 1960s. It has been studied and promoted by researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health and has an extensive safety record. Recent research points to its efficacy as a fast-acting anti-depressant. Depending on factors such as medication dosage and route of administration, as well as intention and preparation, a ketamine session may vary in intensity from a mild shift of awareness to a profound internal journey.
Why Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)?
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy is an innovative approach that uses the psychoactive medicine Ketamine in combination with various methods of guidance, talk therapy, somatic therapy, and mindfulness to catalyze healing. KAP facilitates this process by accelerating one’s access to insights and augments the psychotherapeutic process. A leading benefit of KAP is that it can help dissolve conscious and unconscious defenses allowing for greater insight and change, shift dysfunctional and addictive patterns, and support spiritual growth.
What conditions may benefit from KAP?
Research has shown Ketamine to be a validated treatment for depression, anxiety, substance dependencies, PTSD, and other conditions. While it is being widely used for these conditions, it is still considered “off-label,” meaning that the FDA has not explicitly approved it for all these uses. However, significant research supports its effectiveness and safety when used in appropriate dosage and in a supportive, safe setting. *Please note Esketamine is only currently FDA-approved for Treatment-Resistant Depression & MDD with suicidality.
Stages of KAP: Assessment, Preparation, Ketamine Session, and Integration
Assessment/Consultation: This is the initial meeting where medical and psychiatric baseline information is gathered to determine your suitability for treatment. The treatment plan and protocol are developed in collaboration with you with a focus on each of your unique goals and needs.
Preparation: This is an informative session designed to answer any questions about the process, address concerns, and provide education. Here we spend time considering your motivation and intention for the treatment. The initial preparation session is integrated into the consultation visit. Additional preparation sessions are tailored to your needs.
Ketamine/Esketamine Session: Administration is done safely under the supervision of your psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) in the office with careful attention placed on set & setting. The space is intentionally structured for you to drop into the ketamine experience deeply and comfortably, with the support of your trained KAP provider present at all times during the session.
Integration: This is the therapeutic process that takes place after the ketamine medicine sessions. The work involves processing insights and information that arose during the altered state and in the days after. Integration is an ongoing process and often where the greatest benefit of treatment is derived. During integration, you have the opportunity to reimagine the stories you live and gain insight into how those stories continue to affect you. A series of ketamine sessions can allow for new ways of thinking and lead to sustained change.
KAP Pricing
Esketamine (Spravato) is the only ketamine treatment that is FDA-approved and covered by Insurance at this time. Spravato is administered as a nasal spray and is an enantiomer (meaning, a nearly identical mirror-image molecule) of ketamine. The treatment is used alongside an antidepressant to treat adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) with suicidal thoughts or actions. For more information about Spravato, please visit: https://www.spravato.com/trd/about-spravato
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy is not covered by insurance, and we do not submit claims to insurance for Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) medicine sessions. Unlike approaches such as ongoing psychotherapy or psychiatric medications, the cost of KAP treatment is often out of pocket. We recognize these out-of-pocket costs can be a barrier to accessing this treatment and are doing our best to make our services as affordable as possible while also creating a long-term sustainable model for our practices. You will receive a good faith estimate prior to starting therapy. Sliding Fee scales are available by request.
- All Ketamine/Esketamine treatments begin with a required initial consultation. Based on this consultation, it is determined whether Ketamine Assisted Therapy is an appropriate treatment, as an initial consultation is not a treatment guarantee.
- The length and cost of treatment will vary greatly based on many factors, among which are: the condition being treated and its severity, the pharmacological response to the medicine, and the treatment goals. Everyone’s treatment plan is individualized. A typical KAP cycle includes (1) comprehensive evaluation then 3-9 medicine sessions bookended by a preparation session and integration session. Esketamine (Spravato) follows the standard treatment protocol of twice weekly for the first 4 weeks, once a week for weeks 5-8, and weekly to biweekly thereafter.
- Initial consultation: The intake process includes: phone screening, review of the intake questionnaires, consultation with your provider, and a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, psychosocial assessment, and preparation for medication session if appropriate ($350) *The initial consultation/Psychiatric Evaluation can be submitted to insurance for reimbursement
- Single provider medication session (3 hours) ($600 for one provider) *Note: Medication cost is not included in these prices and is on average $100-125
- Additional integration or preparation sessions: 60 min session ($200 for one provider)
- We offer sliding-fee scales for those who are unable to afford the full price of treatments. Our ability to offer reduced-cost treatment for some is contingent on the bulk of our patients paying the full rate.
* Disclaimer: Ketamine is the only transformative psychedelic we prescribe. Ketamine therapy is not appropriate for everyone. We do not promote or provide any illegal substances. We anticipate offering MDMA Assisted Psychotherapy once this is an FDA- approved treatment. For more information about MDMA Assisted Psychotherapy, please visit: https://maps.org/mdma/
“The only way to ease our fear and be truly happy is to acknowledge our fear and look deeply at its source.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh
findingyourrootshw.com 