Ketamine is a safe and legal medicine which is often used in emergency rooms and on the battlefield as an anesthetic. At lower doses, ketamine produces a dissociative psychedelic experience in which an individual can explore parts of their psyche that may be otherwise be difficult to access. It is also known to bring on mystical experiences that can be healing for some. While once known as a party drug, ketamine has been shown to relieve the symptoms of treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, and trauma when therapeutically administered with the proper mindset and setting.

It is a form of therapy and treatment that combines the research-led science of psychedelic medicine with personalized psychotherapy. The ketamine-assisted sessions would allow you to enter an altered state of consciousness – under the supervision of an MKC health practitioner – to access internal feelings and thoughts in a meaningful way. These learnings are applied to your day-to-day life as part of a personalized plan developed with your therapist to ensure better wellbeing, a deeper connection to yourself, and longevity in positive mental health outcomes; as well as maintaining enough lucidity to engage with the supervising therapist.

Typically Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy consists of three phases: Preparation, Exploration, Integration. More information on each of these phases coming soon to the blog.

There’s growing awareness that conventional treatments to mental health – like SSRI medication and talk therapy – only work for a segment of the population. In fact, 75% of people don’t adhere to anti-depressants and 40-71% of individuals experience relapse. For those who feel like they’ve been left behind or lost in the system, ketamine-assisted therapy is a treatment showing great promise for treating anxiety, treatment-resistant depression, and trauma. It serves to help people embrace a deeper connection to others and themselves and feel greater self-fulfillment and empowerment in their life. Over the last decade, there’s been a growing body of research and evidence demonstrating the benefits and promise of ketamine medicine and mental health outcomes when paired with psychotherapy. Instead of treating symptoms, this model – a bio-medical-psycho-social-spiritual approach – recognizes the best source of healing comes from your inner self.

Pigott HE. The STAR*D Trial: It Is Time to Reexamine the Clinical Beliefs That Guide the Treatment of Major Depression. Can J Psychiatry. 2015;60(1):9-13. doi:10.1177/070674371506000104

If you are experiencing feelings of isolation, over-thinking, anxiety, depression, or trauma, our personalized treatment program may be a good fit for you. We help patients access their intrinsic ability to heal with the guidance of our medical practitioners. Individuals who haven’t found significant success in classic treatments, like talk therapy and medication, may find psychedelic-assisted therapy is a safe and effective treatment option – especially against treatment-resistant conditions. Certain medical and psychiatric contraindications do exist. Contact Willow & Leaf to discuss eligibility.

IV ketamine provides ketamine in a way that lets your body absorb it quickly and smoothly. Where some people describe intramuscular (IM) ketamine as doing a cannonball into a swimming pool, IV ketamine allows patients the ease of dipping their toes in slowly as the infusion begins. Journeys typically last for about 40 minutes. While intranasal (IN) ketamine options do exist, many of them include only one isomer, esketamine; IV ketamine infusions at MKC include two isomers leading to a wide range of effects including potentially a more psychedelic experience.

Scientific research has shown the greatest effects from a “loading” series of 6 ketamine infusions. Some people need less. Very few need more than that. A single mood infusion at MKC costs $450; a package of 3 is $1200, and a package of 6 is $2400. There is a $200 surcharge for each session that includes a therapist’s presence. You and your treatment team will decide how many sessions and what kind of support is needed during your initial intake. Integration is billed separately according to your Willow & Leaf fee agreement. For additional questions, please reach out to info@willowandleafcounseling.com.

Unfortunately most insurance companies do not yet cover IV Ketamine infusions for mood, however Willow & Leaf can bill insurance for all preparation and integration sessions.