Ketamine Risks and Benefits: A Compassionate Guide to Healing

Discover what science and clinical evidence say about ketamine therapy. Learn how safe, supervised care—grounded in both medicine and therapy—can shape your experience. This guide explores the key ketamine risks and benefits to support you in making an informed, empowered decision about its therapeutic use.

This page focuses on the legal, therapeutic use of ketamine, commonly referred to as ketamine therapy, to cultivate better mental health and wellness. It does not cover recreational or unsupervised use.

What Is Ketamine?

Ketamine is a medicine doctors have used safely for over 50 years, originally as an anesthetic.

At lower, carefully controlled doses, ketamine may help relieve symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic pain. This is particularly useful when other treatments haven’t worked.

It supports neuroplasticity. This is your brain’s natural ability to form new pathways and shift out of rigid patterns. It enhances this natural potential and gives your brain an opportunity to respond to life differently with the possibility of creating a more sustainable emotional change.

Understanding the Risks and Benefits of Ketamine

Like any treatment, ketamine therapy involves a balance of risks and benefits. Understanding the full scope of ketamine risks and benefits requires looking at context. Specifically, how it’s used, who provides it, and what support surrounds it.

• Whether therapy is included
• Who’s guiding the process (licensed medical and mental health professionals vs. not)
• The method of administration
• Your personal health and trauma history

At Mind Body Well Therapy, we offer Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). This is a structured, relational, and integrative process designed to support your mental health and healing while minimizing risk.

The Benefits of Ketamine Therapy

When ketamine is used with intentional therapy and support, clients often report shifts that feel powerful, unexpected, or deeply relieving. It’s not a magic pill but it may help break through emotional blocks or resistance that have stalled progress in stand-alone traditional talk therapy.

Documented and client-reported benefits include:

• Reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms
• Fewer trauma re-experiences and PTSD intrusions
• Better sleep and increased restfulness
• Greater emotional calm and clarity
• Decreased chronic pain sensitivity
• Renewed hope or sense of possibility
• Emotional momentum after long periods of stuckness

Curious if these benefits could apply to your situation? Reach out.

Are There Any Side Effects?

Yes. Most side-effects are short-lived and manageable when ketamine is delivered in a clinical or therapeutic setting.

Common temporary side effects include:

• Dizziness or nausea
• Grogginess or disorientation
• Fluctuations in blood pressure
• A dream-like or floaty sensation

These usually resolve within an hour or two. At Mind Body Well Therapy, we ensure your environment is calm, quiet, and secure whether in person or virtually supported at home.

⚠️ Important: You are never left alone during sessions.

Are There Any Long-Term Risks?

When used responsibly and under medical and therapeutic supervision, ketamine carries a low risk of long-term complications.

However, research shows that frequent, high-dose, or non-medical use (especially recreational) may be linked to:

• Memory or cognitive issues
• Bladder dysfunction (with heavy or chronic misuse)
• Psychological dependence

These risks are not typically seen in low-dose, prescribed ketamine used as part of structured therapy.

⚠️ Bottom line: Setting matters. So does frequency, dose, and oversight.

Types of Ketamine Therapy: What You Need to Know

All forms of legally prescribed ketamine therapy have the potential to support healing. The best approach depends on your unique needs, mental health goals, and whether you prefer medical, therapeutic, or combined support. Your experience—and the depth of your results—can be shaped by how it’s delivered and who guides you through it.

While approaches may vary, the overview below outlines the most common ways ketamine therapy is administered.

With Therapy (More Integration, Deeper Support)

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP):

This approach includes every phase of the therapeutic process—emotional preparation, self-administration of legally prescribed ketamine, and guided integration in a calm, supportive setting with a licensed therapist.

At-Home Oral Ketamine + Virtual KAP:

Clients use ketamine as prescribed at home while receiving virtual therapeutic support for preparation, real-time check-ins, and post-session integration. This option blends comfort with structure, especially helpful for sensitive clients.

IV or IM Ketamine + Standalone Therapy:

Some clients receive infusions or injections in a clinic, then see their therapist separately for emotional processing and integration. This allows for flexibility in combining medical care with ongoing psychotherapy.

Group or Retreat-Style KAP

Small group and retreat settings offer another way to experience ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in a safe, structured environment. These formats are led by licensed professionals. They follow the same foundational elements of KAP, preparation, ketamine sessions, and integration. They also offer the added benefit of shared connection and community support.

These settings may include:

• A small group of 3–6 participants
• Carefully guided group preparation and intention-setting
• Individual or simultaneous dosing, with quiet reflective time
• Group integration sessions supported by a licensed and trained facilitator

This option may be ideal if you’re seeking:

• A sense of connection in your healing process
• Lower-cost KAP than individual sessions
• A supportive container for emotional transformation in a group context

🧠 Whether individual or group-based, KAP is most effective when it's grounded in emotional safety, intentional guidance, and integrative care.

Without Therapy (Medical Use Only)

IV or IM Ketamine Clinics:

Focused primarily on symptom reduction, these clinics offer ketamine administration without emotional preparation or therapeutic follow-up. For some, this is enough—but others may benefit from additional support.

Spravato (Esketamine):

A prescription nasal spray approved by the FDA for treatment-resistant depression. It’s often administered in a medical setting without integrated therapy.

Why Therapy Still Matters

🧠 Studies show that combining ketamine with psychotherapy often leads to deeper insight, more effective emotional integration, and longer-lasting outcomes. For many, the medicine opens the door and therapy helps walk you through it.

Why We Offer KAP at Mind Body Well Therapy, Pllc

We specialize in supporting highly sensitive, deep-feeling adults and others seeking meaningful emotional change. Whether you're navigating trauma, burnout, or simply feeling stuck, you're welcome here.

Our approach blends science-backed strategies with compassionate, attuned care. We integrate mind, body, and nervous system support to help you reconnect with clarity, calm, and inner strength.

In alignment with best practices for ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP), we emphasize structure, safety, and integration. Here’s what you can expect from our care:

• You’re supported before, during, and after each session
• We tailor the process to your pace and nervous system
• Therapy sessions help translate insights into the potential for sustainable changes
• We collaborate with your existing providers, if applicable

What to Expect: The KAP Process

Step 1: Initial Consultation

We begin with a full clinical assessment. You’ll also meet with an independent medical provider who determines if ketamine is appropriate for you. They prescribe the dose, if approved.

✅ If ketamine isn’t recommended, you’ll receive a full refund for the medical assessment.

Step 2: Preparation Sessions
We set the foundation for a meaningful experience. You’ll:

• Clarify intentions and emotional goals
• Discuss your support system and internal resources
• Plan safety, comfort, and aftercare
• Identify the emotional “anchors” that will guide your journey

Step 3: KAP Session
You take ketamine as prescribed by your medical provider. A trained ketamine-assisted licensed psychotherapist remains present throughout, providing grounded, non-intrusive support as you move through the experience.

Step 4: Integration
Within a day or two, you meet with your trained KAP therapist again to reflect, make meaning, and link insights to your real life. You’ll identify a small, concrete action to support long-term change.

🧩 Integration is where the healing solidifies. Without it, insights often fade.

Is Ketamine Therapy Right for Me?

If you're exploring ketamine risks and benefits and wondering whether this path fits your needs, here are some signs that KAP might be a good match:

• You’ve hit a plateau in therapy or healing
• You experience treatment-resistant depression or anxiety
• You’re navigating unresolved trauma or grief
• You’re highly sensitive and want a gentler healing approach
• You seek both science and soul in your healing journey

Frequently Asked Questions: Ketamine Risks and Benefits

If you're still considering the ketamine risks and benefits and want more clarity, these frequently asked questions can help guide your next steps.

Is ketamine therapy safe?

Yes when provided by licensed professionals in a structured, therapeutic container.

When will I notice changes?

Some clients feel shifts early, even after 1–2 sessions. Others notice cumulative effects over a full series. There’s no one-size-fits-all timeline.

What does it feel like?

Most describe a calm, expanded, or floating state. You remain conscious, able to speak, and always in the presence of a supportive guide.

Sources & Research on Ketamine Risks and Benefits

This page was based on the following peer-reviewed research and these credible resources:

1. Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics. (n.d.). Massachusetts General Hospital. https://www.massgeneral.org/psychiatry/treatments-and-services/center-for-the-neuroscience-of-psychedelics
2. Dore, J., Turnipseed, B., Dwyer, S., Turnipseed, A., Andries, J., Ascani, G., … Wolfson, P. (2019). Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP): Patient Demographics, Clinical Data and Outcomes in Three Large Practices Administering Ketamine with Psychotherapy. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 51(2), 189–198. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2019.1587556
   
3. Drozdz, S. J., Goel, A., McGarr, M. W., Katz, J., Ritvo, P., Mattina, G. F., Bhat, V., Diep, C., & Ladha, K. S. (2022). Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy: A Systematic Narrative Review of the Literature. Journal of pain research, 15, 1691–1706. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S360733
4. Esketamine for Treatment-Resistant Depression. (2023, November 1). Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/esketamine-for-treatment-resistant-depression
5. Hull, T. D., Malgaroli, M., Gazzaley, A., Akiki, T. J., Madan, A., Vando, L., Arden, K., Swain, J., Klotz, M., & Paleos, C. (2022). At-home, sublingual ketamine telehealth is a safe and effective treatment for moderate to severe anxiety and depression: Findings from a large, prospective, open-label effectiveness trial. Journal of affective disorders, 314, 59–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.07.004
6. Oliver, P. A., Snyder, A. D., Feinn, R., Malov, S., McDiarmid, G., & Arias, A. J. (2022). Clinical Effectiveness of Intravenous Racemic Ketamine Infusions in a Large Community Sample of Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression, Suicidal Ideation, and Generalized Anxiety Symptoms: A Retrospective Chart Review. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 83(6), 21m14336. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.21m14336
7. Wu, H., Savalia, N. K., & Kwan, A. C. (2021). Ketamine for a Boost of Neural Plasticity: How, but Also When?. Biological psychiatry, 89(11), 1030–1032. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.03.014
8. Imagery Note: Illustrations on this page were created using AI-based tools and are used for educational and aesthetic purposes only.

Insurance and Payment

Ketamine therapy is not typically covered by insurance. Medical consults may be covered by insurance. Sessions before and after the client’s self-administration of ketamine generally are covered because they are therapy sessions.

We offer transparent pricing and provide documentation for out-of-network reimbursement requests. Reach out and ask for more information.

Where We Work

We currently serve adults living in:

• Connecticut (in-person and virtual)
• Florida, Maryland, and Virginia (virtual only)

Meet Lucrezia Mangione

Take the Next Step

If you’re actively exploring the risks and benefits of ketamine therapy, let’s talk.
You deserve real information, honest support, and space to decide what works for you. Whether you're just curious or already considering ketamine therapy, we’re here to help you take the next step, gently.

You don’t have to navigate this alone. We’re here to help you decide with clarity, care, and real support.

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Writing & Authorship Disclosure

This content of Ketamine Risks and Benefits was authored by Lucrezia Mangione, LCPC, LPC, NCC, BC-TMH, DCEP. AI-assisted tools were used during the writing process to support clarity and organization. All professional insights and conclusions reflect her research on the subject, clinical training and experience.

Lucrezia Mangione supports anxious, highly sensitive women in fine-tuning focus, building emotional steadiness, and embracing the strengths of sensitivity. She also partners with therapists and helping professionals to offer brain-based care for clients who feel stuck or stalled. Her integrative approach helps clients feel calm, steady, and spacious—living and working on their own terms.