What is Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy? A Simple Guide

What is Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy page created 5-12-25 ~ Written by Lucrezia Mangione, LPC, LCPC, NCC, BC-TMH, DCEP

Are you feeling like talk therapy isn't enough on its own? If so, you might be searching for additional support to help you through this journey to better mental health and wellness. What is Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy? It’s a treatment that combines the fast-acting effects of ketamine with the support of therapy. It's a structured process designed to help people dealing with anxiety, depression, or PTSD. This approach is especially useful for those who feel emotionally stuck, particularly when other treatments haven't worked.

KAP is offered as a virtual therapy session in a calm, supportive setting where your emotional and physical safety matter, either in a cozy office setting or in the comfort of your home. A licensed mental health provider is present at both settings and guides both sessions.

It's a structured process, too. One that has been researched and provides beneficial outcomes to help people suffering from anxiety, depression, or PTSD. This approach can be especially helpful for those who feel emotionally stuck, particularly when other treatments haven't worked.

This guide answers common questions related to What is ketamine assisted psychotherapy? It does its best to give you a clear overview of the therapeutic use of ketamine to offer an improved pathway to mental health and wellness. Discover how KAP works, who it can help, what to expect, and how it may support your healing.

Quick Answers: Explore Common Questions About KAP

“What is Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy?” You're not alone. Many people are asking the same question as they look for new, effective ways to feel better.

What is the history and development of ketamine assisted psychotherapy?

The history of KAP begins with ketamine's discovery in 1962. It was first used as an anesthetic. Later, doctors and researchers noticed its effects on mood and mental well-being. By the early 2000s, it was being paired with psychotherapy to help people process emotions and experiences more deeply.

How does ketamine affect the brain?

Ketamine supports neuroplasticity, which helps the brain create new connections. These new patterns may interrupt the brain's "old "loops of anxiety or depression and create space for healing.

What can I expect during a ketamine assisted psychotherapy session, including duration?

KAP sessions typically last between 45 and 60 minutes. You'll begin with a check-in and time to settle in. During the experience, you might feel more open, emotionally connected, relaxed, or gently detached from your usual thought patterns. Or a combination. This altered state creates a space where meaningful insights can surface.

The setting is calm and supportive, designed to help you feel physically and emotionally safe. After the ketamine experience, there's time to reflect and begin the integration process, making sense of what came up and how it might apply to your life.

Who might benefit from ketamine assisted psychotherapy?

KAP may be helpful if you:

• Struggle with anxiety, depression, or PTSD
• Feel emotionally stuck or overwhelmed
• Identify as highly sensitive and want a gentler approach
• Are you looking for a therapy that helps you connect more deeply with yourself

It's especially well-suited for people who haven't found lasting relief with talk therapy alone.

Curious whether this therapy fits your needs?

What are the benefits of ketamine assisted psychotherapy?

What are the potential ketamine side effects in humans in KAP? How are they managed?

Side effects like nausea, dizziness, or a floaty sensation may happen but are usually brief and manageable. During your session, your comfort and safety are a priority. You'll be supported throughout the experience with care and close attention.

Adjustments in the environment are part of managing comfort. After each session, there's time to rest and process your experience at your own pace.

How does ketamine assisted psychotherapy compare to talk therapy alone?

Unlike talk therapy, which can take weeks or months to feel effective, KAP often leads to faster shifts in mood and insight and doesn't replace other forms of therapy—it works best when paired with them. The research shows this.

The altered state of awareness ketamine creates may help you access emotions or memories that feel out of reach in everyday life. Many people describe it as "reset," allowing them to return to themselves more clearly.

What are the qualifications and training required for therapists to administer ketamine assisted psychotherapy safely and effectively?

KAP can only be provided by licensed mental health professionals who have received specialized training in working with ketamine for mental health support. That includes education in safety protocols, trauma-informed care, and psychedelic integration techniques.

Before starting, it's important to ensure your provider is licensed in their state and has experience in both clinical work and working with altered states of consciousness.

What are the success rates or outcomes for patients who have undergone ketamine assisted psychotherapy?

What are the costs for ketamine assisted psychotherapy? Does insurance cover this?

The cost of a KAP session can range from $400 to $800, depending on the structure and length of the session. Insurance coverage is limited, but some clients use out-of-network benefits or health savings accounts (HSAs) to help with costs.

Always check with your insurance provider. You can also ask your KAP provider whether they offer documentation (like a superbill) to submit for possible reimbursement.

Is ketamine assisted psychotherapy legal in the U.S.?

Yes. Ketamine is FDA-approved for use as an anesthetic and is also prescribed "off-label" to support mental health care, including for anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Before beginning ketamine assisted psychotherapy, individuals first meet with a licensed medical prescriber who conducts a full health assessment. If it's a good fit, the prescriber issues a ketamine prescription.

That prescription is then used during KAP sessions as part of a structured therapy process. When provided by a psychedelic-trained, qualified licensed professional counselor or other licensed mental health provider and paired with safety protocols, KAP is legal and practiced across the U.S.

What is ketamine assisted psychotherapy's role in modern mental health treatment?

Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy is a new approach to mental health care. It bridges traditional therapy with medical science and neuroscience-based tools that can accelerate healing. And it provides hope for crossing the finish line on your mental health goals.

At Mind Body Well Therapy, PLLC, this kind of integrative, whole-person care has been central to the work from the beginning, long before it became a trend. Combining compassion, nervous system support, and science-backed methods has always been part of the approach here.

KAP offers a new way to access that same healing path, especially for those stuck or seeking deeper transformation. It supports change not just at the mental level, but also in how you feel in your body and respond to daily life.

KAP may help you create space to break old patterns, reconnect with your inner self, and build new pathways for emotional well-being and mental clarity.

This approach is especially meaningful for those seeking more than symptom management. It's for people looking to feel better and grow in self-awareness, resilience, and inner calm.

By working holistically on the brain, body, mind, and heart, KAP can help you reconnect with yourself, reset limiting patterns, and build new internal pathways for healing. KAP opens new inner pathways of healthy possibility.

Next Steps

Resources

The following references were used to create the content for this webpage, What is Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy?

A core message of this page and is this: While there are many ways to approach KAP—such as how ketamine is administered, the dosage, the type of therapy used, and how long treatment lasts—research suggests that combining psychotherapy before, during, and after ketamine sessions helps people gain the most lasting benefits (Drozdz et al., 2022).

Below are the sources that informed this page and can further support your path toward clarity and well-being:

1. 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
2. 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
3. Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Esketamine for treatment-resistant depression. Retrieved May 13, 2025, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/esketamine-for-treatment-resistant-depression
4. Massachusetts General Hospital. (n.d.). Division of Neurotherapeutics. Retrieved May 13, 2025, from https://www.massgeneral.org/psychiatry/research/division-of-neurotherapeutics
5. 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

Writing & Authorship Disclosure

This content 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.

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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.