Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is a holistic modality in which ketamine is used as a complement to psychotherapy to help eligible patients experience more frequent breakthroughs and sustained improvement in symptoms. This type of treatment may prove particularly helpful for people who have struggled to find relief with traditional therapies.

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine is a legal, safe and effective medicine used to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety and PTSD.

Ketamine has rapidly-acting antidepressant and mood-enhancing effects, which can begin to take effect within 1-2 hrs. after treatment and last for up to 2 weeks.

It works by blocking the brain’s NMDA receptors as well as by stimulating AMPA receptors, which are thought to help form new synaptic connections and boost neural circuits that regulate stress and mood. Ketamine has also been shown to enhance overall neuroplasticity for lasting symptom improvement.

How does Ketamine Feel?

The effects of ketamine, which most patients find pleasant, last for approximately 45 minutes. These effects can make you feel “far from” your body, and facilitate shifts in perception that can often feel expansive in nature.

Your motor and verbal abilities will be reduced, so you’ll be lying down in a comfortable position during the experience. Once these effects subsided, we’ll spend the remainder of our appointment giving you space to process and discuss your experience.

While it may feel hard to articulate what happened during the experience, patients feel like the insights gained are none-the-less clear. Studies have shown that the benefits to mood and neurological growth can last up to two weeks after the Ketamine experience.

How does Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Work?

  • To get started, you'll meet with Joie Adam DeRitis, LCSW to discuss your interest in beginning Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy. Depending on fit, Joie will then refer you to Journey Clinical for a KAP psychiatric evaluation.

  • You schedule an initial evaluation with a clinician from the Journey Clinical medical team via zoom. They will go over your medical and psychiatric history with you, provide education on the treatment and determine if you are eligible for KAP.

    If Journey Clinical’s medical team determines that you are eligible for KAP, they will develop a personalized Ketamine prescription and outcome monitoring plan for you.

    Journey Clinical’s medical staff will write a ketamine prescription for you, and a small amount of oral ketamine will be sent to your home, enough for the first 2 KAP sessions. You will be taught to take your vitals and self-administer the ketamine lozenges by Journey Clinical’s medical team in advance of our KAP sessions.

  • Once you receive your ketamine lozenges, we will schedule time together for our KAP preparation, dosing and integration sessions. Preparation session(s) will be scheduled just like regular therapy sessions prior to the dosing session. The goal of a preparation session(s) is to align on the process and set intentions for our KAP sessions together.

  • A typical ketamine dosing session lasts about 3 hours and can take place either in-person at our Branford, CT office, or remotely via telehealth.

    During a dosing session, you will self-administer your ketamine lozenge either in my office or in your home. You will be in a comfortable, reclining position wearing an eye mask and listening to calming music. Although a KAP dosing session may be largely an internal experience, your practitioner will be present with you the entire time to hold space and provide support as needed.

  • After our KAP dosing session, we will meet for integration therapy session(s) to review the memories, thoughts & insights that arose during your dosing session, and to prepare for the next dosing session.

  • After our first KAP session, Journey Clinical’s medical team schedules regular follow ups with you to monitor outcomes and prescribe ketamine lozenge refills, as appropriate. The frequency of follow ups depends on your unique treatment plan, at a minimum of once per quarter.

What is the Cost of Treatment?

If you have out-of-network benefits, Journey Clinical and I can both provide you with superbills to be submitted for reimbursement. Please contact your insurance company for accurate information about your benefits.

Psychotherapy Fees

Psychotherapy Session for Preparation & Integration (45 mins) - $300*
Medicine Dosing Session (3 hours) - $300 per hour*

*Sliding-scale & reduced fee arrangements are available depending on client need.

Journey Clinical Fees

Initial Medical Consultation (1 hr) - $250
Medications for 2 Sessions with Shipping - $88

Follow Up Consultation (30 mins) - $150
Medication for Up To 6 Sessions with Shipping - $148

Where Can I Learn More?

Get in Touch

If you’re here, I imagine that you’re in need of some support. I am here, available, and would be honored to support you. Please reach out, give me a call, send me a text, or email me to set up a free consultation.

hello@joiederitis.com
(929) 369-0579
joiederitis.com

Soma’s office is located in Branford, CT. Online therapy available in New York and Connecticut.