THE PROCESS
1. Assessment and Preparation Phase
This is the foundational stage focused on safety and setting therapeutic goals. Medical & Psychiatric Screening: A physician or qualified medical provider conducts a thorough review of your medical and mental health history. They check for contraindications (reasons not to use ketamine), such as uncontrolled blood pressure, certain heart conditions, or a history of psychosis. Determine Eligibility & Method: The provider determines if you are a good candidate and selects the appropriate dosage and route of administration (e.g., Intravenous (IV), Intramuscular (IM), or sublingual lozenge/troche).
2. The Dosing Session (The “Journey”)
During the Session: Monitoring: Medical staff constantly monitor your vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation) to ensure safety. The Experience: You will sit or recline comfortably, often with an eye mask and calming music. Ketamine induces a temporary dissociative state—a feeling of detachment or distance from your everyday thoughts and concerns. This allows for deep introspection, new perspectives, and emotional breakthroughs.Therapist Support (in KAP): A therapist is often present to offer a supportive presence, help manage any anxiety, and occasionally offer gentle guidance.
3. Integration and Maintenance Phase
This phase is critical for translating the insights into lasting change. Recovery and Monitoring: Immediately after the drug is administered, you will be monitored for an additional 30 minutes to 2 hours until the acute effects wear off and your vitals return to baseline. You must have an adult drive you home. Integration Sessions: These follow-up therapy sessions are dedicated to processing the experience, including any memories, emotions, or new insights that surfaced during the session. The goal is to: Make sense of the “journey.” Reinforce new, positive neural connections (neuroplasticity). Develop an action plan to implement changes in your daily life.