KETAMINE ASSISTED THERAPY

Healing is individualized and non-linear.

At Delve, we flow with what arises as you build the capacity and resiliency to live and feel life.

The cure for feeling stuck, depressed, alone, or anxious lies in self-acceptance. As you develop a new way of relating to the world, budding self-love can dissolve the shame and trauma that underlie many mental health conditions. Ketamine therapy can help you compassionately observe and process your feelings and emotions, forging new pathways to the life you desire.

 

Ketamine therapy can be effective in treating various mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, addictive patterns, complex trauma, and PTSD.

Ketamine therapy is a part of a greater and dynamic healing process at Delve, paving the way for your life to unfold in ways that were once inaccessible. It opens new perspectives and provides opportunities for lasting and meaningful change. At Delve, ketamine is a tool; helping you realize that you are the medicine. Through a blend of mindfulness, body psychotherapy, naturopathic medicine, movement, and extensive experience with psychedelics, we’ll support you throughout the entire ketamine therapy journey, empowering you to embrace a new way of living.

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What is Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy?

Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy is a holistic approach to wellness that combines the prescription medicine ketamine with psychotherapy to facilitate transformational personal growth. This comprehensive healing journey unfolds over 3 to 6 months of intensive work.

We believe you have everything you need to heal, and we are here to support you on that journey. It is our honor to sit with you as this sacred healing process unfolds.

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What is Ketamine

Ketamine was FDA-approved as a general anesthetic in 1970. It is widely used in operating rooms and is classified as one of the World Health Organization’s essential drugs due to its strong safety profile. In the late 1990s, researchers at Yale demonstrated that a low dose of ketamine could produce rapid and profound antidepressant effects. The prescription medicine is often used off-label for mental health conditions. Over the past 20 years, a large and growing body of research has established the efficacy and safety of ketamine infusion therapy in treating conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, anxiety, and substance abuse.

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How does Ketamine work?

Ketamine operates differently than commonly used antidepressants like Prozac and Lexapro (known as SSRIs). While these and other mood-altering medications often suppress feelings, ketamine encourages you to connect with your emotions, process them, and grow through the experience.

Viewing Life Without Shame and Judgment
Ketamine downregulates the default mode network (DMN), a part of the brain associated with self-referential thinking. This allows patients to view their life situations with more distance, as if they are a friend recounting a story or watching a movie about their experiences.

 

Thinking Differently
Ketamine also promotes new brain cell growth (neurogenesis or neuroplasticity) by stimulating the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This release occurs as ketamine acts on the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors, enhancing glutamate activity. Glutamate is a critical neurotransmitter that facilitates the brain's ability to change and form new neural connections.

While scientists continue to explore the mechanisms behind ketamine's antidepressant effects, studies suggest that by blocking NMDA receptors, ketamine triggers a rapid increase in glutamate levels in the brain. This surge strengthens and restores vital neural connections and pathways in regions often impaired by depression, leading to positive changes in brain circuit function and improved mood regulation. Low-dose ketamine therapy can produce significant symptom relief, often within hours to days.

Ultimately, ketamine helps you approach difficult situations with a sense of ease, allowing for different responses. Learning to live differently becomes the focus of integrating the ketamine experience into your life.

What Does Treatment Look Like?

Together, we will develop the structure, stability, and tools necessary to prepare for and integrate this transformative work into your life. You will learn to mindfully explore your bodily sensations, feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and spirit. This heightened awareness serves as one of the greatest catalysts for change.

 

At Delve, we provide a space for you to experience and integrate the expanded states of consciousness facilitated by psychedelic medicines. Our team of practitioners is dedicated to creating a safe, steady, grounded, and compassionate environment for your healing journey. We respect and empower you to connect with your inner healer, recognizing that the true medicine resides within you.

Stages of Therapy

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*Referral to licensed Ketamine provider

  1. Free Exploratory Consultation
    This is a 15-minute consultation to answer your questions and explore the possibility of working together. No medical advice is given during this session.
  2. Medical Evaluation

    Safety is our number one concern. A referral will be made to a licensed medical provider specializing in the evaluation and management of Ketamine prescriptions for mental health conditions.  Delve partners with Skylight Psychedelics (Link: https://www.skylightpsychedelics.com/).  *Naturopathic Doctors are not licensed to evaluate and manage ketamine prescriptions.  All questions related to ketamine dosing and prescription will default to your ketamine prescriber.

  3. Intake
    The intake process allows for a deeper exploration of your life, goals for the work, and enables the practitioner to assess how to best support you through this journey.

  4. Preparation
    We will outline treatment expectations, help you create an optimal mindset for your sessions, set your intentions, and discuss aftercare to ensure you make the most of this investment in yourself.

  5. Journey
    You'll self-administer the ketamine tablet according to your prescriber's directions. During ketamine sessions, you will enter an expanded state of consciousness. Clients often describe feelings of deep relaxation, wonder, and a newfound ability to explore challenging emotions and life experiences. Music designed to support ketamine therapy will be played to enhance your experience, with our skilled team supporting you every step of the way.
  6. Integration
    Ketamine provides access to insights that may be difficult to see otherwise. It allows you to make new connections and rewrite learned patterns. Integration is about deepening your experience from the ketamine journey rather than seeking insights. The professionals at Delve will help you identify tangible aspects of your experience to bring into your life; from this foundation, insights will grow and become integrated. This is the most crucial part of the process, as changing patterns requires daily practice.

  7.  Repeat
    Our treatment protocol typically involves 6-10 ketamine exploration sessions paired with supportive integration sessions, creating a cohesive healing arc that unfolds over approximately 4-6 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Clients often present with symptoms that are congruent with the following conditions:

  • Major Depressive Disorder
  • Treatment-Resistant Depression
  • Anxiety Disorders/Panic Attacks
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Complex trauma
  • Substance Abuse Disorder
  • Disordered Eating
  • Bi-polar depression
  • Feeling stuck
  • Lacking purpose
  • Relationship Difficulties 
  • Self-critical voice

Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)

KAP therapy is conducted in an office-based, outpatient setting. Each medicine session lasts approximately 2.5 hours and consists of three distinct parts: Settling (5-15 minutes), Inward-Focused Medicine Experience (75-90 minutes), and Primary Integration (45-60 minutes).

Settling

The session begins by settling into the space and orienting yourself to your intention for the session. You can share your intention, arrange your space, and take a final restroom break.

Self-Administer Ketamine

You are in control.  You will take the Ketamine as directed by the prescribing physician.

Inward-Focused Medicine Experience

You will begin your journey by placing a rapid-dissolving tablet under your tongue and reclining on a comfortable sofa or chair. An eye shade will be provided, and the medicine typically takes effect within 5-10 minutes. The sensations peak around 45 minutes and can last between 75-120 minutes. Non-lyrical music specifically designed for ketamine therapy will play on high-quality speakers. This part of the process is predominantly inward-focused, and you will decide when to remove the eye shade.

Primary Integration

The time immediately after removing the eye shade is dedicated to helping you orient yourself and deepen into the experience, facilitating a gentle transition from the expanded state of consciousness.

The experience of ketamine therapy is often described as a wonderful and pleasant break from pain. While each session is unique and difficult to define as “normal,” there are common aspects of the process.

The journey typically begins with a deep sense of relaxation in both mind and body. You may feel light, light-headed, or a gentle warmth. As the experience progresses, you might sense an even greater lightness, perhaps even feeling a slight separation between yourself and your body. Your hands and legs may feel distant, and some individuals report a growing separation from different components of consciousness, such as thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and perceptions. Occasionally, this can lead to an enhanced sensation of lightness—sometimes to the extent of feeling as if you are above the room. These sensations are generally well-tolerated, and many describe the experience as “pleasurable” or a much-needed “break.”

At this point, individuals often find themselves feeling less burdened by feelings of depression, anxiety, and trauma. This experience is frequently characterized as an immense relief, as if the heavy blanket of depression has been temporarily lifted. People commonly express that it serves as a hopeful reminder that these conditions do not define them; instead, they can be seen as temporary and separate from their true selves.

While challenging moments can occasionally arise, your guide is skilled at creating a safe space for you to process these experiences. Many individuals describe these moments as some of the most important and impactful of their lives.

Although you may not experience any of these side effects, the most common ones associated with ketamine therapy include dissociation or feeling strange or loopy, double vision, loss of appetite, a dream-like state, nausea, elevated blood pressure, and difficulty speaking. These symptoms are generally transient and self-resolve within a few hours. Your prescribing physician will provide more detailed information about potential side effects.

These effects typically occur within a few hours after ingesting the ketamine. To ensure your safety, you will be supervised at the clinic for 2.5 hours before leaving with your ride.

Ketamine is a safe and well-studied medication that has been used for over 50 years.



The short answer is tangibility and speed.

Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) can bring tangible results to mental health that impact deep and foundational aspects of your life in a relatively short time. Many clients have been working on issues for years in traditional therapy without finding relief. After just a few months of KAP, many notice a significant shift.

This style of therapy supports you in recognizing that you have the internal resources to thrive. We take a non-directive approach that empowers you on your healing journey. While your therapist may incorporate some standard psychotherapy techniques, they largely trust you to navigate your own path, providing a supportive space as you uncover your strengths.

Traditional therapy tends to be ongoing, whereas KAP is an intensive process that spans about 4-6 months on average.



A psychedelic journey is a step into the unknown, and it’s normal to have feelings related to what may arise during a session. It’s uncommon for memories to surface that are not already in your awareness.

Regardless of what arises, ketamine enhances your resilience, allowing you to process whatever occurs. Your guide will support you in integrating your experience, turning it into fuel for meaningful change.


Not typically.  Ketamine tends to have a rather playful demeanor.  It is common for experiences to be well tolerated.  Many people describe the experience as a profound and restful reset.  Your experienced therapist will guide and support you through anything that arises. 



The process extends over 4-6 months, during which you will have 6-10 medicine sessions and 8-20 preparation and integration sessions.

The arc of Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is tailored to your specific needs, and many people start with a round of 4-6 medicine sessions before taking a break to focus on integration. They may return to ketamine work after a few weeks.

Once the ketamine sessions are complete, individuals continue their healing journey in various ways. Some choose to do another round of KAP in the future, while others may work with their regular therapist or practice mindfulness techniques they learned during the process.



KAP is a commitment to your healing and requires dedication to change. You will work face-to-face with your practitioner for approximately 40 hours over 4-6 months.

This approach offers a unique opportunity for significant growth and transformation. Practicing the skills you acquire between sessions is essential for achieving lasting results.

The total cost of the 4-5 month process ranges from $2,100 to $8,500, depending on insurance coverage and the number of sessions. This is roughly comparable to the cost of one year of weekly therapy.

Reduced rates and scholarships may be available to assist with costs.

Insurance may cover preparation, integration, and some additional aspects of the treatment. However, it will not cover the guiding process during a ketamine session. The out-of-pocket, non-billable expense for the entire course of treatment is approximately $2,100 to $3,500, depending on the number of sessions (this is an estimate).

Delve is contracted with Regence, Premera, Lifewise, and HMA. For individuals with other insurance companies, superbills can be provided for Out-of-Network benefits. It is the patient's responsibility to submit the superbill to their insurer for reimbursement for out-of-network benefits.



Delve is committed to offering services to individuals of all financial backgrounds. We have partnered with Thank You Life to support those who cannot afford Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). This funding is limited but is continually expanding.



Payment plans can be arranged.



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“Ketamine assisted therapy has served as an invaluable tool in my self-healing journey. I feel as if I have woken up from a long deep slumber with a renewed sense of self awareness, worth, love and purpose. Thank you, Dr. Jonathan, for holding a safe space and being an ally during these life changing experiences. I’m forever grateful!"

– Female, 33 - depression/PTSD

 

“Ketamine assisted therapy has served as an invaluable tool in my self-healing journey. I feel as if I have woken up from a long deep slumber with a renewed sense of self awareness, worth, love and purpose. Thank you, Dr. Jonathan, for holding a safe space and being an ally during these life changing experiences. I’m forever grateful!"

– Female, 33 - depression/PTSD

 

It’s time to reclaim your most precious life.

Ready to take that next step? Schedule a free 15 minute discovery session.