Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is proven to help with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental health illnesses. However, accessing this service and maximizing its efficacy has proven difficult given the requirements of patients. In-home KAP bridges the gaps in care, improve access, and allows patients to feel more open during sessions.
Ketamine is a useful medication in anesthesia and mental health. In lower doses, it can help to ease depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Ketamine works by targeting a specific area of the brain that is responsible for these conditions. Our minds often construct walls around trauma that we have experienced in the past. These walls serve to protect ourselves; however, they often hinder the progression of therapy and or psychiatric medications. Ketamine lowers these walls and allows a trained therapist to “reach across” and help patients process those walled events. Generally, KAP sessions are 2-3 hours and repeat weekly for 6-8 weeks on average.
The medication provides a state of relaxation as your disconnect from your physical surroundings. This allows you to focus on your mental surroundings. This state of relaxation means that patients cannot drive for 6-12 hours after therapy, depending on the dose. Clinics that provide ketamine require the patient have a responsible party to drive them home after therapy. For some patients, this is difficult, especially in the middle of the day for several consecutive.
KAP is not like traditional talk therapy. The ketamine helps break through the negative thoughts and patterns that keep you stuck. This allows you to see things from a different perspective and start making positive changes in your life. This requires therapists who have specific training in trauma and ketamine therapy. While it may be referred to as a “ketamine guide,” this is potentially harmful as guides may be ill-equipped to walk patients through a traumatic experience.
Therapy Is Essential
Ketamine therapy is not right for everyone with mental health issues. Careful consultation with a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatrist before starting any treatment. Patients in crisis do not qualify for KAP, and certain mental health conditions are contraindicated for KAP.
Ketamine therapy without a licensed therapist harms patients’ mental health. Ketamine clinics that offer medication shipped or infused without therapy only provide half the recommended treatment. National guidelines recommend that patients have a formal evaluation with a Mental Health provider before starting KAP. After this is complete, a therapist trained in ketamine can start sessions. This requires a team approach of medical and mental health providers. The team approach also creates significant obstacles for patients. Many clinics have either ketamine or mental health providers. Suprisingly, few have both.
Team Approach
Mobile Care Health offers a team approach in Denver, Colorado, with Mental Health NP’s, Adult Medicine NP’s, and licensed therapists with advanced degrees and KAP certifications. “We can bring KAP to patients” home in the Denver metro area with local experts,” said Dr Jacob Weinstein, Chief Medical Officer of Mobile Care Health. He added, “often patients can reduce or eliminate their need for antidepressants and/or other medications after therapy.” “In-home ketamine therapy provides relief from symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder when directed through a holistic treatment plan and directed by trained therapists”, relates Jacque Carbone, Mental Health NP. She added, “Many patients reduce medications and find comfort in addressing many symptoms of PTSD and depression through ketamine at-home treatments.
Denver Ketamine Therapy
In-home KAP allows you to receive the care you need in the comfort of your home. Greg Rosenthal MA, LPC relates, “One of the real benefits of in-home KAP, is for the client to have greater agency and input over “set and setting.” This refers to a client’s mindset and environment (physical, social, cultural, spiritual).” Research identifies “set and setting” to be one of the more significant determinants impacting the effectiveness of KAP. Greg went on to say, “At home, clients get to collaborate to facilitate the best possible outcomes.” This means no more waiting rooms, no more worrying about being seen by someone you know. You can feel safe and relaxed in your own space, which makes it easier to open up and work through any issues you may be experiencing. Jeffrey Lang MA, LPC added, “I consider it an honor and a privilege to facilitate Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy to individuals seeking a deeper form of healing than they have found in traditional talk therapy. The beauty of in-home Ketamine treatment is that the recipient is in a safe, familiar, and comfortable environment where they can feel free to fully surrender to the healing process. With the support of a trained clinician such as myself, the individual can begin this transformative journey from the comfort of their own home.”
Mobile Care Health KAP
If you are interested in learning more about in-home KAP, or if you know someone who is, please contact Mobile Care Health at [email protected] or text ketamine to 719-356-5410
If you have an urgent or emergent need for mental health assistance,
please contact the Mental Health Partners crisis line at (303) 447-1665 or
Colorado Crisis Services by calling 1-844-493-8255, text “TALK” to 38255,
or online at https://coloradocrisisservices.org/, or call 911 and go to the
nearest emergency department.