Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) 101
I provide a therapeutic approach known as Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) in collaboration with an organization called Journey Clinical. KAP is a holistic method that utilizes ketamine alongside psychotherapy to assist eligible individuals in accessing more frequent breakthroughs and lasting symptom improvement. I handle the psychotherapy aspect of the process, while Journey Clinical’s medical team manages all medical aspects. This includes assessing eligibility, creating a personalized treatment plan, prescribing the medication, and monitoring results. Below, you will find additional information about KAP to help you determine if it might be suitable for you.
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Ketamine is a legal, safe, and effective medication used to address various mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, addiction, chronic pain, and PTSD. It has rapid antidepressant and mood-enhancing effects that can start within 1-2 hours after treatment and may last for up to 2-3 weeks. Ketamine functions by blocking the brain's NMDA receptors and stimulating AMPA receptors, which are believed to aid in the formation of new synaptic connections and enhance neural circuits that regulate stress and mood. Additionally, ketamine has been shown to improve overall neuroplasticity, leading to lasting symptom relief. It can be administered in several ways, including IV infusion, intramuscular injection, nasal spray, and sublingual lozenges. In my collaboration with Journey Clinical, we exclusively use the sublingual lozenge form.
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The effects of ketamine typically last around 20-45 minutes. During this time, you may feel a sense of detachment from your body and experience shifts in perception that can feel expansive. Your motor and verbal skills will be diminished, so you will be lying down comfortably throughout the experience. Once these effects wear off, we will use the remainder of our appointment to give you space to process and discuss your experience or processing will occur in an integration session within 24-72 hours.
Research has indicated that the mood benefits and neurological growth can persist for up to 2-3 weeks following the ketamine experience.
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Initial Medical Consultation with Journey Clinical
You will schedule an (virtual) initial medical consultation with a clinician from the Journey Clinical medical team. During this meeting, they will review your medical, physical and psychiatric history, provide information about the treatment, and assess your eligibility for KAP.
If you are deemed eligible for KAP, the medical team will create a personalized ketamine prescription and outcome monitoring plan tailored to you.
Journey Clinical’s medical staff will write a prescription for ketamine, and a small supply of oral ketamine will be sent to your home, sufficient for your first two KAP sessions. Prior to our KAP sessions, the medical team will instruct you on how to take your vitals and self-administer the ketamine lozenges.
Preparation Sessions
Once you receive your ketamine lozenges, we will schedule time for our KAP preparation, dosing, and integration sessions. Preparation sessions will be arranged like regular therapy sessions before the KAP dosing session. The aim of these preparation sessions is to align on the process and set intentions for our KAP work together.
KAP Dosing Session
A typical ketamine dosing session lasts between 1-2 hours and will occur remotely via telehealth unless discussed otherwise.
During the dosing session, you will self-administer your ketamine lozenge at home (unless discussed otherwise). You will be in a comfortable, reclining position, wearing an eye mask and listening to soothing music. While the KAP dosing session may primarily be an internal experience, I will be present with you throughout to provide support and hold space as needed.
Integration Sessions
Following our KAP dosing session, we will have several integration therapy sessions to discuss the memories, thoughts, and insights that emerged during your dosing experience, as well as to prepare for the next dosing session.
Follow-Up Consultations with Journey Clinical
After your first KAP session, Journey Clinical’s medical team will schedule regular follow-ups to monitor your progress and prescribe refills of the ketamine lozenges as necessary. The frequency of these follow-ups will depend on your individual treatment plan, with a minimum of one follow-up per quarter.
What is the Cost of Treatment?
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy is an affordable, accessible modality.
Journey Clinical accepts the following insurance plans for medical consultation:
Aetna
Blue Shield of California
If you do not have Aetna or Blue Shield of California, Journey Clinical can provide a superbill for you to submit for reimbursement through your employer or insurance.
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
■ My typical hourly rate for a KAP (preparation + integration) session is $200 per 50 minutes (unless discussed otherwise)*.
■ Dosing session is $280 per 1.5-2 hour session (unless discussed otherwise)*.
■ I accept all credit cards, HSA and FSA through Ivy Pay.
■ I can provide a super bill for you to be reimbursed by your employer or insurance/reimbursable through out-of-network.
*I also offer sliding scale for folx who qualify (please go to rates for more information).
Journey Clinical Medical Costs
■ First-time clients
● Initial medical consultation with Journey Clinical: $250*
● Cost of medication: $85 (enough for 2 sessions)
■ Ongoing treatment
● Follow-up medical consultation with Journey Clinical $150* (at least 1X per quarter)
● Cost of medication: $145 (enough for up to 6 sessions)
*reimbursable through out-of-network (super bill); Aetna and Blue Shield of California insurance accepted
The Therapeutic Process
New Clients:
The first step is to reflect on this option within yourself; pay attention to your curiosity, and if it resonates, please reach out. I offer a complimentary 20-30 minute voice or video consultation to discuss your interests, answer any questions, navigate pricing and insurance, and assess the suitability of KAP for you and our potential collaboration.
If you choose to proceed, the next step is a KAP-informed mental health intake, which is a full 50-minute paid session to initiate the therapeutic process.
You will undergo a medical evaluation with a prescriber, for whom I will provide a referral.
Following that, we will have 3-4 regular psychotherapy sessions, without medication, to build rapport, better understand your needs, and identify the underlying issues that will guide our treatment. This phase will also include the Preparation stage of KAP treatment.
Based on the outcomes of the medical evaluation, we will schedule our first Dosing KAP session. The session will last 1.5 to 2 hours and will begin with a review of the Preparation themes, followed by a 45-minute to 1-hour “journey” to experience the effects of the medicine, and conclude with 45-minute to 1-hour as the effects dissipate. We will also explore integration at the end of each session.
Each dosing session will be followed by a separate Integration session, without medication, where we will connect the themes from our preparatory sessions and what emerged during your dosing sessions to foster deeper understanding, processing, and healing.
How Do I Sign Up?
If you would like to explore the possibility of working with me on KAP, please contact me here or e-mail me at trang@radicalizedcare.com or reach out to me on the contact section at the bottom ⬇️ of this website to discuss eligibility and next steps.
What is Journey Clinical?
Journey Clinical is a platform that enables licensed psychotherapists to safely and effectively integrate science-based psychedelic therapies into their practice, beginning with Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). The in-house medical team at Journey Clinical handles client eligibility, prescriptions, and outcome monitoring, while I focus on the therapeutic aspect. Their collaborative care model is designed to provide personalized treatment plans tailored to your individual needs, enhancing long-term outcomes.
