Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy Overview
Why Ketamine?
Ketamine has been used safely in medical settings for decades. In therapeutic doses, it does something remarkable. Rather than slowly adjusting brain chemistry over weeks, as traditional antidepressants do, it resets key neurotransmitter levels and triggers rapid neuroplasticity, opening a window during which the mind becomes unusually receptive to healing, new perspectives, and lasting change.
In plain terms, it temporarily loosens the mind's grip on its own fixed story. What has been stuck becomes movable.
Paired with skilled therapeutic presence, that window becomes a doorway through which people can create lasting, meaningful changes in mood, thinking, and actions.
What sessions feel like
At Red Maple, ketamine is taken as a lozenge that dissolves slowly under the tongue. Effects typically begin within 15 minutes and last 45 to 75 minutes. Most people describe the experience as dreamlike and inward, emotionally spacious, gently dissociative, and sometimes including visual imagery. It is not like LSD or psilocybin. You remain aware, you feel held, and you are never alone in the room.
Is Ketamine Therapy Right for You?
KAP is most powerful for those ready to engage with the full therapeutic process, not just the medicine. It can be particularly supportive for trauma, depression, anxiety, grief, and the underlying wounds that sometimes fuel addictive behavior. If addiction is not your primary concern and you have support in place, we can talk.
When it isn't the right fit:
KAP is not appropriate for those with:
Unmanaged hypertension
Severe kidney, liver, bladder, or heart disease
History of stroke or elevated cranial or spinal pressure
Psychosis or schizophrenia
Mania or psychiatric hospitalization within the last six months
Primary addiction treatment needs
Still not sure? Bring it to the consultation
Everything you want to know before you begin
If you are feeling ready, the next step is to schedule a free 20-minute consultation. We will go over your questions and explore if Ketamine Therapy at Red Maple Wellness is a good fit.
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Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) pairs the medicine with skilled therapeutic presence before, during, and after each dosing session. This is not a clinic that hands you a prescription and sends you home. The ketamine opens a window, but therapy is how we figure out how to move through it together.
In a dosing session, you self-administer a ketamine lozenge in a comfortable, supported setting. You wear an eye mask, listen to carefully chosen music, and move inward. The experience is dreamlike rather than vividly hallucinogenic, more like a softening of the mind. I am present throughout and can assist you with anything that comes up. After the effects subside, we debrief together and, within days, meet again for a dedicated integration session.
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KAP works at the level that ordinary talk therapy sometimes can’t reach. It can be particularly supportive for:
Depression (including treatment-resistant cases), anxiety, chronic stress, panic, PTSD, complex trauma, OCD, grief (including complicated and traumatic loss), persistent patterns of self-criticism, perfectionism, low self-worth, attachment and intimacy wounds, existential distress, and self-sabotage.
If you have been trying to think your way out of something for years, this work goes underneath that.
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KAP calls for willingness more than anything else, willingness to go inward, to sit with what arises, and to do the integration work between sessions. If you are genuinely curious about your own depths and ready to show up for yourself, this process can be profound.
It may not be the right fit if you are looking for a passive solution, are primarily seeking ketamine for relief rather than healing, or are not able to commit to the full arc of preparation, dosing, and integration.
If you are unsure, a free consultation is the right place to start. There is no pressure and no commitment.
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Some conditions require additional evaluation or medical clearance before beginning. KAP may need to be approached with extra care, or may not be appropriate if you have:
Schizophrenia or active psychosis
Bipolar disorder with recent hospitalization or medication changes (stable, well-managed bipolar is assessed individually)
Unregulated mania or severe dissociation
Severe personality disorders affecting reality testing
Recent hospitalization for psychiatric treatment
Unmanaged hypertension or significant cardiovascular, urinary, or liver conditions
a history of substance misuse where ketamine could be a concern
current pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Having one of these conditions does not automatically close the door. It means we move carefully and may involve additional support. If you are uncertain, bring it to the consultation, and we will figure it out together.
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Free consultation- We meet to explore your history, your goals, and whether this work feels like a fit. No pressure, no commitment.
Medical evaluation with Journey Clinical- If you decide to move forward, you will meet with a Journey Clinical medical provider via Zoom. They review your history, provide education on KAP, determine eligibility, and if approved, prescribe your first supply of ketamine lozenges along with guidance on tracking vitals and self-administration.
Intake and intention-setting- Before anything else, we meet for at least one 50-minute session to map your inner terrain, clarify your intentions, and address any fears or questions. You are welcome to take as many of these sessions as you need. A grounded foundation makes everything that follows more meaningful.
In-person dosing sessions- Your first two dosing sessions are held in person. Each is two to three hours. You will need a driver, as you cannot drive home yourself. I am present throughout.
Integration sessions -After each dosing session, we meet for a 50-minute integration session (available in person or virtually) to tend to what arose and begin weaving it into your life.
At-home dosing- After your first two in-person sessions, and when clinically appropriate, dosing can transition to your home. I am available on-call throughout each at-home session at a reduced rate.
Ongoing follow-ups- Journey Clinical's medical team checks in at least quarterly to monitor your progress and, if appropriate, prescribe additional lozenges. We will regularly assess together how the work is going and what comes next.
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Yes, when used appropriately under medical supervision. Ketamine has been used in clinical settings for decades and has a well-established safety profile. Temporary effects during a session such as mild dizziness, nausea, and disorientation are common and typically resolve within an hour. The medical oversight provided through Journey Clinical, combined with the therapeutic container we build together, ensures you are never navigating this alone.
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No, not on the day of your session. Ketamine temporarily affects motor coordination and cognition, so you will need a driver home and the rest of the day free. Plan for childcare if needed, and give yourself permission to rest. The hours after a session are part of the medicine and it is important to protect them. Normal activities can typically resume the following day, though moving gently back into the world is always encouraged.