Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
A supported journey inward, creating space for healing, connection, and new possibilities.
In person, one-on-one guided KAP sessions in Syracuse, NY
What is Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy?
KAP combines the use of ketamine with the support of psychotherapy to create a different way of accessing and exploring your inner experience.
Ketamine is a medication that has been safely used in medical settings for decades, originally as an anesthetic. More recently, it has been used at lower doses in mental health treatment, where it can create a temporary shift in the way we experience our thoughts, emotions, bodies, and sense of self.
Ketamine works on the brain’s glutamate system, which is thought to increase neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to form new connections and become more flexible in its patterns.
What all of this can offer is a temporary softening of some of our usual ways of thinking, protecting, and making sense of our experiences. This allows a little more spaciousness within, granting us access to emotions, memories, perspectives, or parts of ourselves that can be harder to reach in our everyday state of mind.
Why Ketamine + Therapy?
Ketamine can create powerful shifts in the ways we view ourselves and the patterns we’ve been stuck in.
But having an experience is different than integrating actual change into your life.
Therapy gives us a space to make sense of what emerges, and explore how these insights might translate into meaningful change beyond the ketamine session itself.
And also…. having a therapist there means you don’t have to navigate the experience alone. The presence of a safe, attuned therapist can help your nervous system feel supported enough to turn inward. Together we stay curious about what emerges and work with it gently—before, during, and after the medicine experience.
The KAP Process
01. Preparation
We’ll meet for 3 preparation sessions to build our relationship, walk through what to expect, explore your intentions and goals, and answer any questions that come up along the way.
02. Medicine Session
A 2- or 3-hour session where you’ll be provided with a comfortable space, an eye mask, and a curated playlist, all intentionally chosen to support you in having an expansive journey inward.
03. Integration
A follow-up session where we’ll explore what emerged during your experience, as well as anything that’s surfaced in the time since, and work together to integrate those insights into your everyday life.
You feel like you’ve hit a wall or plateau in your healing
It’s difficult to access emotions or connect with what’s happening beneath the surface
Your protective system makes it hard to let your guard down, even when you want to
You tend to get caught in overthinking, analyzing, or trying to “figure it all out”
You’re looking for a more experiential, body-based way of doing therapy
You want to approach psychedelic work within the safety and support of a therapeutic relationship
You don’t have to know if KAP is right for you before reaching out. We can explore that together.
KAP might be worth exploring if…..
Common Questions
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Preparation and integration sessions are $175 per session. Ketamine dosing sessions are $185/hour and typically last 2–3 hours.
Medical services are provided separately through Journey Clinical. Their $338 initial fee includes your medical consultation and ketamine prescription. Journey Clinical works with some insurance plans and can provide more information about your individual coverage. https://www.journeyclinical.com
KAP therapy services are self-pay, though you may be eligible for out-of-network reimbursement depending on your insurance benefits.
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I partner with Journey Clinical, whose medical team handles the prescribing and medical oversight of ketamine. Ketamine is prescribed as a rapidly dissolving tablet that is placed under the tongue. You’ll hold and gently swish the medication in your mouth for about 10–15 minutes before spitting it out.
It doesn’t taste great, but most people find it manageable!
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Ketamine feels different for everyone, and each experience can be unique. You may feel more distant from your body or usual thought patterns, and the experience may feel dreamlike, expansive, symbolic, or emotionally meaningful. While many people experience a sense of calm or openness, uncomfortable emotions or sensations can sometimes arise, too. I’ll be with you throughout the experience to help you feel safe, grounded, and supported in whatever comes up.
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While ketamine can certainly shift you away from the usual way you experience your body, thoughts, and surroundings, it’s actually a very navigable experience. You may feel less connected to your usual sense of control, but you are not expected to completely “lose control” for the experience to be effective. Most people maintain some awareness of themselves and their surroundings, and if the experience ever feels too intense, there are ways we can slow things down and help you feel more grounded.
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Great! We’ve found a doorway to something that needs our attention. Just kidding (kind of). It’s completely normal to feel anxious or for difficult material to come up during a ketamine experience. Whatever emerges, we’ll meet it together, and I’ll be there with you the entire time to help you feel supported and grounded. In KAP, we don’t think of these as “bad trips,” but rather “challenging experiences”—and these are things we can absolutely work with during the session and continue exploring together in integration.
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Yep! Ketamine has actually been used in medicine for decades. It was first developed in 1962, FDA-approved as an anesthetic in 1970, and was widely used during the Vietnam War. Today, it continues to be used in medical settings, including with children and other medically vulnerable populations. Like any medication, ketamine isn’t risk-free. This is why you’ll meet with a medical provider through Journey Clinical first to make sure it’s a safe and appropriate option for you.
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There’s no magic number! KAP is highly individualized, and the number of sessions will depend on your goals, needs, and how you respond to the medicine. Some people find a few dosing sessions meaningful, while others benefit from ongoing work over time. We’ll regularly check in together and decide what feels most supportive for you. There’s no predetermined number you have to complete.
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Nope! You’ll need to arrange for a trusted person to pick you up after your dosing session, as you won’t be able to drive for the remainder of the day. This is something we’ll plan for ahead of time, so you can fully settle into the experience without having to worry about getting yourself home afterward.