A New Kind of Healing
Ketamine-Assisted
Psychotherapy
A clinically guided experience that pairs the neurological effects of ketamine with intentional psychotherapy — so change doesn't just happen during the session. It travels with you.
What is KAP
More than a treatment.
A process of return.
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is an evidence-informed approach that uses ketamine — a legal medication — to create a temporary shift in how the brain holds on to old patterns. In that window, therapeutic work becomes more accessible. Defenses soften. New perspectives emerge.
What makes KAP different from other treatments isn't the ketamine itself — it's what happens before, during, and after. Preparation. Presence. Integration. Each phase is held therapeutically, so the experience becomes meaning, not just medicine.
Neurologically
Ketamine temporarily quiets the default mode network — the part of the brain that loops through old narratives and entrenched patterns — creating space for new ways of seeing and responding.
Therapeutically
The medicine creates openness. The therapy creates meaning. Integration sessions after each dosing experience help you metabolize what arose and carry it into daily life.
Experientially
Clients often describe a sense of distance from their usual self-criticism, a felt sense of connection, or unexpected clarity. Many say it's the first time they've felt genuinely at ease in years.
Relationally
KAP is most effective when embedded in an ongoing therapeutic relationship. The safety of that connection becomes the container that makes the work possible — and sustainable.
What to Expect
Held at every step.
Nothing to figure out alone.
1: Preparation
Before anything else, you are prepared — clinically, emotionally, and practically. You will know exactly what to expect and feel ready before your first dosing session. This is where you set your intention for your dosing session.
2: The dosing experience
The dosing session is held in-office or virtually, depending on client preference. This is where the medicine opens up your mind and takes you on a journey that varies from person to person. Your therapist is with you while the medicine is working.
3: Integration
Integration is where the real work lives. A dedicated session within the same week helps you make meaning of what arose and begin weaving it into your everyday self. This is where you integrate your intention and what you saw on your journey, creating new ways of thinking.
The Intake Process
From first contact
to first session.
The process is designed to move at a pace that feels steady and unhurried. Each step builds on the last, so by the time you arrive for your first dosing session, you are not starting something unknown — you are continuing something already in motion.
-
15 minutes · Phone or video
A brief, no-pressure conversation to explore fit — for you and for the practice. We'll talk about what brings you here, what KAP involves, and whether this is the right next step. If it is, we'll get you scheduled. If it isn't, we'll say that honestly and point you somewhere helpful.
-
1–2 sessions · about 60 minutes
Before any medicine is involved, we meet — twice if needed, once if you're ready — to prepare you clinically and personally. We'll build intention, explore what you're hoping to access, discuss what the dosing experience is actually like, and address any concerns.
-
2-3 hours (First session in office, if virtual)
The dosing session takes place in a calm, carefully prepared space in the office. You will take ketamine under clinical supervision while supported therapeutically throughout. Some processing and initial integration happen within this session itself — the experience doesn't end when the medicine does.
-
1 session, about 60 minutes · Within 7 days of dosing
What surfaces during a dosing experience needs a place to land and that’s exactly what this session is about. This session, scheduled within the same week as your dosing session, is where you begin to metabolize what arose: what you noticed, what shifted, what felt important, and what you want to carry forward.
Each prep + dosing + integration sequence is one complete cycle. Most clients move through the 6-8 cycles weekly but some sessions can be spaced out if needed. The full course is designed to build on itself — each session informed by the one before it.
Whether you need a brief course or a longer journey is something we'll assess together as we go. There is no predetermined endpoint, and no pressure to move faster than what's right for you.
Who KAP tends to serve well.
KAP is not the right fit for everyone — and that clarity is part of good clinical care. A free consultation helps us figure out together whether this is your next right step.
KAP may be a good fit if you —
Have tried talk therapy but feel stuck in the same patterns
Struggle with depression, anxiety, or chronic emotional pain
PTSD and/or other mental health challenges
Feel disconnected from yourself or emotionally numb
Are ready to go deeper and can commit to the full process
Have a strong desire to integrate change into your daily life
Are medically appropriate for ketamine (assessed at consultation)
KAP may not be the right fit if you —
Are in active crisis or need immediate stabilization
Have certain medical or psychiatric contraindications
Are not currently able to commit to the full prep + dosing + integration cycle
Are looking for a standalone medical treatment without a therapeutic component
Insurance & Fees
Clear from
the start.
Most of the KAP process is covered by accepted insurance — the notable exception being dosing sessions, which require extended clinical time are priced as self-pay.
We will always be transparent about costs before you commit to anything. If you have questions about your specific coverage, we can help you think through it during your consultation.
Common Questions
-
Ketamine has been used safely in medical settings for decades. When administered in a clinically controlled context — at appropriate therapeutic doses, with proper screening and supervision — it has a well-established safety profile. All Medical Suitability is assessed before your first preparation session by a partnering medical prescriber.
-
Experiences vary from person to person and session to session. Many people describe a dreamy, floaty quality — a sense of distance from ordinary thought and a loosening of the inner critic. Some notice visual or sensory shifts. Others feel deep emotional release or unexpected clarity. The preparation sessions help you know what to expect and how to work with whatever arises.
-
This will be addressed during your consultation. Sage Psychotherapy works collaboratively with prescribing providers as needed and will walk you through whatever coordination is required. You don't need to figure this out on your own before reaching out.
-
Most KAP courses involve six to eight cycles. Some people notice meaningful shifts earlier; others benefit from the full course. We assess together as we go — based on what you're experiencing, what's shifting, and what you still want to work toward. There is no pressure to follow a fixed timeline.
-
In many cases, yes — and it can be a meaningful complement to ongoing individual work. We'll talk through your current support structure during the consultation to make sure everything works well together.
-
Yes. You will need a trusted person to drive you home following each dosing session and to stay with you for the remainder of that day. This is a standard part of the safety protocol and something we will plan for during your preparation sessions.
Ready to explore
what's possible?
A 15-minute consultation is where it starts — no commitment, no pressure. Just an honest conversation about whether this is the right next step for you.