KAP — KETAMINE-ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY IN NEW YORK CITY

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is a holistic modality in which ketamine is used as a complement to psychotherapy in order to help eligible patients experience more frequent breakthroughs and sustained improvement in symptoms.

In partnership with an organization called Journey Clinical, Kaitlyn Bruneau is offering a therapeutic modality called Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP).

I take on the psychotherapy portion of the experience, while Journey Clinical’s medical team supports you on all medical aspects. This includes determining eligibility, developing a custom treatment plan, prescribing the medicine and monitoring outcomes. Below is more information about KAP to help you navigate if it may be a good fit for you.

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine is a legal, safe and effective medicine used to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety and PTSD. It is a beneficial addition to treatment for several reasons:

1. Ketamine has rapidly-acting antidepressant and mood-enhancing effects, which can begin to take effect within 1-2 hrs. after treatment and last for up to 2 weeks. It works by blocking the brain’s NMDA receptors and stimulating AMPA receptors, which help form new synaptic connections and boost neural circuits that regulate stress and mood.
2. Ketamine has also been shown to enhance overall neuroplasticity for lasting symptom improvement and improved ability to build new habits and make behavioral changes.
3. The mental state brought on by this medicine can help promote improved mental processing and clarity to aid in lasting symptom relief.

Ketamine can be administered in a variety of ways, including IV infusion, intramuscular injection, via nasal spray and using sublingual lozenges. In my work with Journey Clinical we only use the sublingual lozenge form.

How Does Ketamine Feel?

The effects of ketamine, which most patients find pleasant, last for approximately 45 minutes. These effects can make you feel “far from” your body, and facilitate shifts in perception that can often feel expansive in nature. Many individuals have reported feelings of gratitude, self-compassion, awareness, and insight.

Your motor and verbal abilities will be reduced, so you’ll be lying down in a comfortable position during the experience. Once these effects subsided, we’ll spend the remainder of our appointment giving you space to process and discuss your experience. While it may feel hard to articulate what happened during the experience, patients feel like the insights gained are none-the-less clear. Studies have shown that the benefits to mood and neurological growth can last up to two weeks after the Ketamine experience.

1. Gathering information

• You are also encouraged to take some time to research KAP on your own to identify any questions or concerns that you might have. I have provided some useful resources and information below to help you with this part of the process.
• Then, you and I can schedule a time to further discuss your thoughts, questions, and concerns around Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy. This would be a great opportunity for you to gather any information on logistics, processes, and goal setting and to aid in your decision making process.
• If the information you receive leads you to believe that KAP would be a great fit for you, I will then go ahead and make a referral for you to Journey Clinical so you can schedule next steps.

2. Initial consultation with Journey Clinical

• First, you will schedule an initial evaluation with a clinician from the Journey Clinical medical team via zoom. They will go over your medical and psychiatric history with you, provide education on the treatment and determine if you are eligible for KAP.
• If Journey Clinical’s medical team determines that you are eligible for KAP, they will develop a personalized Ketamine prescription and outcome monitoring plan for you.
• Journey Clinical’s medical staff will write a ketamine prescription for you, and a small amount of oral ketamine will be sent to your home, enough for the first 2 KAP sessions. You will be taught to take your vitals and self-administer the ketamine lozenges by Journey Clinical’s medical team in advance of our KAP sessions.

3. Preparation sessions:

• Once you receive your ketamine lozenges, we will schedule time together for our KAP preparation, dosing and integration sessions. Preparation sessions will be scheduled just like regular therapy sessions prior to the KAP dosing session. The goal of a preparation session is to align on the process and set intentions for our KAP sessions together.

4. KAP Dosing Session:

• A typical ketamine dosing session lasts between 2-3 hours and can take place either in-person at my office, or remotely via telehealth. Please note that a chaperone will be required for either type of session. For in-office sessions, you will need to arrange for someone to pick you up at the end of the session. For virtual sessions, you will need to arrange for someone else to be in the home with you to assist you or communicate with me on your behalf.
• During a dosing session, you will self-administer your ketamine lozenge either in my office or in your home. You will be in a comfortable, reclining position wearing an eye mask and listening to calming music. Although a KAP dosing session may be largely an internal experience, I will be present with you the entire time to hold space and provide support as needed.

5. Integration Sessions:

• After our KAP dosing session, we will meet for multiple integration therapy sessions to review the memories, thoughts and insights that arose during your dosing session, and to prepare for the next dosing session.

6. Follow-up consultations with Journey Clinical:

• After our first KAP session, Journey Clinical’s medical team will schedule regular follow ups with you to monitor outcomes and prescribe ketamine lozenge refills, as appropriate. The frequency of follow ups depends on your unique treatment plan, at a minimum of once per quarter.