We believe in the power of the therapeutic relationship
This is what sets our model apart. It is within relationships that we are wounded, and within healthy, trusting relationships we repair and heal.
Therefore, we proudly offer Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy — therapy is the foundation, Ketamine is the assistant, and your safety and comfort are the priority.
“Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It’s a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others.
Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.”
- Pema Chodron
How KAP therapy works
Consultation & intake
First, we will touch base by phone for a complementary 20-minute consultation call. We’ll discuss what is bringing you to KAP work, your experience with psychedelics and psychotherapy and any initial questions and concerns. Together we will discuss whether KAP is the right choice for you at this time. If we decide to move forward, we’ll schedule your intake session.
Next, we will meet for a one-hour intake session (either virtual or at our Brooklyn office). During your intake, we’ll get to know each other, and explore your background, life challenges and goals as we embark on this journey together. Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy won’t be a good fit if you have a history of Bipolar I or II, a personality disorder, history of mania and/or dissociation, or are in active addiction.
Preparation & meet with prescriber
We will connect you with a prescribing psychiatrist or nurse practitioner who specializes in the clinical use of Ketamine. The prescriber will evaluate your medical and psychological history to ensure you are a good fit for Ketamine. Following their determination, they will write you a prescription in the form of an oral lozenge. You are responsible for arranging this appointment and procuring the Ketamine before our first KAP session.
We suggest having between 4-8 preparatory sessions before we begin Ketamine sessions. This gives us time to get to know each other, and build a safe and trusting rapport. Many find that the more comfortable the therapeutic container, the deeper the work can go. During our preparatory sessions, we will align on the process and set intentions for our KAP sessions together.
Dosing session
The number of Ketamine sessions will vary depending on your needs, and can range in frequency from one to eight. The average number of Ketamine sessions are four to six. We recommend Ketamine sessions be three hours long, allowing us ample time to settle in, connect, create an intentional space, have a 1-2 hour trip and finally process and integrate what you experienced.
During the session, you will be in a comfortable, reclining position wearing an eye mask and listening to calming, Ketamine-specific music. Although a KAP dosing session may be a largely internal experience, I am present with you the entire time to provide safety, support, and grounding as needed.
Integration Session
The power of KAP continues well after the dosing session. Integration sessions follow within a couple of days to take advantage of the neuroplasticity Ketamine creates in the brain, the ability to break free from “stuck” emotional responses and patterns and create new habits and beliefs.
Ketamine therapy often raises insights about ourselves that require time and intention to incorporate. These integration sessions help make sense of the experience you had in the larger context of your life. We will also use these sessions to prepare for future dosing sessions.
Additional services
Group KAP
Group KAP is for people looking for a more affordable KAP option, while being supported in community. Groups are composed of three to four individuals and will comprise a 3 month process including group preparatory sessions, group dosing sessions, and group integration sessions.
Individual Therapy
Perhaps you’ve been through years of traditional talk therapy yourself, and have come to discover that even though you’ve “figured it out”, you’re still suffering, and looking for something different. Somatic therapy (“soma” is Greek for body) can go deeper, into a place beyond and before words. These are the places that hold access to our deepest pain, and also our greatest potential. We work with:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Trauma
- Navigating major life transitions
Couples Therapy
We work with couples who hold out hope that there’s a new, healthier way to love and be loved, and could use a little help listening, feeling heard, and moving through conflict with courage and kindness. Warmly welcoming people in polyamorous, non-monogamous, or alternative relationships configurations (or those curious about them). Supporting people with:
- Challenging attachment dynamics
- Tendencies towards lashing out or shutting down when triggered
- Sex and intimacy difficulties
Psychedelic Integration Therapy
The medicine session itself is oftentimes just the beginning. The unfolding that happens after a psychedelic journey is often where the bulk of the “work” lies. We support people to make sense of their personal psychedelic experiences within the wider context of their lives, creating fertile ground for positive changes and deeper self compassion to take root.