Ketamine Therapy

Ketamine therapy is an advanced psychiatric treatment with two purposes: It rapidly improves treatment-resistant depression and also has psychoactive effects that enhance talk therapy. Board-certified psychiatrist Janelle Haider, MD, and the experienced team at Treo Care in West Los Angeles, California, offer these revolutionary treatments in the office and through the convenience of at-home services. To learn if ketamine-assisted therapy (KAP) might help you, call the office or use the online booking feature to request an in-person or telehealth appointment today.

What is ketamine therapy?

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that achieves different results depending on the dose. It has been used as a safe anesthetic in hospitals and clinics for years. The medication also effectively treats depression and eases chronic pain.  

As a dissociative medication, ketamine has a psychoactive effect that disconnects you from your feelings and thoughts. When combined with psychotherapy, ketamine enhances your therapy and gives you deeper insights that you may not attain without the medication.

What type of ketamine therapy treats depression?

Your Treo Care provider offers a form of ketamine called esketamine (SPRAVATO®). Esketamine is a nasal spray that’s approved for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). You may have TRD if your depression doesn’t improve after trying at least two antidepressants.

Esketamine is also used to treat people who have major depressive disorder (MDD) with thoughts of or attempted suicide.

After spraying esketamine into your nose, the medication quickly reaches your brain, rapidly balances brain chemicals, and improves depression, often significantly boosting your mood within days.

Esketamine is a regulated substance and can only be given in the presence of your Treo Care provider. They make getting the treatment you need easier by providing at-home services.

What is ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP)?

KAP combines talk therapy with the dissociative effects of ketamine. Your provider either injects ketamine, gives you an oral tablet, or administers esketamine. After taking the medication, you relax and have a psychotherapy session.

The medication helps you relax, separates your conscious thoughts from difficult emotions, and makes you more open to discussing difficult experiences. Ketamine’s dissociative effect opens your mind and helps you retrieve memories, emotions, and experiences that were tucked away in your subconscious.

Your Treo Care therapist guides your journey as you talk about your memories. They may ask questions, point out connections between emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, and help you see how these rediscovered memories contributed to depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues.

The insight gained during KAP allows you to change negative habits and overcome mental health challenges. Some people have a spiritual experience during KAP, as they have sensations or see images that may not make sense to their logical brain. Your therapist guides you through the symbolism to promote deeper healing.

Call Treo Care or request an appointment online today to learn how ketamine therapy can relieve your depression and improve your mental and emotional well-being.