The immediate effects of ketamine last about 45 to 60 minutes, though each person’s experience is unique. Most find it pleasant and relaxing, with a sense of detachment from the body. This can lead to expanded perception—sometimes described as feeling spiritual or mystical.

Because ketamine temporarily reduces motor and verbal abilities, you’ll remain lying down in a comfortable position throughout the experience.

While each couple’s experience is unique, a typical process unfolds as follows:

1. Initial Session (90 minutes)
We begin by discussing your relationship dynamics, therapy goals, and introducing the Imago Dialogue process. Many couples gain deep insights into recurring patterns and experience a renewed sense of connection during this first session.

2. Ketamine Eligibility Evaluation
If we decide that Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) could support your progress, you’ll schedule an evaluation with a psychiatrist at Journey Clinical to determine eligibility for the medication.

3. Continued Couples Counseling
Before your first ketamine session, we’ll have another standard couples therapy session to build on insights from the initial session and further strengthen communication skills.

4. Ketamine Dosing Session (2–3 hours)
During this session, you’ll experience the effects of ketamine in a safe, supportive setting. It may enhance emotional openness, perspective shifts, and self-awareness—helping you break free from entrenched patterns.

5. Integration & Psychotherapy Sessions
Following the dosing session, we’ll work together to process insights gained during the experience, applying them to your daily interactions and relationship dynamics.

6. Ongoing Support & Occasional Dosing Sessions
As needed, we’ll continue integrating therapy with occasional ketamine dosing sessions, ensuring lasting growth and transformation.

We use a sublingual lozenge form of ketamine, offering a gentle yet profound therapeutic experience.

Ben guides you through the psychotherapy aspect of treatment, while Journey Clinical’s medical team manages all medical components. Their role includes evaluating eligibility, creating a personalized treatment plan, prescribing ketamine, and monitoring your progress.

When you meet with Ben, he’ll provide detailed information about the process, including costs and what to expect.

Ketamine works by modulating key neurotransmitter systems in the brain, offering a unique approach to healing mental health conditions.

At the core of its effects is the NMDA receptor, a critical player in regulating brain function and plasticity. Ketamine temporarily blocks NMDA receptors, which disrupts maladaptive thought patterns associated with depression and anxiety. This creates a “reset” effect, allowing the brain to break free from rigid loops of negative thinking.

Simultaneously, ketamine stimulates AMPA receptors, which are essential for forming new synaptic connections and strengthening neural circuits that regulate mood and stress responses. By activating AMPA pathways, ketamine enhances glutamate transmission, a key neurotransmitter involved in brain adaptability and emotional regulation.

Beyond its immediate effects, ketamine has been shown to boost neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to reorganize and form new, healthier connections. This heightened state of plasticity can make therapy more effective, allowing individuals to process emotions and integrate new perspectives with greater ease.

In Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), we harness these effects in a structured therapeutic setting, using ketamine to facilitate deep psychological shifts while engaging in therapy to solidify and integrate those insights into lasting change.