If you're getting ketamine treatment for depression, it's probably because nothing else has worked, or not well enough. That means you've been through a lot already. You're not alone in that.
Ketamine can offer real relief, fast. But that relief can fade unless you do something with it. That's where therapy comes in. That's where I come in.
Here's what I do
I work with people during ketamine treatment to help them make sense of what comes up, emotionally, mentally, and sometimes physically. Ketamine shifts the brain. It opens things. Sometimes it lifts the weight of depression; sometimes it brings old trauma to the surface. Either way, you're more open and more flexible in that window.
Therapy during this time is powerful. Together we can:
- Process what you experience during sessions
- Safely explore emotions that may resurface
- Use the clarity and openness to make real, lasting change
- Create a plan to keep moving forward when the fog starts to lift
You don't need a therapist who just nods along. You need someone who understands the intensity of depression, how ketamine affects the mind, and how to guide real work while you're in a space to do it.
I'm a licensed psychologist with years of experience helping people shift lifelong patterns. My approach is direct, grounded, and deeply mindful. If you're using ketamine to treat depression, I'm here to help you use that time well.
This is your window. Let's make it count.
Understanding ketamine and the influence of therapy
What is ketamine treatment?
Ketamine is a fast-acting medication originally developed as an anesthetic. In recent years, low-dose ketamine infusions have shown strong results for treating treatment-resistant depression (TRD), a form of depression that doesn't improve after trying multiple medications.
How is it different from typical antidepressants?
Traditional antidepressants (like SSRIs) affect serotonin and can take four to six weeks to work. Ketamine targets a different brain chemical, glutamate, which boosts communication between brain cells and helps the brain form new connections, a process called neuroplasticity. In simple terms, ketamine helps "reset" parts of the brain involved in mood, emotion, and thought patterns, often reducing depression within hours.
What the research says
- A single low-dose IV infusion (typically 0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes) can reduce depression symptoms in as little as 24 hours.
- 50–70% of people with treatment-resistant depression respond to a short series of infusions.
- Most protocols use 6 infusions over 2 to 3 weeks, which provides the best chance of lasting benefit.
- Without follow-up, the effects may fade after a week. Ongoing therapy or booster infusions are often needed for maintenance.
What to expect from IV ketamine sessions
- Administered through a slow IV drip in a medical clinic
- You may feel disconnected, calm, emotional, or deeply reflective
- The session lasts around 40 minutes
- You'll be monitored, and you'll need someone to drive you home
Why add therapy?
Ketamine creates a short period where the brain is more flexible, more open to learning, shifting, and healing. But without intentional support, your brain can fall back into old patterns. Therapy helps lock in the progress.
Benefits of combining ketamine with therapy:
- Reflect on what arises during infusions
- Work through emotions or trauma that surface
- Learn skills and reframe thinking while the mind is more open
- Build long-term coping strategies that outlast the medication
The 6-session structure
Most studies and clinics recommend a series of 6 infusions over 2–3 weeks. Many people report feeling a difference within one or two sessions, but the cumulative effect builds with the full protocol. This structure is supported by research for the most effective and lasting results.
In summary
Ketamine can offer fast relief from depression. Therapy helps you build on that relief and turn it into something lasting. When done together, they offer one of the strongest tools we have for persistent depression.
What the research shows
- Rapid symptom reduction. Repeated ketamine infusions produce significantly greater improvement than single infusions, with effects often within 24 hours that begin to fade by 10–12 days.
- Meaningful response in TRD. In one study, 52% achieved full remission after three infusions over 11 days; a larger trial of 403 patients found 55% reported sustained improvement with no major adverse effects.
- Reduced suicidality. In one study, 50% of participants with suicidal thoughts were in remission after six infusions, and 75% after ten; reviews show rapid reductions in suicidal ideation even after a single dose.
- Longer-term benefit with repeated dosing, especially when spaced over several weeks.
This article is for education only and is not medical advice. Ketamine is a medical treatment administered and prescribed by qualified medical providers; therapy is a complement to, not a replacement for, medical care. Please review your treatment plan with your prescribing provider.
References:
- Repeated vs. single ketamine infusions, Nature (2020).
- Feder et al. (2014), dose-ranging IV ketamine trial.
- Remission after three infusions, Michigan Medicine (2022).
- 403-patient outcomes, Harvard Gazette (2023).
- Suicidality remission, The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (reported by SELF, 2023).
- Wilkinson et al. (2018), systematic review on suicidal ideation.
- Additional background: PMC8578054; Nature (2021); NIMH.