Ketamine-Assisted Therapy

Ketamine itself is a safe, legal medication originally used as a dissociative anesthetic. As a dissociative, it alters sensory perception (physical senses like sight and sound) to create feelings of being in an observing viewpoint of yourself and your environment. As an anesthetic, it temporarily dulls sensations, including pain, by softening nervous system responses.

When used in a therapeutic setting under the care of medical professionals, ketamine-assisted therapy creates an altered state of consciousness that promotes a sense of calm, openness, and vulnerability - that temporarily softens the ego - to allow for deeper, more transformational healing.

First, it’s important to receive ketamine infusions under the supervision of a medical professional to ensure your utmost safety and comfort. According to the Washington Post, patients have said that ketamine-assisted therapy can feel like “floating outside of one’s body, pleasantly leaving your physical self behind.” Some patients also gain a heightened sensory awareness and may experience or see vivid, bright colors.

Contact clinic for pricing details and package options.

Many find ketamine infusions relaxing and peaceful with visuals of colors, geometric patterns, and synesthesia between music and your senses. It is also not uncommon for patients to describe having an out-of-body experience during their session.

At Forum Health, we use the lowest possible therapeutic doses which typically allows recall of the entire session

After a Ketamine session, patients typically emerge with a newfound sense of wholeness, calm, and empowerment to live life to its fullest. Old habits, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and limiting thought patterns are left behind.

Current pharmaceutical options for depression and anxiety tend to lose their efficacy over time and require either an increase in dosage or the addition of another adjunct medication which can come with adverse side effects.

We do not accept insurance at this time. However, we can provide a super bill, including procedure codes, that you may submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. We are unable to guarantee reimbursement for services rendered.

We offer a comprehensive, one hour intake appointment with our nurse practitioner prior to starting ketamine therapy. This appointment includes a comprehensive medical history and physical exam to identify and address any potential health issues prior to starting ketamine therapy. Strict contraindications: allergy to ketamine, recent TBI, history of psychosis, bipolar disorder with active mania. Relative contraindications: severe respiratory compromise, personality disorders, severe kidney disease, severe liver disease.

Ketamine therapy has demonstrated to be effective for treatment resistant depression, anxiety, OCD and PTSD. Ketamine therapy is often effective when SSRIs (antidepressants) have failed because ketamine works differently in the body. Antidepressants work on neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine. Conversely, Ketamine binds to a receptor in the brain called a NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate). This binding blocks a part of the glutaminergic system called glutamate. Glutamate dysfunction has been correlated to mood disorders in clinical studies.

Here at Forum Health, we go above and beyond the industry standard to ensure your safety during infusion. We use the lowest possible therapeutic doses, which serves to nearly eliminate uncomfortable side effects. Also, you will be monitored throughout the entire session, using state-of-the-art medical equipment to ensure your well-being during infusion. Additionally, we provide a thorough, one-hour medical intake prior to initiating therapy in order to identify and address any potential health risks before your first infusion.

Our trained technicians ensure your comfort, place your IV, and remain in the room for monitoring. The therapist remains chairside, either personally or remotely, during the therapy portion. As the infusion of medication comes to an end, your therapist will transition you through post-session integration.