Ketamine, like all other medicines, comes with layers of connotations, assumptions, misunderstandings, and mysteries. The function and impact of this medicine varies drastically depending on the context, so this blog is focused on taking ketamine in a supportive therapy office for mental health treatment.
A quick Google search for Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) in Brooklyn brings a host of options including ketamine infusion clinics, ketamine prescriptions for at-home use, and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy. At New Material, we work with the third. Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is a specific type of ketamine treatment that involves using the medicine in combination with supportive therapy before, during, and after taking the medicine.
This post walks through how KAP works at New Material, from your first conversation to your final integration session, so you can decide if it feels right for you. We've also included questions to ask yourself and your provider before starting, and resources for continued learning.
What is ketamine?
Ketamine is often described as a dissociative anesthetic (although some folks dislike the term as it can feel too narrow) that has been used in the medical world for decades, including in the Vietnam War. It's legal and FDA-approved as an anesthetic, and a closely related medicine, esketamine (sold as Spravato), is FDA-approved for treatment-resistant depression. Using ketamine itself (not Spravato) for mental health treatment is “off-label”, which is common and legal in medicine. Depending on the dose, ketamine can offer anything from a relaxed, softened state to a full mystical, spiritual, or psychedelic experience.
Ketamine is also used recreationally by many people, and it carries higher physical and emotional risks when it's taken without proper screening and support. That's why informed consent matters, and why we offer it only with medical screening and a therapist by your side.
What is ketamine-assisted psychotherapy?
KAP is the intentional combination of prescription ketamine with psychotherapy. At the doses used in this work, ketamine can create a window of openness where your usual defenses soften, old patterns loosen their grip, and new perspectives become reachable. People often describe seeing their experiences (their thoughts, emotions, stories, physical symptoms, relationships) from an observational distance, which gives them space to relate to themselves differently.
Ketamine opens the door for therapeutic work to move deeper or in directions otherwise inaccessible. It is not a quick fix or passive solution to your problems. It takes a thoughtful relationship with the medicine in the context of your therapeutic work to create change. Because of this, preparation and integration are necessary features of any KAP experience.
KAP compared with infusion clinics and at-home treatment
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) is distinct from ketamine infusion clinics and at-home ketamine treatment. They all serve different purposes and carry their own risks and benefits.
Infusion clinics focus on the medicine itself. You're usually receiving ketamine through an IV and being monitored for safety by a medical professional. There’s usually little or no therapeutic support before, during, or after.
At-home or telehealth programs mail you a prescription (usually a sublingual lozenge or less commonly, nasal spray) to take on your own and/or during a telehealth appointment with a mental health provider.
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) focuses on using the medicine only within the context of supportive therapeutic relationship. You receive the prescription from a medical provider, bring the medicine to your therapy appointment, and take the medicine with your therapist in the room. The therapist provides care and containment during the journey, and continues ongoing integration work with you after that.
If what you want is deeper psychological work, rather than a medical procedure, the therapeutic model is worth prioritizing.
What the research says (and doesn't say yet)
Ketamine has been studied for years as a rapid-acting treatment for depression, and interest in pairing it with psychotherapy is growing. A 2022 systematic review of 17 studies and 603 participants found that psychotherapy before, during, and after ketamine sessions may help extend benefits, while also noting that practices vary widely and that larger randomized trials are still needed.
Who KAP may be a good fit for
KAP might be worth exploring if:
You're curious about psychedelic-assisted therapy and want to try it safely with a trained therapist present (and also if you prefer a relatively short experience - the prominent effects of ketamine usually last about one hour)
You've done meaningful work in traditional therapy and even trauma treatment (EMDR, IFS, somatics) and are still encountering a lot of protectors or defences
You're living with treatment-resistant depression, complex trauma, PTSD, OCD, anxiety, or existential questions that haven't felt fully addressed by other approaches
You want a therapist who takes a holistic, integrative approach to your care and sees ketamine as a resource to weave into your ongoing work
Who KAP may not be a good fit for
KAP isn't right for everyone. The required medical screening will identify any biological factors that make KAP inappropriate or need extra caution, such as certain cardiovascular conditions, uncontrolled high blood pressure, a history of psychosis, active substance use concerns, a history of ketamine dependency, pregnancy, and some medications. The prescriber makes the final call after reviewing your history.
We, as therapists, will also help you assess whether or not KAP is right for you at this time. The prescriber’s decision always takes precedence, but if they clear you medically, we’ll have thorough discussions with you about the psychological, emotional, relational, and spiritual factors that might support or discourage KAP.
Here's what working with us for Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy in Brooklyn looks like, step by step.
Free consultation (15 to 30 minutes). A conversation with one of our licensed therapists to see whether KAP seems like a good fit and to answer your questions.
Intake session (60 minutes). A comprehensive mental health assessment to understand your history, your goals, and the resources and supports you already have. After the intake session, we’ll connect you with one of our trusted prescribers for the medical evaluation.
Medical evaluation. You complete a thorough medical evaluation with one of our trusted medical providers who will assess safety, recommend a dose that feels right for you, and write your prescription. Session length and cost vary by prescriber, and some take insurance.
Experiential KAP session (about 3 hours). This is the core of KAP. Each experiential session is about 3 hours and includes preparation (checking in, grounding, intention setting), the journey itself (taking the medicine), and integration.
Repeat KAP sessions (at least 3-6 times). The first 1-2 sessions are an introduction; a meeting of the medicine (at this particular time and context in your life) if you will. This is not to say they won’t contain transformative material – they will – but when you get to sessions 3-6, a larger picture begins to emerge, especially with time to integrate between journeys.
Final integration session (60 minutes) if you are not continuing ongoing work with your KAP therapist. We’ll reflect on the KAP experience as a whole, take time to honor your process, continue integrating what was learned, and develop a plan for what comes next in your mental health care.
We can add extra preparation or integration sessions at any point if you need them. We also love collaborating with your other providers (e.g. a psychiatrist, long-term therapist, wellness practitioner, spiritual guide, etc.!) so you can receive a lot of wraparound support from your team of healers.
What a KAP session looks like
All KAP sessions take place in person in our private, comfortable Brooklyn office. Here's what it actually looks like:
Prepare and open the session. You settle in with your therapist, check in about how you’re feeling, tend to any parts of you who may feel nervous, hopeful, skeptical, etc., go to the bathroom one last time, set intentions, and engage in a simple opening ritual
Take the medicine. On the couch or a floor mat, you take a sublingual ketamine lozenge and let it dissolve in your mouth, swirling it for about 15 minutes. During this window, you’ll start to feel the effects of the medicine (usually perceptual changes, dizziness, tingling or lightness in your body). You can have your eye mask on or off for this part. Once the time is up, your therapist will help you spit out what’s remaining of the lozenge into a small cup (kind of like spitting at the dentist’s office)
Spit out the medicine and lie down. Once the time is up, your therapist will help you spit out what’s remaining of the lozenge into a small cup (kind of like spitting at the dentist’s office). You lie down with your mask and headphones on (playing a curated playlist that your therapist is also listening to via the room speaker) and let yourself be in the experience.
Journey. Your therapist stays by your side during the whole journey which usually lasts about an hour. This is typically a silent inward journey, although you may want to occasionally speak to your therapist or express yourself audibly in other ways.
Come out of the journey. As the medicine's effects ease, your therapist will guide you back into the room and help you reorient.
Reflect. You reflect and integrate through journaling, light conversation (we try to avoid a lot of cognitive/logical processing), drawing, or movement.
Close the session. You close the session with a simple closing ritual.
Reorient, refuel, and depart. You have snacks, water, tea, and review your plan for getting home and continuing integration for the next 24-72 hours.
Plan for the rest of the day to be quiet and calm, in a low-stimulation environment. You won’t be able to drive afterwards and taking public transit may be challenging. We ask you to have a trusted person come pick you up and escort you home. We won't send you out until you're ready to go.
What the experience feels like
Ketamine affects every body differently. Many people describe feeling dreamy, floaty, deeply relaxed, or in a “body high”. Emotions, memories, visuals, or bodily sensations may surface. Some people report seeing their experiences from a distance, in new ways, or with less charge (such as seeing their chronic pain as a blue braid and experiencing relief from the pain). You may notice internal responses to the music. Your body temperature might change. Your sense of time and place may feel distorted. You will likely have a heightened sensitivity to light, so we recommend keeping the eye mask on until the medicine starts to wear off.
Whatever happens, the invitation is to notice and accept with an open heart. Even confusing, scary, challenging, or “dull” experiences can be incredibly valuable, even if you can’t immediately see that. Your therapist will be by your side to support you in any way that’s needed.
How many KAP sessions you'll need
We orient around the idea that doing this work is about building a relationship with the medicine. Like any other relationship, it requires a period of building trust before opening up to more vulnerable spaces together. This takes repeated visits and relational adjustments between visits.
Both from this orientation and from what we see across published KAP protocols, we recommend at least 3-6 experiential KAP sessions to see meaningful change. Many clients find that six to eight is where deeper shifts happen. We'll check in about pacing as we go.
Risks and side effects
KAP comes with physical and psychological risks. Possible side effects include nausea, dizziness, temporary increases in blood pressure and heart rate, sedation, anxiety or confusion during the session, and difficult emotions that can linger afterward. Ketamine also carries potential for misuse, and repeated use has been linked to urinary and bladder symptoms, which is another reason medical oversight and a structured plan matter.
We address these in your medical screening, therapy intake, preparation sessions, and collaboration throughout your treatment.
Questions to ask a KAP provider
Whether you work with us or someone else, these questions can help you choose well:
What does KAP look like in your practice?
What training do you have in both psychotherapy and psychedelic-assisted therapy?
Who completes my medical screening and decides on dose?
How many preparation and integration sessions are included in the process?
Will you be in the room for the entire KAP session?
What happens if I have a hard experience, during the session or afterward?
Do you coordinate with my other providers?
How do I know if this is the right fit for me?
Frequently asked questions
Is KAP legal? Yes. Ketamine is a prescription medicine, and licensed prescribers can legally prescribe it. Using it to support psychotherapy is off-label, which is a common and legal practice in medicine. Our trusted partner prescribers handle the prescription and screening.
What does the ketamine experience actually feel like? It varies, but many people describe a dreamlike, floating, or deeply relaxed state, with shifts in perception, body sensation, and emotion. See the section above for more.
How do I take the medicine? You take a sublingual lozenge, which dissolves in your mouth over about 15 to 20 minutes with your therapist present.
How many medicine sessions do I need? We recommend 3-6, and many clients find six to eight is where deeper shifts happen. Extra preparation and integration sessions are always available.
How do I know if KAP is right for me? The best way is a conversation with an experienced provider. Start with a free consultation, and if it seems like a fit, you can move to the intake session and medical evaluation. You can change your mind up until the point of physically taking the medicine.
Are KAP sessions held online or in person? In person, at our Brooklyn office. We believe this kind of work is safest and most supportive when your therapist is physically with you.
Do you take insurance? New Material is a self-pay practice. Some of your sessions, such as the intake evaluation, are eligible for out of network reimbursement if you have that coverage. We work with some partner prescribers who take insurance for the medical evaluation. We're happy to talk through the details on a consultation.
Book a free consultation
We're accepting new clients for Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) in Brooklyn. We'd love to explore this option with you.
Two therapists on our team are trained to provide KAP: Grace Dickman, LCSW (she/her) and Alana Durand, LCSW (she/her).
All sessions take place in our Brooklyn office on weekdays and weekends.
Book a free KAP consultation with Grace or Alana here.
Sources
Drozdz SJ, et al. Ketamine assisted psychotherapy: a systematic narrative review of the literature. Journal of Pain Research, 2022. PubMed 35734507
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, safety communications on compounded ketamine products (February 2022 and October 2023)
Wolfson P, Braunstein M, Sirkia FP. Guidelines for the Safe Personal Use and the Effective Clinical Use of Ketamine, 2nd ed. Ketamine Research Foundation; 2026.
