Ketamine assisted psychotherapy in Pasadena, Ca & online
Go beyond traditional talk therapy and achieve deeper healing with ketamine.
Have you been struggling for a while with depression, anxiety, PTSD, or low self esteem?
MAYBE you need something more than traditional talk therapy. Ketamine may be just what you need.
Ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) is a cutting-edge treatment option for people struggling with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and persistent negative thoughts.
At therapeutic doses, ketamine increases neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to change — making it easier to revise long-standing emotional and behavioral patterns when paired with therapy. It can temporarily help the brain become more flexible and open. During this window, many people find they can:
approach trauma without becoming overwhelmed
step outside harsh self-judgment
access emotions that usually feel blocked
experience new perspectives on long-standing problems
But the gains are strongest when the experience is followed by structured psychotherapy and integration. Ketamine may open the door. Therapy helps you walk through it.
What Ketamine Helps With
Ketamine has been safely used as a dissociative anesthetic in medical settings for decades, and it’s only recently that it’s off-label use has been understood for treating a number of mental health issues, including:
treatment resistant depression
anxiety, perfectionism, and overthinking
PTSD and trauma
low self-worth, intense self-criticism, and shame
feeling stuck in negative patterns.
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy combines talk therapy with carefully prescribed, low-dose ketamine provided under medical supervision. Ketamine is not the treatment by itself. It enhances the therapy work we do together.
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) can help you process emotions, break free from negative thought patterns, gain new perspectives on your challenges, and find a path to reclaim your life.
How KAP works
Ketamine affects the brain’s glutamate system and may temporarily increase neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to form new connections and loosen rigid emotional and behavioral patterns. In practical terms, many people experience less defensiveness, less emotional avoidance, and more psychological flexibility during treatment.
This often then creates an opportunity to process experiences, emotions, and patterns that previously felt inaccessible in traditional therapy.
KAP is always integrated with psychotherapy. The medication alone is not the treatment. The real work happens through careful preparation, guided therapeutic support, and integration afterwards — helping insights translate into meaningful change in daily life.
My approach to KAP is grounded, thoughtful, and psychologically focused. No performative spirituality and no forced breakthroughs.
Just a different way of helping the brain and nervous system become more open to change when insight alone hasn’t been enough.
Preparation sessions help clarify goals, understand patterns, and create emotional safety before the ketamine experience. Integration sessions afterwards help make sense of what emerged and translate insights into lasting change in daily life.
A full KAP treatment takes several months as it includes thorough preparation, then 6-8 ketamine journeys (dosing sessions) each lasting 2-hours then followed by a one-hour integration session the next day.
Who can benefit from KAP
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy may be a good option for you if you:
Have treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, or PTSD
Struggle with persistent negative thoughts and emotions
Feel emotionally “stuck” despite trying other therapies or medications
Are seeking an innovative, research-backed approach to healing
A complete KAP treatment can take several months. After the initial preparation sessions, you’ll have a 2-hour ketamine journey (dosing session) plus an integration session every 2 weeks or so. Most people notice significant improvement after their sixth journey (dosing session).
KAP may not be appropriate for everyone. A thorough assessment and medical screening through Journey Clinical is essential to determine if it is the right fit based on your medical history, mental health needs, and overall wellness goals.
Stages of KAP
-
1. Preparation
We clarify your goals, review your history, talk through what to expect, and develop tools to help you navigate the experience. We’ll also set your intentions for your ketamine journey - how do you hope to grow during this experience.
This preparation stage includes an appointment with a medical provider from Journey Clinical who provides the medical assessment and prescribes the medicine (which is sent to your home).
The preparation stage takes anywhere from 3-6 sessions.
-
2. Ketamine dosing session
Your journey commences! Under my calm guidance you’ll take your ketamine as prescribed, either in my office or in the comfort of your own home.
You’ll start your music, get comfortable with your eye mask and blanket, and let everything go. During this time, attention often turns inward. Many people experience imagery, memories, or emotional shifts. You just allow whatever needs to happen to happen.
Each dosing session or journey, takes around 2 hours. You’ll have 6-8 journeys over the course of treatment.
-
3. Integration
This is where real change consolidates. Within 72 hours of your ketamine journey, while your neural pathways are still open and your emotional defenses are down, we’ll meet for your all-important integration session.
We’ll review any thoughts, memories, images, and insights that emerged, and explore ways to integrate them into your life. In this way we translate insights and learnings into practical, lasting movement.
We’ll have a one-hour integration session after every journey / dosing session.
Questions?
FAQs About Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
-
Initial consult with Catriona - 50 minutes - $240 (may be covered by insurance).
Medical evaluation with Journey Clinical provider - around $250 (may be covered by insurance).
Ketamine prescription for 2 journeys / dosing sessions - $90 (not covered by insurance).
Journey preparation - 3-4 sessions at $240 per session (may be covered by insurance).
The journey - 2.5 hours - $600 (the first hour may be covered by insurance, self pay for the rest).
Integration session - 50 minutes - $240 (may be covered by insurance.
To learn how much your insurance might reimburse for sessions use the reimbursement calculator here
Please note that at a full ketamine treatment includes 6- 8 journeys, each followed by an integration sessions. The full treatment takes around 3-4 months in all.
-
Ketamine assisted psychotherapy can lead to life-changing results for some people.
While each treatment plan is personalized for you, it is common for a full ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) treatment to include:
1 intake session with Catriona
1 medical consultation wth Journey Clinical
3-4 preparations sessions wth Catriona
6- 8 dosing sessions (journeys) each lasting around 2.5 hours
1 integration session after each journey
Minimum of 1 medical follow-up consultation with Journey Clinical.
In summary, you can expect your full ketamine assisted psychotherapy treatment to take 4-6 months.
-
I partner with Journey Clinical who provide the medical assessment and prescribe the ketamine. The ketamine is then sent to your home.
-
Yes you can! You just need a chaperone to be with you during your ketamine journey. I guide through your your journey over zoom.
-
Ketamine clinics just provide the medicine, without the all important psychotherapy the brings you to a whole other level of healing. You need the pills and the skills, so to speak.
-
To find out more about the benefits of ketamine assisted psychotherapy:
Paradigms of Ketamine Treatment by Raquel Bennett, PsD
Your story is welcome here.
Your story is welcome here.
Ready to get started?
Get in touch.
Take the first step toward creating the life you truly want. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation—I’ll answer your questions and tell you more about how I work.
To find out how much your insurance will reimburse for our sessions use my Insurance Reimbursement Calculator