Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)

and Psychedelic Integration in Santa Cruz, CA

You may be feeling stuck in patterns of anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, or emotional overwhelm that haven’t shifted despite years of insight, therapy, or personal work. You might be thoughtful, sensitive, creative, or deeply self-aware, and still feel disconnected from your body, your sense of meaning, or your capacity for change.

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) may be a supportive option for adults and young adults who are seeking a deeper therapeutic experience and are curious about working with non-ordinary states of consciousness in a safe, intentional, and relational way.

I have witnessed how powerful and meaningful psychedelic experiences can be when they are held with care, preparation, and integration. KAP is not about chasing peak experiences or quick fixes, it is a holistic therapeutic process that we move through together.

KAP is a modality in which ketamine is used as a complement to psychotherapy. Within a structured and supportive setting, ketamine can help soften entrenched patterns, increase emotional flexibility, and open space for new perspectives. The therapeutic work before and after dosing, preparation and integration, is essential for making sense of the experience and translating insights into sustainable change in day-to-day life.

In my work, I emphasize safety, pacing, consent, and curiosity. We approach each session without rigid expectations, honoring whatever arises as part of a larger unfolding process.

This page is intended to help you explore whether Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy or psychedelic integration may be a good fit for you. If you’re feeling called to this work but also unsure, that curiosity itself is often a meaningful place to begin.

“It is important to expect nothing, to take every experience, including the negative ones, as merely steps on the path, and to proceed.”
— Ram Dass

 
 
 

general KAP info for individual sessions

  • Ketamine is a legal, safe, and effective medicine used to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Ketamine has rapidly-acting antidepressant and mood-enhancing effects, which can begin to take effect within 1-2 hours after treatment and last for up to two weeks. It works by blocking the brain’s NMDA receptors as well as by stimulating AMPA receptors, which are thought to help form new synaptic connections and boost neural circuits that regulate stress and mood. Ketamine has also been shown to enhance overall neuroplasticity for lasting symptom improvement.

    Ketamine can be administered in a variety of ways, including IV infusion, intramuscular injection, nasal spray, and sublingual lozenges. In my work, we only use the sublingual lozenge form.

  • Once we decide that KAP is something you’d like to try, you’ll be connected with a medical doctor who will determine your eligibility for the medicine based on your medical history and goals for the work. They will prescribe the ketamine to you.

  • Your KAP treatment plan is individualized and shaped collaboratively. Typically, I recommend beginning with three ketamine dosing sessions scheduled over the course of three weeks to three months, depending on your needs, readiness, and availability. Some clients choose to continue with additional dosing sessions, which we discuss together as the work unfolds.

    Preparation Sessions

    Once you receive your ketamine lozenges, we will schedule our KAP preparation, dosing, and integration sessions. Preparation sessions will be scheduled just like regular therapy sessions prior to the KAP dosing session. The goal of preparation sessions is to align on the process and set intentions for our KAP sessions together.

    KAP Dosing Session

    A typical ketamine dosing session lasts about 3 hours and takes place in person at my office or depending on location and other factors, in the comfort of your own home.

    During a dosing session, you will be in a comfortable, reclining position wearing an eye mask and listening to calming music. Although a KAP dosing session may be largely an internal experience, I will be present with you the entire time to hold space and provide support as needed.

    Integration Sessions

    After our KAP dosing session, we will meet for multiple integration therapy sessions to review the memories, thoughts, and insights that arose during your dosing session, and if applicable, to prepare for your next dosing session.

  • Preparation and integration sessions are billed at my standard rate of $205 per 50-minute session.

    Ketamine dosing sessions are extended sessions lasting approximately 3–4 hours and are $900 per session.

    Please note that the ketamine medication itself is prescribed separately through a trusted medical provider I collaborate with. This provider has their own evaluation process and fee structure, and there is an additional cost for the ketamine lozenges, which we can discuss in more detail once referrals are confirmed.