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 2 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, via nasal spray and using sublingual lozenges. In my work with Journey Clinical we only use the sublingual lozenge form.

The effects of ketamine, which most patients find pleasant, last for approximately 45 minutes.

These effects can make you feel “far from” your body, and facilitate shifts in perception that can often feel expansive in nature.

Your motor and verbal abilities will be reduced, so you’ll be lying down in a comfortable position during the experience.

Once these effects subsided, we’ll spend the remainder of our appointment giving you space to process and discuss your experience. While it may feel hard to articulate what happened during the experience, patients feel like the insights gained are none-the-less clear.

Studies have shown that the benefits to mood and neurological growth can last up to two weeks after the Ketamine experience.

Once you receive your ketamine lozenges, we will schedule time together for our KAP preparation, dosing and integration sessions.

Preparation session(s) will be scheduled just like regular therapy sessions prior to the KAP dosing session. The goal of a preparation session(s) is to settle any questions or doubts and set intentions for the experience.

The first dosing session lasts 3 hours and subsequent sessions can be less depending on your need.

During the session, you will have eyes closed and wear an eye masks unless desired otherwise. You can sit upright or lay down.

My attitude in those sessions is one of trust and listening. Your psyche will show us where we need to do. We trust and follow the process.

It is common that powerful insights happen in the journey so recording it on your phone is recommended.

After our KAP dosing session, we will meet for multiple integration therapy sessions to review the memories, thoughts & insights that arose during your dosing session. This is a crucial part of the therapeutic process and so much more healing can take place as we "work" with the material that came up.

Follow-up consultations with Journey Clinical's medical team will monitor outcomes and prescribe ketamine lozenge refills, as appropriate. The frequency of follow ups depends on your unique treatment plan, at a minimum of once per quarter.

My current hourly fee is $250.

For sessions with Ketamine, the fee is prorated for the length of the session we both agree on (usually 2.5-3hours).

A minimum of 2 preparation and 2 integration sessions are required.

Although the medical intake and follow ups are not covered by insurance, they are eligible for out-of-network reimbursement. Similarly with my own therapy fees.

Journey Clinical Medical Fees:

Medical Intake: $250 (One time fee, reimbursable through out-of-network)

Follow-up Sessions: $150/Session (minimum of 1/quarter, reimbursable through out-of-network)

■ Cost of Ketamine Lozenges: approximately $30 for your first two doses, and if you opt in for another 6 doses, those will cost around $75, plus shipping (not covered by insurance)

If you would like to explore the possibility of KAP to reach your therapeutic goals, please e-mail me at irynaaronov@gmail com or call 650-861-1480 to discuss eligibility and next steps.