Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Gentle Path of Healing for Moms
Ladies - I cannot tell you how energized I am to share this with you. Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is one of my favorite topics to chat about with moms and I can’t wait to share more with y’all now that this blog is up.
But first I want to call out the elephant in the room - most people initially hear “Ketamine” and think of Matthew Perryor Elon Musk, or their party days in college. This is not that. KAP is the process of using the medicine of Ketamine alongside therapy to help people move through difficult emotions in a safe and gentle way. And for Mothers who have endured trauma, or been depressed and anxious for a long time with little to no relief from SSRI’s or traditional talk therapy, KAP can be a life changer.
Let’s talk it through.
What Is Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy?
KAP combines the therapeutic use of ketamine—a medication that’s been safely used in medical settings for decades and is FDA approved—with the support of a trained therapist like me. Using Ketamine alone does not elicit the same responses as it does when combined with therapy. KAP is not just one dosing session; it includes the journey of preparation and integration sessions before and after the dosing session to help you process and apply the insights you gain during treatment. During your dosing session, which is typically a 3 hour appointment with me either in person or via telehealth, we address stuck beliefs, patterns, feeling states and memories. KAP allows you to feel through these without getting overwhelmedand to work through your challenges with compassion and your therapist literally by your side.
How KAP Helps Moms
Research suggests ketamine can create a unique state of openness, making it easier to explore difficult emotions or memories in therapy. I have found that Moms often don’t give enough room for themselves to authentically explore their emotions because we spend so much of our day worrying about everyone else.
The beauty in Ketamine is that there is a physical and a mental benefit from doing KAP as a Mom:
- Just from the medicine alone, Moms experience 6 neurotransmitters turning on all at the same time and offering different benefits. Dopamine, Serotonin, Acetylcholine, Glutamate, Norepinephrine, and GABA all have interactions with Ketamine that lead to Mothers feeling softened. Glutamate is particularly important because this is the neurotransmitter that helps with neuroplasticity which is what allows mothers to look back at things like a traumatic delivery or events that happened in their childhood and release the emotional pain that is associated with the memory. All of these neurotransmitters working together helps to calm our nervous system. During motherhood, and especially for mothers in recovery from trauma or any mood disorder, nervous system regulation is key.
- The structure of the KAP session means that you are giving yourself a break. All KAP sessions are 3 hours long and are inherently relaxing. Mothers get to dose in the comfort of their own home in a retreat-like environment. And because Mothers also cannot drive or operate any heavy machinery for the remainder of the day post treatment, most Mothers take the rest of the day to chill or be creative, continuing the retreat like experience. This means that Moms get a break - a break from cooking, cleaning, picking kids up from school, running errands, a break from all the responsibilities we carry. It’s time truly just for you.
- Many moms report:
- Relief from depression and anxiety: Especially when other treatments like SSRIs and/ or talk therapy haven’t worked.
- Reduced trauma symptoms: KAP can help the nervous system “reset” from chronic fight, flight, or freeze.
- Greater emotional flexibility: Many people describe feeling more connected to themselves and others after sessions
- New perspectives: The medicine experience can open space for hope, creativity, and self-compassion.
What a KAP Session Looks Like
Every therapist practices a little differently, but my KAP sessions look like...
- Doctors visit: I will refer you to a trusted psychiatrist who will evaluate you for the prescription of Ketamine.
- Preparation: You’ll meet with me to discuss intentions, expectations, and safety.
- Medicine session: You can either have me at home with you or I can join via telehealth (assuming that you have another person with you at home). I will take your vitals to make sure that you are safe to proceed and monitor you throughout. I am there for emotional support, to hold your hand or talk to you if you need to do so (though most women are silent for this portion of the session). Many women bring in sound via a playlist, eyemasks, aroma therapy, blankets and sometimes even an altar - all of which deepen the experience. You will take the Ketamine as prescribed and journey with the medicine for around 90 minutes. When you feel like you are coming back into your body, I will get you snacks or a nourishing meal (usually a good bone broth) and you can stretch and use the restroom.
- Integration: When you return we will take the next hour to talk through your journey and discuss what you took away from it and how you can continue to apply the benefits of these lessons in your life. During this time I might add in other therapeutic techniques like EMDR or IFS. I take your vitals one last time and then I leave.
- Relaxation: Once I have left, the rest of the day or the evening (depending on when you choose to dose) is yours to play with. If you are dosing during the day, you may choose to do something creative like paint or draw. Some women take a nap or read fictional books. Others choose to listen to meditations or journal. You could also do yoga or light stretching or even go for an easy walk. All of this strengthens the positive connections of shifts that you made during yourjourney.
Is KAP Safe?
Safety is always the top priority. Here’s what you should know:
- Ketamine has been used safely for decades in medical settings.
- Doses for therapy are much lower than those used in surgery.
- Sessions are always supervised by me.
- KAP is not the same as recreational use—this is a therapeutic, structured process.
Who Might Benefit From KAP?
KAP may be especially helpful for moms who:
- Struggle with depression, anxiety, or trauma that hasn’t improved with other treatments.
- Feel “stuck” in negative patterns or overwhelmed by their history.
- Want a deeper,integrative approach to healing.
KAP isn’t a quick fix, but for many moms, it opens a door to hope, healing, and lasting change. If you’re curious about whether Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy could be right for you, you don’t have to figure it out alone.
✨I offer KAP in SanJose, California, as part of an integrative therapy practice for moms. Book a free consultation to learn more about whether this approach is a fit for your healing journey.
