A Path Toward Deep Healing: Ketamine-Assisted Treatment
FACTS AND QUESTIONS
What is Ketamine-Assisted Treatment [KAT]?
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Ketamine is an evidence-based medicine that can rapidly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. KAT is a two-part treatment. The medication side is managed by trusted doctors at Integrative MLA. The psychotherapy side is managed by us at CCA Therapy in conjunction with your doctors administering the medication. While the medicine facilitates a "biological reset," the therapy alongside it provides the lasting change. KAT uses the medicine to soften psychological defenses, allowing us to access and process deep-seated emotional patterns that are often unreachable in traditional talk therapy.
See below for a podcast where the doctors we work with talk about KAT in more depth!
Who is it for?
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KAT is for people who experience the following:
Treatment-Resistant Depression: When traditional therapy and/or antidepressants haven’t improved your symptoms.
Chronic Anxiety: Calming the nervous system’s "fight or flight" response.
PTSD & Trauma: Safely revisiting difficult memories with less emotional "heat."
Existential Distress: Finding meaning during major life transitions or illness.
What is the process of getting started?
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If you are interested in possibly seeking out KAT will need to complete a thorough assessment from our KAT therapist, Ethany Michaud, LCSW. This assessment is the first step. If it is determined that KAT is right for you, then a referral will be made to the prescribing doctors at Integrative MLA, as they handle the medication side of treatment. Dr. Amich and Dr. Pabla will likely complete a consultation with you as well to go over your treatment plan, costs associated with your treatment and the plan for medication administration. Throughout your treatment, individual therapy is required weekly. As your therapist, we will run frequent testing to ensure our intervention is effective and that you are receiving what you need. Your treatment plan will be individually tailored to your needs.
If you’re feeling ready to get started, click the button to the left that says “get started here”. It will take you to our contact page. Feel free to schedule a free 15-minute consultation, email us with any additional questions you may have, or get scheduled for your Intake Assessment!
Why is therapy required weekly?
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While Ketamine can provide rapid relief from symptoms, the biological effects of the medicine are most powerful when paired with consistent, weekly psychotherapy. We require concurrent therapy throughout the treatment process for three primary reasons:
1. Maximizing the "Neuroplastic Window"
Ketamine triggers the release of glutamate, which stimulates the growth of new neural connections. This creates a state of neuroplasticity—a period where your brain is more flexible and "moldable" than usual.
The Window: This window is most open for about 48 to 72 hours after a session but remains elevated for days.
The Work: Weekly therapy sessions "strike while the iron is hot," using that flexibility to rewire old thought patterns and establish healthier habits that would take much longer to change through talk therapy alone.
2. Integration: Turning "Insights" into "Action"
A Ketamine session can often feel like a dream or a profound internal journey. Without a therapist to help you integrate these experiences, the insights can fade quickly.
Meaning Making: We help you decode the symbols, emotions, or memories that surfaced during your treatment.
Application: We work together to translate "aha!" moments into tangible changes in your daily life, relationships, and self-care.
3. Emotional Safety and Support
The KAT process can sometimes bring suppressed emotions or difficult memories to the surface as your psychological defenses lower.
Stability: Weekly check-ins ensure that you are processing these shifts safely.
Regulation: I provide you with the tools to manage the emotional "opening up" that happens between medical treatments, ensuring you feel supported every step of the way.
Meet the Docs!
Have more questions? We encourage you to follow the button below to listen Dr. Amich and Dr. Pabla’s podcast episode covering Ketamine-assisted treatment from their Foundations and Functions weekly podcast. Here, they discuss what Ketamine is, how it works in the body, and how one of their patients experienced the treatment.
*Disclaimers*
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is a specialized treatment. All medical screenings, prescriptions and doses are handled by Integrative MLA. CCA Therapy does not keep Ketamine on site. Please reach out to Integrative MLA for pricing/costs. You can find their contact information on their website: IntegrativeMLA.com
Not everyone is a good physical or emotional candidate for KAT. Please reach out to us for more information or with any questions you may have.
Costs associated with the therapy portion of KAT are listed on the “billing” page of this website. KAT requires at least once weekly individual therapy, which costs $150 per hour. Click below on the “billing” button for more information about costs: