Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Through Depth and Story
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) pairs a prescribed dose of ketamine with psychotherapy before, during, and after the medicine session. I offer virtual KAP to adults located in California. I work alongside a licensed prescribing partner, who handles the medical screening, the prescription, and medical oversight. My part is the therapy: preparing with you, being present during your sessions, and helping you integrate what surfaces afterward.
This work is for people who have already done a lot of talking and still feel stuck in the same story. It isn't right for everyone, and it always begins with a medical screening.
What Is Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy?
Ketamine is an anesthetic that the FDA approved in 1970, and it is still widely used in hospitals today. At much lower doses, it can bring on a dreamlike, dissociative state, in which ordinary patterns of thought loosen for a while. Prescribing ketamine for mental-health concerns is considered off-label. A related medication, esketamine (Spravato), is FDA-approved for treatment-resistant depression and is given only in certified clinics.
In KAP, the medicine is not the treatment on its own. The therapy is. The ketamine session gives a window, often 45 to 90 minutes, in which defenses soften and new images, memories, and perspectives can come through. The therapeutic relationship around that window is what helps those experiences become usable.
How KAP Differs From a Ketamine Infusion Clinic
Infusion clinics mainly administer IV ketamine, usually with little or no psychotherapy attached. KAP places the medicine inside an ongoing therapy relationship, with preparation beforehand and integration afterward. If you want the medication alone, a clinic may suit you better. If you want the medicine held inside a therapeutic process, that is what this practice offers.
How Virtual KAP Works in California
Every step happens online. You don't need to live near an office, but you do need to be physically located in California for each session.
Free consultation. A short call to talk about what's bringing you here, answer your questions, and see whether we're a good fit.
Medical screening. A licensed prescriber reviews your health history, your current medications, and your safety factors, and then decides whether ketamine is medically appropriate for you right now. Neither of us makes this decision. It isn't skipped or softened.
Preparation. We meet for one or more sessions to clarify your intentions, talk through what the experience may be like, and build the relationship that will hold the work.
Medicine sessions. You take the prescribed medicine at home [confirm route, e.g., sublingual lozenge]. I'm with you by secure video for the whole session. Your prescriber sets the dose and the medical protocol.
Integration. We meet afterward to work with what came up and connect it to your daily life. This is where most of the lasting work happens. Read more about what integration looks like.
What You'll Need for an At-Home Session
A private, quiet room where you won't be interrupted
A reliable internet connection and a device for video
[Confirm protocol:] a trusted support person nearby during and after the session
No driving or important decisions for the rest of the day
The framework I work from
Not a rigid method, a way of listening. These three threads run through everything, including the ketamine work.
Narrative therapy
It helps you separate who you are from the problem story you've been living inside, so you can begin to re-author it.
Depth psychology
This approach is rooted in Jungian thought. It treats the images, symbols, and feelings that surface in a session as meaningful material from the unconscious, not as random noise.
Ritual
It gives the process a shape, with an opening intention, a threshold, and a closing. That way the experience is something you move through on purpose, not something that just happens to you.
Who KAP May Be a Fit For, and Who It Isn't
People who come to KAP with me are often adults who have done years of therapy and still feel blocked. They may be living with anxiety, depression, or the long tail of trauma. Many are high-achieving and neurodivergent; read about therapy for neurodivergent adults. Others are standing at a threshold, like becoming a parent.
Eligibility is always a medical decision. During screening, prescribers commonly look at:
High blood pressure or certain heart conditions
A personal history of psychosis or mania
Current substance use concerns
Medications that may interact with ketamine
Pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you're pregnant or nursing, we begin with therapy first, and the prescriber decides about the medicine later.
If KAP isn't the right fit, we can still work together in talk therapy.
Safety and Possible Side Effects
Ketamine is a prescription medicine with real effects, and it should only be used under medical supervision. Common effects during and shortly after a session include:
Dissociation or feeling detached from your body
Nausea
Dizziness
Blurred vision
Drowsiness
A temporary rise in blood pressure and heart rate
These effects usually fade within a few hours. Ketamine can also be misused, which is one reason dosing and frequency are set and monitored by your prescriber.
KAP is not crisis care. If you're in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), or call 911.
Cost and Insurance
[Insert confirmed KAP rate or package price before publishing.] Most insurance plans don't cover KAP directly. Some clients use out-of-network benefits or HSA/FSA funds. The KAP FAQ covers cost, insurance, and what a session feels like in more detail.
Who's Holding This Work
I'm Savannah Boyd, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California (LMFT #156572). My work draws on depth psychology, narrative therapy, and ritual, and centers neurodivergent, high-achieving adults and people moving through major life transitions. [Add 1 to 2 lines on KAP-specific training or certification.] Learn more about me and how I work.
Start With a Conversation
If you're curious but not ready to commit, join a free info session. It runs on the last Thursday of each month at 5pm PT. If you're ready to talk specifics, book a free consult.
This page is for general education and isn't medical advice. Eligibility for ketamine is determined by a licensed prescriber after an individual medical evaluation.
SW Holistic Therapy
misfits welcome© 2026 · Oakland & virtual across California
For general information only, not medical advice. Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy involves a prescription medicine used under a licensed provider’s care; eligibility is decided through a medical screening and isn’t appropriate for everyone, including in some pregnancy and breastfeeding situations. In crisis or thinking about harming yourself? Call or text 988 (U.S.) or 911.