Part 2: How Does Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) Work?

In our previous post, we touched on what ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) is and how effective it can be for certain mental health issues. In this second installment of our KAP series, we will dive deeper into how KAP works, its effectiveness, and help you determine if it’s the right step for your mental health journey.

How Ketamine Works for Mental Health

Scientists are still learning exactly how ketamine works to relieve depression and other mental health conditions. What we know so far is that it affects several different brain receptors. Two important ones are the NMDA receptor and the AMPA receptor, both of which help control the way the brain uses glutamate, a major chemical messenger. Researchers believe ketamine’s antidepressant effects may come from the way it activates the AMPA receptor through one of its breakdown products.

In people with long-term depression or anxiety, the brain’s nerve cells can lose some of their connections. Ketamine appears to help reverse this by boosting neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to form new connections and repair damaged ones.

Animal studies suggest that ketamine also works through other pathways, such as growth signals in the prefrontal cortex. It can quickly spark changes in the brain, reshaping pathways and encouraging healthier thinking habits and behaviors.

Ketamine also seems to influence regions of the brain that process emotions and self-awareness, while improving how different brain networks communicate with each other.

Introducing Assisted Psychotherapy to Ketamine

Here’s where KAP is different from simply giving ketamine as an anesthetic in the medical field — the medication pairs with intentional therapy sessions at a lower dosage.

Before any dosing happens, you and your therapist will talk through intentions, goals, and what to expect. Under direct supervision, you will receive a carefully measured dose from a medical professional. This is often given as a lozenge, intramuscular injection, or IV. The effects can last 45 minutes to a few hours, depending on the method. Your therapist will not administer the medication. Rather, they will guide you through the process.

During the session, you might feel a sense of detachment, relaxation, or altered perception. This can allow old thought patterns to loosen, emotions to surface, and insights to emerge that are harder to access in everyday life.

Perhaps the most important part, integration, happens after the ketamine wears off. The therapist will help you process what came up, connect insights to daily life, and translate the experience into real healing.

Why KAP Is Effective

KAP combines the biological boost of ketamine with the psychological support of therapy. Ketamine strengthens the plasticity of the brain, making it easier to break free from stuck patterns. Therapy provides the structure, safety, and guidance to make sure those shifts lead somewhere meaningful.

Many people describe it less as a “quick fix” and more as something that jump-starts the healing process. It allows therapy to go deeper and is a complementary practice to therapeutic measures, rather than something that completely takes away anxiety or depression on its own.

Is It for Everyone?

KAP isn’t always the best option for everyone, depending on individual needs, health issues, and conditions.

It’s usually considered for those who haven’t responded well to traditional treatments. However, it must be done under the care of qualified medical and mental health professionals. Like any treatment, it comes with risks and side effects, so proper screening is essential.

Ketamine assisted psychotherapy is not about escaping reality. Rather, it’s about creating a safe, supported space to face it in a new way. By combining the brain-shifting effects of ketamine with the grounding work of therapy, KAP offers a promising path for people looking for hope when other doors have seemed closed. If traditional therapy efforts haven’t worked for you, this approach could be what you’ve been looking for.

It’s understandable to have more questions about how KAP works, especially if you’ve heard misconceptions or stereotypes about ketamine in the past. Feel free to contact us today to learn more about the process, ask questions about anxiety therapy, or set up your first appointment.