Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) and KA-EMDR®

KAP and KA-EMDR available online for Arizona & Florida residents

What is Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)?

KAP is a unique approach to therapy, using a gentle, low-dose approach sometimes called "psycholytic" therapy. Unlike higher-dose psychedelic experiences, this method keeps you present, conversational, and in control. Clients often notice a softening of defenses/protector parts, of the inner critic, and of the vigilance that usually guards difficult material. You're not lying down with eyeshades on but fully engaged in the therapy process.

What is Ketamine Assisted Eye Movement Desensitization &
Reprocessing (KA-EMDR) Therapy?

KA-EMDR® is an innovative trauma treatment that blends two powerful tools—Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and low-dose sublingual ketamine—to help clients safely and effectively process traumatic memories and adverse life experiences that are contributing to present day distress and challenges.

Why Combine Ketamine with EMDR?

What is KAP Like?

Think of it as regular therapy with a mild assist. KAP can be conducted both in-person and via telehealth with equal efficacy! (If you're doing it via telehealth, we will ask another person be at home with you in another room).

You will:

Stay awake and aware the entire time
Be able to talk with your therapist
Feel relaxed but remain completely yourself and in control.
Remember all the details of the session
Feel like yourself, just a bit softer around the edges
You may just be more open in processing psychological material in your therapy sessions
Continue to process insights and breakthroughs after the dosing session
Follow up with your therapist in a couple of days for at least one integration session

You won't:

Be unconscious
Experience a psychedelic "trip"
Be at risk for dependency
Ever be "out of control"

How Do I Get A Prescription?

Your therapist will provide you with referrals to qualified prescribers, and you may choose which one you prefer to work with. Your medical provider will conduct a comprehensive medical and mental health evaluation to verify you as a candidate for KAP.

If you are a good candidate, your prescriber will submit a prescription on your behalf, and you will either pick up the medication or have it shipped to you. You will self-administer the medicine (usually it is a small lozenge called a troche) at the beginning of your dosing session in the presence of your therapist.

EMDR therapy supports the brain’s ability to reprocess traumatic or upsetting memories that may be “stuck” or unintegrated, and which can contribute to symptoms such as anxiety, hypervigilance, emotional numbness, avoidance behaviors, emotional dysregulation, or a negative self-concept. This process is believed to work by activating the brain’s natural information processing system, allowing traumatic memories to be integrated into broader, more adaptive memory networks. Ketamine adds another layer of support. There is scientific evidence suggesting that ketamine may support the process of revising and updating emotional memories with new information. When combined with EMDR, ketamine may create a unique window of opportunity where the brain becomes especially open to positive change, allowing old fear-based or negative patterns to be transformed. Ketamine has also been shown to help clients feel more relaxed and more emotionally open.

Studies have shown that ketamine:

Enhances synaptic connectivity and neuroplasticity, helping the brain form new, healthier patterns.
Reduces activity in the Default Mode Network (DMN)—the part of the brain involved in rumination and self-critical thinking—promoting a more mindful and open state of awareness.

A recent pilot research study (Topel & Ciccone, 2025) exploring the use of KA-EMDR® found that clients reported noticeable reductions in PTSD symptoms after several reprocessing sessions. Participants described feeling safer, more emotionally connected, and more open to the healing process. Reported side effects were minimal. While these early findings are encouraging, more research is needed to confirm these results in larger and more diverse populations and in randomized controlled trials.

Can KAP and KA-EMDR® Be Done in Online (Telehealth) Therapy?

Absolutely! KAP and KA-EMDR® are well-suited to online sessions, where you can be comfortable in your own environment, safe in your own space, and without needing to travel after the session. In fact, many of our clients prefer to do this work from the comfort of their own environment, and our experienced, highly trained therapists have observed no reduction in clinical outcomes when doing EMDR online versus in person.

The work is very grounded, and we go at a pace that is comfortable to you. Our goal is to establish emotional regulation while working through the difficult material your brain already has access to.

During your dosing session, your therapist will remain with you the entire time. You will be required to have another adult present in your home (in another room) for the duration of the session to ensure your safety.

How KA-EMDR Works

This therapy uses low-dose (psycholytic) ketamine, which clients self-administer with direction from a licensed medical provider. The dose is low enough to keep clients alert and engaged—unlike psychedelic or dissociative doses where people often “go inward” and can’t actively participate in therapy. Instead, the goal is to enhance emotional openness, reduce anxiety, and expand the window of tolerance, making it easier to work through difficult material in session. Ketamine is not provided or administered by the therapist. Collaboration with a prescribing medical professional is required and there will be additional costs associated with the medical evaluation and ketamine prescription.

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