Ketamine Treatment

Whole-person healing of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and postpartum depression

  • Maximize safety, efficacy, and comfort with real-time dosage adjustment via IV infusion

  • Experience ketamine’s beneficial psychedelic properties in a safe and controlled medical environment

  • Deepen your healing and relaxation with live, immersive instrumental music

OUR APPROACH

Getting the most out of ketamine treatment: Mind. Body. Spirit.

As a treatment for depression and other mental health conditions, ketamine is typically administered in one of two ways: in lower doses to facilitate talk therapy, known as Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), or in higher doses to facilitate psychedelic experiences.

At Cascade Psychedelic Medicine, we believe that safely and mindfully leaning into ketamine’s psychedelic properties is an important part of the therapeutic benefit. 

This approach gives the medicine a dual route of action: 

Physiologic - Ketamine promotes new neural pathways in the brain, which can lead to thought and behavior change and counteract disease patterns seen with chronic conditions like depression and anxiety.

⟡ While a single treatment session may have physiologic benefit, it is typically fast acting and relatively short lived. The more durable physiologic benefits of ketamine build with repeat treatments over time.

Experiential - When used as a psychedelic medicine, ketamine has the potential to create meaningful, powerful, stand-alone experiences just like other psychedelic medicines. These benefits are unique to each individual and may include shifts in self perception, new understanding of past experiences, clarity around habits and thoughts, and much more. 

⟡ The psychedelic benefits of a single ketamine session may be immediately clear, and they may be revealed over time. Staying engaged with the process of integration, or making meaning of your psychedelic experience, is essential for maximizing long-term benefit. Re-engaging with the medicine within an appropriate timeframe and with the right support also provides opportunity to deepen or expand on insights and understanding from past sessions.  

WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU

A flexible, customized approach that puts you and your experience first. 

Ketamine treatment is not a one-size-fits-all healing modality.


In our experience, a customized approach based on your needs and goals, and your experience with the medicine over time, offers the most meaningful and lasting benefit.


We partner with you on an evolving plan that meets you wherever you are on your dynamic personal path.

Within this flexible approach, there are guidelines: 

  • You are welcome to experience an introductory ketamine session to get a feeling for the medicine, our approach, and to determine if it feels right for you.

  • We recommend but don’t require a series of stacked sessions (e.g. minimum of eight sessions over three months) for maximum benefit, scheduling with greater initial frequency and spacing sessions out over time. 

  • ONE MORE POINT HERE

WHAT TO EXPECT

A UNIQUELY IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

Whole-person healing, customized just for you.

Every session begins with meditation, music, and intentional breathing to help you enter a receptive state.

You will lie in a comfortable, zero-gravity recliner with a blanket, pillow, and eye shade as desired.


DURING THE JOURNEY…

You will receive ketamine as an IV infusion. This allows your provider to control dosage, and therefore the intensity of your experience, in real time.

As the medicine takes effect, you may enter an expanded state of being that many people describe as a “blissful waking dream.”

While every session is different, ketamine invites you to experience your “self” from a different perspective.

You may experience a range of physical sensations, including floating, sinking, tingling, warmth, or a sense of separation from your body. You may see colors, textures, or even specific images relative to your life, like an immersive dream. 

You may have access to more dormant emotions and other emotions may be amplified. You may find it easier to think about common and/or esoteric topics in a more expansive way.  

Spiritual experiences may include feelings of ego dissolution, heightened connection with nature or “source” energy, a feeling of boundlessness, and more.


AFTER THE JOURNEY…

You will be offered water or tea with time to process the experience. Plan to be on site for 3-4 hours. You cannot drive or work after a session and will benefit from rest, reflection, creative activities, and/or contact with nature.

Psychedelic medicine empowers you to determine when it’s time to reconnect with treatment.


Ongoing integration is essential to maximizing long-term benefits.

COST + ELIGIBILITY

COST

  • Preparation Visit: $235

  • Individual Sessions: $685

  • Sliding scale rates are available with proof of taxable income (line 15 on IRS Form 1040) less than $80,000 annually.

  • We accept Enthea insurance.

Ketamine infusions are currently an off-label treatment with variable insurance coverage. We take direct payment only for non-contracted insurance companies and can provide you with a superbill to submit for potential reimbursement.

ELIGIBILITY

  • 18 years of age

  • Current diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Postpartum Depression, PTSD, or related conditions by a qualified mental health provider (release of medical records required but no referral is necessary)

  • Must not be receiving ketamine treatment in any form from another provider

Not sure if ketamine is right for you?

Our physicians offer psychedelic consultation to help you explore whether ketamine is a good fit for you.

Ensuring your healing happens safely.

QUESTIONS + ANSWERS

Every question is a good question—an opportunity to deepen the conversation.

If you don’t find the answers you’re looking for here, please reach out.

  • Ketamine has been used widely for anesthesia and in emergency medicine for decades. 

    Physiologically, ketamine rapidly strengthens specific brain networks that have been damaged by depression, anxiety, and trauma. Its neuroplastic effects help loosen maladaptive mental and emotional patterns that have become rigid over time, and promote new neural connections that support healthier habits and ways of being.

    Ketamine can also produce powerful psychedelic experiences that open the mind to new perspectives and awareness.

  • Yes. For decades, ketamine has been widely used for anesthesia at much higher doses than used in this setting. Ketamine is safe to receive in combination with most commonly prescribed medications, including SSRIs.

    CPM offers the safest possible ketamine experience and we pride ourselves on our robust safety and monitoring protocols and equipment.

  • A small percentage of patients will experience nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, palpitations, headache, poor concentration, tremors, blurred vision, or restlessness, among others. Most of these resolve within 80 minutes after the infusion.

  • With very careful preparation, in combination with our optimized setting, most experiences are quite pleasant.

    However, difficult or unpleasant themes may arise as your mind works through the healing process. Themes such as trauma, abuse, abandonment, shame, and grief are often felt more through a lens of compassion and acceptance than fear or anger. This can help transform your relationship to past events and allow for meaningful healing.

    Both blissful and challenging experiences can facilitate transformation, offer insights into your mental health, and serve as valuable tools for ongoing therapy and integration work.

    By communicating and collaborating during the session, we can adjust the intensity of your ketamine experience. This allows you to get deeper into the medicine at your own pace and offers an immediate way to lessen the intensity or stop the experience if necessary.

  • The vast majority of our patients do not experience physical pain related to the process. We use a topical anesthetic spray and a small IV line to help minimize any discomfort.

  • We have a robust screening process to determine if ketamine is safe and appropriate for you. Conditions that may make you ineligible to receive ketamine treatment include severe hypertension, aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVM), unstable angina, uncontrolled hyperthyroidism, glaucoma, history of seizures, previous severe allergic reaction during anesthesia, history of psychosis, mania, bipolar disorder, and pregnancy.

  • As your ketamine treatment progresses, you may feel significant improvement and wish to taper off of some of your medications. It is extremely important to only do this under the guidance and supervision of your prescriber.

  • No, you do not need a formal referral. However, we will review the most recent notes from your primary mental health provider to determine if you have a qualifying diagnosis. We view ketamine as a complementary component of your journey towards better mental health and will collaborate with your whole team.

  • Yes. Very little ketamine (<1%) gets into breastmilk. In addition, ketamine is poorly absorbed when taken by mouth, so the amount of ketamine entering a breastfeeding child’s system is negligible. Ketamine is also safely administered directly to infants and children for procedures and treatment of refractory seizures.

    If you want to be extra conservative, it is reasonable to pump and discard breastmilk for 6 hours after an infusion for infants < 6 months old.

"Heal yourself, with beautiful love and always remember...you are the medicine."

- Maria Sabina