Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)

The effects of ketamine, which most patients find pleasant, last for approximately 45 minutes. These effects can make you feel “far from” your body and facilitate shifts in perception that can often feel expansive in nature. Your motor and verbal abilities will be reduced, so you’ll be lying down in a comfortable position during the experience. Once these effects subsided, we’ll spend the remainder of our appointment giving you space to process and discuss your experience. While it may feel hard to articulate what happened during the experience, patients feel like the insights gained are none-the-less clear. Studies have shown that the benefits to mood and neurological growth can last up to two weeks after the Ketamine experience.

Pivot Counseling uses a structured format based on evidence-based practices such as Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Solution Focused Brief Therapy. Each KAP segment will include Preparation, Dosing, and Integration:

Preparation Session:

The preparation session is designed to set clear intentions and identify personal goals before beginning the dosing and integration process. The goal is to ensure you are mentally primed and focused, creating a strong foundation for meaningful insights. This session may include guidance on optimizing your setting for the best therapeutic outcomes, as well as instruction on key skills and techniques to support your experience during and after the dosing session.

Dosing Session:

The dosing session follows a structured, carefully designed protocol to ensure safety, consistency, and effectiveness. Each step is clearly outlined, including how to prepare for dosing, what to expect during the experience, and the roles of both the therapist and client throughout the process. We also provide specific guidance on how to conclude the session, ensuring a smooth transition into the integration phase.

Integration Session:

In the integration session, we revisit the intentions, goals, and skills established during the preparation phase, now viewed through the lens of the dosing experience. The focus is on processing insights, reinforcing positive shifts, and deepening motivation for meaningful change. This session helps clients make insightful connections, apply their experiences to real life, and refine the mindsets and skills necessary for lasting transformation.

Journey Clinical is a platform for licensed psychotherapists to incorporate science-based psychedelic therapies in their practice safely and effectively, starting with Ketamine- Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). Journey Clinical’s in-house medical team takes on patient eligibility, prescriptions and outcome monitoring, while we take on the therapy. Their collaborative care model is designed to deliver personalized treatment plans to meet your individual needs and improve long-term outcomes.

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy is a specialty treatment that creates opportunities for breakthrough in a shorter amount of time compared to psychotherapy alone. This will involve monitoring for both medical and mental aspects of treatment. The cost is in reference to the counseling portion of treatment:

KAP Initial Intake: $400: Intake interview to gather background information and eligibility for Ketamine treatment. If you decide to move forward with the KAP package, this initial fee will be subtracted from the total rate of the package.

KAP Dosing Package: $2500
Preparation Session: Gain clarity about the breakthrough goals, acquire skills, and general setup before dosing session (1 hour).
Dosing Session: Preparation for dosing (vital check, setting setup), dosing with Ketamine, and concluding tasks (2-3 hours).
Integration Session: Further discussion of the Ketamine experience and ways to integrate it to facilitate healing and breakthrough (1 hour).

At Pivot Counseling, we understand that starting ketamine treatment can bring up concerns, especially around losing control. Feeling anxious about stepping into the unknown is completely normal, and our goal is to ensure that you feel safe, supported, and in charge of your healing process at every step.

Understanding the Two Approaches to Ketamine Dosing

We tailor each treatment to your comfort level, and one of the key ways we do this is by adjusting the dose based on your needs and preferences.

• Psycholytic Dosing: This is a gentle, lower-dose approach that allows you to remain present, aware, and engaged in conversation if desired. You may experience shifts in perception and an increased ability to access emotions, but you maintain a strong sense of connection to reality. This approach is ideal for individuals who want to ease into the process gradually while benefiting from ketamine’s ability to soften defenses and enhance therapeutic work.
• Psychedelic Dosing: This involves a higher dose that can lead to a deeper, more immersive experience. Some people describe it as stepping outside of their usual thought patterns, which can be transformative. While this approach can bring profound insight, it may also feel unfamiliar at first, which is why we take care in preparing you for the experience.

A Step-by-Step, Collaborative Approach

If you have concerns about losing control, we can start with psycholytic dosing to gently introduce you to ketamine’s effects. This allows you to stay grounded and build trust in the process, knowing that you’re in a safe environment with a supportive therapist guiding you. Over time, as you gain confidence and comfort, we can discuss whether a deeper experience might be beneficial, always keeping the decision in your hands.

At Pivot Counseling, we treat you like family—meaning we prioritize your well-being, emotional safety, and personal preferences throughout your healing journey. If you have any concerns, we’re here to talk through them with you and find the right approach that feels best for you.

We support clients throughout the East Bay through both in-person sessions and secure virtual therapy. Our service area includes:

Walnut Creek, Concord, Pleasant Hill, Lafayette, Danville, San Ramon, Martinez, Orinda, Moraga, Brentwood, Antioch, Pittsburg, Clayton, Alamo, El Cerrito, Hercules, Pinole, and Oakley.

Clients come to us from these communities for individual therapy, couples counseling, family support, trauma recovery, and more. No matter where you live, you can access care that’s personal, consistent, and grounded in evidence-based treatment.