Inside Ketamine-Assisted Therapy: Insights from Practitioners and Researchers

Mental health care is constantly evolving, and new approaches are emerging to help people heal in ways that were once unimaginable. One of these approaches is Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), which has been gaining attention for its effectiveness in supporting therapy for depression, anxiety, and PTSD, among other conditions that have not responded or improved with traditional psychotherapy. 

My name is Liz Petrik, and I’m a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling student at Northwestern University and a Clinical Intern here at Grey Matter Counseling & Consulting. As part of my internship, I’m exploring innovative mental health treatments like KAP and learning how they can support clients on their well-being journeys. 

Over the coming weeks, I will be taking a deep dive into KAP as part of a blog series. I’ll be talking with practitioners who provide KAP, learning how they integrate it into therapy sessions, and what kinds of experiences it can create for clients. I’ll also be speaking with researchers and academics to understand what the latest science says about how ketamine works in the brain and its benefits for mental health. 

My goal with this series is to educate, inform, and help reduce the stigma around KAP. I want readers to have a clear understanding of what KAP is, how it can support healing, and what the current research is showing.

Keep an eye out for upcoming blogs in this series. I’m excited to share what I’m learning and hope it sparks curiosity and greater understanding of this innovative approach to mental health care.