At Intero, we are providing what we believe to be the gold standard of ketamine treatment in the nation. Having medical providers work alongside you during this process is vital in achieving this high level of quality and safety.

 

Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) involves a trio of individuals working together as a team: you, the client, your therapist, and a medical provider--either a psychiatrist or a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP). Your therapist will be able to prepare you for this treatment as well as integrate the precipitates of the experience into your ongoing plan, allowing you to get the most out of the psychedelic experience. Having a medical provider involved ensures you are safe throughout the process, enabling you to take full advantage of what medicine can offer.

 

What is a medical provider you might ask? There are a lot of providers in the field of ketamine and currently there are no defined or mandated regulatory requirements as to who can provide this medication. At Intero, we believe that this process is about helping your mind and soul heal and grow. To accomplish this, our providers are a team of psychiatrists and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners who have both the medical and psychiatric training to allow you to achieve the best possible outcome. This balances knowledge about the use of ketamine as well as the safety of its use with providers who understand your physical and psychological self.  

 

Clients will first meet with the medical provider for a medical evaluation. This evaluation is generally scheduled to occur shortly after your initial diagnostic evaluation with your therapist. The purpose of the medical evaluation is to determine whether ketamine treatments will be safe for you, both from a medical and psychological perspective. The most common medical contraindication for KAP is uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure). If your blood pressure is elevated at the medical evaluation, we may request that you follow up with your primary care provider to address this before proceeding with a KAP session. Your medical provider will also assess for psychological contraindications to KAP, such as mania or psychosis. During the medical evaluation your medical provider will discuss with you topics related to KAP, such as potential side effects of ketamine, route of administration, and how ketamine is hypothesized to work in the treatment of depression and anxiety. Lastly, your medical provider will discuss with you there commend dose of ketamine for your initial KAP session.

 

After your medical evaluation, the next time you will see your medical provider is the day of your KAP session. Prior to the start of the session, your treatment team will meet with you to review the treatment plan(including the doses of ketamine that you may receive) and obtain consent to begin the session.  Once the team has obtained your consent to proceed, the session may begin, and your medical provider will administer the first dose of ketamine (via intramuscular injection).  Depending on the treatment plan discussed prior to the start of the session, a booster dose of ketamine may be administered approximately 15 minutes into the session. Your therapist will remain in the treatment room with you for the duration of your KAP session and your medical provider will always be available in case any concerns arise.  Intero keeps safety equipment, including an AED and oxygen tank, on site in the event of a medical emergency.  Once you have “landed” from your ketamine experience, your medical provider will return to your treatment room to debrief with you and your therapist and medically clear you to return home.  

 

If questions arise at any point during your KAP experience at Intero, your medical provider will be happy to work with you to answer those questions.  As medical providers, our goal is to keep you safe while we support your pursuit of healing and wellness.

 

Ketamine is a breakthrough therapy for depression, anxiety, and PTSD, and psychedelic therapy is becoming foundational in transformative mental health care. To get the benefits of ketamine and psychedelic therapy, set and setting are everything. At Intero we are proud that our medical providers are the best of both worlds.