Breakthrough Relief for Depression, Anxiety, and PTSD with Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
A safe, science-backed treatment guided by a medical doctor and licensed therapists.
How Ketamine Therapy Works
The Mind & Body Difference
At Mind & Body Christian Health Group, we take a holistic, medically integrated, and spiritually informed approach to ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.
Unlike many clinics that focus only on administering ketamine, we prioritize a therapeutic partnership between medical providers and licensed psychotherapists to ensure comprehensive mental health support throughout the process.
Our team provides personalized care, blending scientific research, compassionate therapy, and a faith-based perspective for those who want to incorporate it into their healing journey.
We focus on intentional preparation, integration, and follow-up care, making the experience more than just a treatment—it’s a guided transformation.
The Mind & Body Team
Repeated Sessions Leads to Further Healing
Ketamine offers a bold new approach to mental health care — one that works faster and goes deeper than many traditional treatments. Research shows that it can create rapid relief from symptoms of depression, PTSD, and anxiety, especially in people who haven’t found success with other therapies... (read more)
Ketamine offers a bold new approach to mental health care — one that works faster and goes deeper than many traditional treatments. Research shows that it can create rapid relief from symptoms of depression, PTSD, and anxiety, especially in people who haven’t found success with other therapies. When used alongside psychotherapy, ketamine helps the brain form new connections, opening the door to powerful emotional breakthroughs and long-term healing.
So, how does it work?
Ketamine acts on a different system in the brain than most antidepressants. Instead of targeting serotonin or dopamine, it works on glutamate, the brain’s primary excitatory neurotransmitter. This action boosts neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to change, adapt, and grow — while also reducing inflammation and protecting neurons. These effects help explain why ketamine can lead to such fast-acting and sustained improvements in mood, thought patterns, and emotional resilience.
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy is showing powerful results in treating a wide range of mental health conditions. It has been used to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, bipolar depression, and chronic stress-related disorders — especially in individuals who have not found relief through traditional treatment alone. Clinical research also suggests ketamine may support breakthroughs in emotional regulation, trauma processing, and existential distress.
In our practice and in the research we’ve compiled, we highlight multiple therapeutic uses of ketamine that demonstrate its versatility and life-changing potential. These include both standalone conditions and overlapping patterns that many clients experience. This is not a one-size-fits-all approach — it’s a dynamic tool used with care, precision, and psychological guidance to help you reconnect with yourself and your life.
If You’re Ready for the Deeper Science, the Sections Below Break It Down.
Glutamate System and NMDA Receptor Antagonism
The primary mechanism of ketamine’s action is N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonism.
Role of NMDA Receptors:
NMDA receptors are glutamate-gated ion channels that play a crucial role in synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory.
Overactivation of NMDA receptors has been linked to excitotoxicity—a condition where excessive glutamate leads to neuronal damage and cell death.
This mechanism has been implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD) and chronic stress-induced neuronal dysfunction.
Ketamine’s Action on NMDA Receptors:
Ketamine acts as a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, meaning it binds to the receptor but does not activate it, instead blocking excessive glutamate signaling.
This leads to a temporary inhibition of NMDA receptors, which paradoxically increases synaptic glutamate release, triggering a cascade of events that result in rapid synaptic plasticity.
AMPA Receptor Activation and Synaptic Plasticity
While ketamine blocks NMDA receptors, it indirectly enhances AMPA receptor activity.
AMPA Receptors and Synaptic Strength:
AMPA receptors are another class of glutamate receptors that mediate fast excitatory synaptic transmission.
Activation of AMPA receptors promotes long-term potentiation (LTP), a process crucial for memory formation and learning.
Increased AMPA receptor activity results in the strengthening of synaptic connections, which is critical for neuroplasticity and mood regulation.
Ketamine’s Role in AMPA Activation:
The blockade of NMDA receptors leads to a compensatory increase in glutamate release, which stimulates AMPA receptor-mediated synaptic signaling.
This process enhances neural circuit connectivity, leading to rapid antidepressant effects, often observed within hours of ketamine administration.
mTOR Pathway Activation: Neuroplasticity and Synapse Formation
The downstream effect of AMPA receptor activation is the stimulation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, which is critical for synaptic protein synthesis and neuroplasticity.
mTOR Pathway and Depression:
The mTOR pathway is a cellular signaling system that regulates protein synthesis, cell growth, and synapse formation.
Chronic stress and depression are associated with reduced synaptic connectivity, particularly in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus—regions responsible for emotional regulation and cognition.
Ketamine’s Role in mTOR Activation:
By enhancing AMPA receptor function, ketamine activates the mTOR pathway, leading to:
Increased synaptogenesis (formation of new synaptic connections).
Enhanced dendritic spine growth in the PFC.
Reversal of synaptic deficits induced by chronic stress.
Timeframe of Effects:
The synaptic changes triggered by ketamine can occur within hours, explaining its fast-acting antidepressant properties.
These structural changes contribute to sustained mood improvement beyond the drug’s immediate dissociative effects.
Anti-Inflammatory and Neuroprotective Effects
Chronic inflammation has been linked to depression, anxiety, and neurodegenerative disorders. Ketamine exhibits anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects through multiple mechanisms:
- Inhibition of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines:
- Depression has been associated with increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β.
- Ketamine reduces the release of these cytokines, leading to anti-inflammatory effects in the brain.
- Increased Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF):
- Ketamine boosts BDNF levels, which promotes neuronal survival, growth, and synaptic plasticity.
- BDNF is crucial for mood regulation, and low levels are often found in individuals with depression.
- Reduction of Oxidative Stress:
- Ketamine enhances the function of antioxidant systems, reducing oxidative stress and protecting neurons from damage.
Default Mode Network (DMN) Disruption and Consciousness Alteration
The Default Mode Network (DMN) is a set of brain regions that become active when a person is at rest, self-reflecting, or ruminating.
- DMN Overactivity in Depression:
- The DMN is hyperactive in individuals with depression, leading to excessive negative self-referential thoughts and rumination.
- This contributes to a rigid, maladaptive thought pattern, making it difficult to break free from depressive states.
- Ketamine’s Effect on the DMN:
- Ketamine temporarily disrupts the DMN, leading to:
- A decrease in negative self-referential thinking.
- An increased sense of detachment from distressing emotions.
- A “reset” effect on maladaptive thought patterns.
- Ketamine temporarily disrupts the DMN, leading to:
- Psychedelic and Dissociative Experience:
- The alteration in DMN activity contributes to ketamine’s dissociative effects, where individuals experience a sense of detachment from their usual sense of self and reality.
- This can be therapeutically beneficial, allowing patients to gain new perspectives on their emotional struggles.
Long-Term Effects and Neuroadaptation
Ketamine not only provides rapid relief from symptoms but also induces long-lasting neuroadaptive changes that contribute to sustained improvement in mood and cognition.
- Repeated Administration Leads to Cumulative Effects:
- –Unlike traditional antidepressants that require weeks to months to take effect, ketamine can lead to significant mood improvement within hours.
- -However, for sustained benefits, multiple sessions may be needed.
- -Long-term effects appear to be mediated by increased neuroplasticity and synaptic remodeling.
- Potential Role in Neuropsychiatric Disorders Beyond Depression:
- -Research is ongoing into ketamine’s effectiveness for PTSD, OCD, chronic pain, and neurodegenerative disorders.
- -Its neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects suggest potential benefits beyond mood disorders.
Ketamine Treats Multiple Disorders
Grounded in Safety. Rooted in Care.
Medical monitoring, therapeutic support, and controlled dosing create a strong foundation for your healing journey. Ketamine has been used safely in medical settings for over 50 years. First synthesized in the 1960s, it was approved by the FDA in 1970 as an anesthetic and rapidly became a widely used medication in hospitals, emergency rooms, and surgical settings. Unlike traditional anesthetics... (read more)
Decades of Safe Medical Use
Ketamine has been used safely in medical settings for over 50 years. First synthesized in the 1960s, it was approved by the FDA in 1970 as an anesthetic and rapidly became a widely used medication in hospitals, emergency rooms, and surgical settings. Unlike traditional anesthetics, ketamine does not suppress breathing at therapeutic doses, making it a preferred choice for trauma patients, children, and battlefield medicine.
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Psychiatric Use & Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
As research expanded, clinicians discovered that low doses of ketamine could rapidly alleviate depressive symptoms, even in patients who had not responded to conventional treatments. By the early 2000s, clinical studies began demonstrating its effectiveness for mental health disorders, leading to its integration into psychiatric care.
In the structured setting of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP), ketamine is administered under medical supervision alongside guided psychotherapy.
KAP incorporates:
Careful patient screening to ensure appropriateness. Controlled dosing in a supervised clinical setting. Integration therapy to help patients process and apply insights from their sessions.
The Research
Studies show that ketamine can rapidly reduce symptoms of depression, PTSD, and other mental health conditions — even in individuals who have not responded to traditional treatments. One major study published in The American Journal of Psychiatry found that 70% of patients with treatment-resistant depression showed significant improvement after ketamine therapy... (read more)
Studies show that ketamine can rapidly reduce symptoms of depression, PTSD, and other mental health conditions — even in individuals who have not responded to traditional treatments.
One major study published in The American Journal of Psychiatry found that 70% of patients with treatment-resistant depression showed significant improvement after ketamine therapy (Papolos et al., 2019). These findings continue to be supported by a growing body of clinical research worldwide.
We’ve highlighted three key studies below, and if you’d like to explore more, you can download our full PDF guide to current research on ketamine’s therapeutic use for anxiety, depression, trauma, and more.
Rapid Antidepressant Effects of Ketamine in Depressed Patients
Key Findings:
-A single intravenous dose of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) led to significant reductions in depressive symptoms.
-Improvements were observed within hours and lasted up to 72 hours.
-The study highlighted ketamine’s potential as a fast-acting antidepressant, unlike traditional medications that take weeks to work.
What This Means for You:
Traditional antidepressants often require weeks or months to take effect. If you’ve struggled with persistent depression and haven’t found relief through other treatments, ketamine offers a rapid alternative that may help you feel better within just a few hours to days.
Reference:
Berman, R. M., Cappiello, A., Anand, A., Oren, D. A., Heninger, G. R., Charney, D. S., & Krystal, J. H. (2000). Antidepressant effects of ketamine in depressed patients. Biological Psychiatry, 47(4), 351-354.
Ketamine’s Efficacy in Treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Key Findings:
-Repeated ketamine infusions significantly reduced PTSD symptom severity compared to placebo.
-Approximately two-thirds of patients showed a positive response to ketamine treatment.
-The study provided strong evidence supporting ketamine’s potential for individuals with chronic PTSD, even those resistant to other treatments.
What This Means for You:
If you have PTSD that hasn’t improved with therapy or medication, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy may help. Many individuals experience a reset in their stress response, allowing them to process trauma in new, healthier ways.
Reference:
Feder, A., Costi, S., Rutter, S. B., Collins, A. B., Govindarajulu, U., Jha, M. K., … & Charney, D. S. (2021). A randomized controlled trial of repeated ketamine administration for chronic posttraumatic stress disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 178(3), 193-202.
Ketamine’s Anxiolytic Effects in Treatment-Resistant Anxiety Disorders
Key Findings:
-Ketamine administration led to a significant reduction in anxiety symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant anxiety disorders.
-The anxiolytic effects were rapid and sustained over time.
-The study suggests ketamine as a promising option for individuals not responding to traditional anxiety treatments.
What This Means for You:
If you have been struggling with chronic anxiety that hasn’t responded to conventional treatments, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy may offer a new avenue for relief. The rapid onset of its effects means you could experience significant improvements in your anxiety symptoms shortly after treatment.
Reference:
Tully, J. L., Dahlén, A. D., Haggarty, C. J., Schiöth, H. B., & Brooks, S. (2022). Ketamine treatment for refractory anxiety: A systematic review. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 88(10), 4412-4426.
Who is involved in KAP?
Financial Choices
The cost of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy typically ranges from $150 to $250 per hour, depending on your individual care path. We recognize that this is a significant investment — and we honor that. This work is designed not just to support you in the moment, but to help transform the trajectory of your life... (read more)
The cost of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy typically ranges from $150 to $250 per hour, depending on your individual care path. We recognize that this is a significant investment — and we honor that. This work is designed not just to support you in the moment, but to help transform the trajectory of your life.
Our goal isn’t just symptom relief — it’s to help you break old cycles and reclaim a fuller, more grounded life. This is a powerful, life-changing approach to mental health, and we’ll help you explore flexible options that meet your needs and your budget.
Self Pay Patient Program
Our self-pay option offers flexibility and privacy for clients who prefer to access care without insurance. While standard rates range from $150–$250 per hour, we offer a thoughtfully designed Initial KAP Program that makes sessions more affordable.
Clients who choose to bundle their care through this program save over $1,000 compared to paying session-by-session. This approach not only eases the financial burden but also supports a more intentional, consistent healing experience. We’re here to help you choose a plan that aligns with both your goals and your budget.
Insurance Supported Patient Program
While we cannot guarantee insurance reimbursement, some clients are able to use their benefits for intake and integration therapy sessions. Our team is happy to assess your insurance plan and help you explore whether these components of care may be eligible.
Ketamine administration sessions are not billable to insurance, but we offer the option to bundle all services — including preparation, dosing, and integration — into a comprehensive Initial KAP Program for greater affordability and simplicity. We’re here to walk with you through your options and support whatever path fits your needs best.
Financing Options
If cost is a concern, you’re not alone — and it shouldn’t be a barrier to the care you deserve. We offer accessible financing options through trusted partners to help break costs into manageable monthly payments.
Our goal is to make life-changing care as accessible as possible. We’ll walk you through what’s available and help you find a path that supports both your healing and your budget.
