Can Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Help with Anxiety Disorders?
Understanding anxiety disorders
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health challenges, affecting more than 40 million U.S. adults each year. Conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder can severely impact daily functioning, relationships, and overall quality of life.
Anxiety causes the most emergency room visits and mood disorders cause the highest number of hospitalizations in California. Medications and psychotherapy are good options, but these approaches don’t always provide lasting relief. This gap has led to an increasing need for alternative treatment options such as ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP), which offers new hope where traditional treatments fall short.
Learn more about our anxiety treatment options.
What is ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP)?
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is a mental health treatment that combines the use of clinical doses of ketamine within psychotherapeutic treatment for mental health. Unlike ketamine-only infusions which are typically provided without any mental health or psychiatric experts, KAP includes a licensed psychotherapist and is focused on supportive integration and application of experiences and insights to daily life.
Ketamine works differently from traditional anxiety and depression medications. Instead of taking weeks to build up, it quickly supports new neural connections and pathways via a process called neuroplasticity. This creates a “window of opportunity” where increased responsiveness to new experiences is possible, making behavioral change especially impactful.
Explore our Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy services.
Evidence for ketamine to treat anxiety
Most clinical research on ketamine has focused on treatment-resistant depression (TRD), where ketamine’s rapid antidepressant effects are well documented. However, evidence also suggests that ketamine decreases the symptoms of anxiety disorders, bipolar depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Pilot studies and observational data show significant improvements in anxiety symptoms [see references].
- Patients often report rapid relief, sometimes within hours to days, compared to weeks to months with other common anxiety treatments.
- Evidence for KAP is promising but still preliminary, with randomized controlled trials underway to determine whether pairing psychotherapy with ketamine results in better outcomes than ketamine alone.
Currently, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy does not yet have one standardized agreed-upon approach, despite the reports of promising outcomes. Thus, it is important to seek care in a specialized, medically supervised clinic with experienced psychedelic-assisted psychotherapists.
For trusted, evidence-based information, see resources from the National Institute of Mental Health and recent clinical reviews in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Affective Disorders.
What to expect at TRIP Clinics in Los Angeles
Psychedelic Science Institute (PSI) offers ketamine-assisted psychotherapy at our TRIP Clinics in Santa Monica and Hollywood, both designed to provide safe, supportive environments for treatment.
Here’s what the KAP journey typically looks like at our TRIP Clinics:
- Screening & Evaluation – You’ll meet with a treatment team including a licensed medical and mental health clinician to complete a 90-minute clinical intake interview and psychological assessments, including review of your medical and mental health records to ensure safety and eligibility for KAP. Your treatment team will answer your questions regarding the treatment and develop a collaborative, evidence-informed treatment plan designed to work for you.
- Initial Series – You will typically have two 90-minute KAP sessions per week for 4 weeks with your treatment team. Your therapist will help you determine goals, discuss intentions and expectations. Ketamine is administered through intramuscular injection by one of our experienced medical providers in a calm, private setting. Your therapist will be with you throughout. The end of each session includes time for integration and exploration of your present moment state following the ketamine experience. After your session, you will need to have a responsible individual take you home.
- Maintenance Sessions – After the initial KAP series is complete, you and your treatment team will discuss the outcomes and remaining goals. Most people require a few maintenance sessions, typically between 2-10 per year following the initial series. Your team will assist you in tracking your outcomes as a means of determining when maintenance sessions might be helpful. You'll work with a therapist to process the experience and reinforce lasting positive changes.
PSI and our associated TRIP Clinics are actively advancing innovative psychedelic research while also providing safe, evidence-informed care options that are widely accessible now, such as ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP).
Find a location near you: TRIP Clinic Santa Monica | TRIP Clinic Hollywood
Is KAP right for you?
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy may be appropriate if you:
- Struggle with anxiety symptoms that are negatively impacting your daily life and functioning.
- Are seeking an advanced, holistic approach that works differently than other existing treatments.
- Want care delivered in a mental health-focused, science-guided, person-centered setting.
KAP is not suitable for everyone. Contraindications may include people with uncontrolled high blood pressure, certain cardiovascular conditions, active psychosis, or pregnancy.
The next step in your commitment to healing is to connect with our team. Together we’ll take a thoughtful look at whether KAP is right for you, right now.
Meet our expert care team or contact us to schedule a consultation.
References (cited in blog):
Dore, J., Turnipseed, B., Dwyer, S., Turnipseed, A., Andries, J., Ascani, G., Monnette, C., Huidekoper, A., Strauss, N., & Wolfson, P. (2019). Ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP): Patient demographics, clinical data and outcomes in three large practices administering ketamine with psychotherapy. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 51(2), 189–198. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2019.1587556
California State of Public Health Report, 2024. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Public Health, Office of Policy and Planning; 2024.
Glue, P., Medlicott, N. J., Harland, S., Neehoff, S., Anderson-Fahey, B., Le Nedelec, M., ... & McNaughton, N. (2017). Ketamine’s dose-related effects on anxiety symptoms in patients with treatment refractory anxiety disorders. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 31(10), 1302-1305.