Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Using expanded states of consciousness to support deeper therapeutic work.
Dr. Belford offers Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) through a collaborative care model, combining ketamine’s unique neurobiological effects with psychotherapy to support deeper self-exploration and healing.
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Softening habitual patterns
Ketamine can induce a state of relaxed openness, temporarily softening habitual thought patterns and emotional defenses. In this state, it often becomes easier to engage with underlying emotions, memories, and beliefs that may feel less accessible in traditional therapy.
Many people describe the experience as an expanded awareness of self, offering insight into core values, internal conflicts, and patterns that may be difficult to approach through ordinary conversation alone.
Neuroplasticity and psychological change
One of ketamine’s most promising effects is its relationship to neuroplasticity, the brain’s capacity to form new connections and reorganize itself. Research suggests that ketamine may promote synaptic growth in regions associated with emotional regulation, learning, and memory, potentially creating conditions for more flexible and adaptive thinking.
Ketamine has also been associated with changes in systems involving gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), both of which play important roles in mood, anxiety, learning, and emotional resilience. These effects may help loosen the grip of ingrained emotional patterns, making space for new ways of relating to oneself and the world.
Ketamine as a complement to psychotherapy
Ketamine-assisted therapy does not replace traditional psychotherapy. Rather, it can amplify the therapeutic process by deepening access to emotional material and increasing openness to change.
For many people, ketamine sessions serve as a catalyst, helping to bridge the gap between intellectual understanding and embodied emotional change. The work that follows, processing and integrating these experiences, is just as essential as the experience itself.
When integrated into ongoing therapy, KAP can help
- Bring clarity to emotional patterns that may otherwise remain unconscious or difficult to articulate.
- Support the processing of past experiences, especially those tied to trauma, grief, or persistent distress.
- Reduce cognitive rigidity, allowing for new perspectives and behavioral shifts.
- Strengthen therapeutic insights, making it easier to integrate meaningful changes into daily life.
The process
The process begins with an initial consultation to determine suitability and establish treatment goals. A separate evaluation with a medical provider covers medical history, ruling out contraindications, and prescribing.
Each ketamine session lasts approximately two hours, followed by an integration session where insights from the experience are explored and incorporated into ongoing therapeutic work.
Collaborative care
In this model, medical evaluation and prescribing are handled by an appropriate medical provider. Psychotherapy focuses on preparation, the therapeutic frame, and integration of the experience.
This collaborative structure helps ensure that ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is approached thoughtfully, with attention to clinical goals, medical suitability, psychological readiness, and ongoing therapeutic support.
Getting Started
If you’re interested in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy or wondering whether it may be a good fit, you’re welcome to schedule an initial no-fee consultation.
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