About Ketamine-Assisted Therapy
Ketamine-assisted therapy (KAT) is an innovative treatment approach that combines the administration of ketamine -- an FDA-approved anesthetic with rapid-acting antidepressant properties -- with psychotherapy to treat depression, PTSD, and addiction. Unlike traditional antidepressants that take weeks to produce effects, ketamine can produce significant mood improvement within hours to days by rapidly increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and promoting the growth of new neural connections (synaptogenesis) in areas of the brain damaged by chronic stress and substance use.
At Trust SoCal, ketamine-assisted therapy is offered as part of our comprehensive treatment program for carefully selected clients, administered under close medical supervision by our psychiatric team. KAT sessions involve the administration of a sub-anesthetic dose of ketamine in a controlled clinical setting, combined with psychotherapeutic support before, during, and after the experience. The altered state of consciousness produced by ketamine can facilitate profound psychological insights, emotional processing, and a shift in perspective that enhances the therapeutic work done in other modalities. This approach is particularly valuable for clients with treatment-resistant depression who have not responded to standard antidepressants, as the neuroplasticity window created by ketamine makes the brain more receptive to therapeutic change.
