Breakthrough with Illumma
Reduce anxiety or depression with an immersive, clinician-guided program.
Book your free evaluation today.
As seen in:
The Science Behind Ketamine
Chronic psychological issues, stress, and trauma weakens neural connections and decreases the number of synapses in the brain over time.
Ketamine works directly to restore these connections. It binds to the NMDA receptor and releases a glutamate surge. Since glutamate contributes significantly to how memories are formed in the brain, ketamine can help reshape traumatic memories allowing us to move beyond them. Ketamine also releases growth factors, like BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which increases neuroplasticity, helping to strengthen synaptic connections and pave healthier thought patterns in the brain. This overall effect can feel like a “reset” of the brain.
Beyond the physical level, ketamine can induce a non-ordinary state of consciousness, also known as a psychedelic experience. The psychedelic experience can “shake up” our beliefs and stories giving us a new perspective. The experience can catalyze change that can support new behaviors, habits, and better-thinking patterns.
Benefits of Ketamine Therapy and Integrative Care
Find clarity and reduce negative thought patterns.
SSRIs vs. Ketamine
Ketamine works differently than traditional antidepressants and is often effective when SSRIs fail.
Fast Acting
Ketamine may provide relief in a much shorter timeframe than traditional prescription medications.
Psychedelic Effects
Psychedelics can unlock emotional insight and understanding to help us heal unresolved trauma.
Total Treatment
Clinician-prescribed ketamine therapy is facilitated by an individualized treatment plan and supported by therapy or other supportive resources.
How We Treat Depression, Anxiety, and Other Mental Health Conditions with Ketamine Therapy
Ketamine is a proven treatment for depression, anxiety, and trauma—even when other methods have failed. We incorporate ketamine therapy into a robust mental health program.
Our comprehensive program also includes:
- A trained clinical team to monitor your experience
- An individualized dosing plan determined by our nurses and medical director
- A trained paramedic in the room during each session to monitor vitals and to ensure you have a safe a comfortable session.
- Complimentary integration support during and after your infusion series
Most Common Conditions We Treat
Indisputable Clinical Evidence
The American Psychiatric Association confirms ketamine is a rapid and robust antidepressant after reviewing dozens of clinical trials.
Evidence from the National Institute of Health compelled the Cleveland Clinic to call ketamine a top 10 medical innovation.
There have been dozens of high-quality clinical trials demonstrating ketamine’s 60-90% response rate-even in treatment-resistant depression.
The former director of the National Institute for Mental Health said, “Ketamine might be the most important breakthrough in antidepressant treatment in decades."
Our Approach
Find relief through mental health treatment in person.
Why We Believe in Individualized Treatment
Ketamine is clinically proven as a safe and rapid-acting treatment. Many people experience a dramatic difference after their first session as their ketamine infusion rewires their brains and opens them to new possibilities. The therapeutic impact occurs as ketamine balances brain chemicals and triggers new connections allowing for transformation in a matter of weeks instead of years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ketamine is a medicine historically used for anesthesia during surgeries and medical procedures. It was synthesized in the 1960s and is FDA-approved for procedural sedation and anesthesia. It is widely used in hospitals and ERs and is on the World Health Organization’s “List of Essential Medicines.” Ketamine is now being .used “off-label” to treat depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and some chronic pain disorders. This medication has a long track record for its safety when used appropriately.
While ketamine is the most researched psychedelic medication, how it exactly works is still being discovered. Studies have shown that it has a multilayered effect that targets dozens of systems in the brain and has a psychological and spiritual impact on clients. This creates a “reboot,” resetting the mind’s innate ability to heal. We know ketamine works on the NMDA receptor to block the glutamate neurotransmitter. Scientific study shows ketamine improves the health of the neurons (brain cells) by increasing the connection between the neurons involved in determining mood and improving the brain’s ability to adapt (aka neuroplasticity). Furthermore, ketamine decreases activity in the Default Mode Network (DMN) of the brain, which is more active in depression, anxiety, and chronic pain.
Ketamine infusions may be for you if you suffer from depression, anxiety, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), some pain disorders, or other mental health and stress issues that keep you from living your best life. Many who have not found relief from traditional medications and therapies often benefit from ketamine infusions. If you want to avoid the side effects of more conventional treatments or current treatments are not working for you, this may be for you. Ketamine therapy can also be helpful for high-functioning people looking for a new tool to deal with the stress of living in today’s world. Even if you haven’t been diagnosed with a mental health condition, you can still find clarity, confidence, and creativity with ketamine therapy.
Ketamine has been proven safe and effective over decades of widespread use. The drug has minimal breathing, blood pressure, or heart rate, making it an ideal anesthetic. It was first FDA-approved for anesthesia in 1970. During an infusion for mental health treatment, the amount given is just a fraction of the dose safely used in sedation during surgery. But ketamine’s mental health applications are still considered “off-label” uses of the drug, meaning they are emerging treatments that the FDA hasn’t yet formally approved. Research on ketamine for depression and other mental health conditions is extensive and ongoing.
While the medication is extremely safe, there are recommended standards for administration. Therapy should be done by a licensed physician who can administer a DEA schedule III medication. ACLS certification is recommended and meets the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ requirements for delivering moderate sedation. It is also recommended that the outpatient environment where these services are performed can monitor vital signs every 15 minutes. Additionally, when patients have a pre-existing history of cardiovascular or respiratory problems, they may receive additional support and monitoring with oxygen therapy and continuous end-tidal CO2 monitoring during their infusions.
Before a drug can be approved, a pharmaceutical company must submit clinical data and other information to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for review. The company must show that the drug is safe and effective for its intended uses. “Safe” does not mean that the drug has no side effects. Instead, it means the FDA has determined the benefits of using the medicine for a particular use outweigh the potential risks. Once the FDA has approved a treatment for one purpose, healthcare providers may prescribe that drug for other purposes when they judge that it is medically appropriate for their patient. Prescribing a drug for a purpose other than its approval is known as “off-label” use. Off-label use of medications is legal and common. About one in five prescriptions written in the US today is off-label.
Despite an ever-growing body of research supporting ketamine therapy for depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and chronic pain, they remain off-label uses of the drug. Because ketamine has been administered for over 50 years as an anesthetic, its patent has expired, making it a generic drug. Without a patent, there isn’t much profit potential. That means there’s no financial incentive for any pharmaceutical company to sponsor the kind of large, costly clinical trials of ketamine for mood and pain disorders that are required for FDA approval.