Something held in stone
Low-dose trauma processing (KA-EMDR) and traditional KAP for depression, emotional shutdown, and patterns that won't shift through talk therapy alone.
Many people reach a point where traditional therapy helps—but only to a point.
You've done the work. You've shown up, been honest, tried to change. And something shifted—but not enough.
You understand your patterns. You know what happened in your past. But inside, something still feels stuck: a shutdown you can't break through, emotions you can't access, numbness you can't explain, or a sense that you're living behind glass.
KAP isn't about a shortcut. It's about creating the conditions for deeper, safer, more compassionate access to yourself—when your defenses have been too rigid for too long.
"I am larger, better than I thought; I did not know I held so much goodness."
— Walt Whitman, "Song of the Open Road"
I offer two distinct protocols, each suited to different therapeutic needs:
Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy (KA-EMDR)
Low-dose ketamine combined with active EMDR trauma processing during the session.
At psycholytic doses, ketamine softens rigid defenses and reduces emotional overwhelm, allowing you to process traumatic material that would otherwise feel too activating. You remain alert and engaged throughout—able to follow bilateral stimulation and work directly with memories, sensations, and emotions as they arise.
This approach is especially effective for:
My training: Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy: Enhancing Trauma Treatment with Low Dose Ketamine
Learn more about my EMDR practice →
Traditional Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
Higher-dose ketamine that creates a deeper dissociative or psychedelic experience.
At these doses, you enter an altered state of consciousness where rigid thought patterns dissolve, new perspectives emerge, and compassion for yourself becomes more accessible. I provide therapeutic presence, safety, and grounding—not active processing during the session itself.
Integration happens afterward, where we make meaning of what surfaced and translate insights into lasting change.
This approach is especially effective for:
My training: Essentials of Psychedelic Therapy (Fluence), Journey Clinical KAP Training, EMBARK Psychedelic-assisted Therapy for Major Depression
Together, we'll determine which approach—or combination—makes sense for your specific needs and goals.
Imagine emotions that have been walled off for years finally becoming accessible—not flooding you, but available.
Imagine the rigid inner critic quieting enough that you can actually hear yourself think. The shame that's run the show for decades losing its grip—not gone, but no longer in control.
Imagine looking at your life from a new angle and realizing the story you've been telling yourself isn't the only one. That the defenses you built to survive aren't who you are.
Imagine your body softening. Not because you forced it, but because something finally felt safe enough to let go.
This is what KAP can open up—not as a shortcut, but as a doorway to deeper work.
Ketamine temporarily softens the brain's rigid survival defenses and increases neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to form new pathways.
This creates a window where you can:
KAP is not:
KAP is:
My approach to KAP is grounded in the same principles that shape all my clinical work: trauma-informed pacing, existential-phenomenological depth, relational safety, and integration across multiple levels of experience.
We work at your pace, not the protocol's pace. You are never pushed into intensity your nervous system isn't ready for.
I track not just what emerges during sessions, but how your experience relates to your attachment history, identity formation, meaning-making, and the systems that have shaped you.
The medicine creates a temporary opening—a softening of rigid defenses, an increase in neuroplasticity—but the therapeutic relationship is what makes that opening safe enough to explore.
Integration is where change solidifies: making meaning of what surfaced, connecting insights to your lived experience, and building new pathways forward.
1. Medical Evaluation (with Journey Clinical prescriber)
They determine whether ketamine is appropriate, screen for contraindications, decide on dosing and route, and establish the medical protocol.
2. Preparation Sessions (with me)
We explore your intentions, history, fears, defenses, what tends to shut you down, how to stay grounded, and what safety looks like for you. We also determine whether KA-EMDR or traditional KAP is the better fit.
3. Dosing Sessions (with me)
4. Integration Sessions (with me)
This is where change solidifies. We explore what came up, what shifted, what softened, what surprised or frightened you, what your mind and body are communicating, and what new choices become available.
Integration turns the experience into transformation.
I do not prescribe ketamine. I am not a medical provider.
You will meet with a licensed prescriber through Journey Clinical for:
If the prescriber determines you are a good candidate, I support you therapeutically through:
KAP is most effective when medical and psychological care are separate but coordinated.
KAP may be a good fit if you:
If you're not sure whether KAP or standard trauma therapy is the right starting point, we can figure that out together in a consultation.
KAP is not appropriate if you:
Part of our initial consultation is determining whether KAP is safe and appropriate for you.
If you search for ketamine therapy in Seattle, most results are infusion clinics—medical facilities that administer IV ketamine, often without a therapist present during the session. That's a different service for a different need.
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is therapy-centered. I provide:
The medicine opens a window. The therapy is what makes it count.
If you're looking for IV ketamine infusions without a therapy component, a dedicated clinic like SeattleNTC or Northwest Ketamine Clinics may be a better fit. If you want psychotherapy that uses ketamine as a tool within a broader treatment relationship, that's what I offer.
For support after other psychedelic experiences—psilocybin, MDMA, ayahuasca—see psychedelic integration.
Ketamine for depression in Seattle — Traditional KAP can be effective for treatment-resistant depression that hasn't responded to medication or talk therapy alone. Ketamine increases neuroplasticity and can temporarily lift rigid thought patterns, creating space for therapeutic work that wasn't previously accessible. Unlike infusion-only approaches, KAP pairs the neurochemical effects with active psychotherapy to build lasting change.
Ketamine for PTSD and trauma — KA-EMDR combines low-dose ketamine with active EMDR trauma processing. The ketamine softens rigid defenses while you remain alert enough to do structured memory processing. This is especially effective for trauma that feels too overwhelming to approach in standard EMDR, or for clients who shut down when they try to access traumatic material.
Ketamine for anxiety — When anxiety is rooted in trauma, chronic hypervigilance, or rigid nervous system patterns, KAP can help by temporarily reducing the defensive wall that keeps the underlying material inaccessible. This is not a first-line treatment for anxiety—we explore whether trauma processing, EMDR, or other approaches might address your anxiety before considering KAP.
Ketamine for emotional shutdown and numbness — Some people don't feel depressed or anxious—they feel nothing. Years of suppressing emotions, chronic dissociation, or early attachment disruption can create a shutdown pattern that talk therapy alone can't penetrate. KAP can help soften that wall enough to begin accessing what's underneath.
No. I am not a medical provider. All prescribing, medical evaluation, and safety screening are handled by licensed prescribers through Journey Clinical. I provide the therapeutic support: preparation, presence during dosing sessions, and integration therapy afterward.
KA-EMDR uses low-dose ketamine combined with active EMDR trauma processing—you remain alert and engaged while we work directly with memories and emotions. Traditional KAP uses higher doses that create a deeper, more dissociative experience where I provide presence and safety while you explore your inner world. Integration happens afterward. We'll determine together which approach fits your needs.
It depends on the dose and protocol. KA-EMDR uses lower doses where you remain conversational and able to do active processing—it's not typically "psychedelic" in the classic sense. Traditional KAP at higher doses can produce more profound altered states. We discuss what to expect during preparation.
I'm with you the entire time, tracking your state and providing grounding as needed. Ketamine's effects are relatively short-lived, and we can adjust pacing, offer reassurance, or simply sit together until you feel settled. You're never alone with difficult material.
No. Ketamine creates a window of increased neuroplasticity and reduced defenses—but lasting change happens through the therapeutic relationship, the preparation, and especially the integration work afterward. KAP without integration is a missed opportunity.
Preparation sessions (55 min): $175. Dosing sessions (2–3 hours): $500 (not covered by insurance). Integration sessions (55 min): $175. You also pay Journey Clinical separately for medical services—initial evaluation is $250, follow-up medication management is $150. These costs don't include the prescription itself.
Ketamine infusion clinics typically administer IV ketamine in a medical setting, often without a therapist present during the session. KAP is psychotherapy-centered: I provide preparation before each session, therapeutic support during the ketamine experience, and integration therapy afterward. The medicine creates a window; the therapy is what makes it count. If you are looking for IV infusions without a therapy component, a dedicated ketamine clinic may be a better fit.
Yes. KA-EMDR (ketamine-assisted EMDR) combines low-dose ketamine with active trauma processing, which can be especially effective for PTSD that has not responded to standard EMDR or talk therapy alone. The ketamine softens rigid defenses and reduces emotional overwhelm, allowing traumatic material to be processed more safely. This approach requires medical clearance through a Journey Clinical prescriber.
Yes. Traditional KAP at higher doses can be effective for treatment-resistant depression—depression that has not responded adequately to medication or talk therapy. Ketamine increases neuroplasticity and can temporarily lift rigid thought patterns, creating a window for therapeutic work. Integration therapy afterward helps translate that temporary relief into lasting change.
Yes. Ketamine is a legal, FDA-approved medication. Licensed medical providers can prescribe it off-label for psychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. In my practice, all prescribing is handled by licensed providers through Journey Clinical. I provide the psychotherapy component—preparation, therapeutic support during sessions, and integration.
If you are experiencing a difficult psychedelic or ketamine experience and need immediate support, contact the Fireside Project at 623-473-7433 (62-FIRESIDE). For all crisis resources, see our FAQ page.