Additional Reading/Resources

Scientific Papers on Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) and Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy

Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy combines subanesthetic doses of ketamine with structured psychotherapy sessions. The treatment typically includes preparatory sessions before ketamine administration, the ketamine experience itself with therapeutic support, and integration sessions afterward to process the experience. Unlike traditional ketamine infusion therapy where dissociative effects are viewed as side effects, KAP intentionally uses ketamine's psychedelic properties as part of the therapeutic process. Research on ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is active and evolving. While many studies show benefit, KAP is not appropriate for everyone. Careful medical and psychiatric evaluation along with exploration of expectations are essential parts of treatment.

Mechanisms and How KAP Works

1. Joneborg I, Lee Y, Di Vincenzo JD, et al. Active Mechanisms of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Systematic Review. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2022;315:105-112. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.07.030.

2. Drozdz SJ, Goel A, McGarr MW, et al. Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy: A Systematic Narrative Review of the Literature. Journal of Pain Research. 2022;15:1691-1706. doi:10.2147/JPR.S360733.

3. Wolfson P, Vaid G. Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Psychedelic Methodologies, and the Impregnable Value of the Subjective-a New and Evolving Approach. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2024;15:1209419. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1209419.

4. Mathai DS, Mora V, Garcia-Romeu A. Toward Synergies of Ketamine and Psychotherapy. Frontiers in Psychology. 2022;13:868103. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.868103.

5. Vaid G, Walker B. Psychedelic Psychotherapy: Building Wholeness Through Connection. Global Advances in Health and Medicine. 2022;11:2164957X221081113. doi:10.1177/2164957X221081113.

Clinical Practice and Outcomes

6. Dore J, Turnipseed B, Dwyer S, et al. Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP): Patient Demographics, Clinical Data and Outcomes in Three Large Practices Administering Ketamine With Psychotherapy. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. 2019;51(2):189-198. doi:10.1080/02791072.2019.1587556.

7. Dames S, Kryskow P, Watler C. A Cohort-Based Case Report: The Impact of Ketamine-Assisted Therapy Embedded in a Community of Practice Framework for Healthcare Providers With PTSD and Depression. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2021;12:803279. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.803279.

Treatment-Resistant Depression

8. Greenway KT, Garel N, Dinh-Williams LL, et al. The Music for Subanesthetic Infusions of Ketamine Randomised Clinical Trial: Ketamine as a Psychedelic Treatment for Highly Refractory Depression. The British Journal of Psychiatry. 2025. doi:10.1192/bjp.2024.229.

9. Sakopoulos S, Todman M. The Effects of Psychotherapy on Single and Repeated Ketamine Infusion(s) Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression: The Convergence of Molecular and Psychological Treatment. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2025;26(14):6673. doi:10.3390/ijms26146673.

10. Marwaha S, Palmer E, Suppes T, et al. Novel and Emerging Treatments for Major Depression. Lancet. 2023;401(10371):141-153. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(22)02080-3.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

11. Feder A, Costi S, Rutter SB, et al. A Randomized Controlled Trial of Repeated Ketamine Administration for Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. The American Journal of Psychiatry. 2021;178(2):193-202. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20050596.

12. Yin L, Lu A, Le GH, et al. Effects of Intravenous Ketamine on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A Systematic Review. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 2025. doi:10.1111/acps.13774.

13. Sicignano DJ, Kurschner R, Weisman N, et al. The Impact of Ketamine for Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses. The Annals of Pharmacotherapy. 2024;58(7):669-677. doi:10.1177/10600280231203464.

14. McInnes LA, Berman RM, Worley M, Shih E. A Retrospective Analysis of Ketamine Intravenous Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Real-World Care Settings. Psychiatry Research. 2025;352:116689. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2024.116689.

Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy (General)

15. Reiff CM, Richman EE, Nemeroff CB, et al. Psychedelics and Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy. The American Journal of Psychiatry. 2020;177(5):391-410. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.19010035.

16. Askariyan K, Joghataei MT, Dehghan S, et al. An Overview of Psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, and Ketamine in Revitalizing Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: Insights, Limitations and Future Directions. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.111229.

17. Barber GS, Dike CC. Resource Document on Ethical and Practical Implications of Psychedelics in Psychiatry. American Psychiatric Association. 2022.

Safety and Adverse Effects

18. Hovda N, Gerrish W, Frizzell W, Shackelford R. A Systematic Review of the Incidence of Medical Serious Adverse Events in Sub-Anesthetic Ketamine Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2024;345:262-271. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.120.

19. Ceban F, Rosenblat JD, Kratiuk K, et al. Prevention and Management of Common Adverse Effects of Ketamine and Esketamine in Patients With Mood Disorders. CNS Drugs. 2021;35(9):925-934. doi:10.1007/s40263-021-00846-5.

20. Sanacora G, Frye MA, McDonald W, et al. A Consensus Statement on the Use of Ketamine in the Treatment of Mood Disorders. JAMA Psychiatry. 2017;74(4):399-405. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.0080.