Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy built around medically supervised ketamine sessions — preparation, support during the experience, and integration afterward — for depression, anxiety, and trauma that haven’t shifted with other treatment.

Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) pairs low, medically supervised doses of ketamine with psychotherapy before, during, and after each session. Ketamine can temporarily loosen the rigid patterns of thought and feeling that keep depression, anxiety, and trauma stuck; the therapy is what turns that opening into lasting change. At Crown, KAP is offered by therapists trained in the approach. Prescribing, medical screening, and dosing supervision are handled by a licensed prescriber, and your Crown therapist provides the preparation, in-session support, and integration work around it.

This may be a good fit if…

  • ✓Depression that hasn’t responded to therapy and medication
  • ✓Anxiety or trauma symptoms that feel entrenched despite good treatment
  • ✓Feeling stuck, numb, or unable to reach what you already understand intellectually
  • ✓Existential distress, grief, or a serious illness
  • ✓People already in therapy who want to deepen the work with a structured, supported experience

Preparation Comes First

Before any dosing session, you and your therapist build the foundation: your history and intentions, what a session feels like, how to work with difficult moments, and the grounding skills you’ll use. Preparation usually takes two to three sessions and is never skipped.

Supported Dosing Sessions

Ketamine is prescribed and supervised by a licensed prescriber who screens you medically and sets the dose and format. Your therapist is with you for the session itself, holding a calm, structured space — present when you need support and quiet when you don’t.

Integration Is Where the Change Happens

The days after a session are unusually open. Integration sessions help you make sense of what came up, connect it to your life, and translate it into concrete shifts in how you think, relate, and act. This is ordinary psychotherapy, done at a moment when it can reach further.

Part of Your Broader Care

KAP is not a replacement for therapy or medication; it sits inside a treatment plan. We coordinate with your prescriber and any other providers, and the same therapist stays with you through preparation, dosing, and integration.

What to expect

  1. 1

    Consultation with a KAP-trained therapist to see whether the approach fits

  2. 2

    Medical evaluation and screening with a licensed prescriber

  3. 3

    Two to three preparation sessions

  4. 4

    Dosing sessions with your therapist present, on the schedule your prescriber sets

  5. 5

    Integration sessions after each dosing session, then a plan for what comes next

Therapists who offer ketamine-assisted psychotherapy

2 of our clinicians work in this area. Request one directly, or complete an intake and we'll match you.

Moshe Delerb headshot

Moshe Delerb

Licensed Master Social Worker

Sarie Korf headshot

Sarie Korf

Licensed Master Social Worker

Not sure who to pick? Get matched →

Frequently Asked Questions

Who prescribes and supervises the ketamine?⌄

A licensed prescriber. Crown therapists are not prescribers; they provide the psychotherapy around the medicine. The prescriber conducts the medical screening, decides whether ketamine is appropriate for you, sets the dose and format, and supervises the medical side of each session.

Is ketamine safe? Who shouldn’t do KAP?⌄

At the low doses used in KAP and with medical screening, ketamine has a long safety record. It is not appropriate for everyone: uncontrolled high blood pressure, certain heart conditions, a personal history of psychosis or mania, pregnancy, and active substance misuse are among the reasons a prescriber may say no. Screening exists to find that out before anyone begins.

What does a dosing session feel like?⌄

Most people describe a dreamlike, inward state lasting roughly forty-five minutes to an hour, with perception, time, and emotion feeling different than usual. Your therapist is present throughout. Preparation sessions cover exactly what to expect and how to work with anything difficult that arises.

How many sessions are involved?⌄

That is set with you and your prescriber rather than fixed in advance. A typical course includes preparation, a series of dosing sessions spread over several weeks, and integration after each one. Your therapist reviews the plan with you as it unfolds.

Is KAP covered by insurance?⌄

Partly. The psychotherapy sessions — preparation, in-session support, and integration — are often billable as psychotherapy under plans we accept. The medication and the prescriber’s medical evaluation are usually separate and often not covered. We walk you through the full cost before you begin so there are no surprises.

Do you offer in-person and telehealth?⌄

Both. In-person sessions take place at our Crown Heights, Brooklyn office (1398 Carroll St). Telehealth is available to anyone physically located in New York State on a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform.

How soon can I get started?⌄

Most new clients are seen within 3–7 days. After you submit the intake form, our care coordinator calls within one business day to verify your insurance, answer questions, and book your first session at a time that works for you.

Get matched with a KAP-trained therapist

Fill out the short form below. We verify your coverage and get back to you — usually the same day.

Get matched2-minute sign-up formCrown Counseling Team
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Prefer to talk? Call (718) 208-4780 and a real person answers.

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