Medicine and Mind

The medications used here are the same medications used elsewhere—delivered intravenously or as a nasal spray. The difference is how treatment is planned, monitored, adjusted, and who does so.

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Ketamine dosing practices vary. Some treatment models rely on fixed weight-based dosing and a single infusion duration. We believe dosing, as well as infusion rates and durations, should be deliberate, not formulaic. We calculate and adjust these parameters by balancing multiple variables. Body composition, ideal body weight, pharmacokinetics, medical history, current medications, and genetic information when available are all taken into account.

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Once treatment begins, clinical response becomes the guiding principle. This is when combined medical and psychiatric training is no longer merely preferable—it is crucial. Success depends not only on familiarity with ketamine, but also on understanding the psychiatric illnesses being treated. Combined medical and psychiatric expertise allows treatment to be interpreted, adjusted, and optimized as it unfolds.

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Ketamine Demands Expert Training. So Do You.

Just as dosing protocols vary, so do standards of physician oversight. We believe you should know who administers your medication, who determines dosing and infusion parameters, and whether your physician is available by phone, elsewhere in the facility, or physically present throughout your treatment.

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Our model is direct physician presence in the treatment room throughout every IV infusion. Before treatment begins, your psychiatrist reviews your progress, symptom changes, rating scales when appropriate, and your overall response to therapy. That information guides real-time decisions regarding infusion parameters, management of medical issues, and evaluation of evolving psychiatric symptoms.

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Psychiatric care does not stop when the infusion ends. When appropriate, medication adjustments, laboratory testing, communication with your provider, and treatment planning are addressed as part of ongoing management. Although this is not intended to replace a scheduled psychiatric appointment, there are times when important medical or psychiatric issues require attention between visits.

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For patients who are established with an outside psychiatrist or other mental health clinician, your existing treatment remains exactly that — yours. Our role is to provide ketamine treatment, not to replace or redirect your psychiatric care. At the same time, new clinical concerns, evolving treatment observations, and any necessary changes in strategy are communicated promptly to your treating clinician.

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Whether you establish ongoing psychiatric care with us or are referred solely for ketamine treatment, our approach and standards of care remain the same.

 

Deciding Between IV and Nasal Spray Ketamine

Intravenous ketamine is often preferred when a faster onset of effect is desired or when a more structured and closely guided treatment approach is beneficial.

Intranasal ketamine is administered as a nasal spray and avoids IV placement. Sessions are typically longer, and the treatment experience is generally more gradual. This approach may appeal to patients who prefer a less invasive option while still receiving physician-directed care.

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Because Sometimes Treatment Can't Wait

When ketamine is appropriate, treatment is designed to begin without unnecessary delay. Initial evaluations are typically available within a short timeframe, and treatment often begins within one to two weeks—sooner when clinically indicated.

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