5 Recommendations to Patients Planning on Ketamine Infusions

• Clean diet: up to days/weeks before receiving treatment: you might consider limiting use of caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, sugar, processed foods, animal products, and any other substances (i.e. cannabis, opiates) that could interrupt the flow of your experience. 

• It is important to listen to your body and consult with your trusted medical provider prior to treatment. It is often advised to continue medications you are already taking and/or not to suddenly quit taking a prescribed medication!

• Avoid solid foods for about four hours prior to ketamine treatment (clear liquids are acceptable)

• Stay hydrated before and after treatment, adding some electrolytes if needed

• Clear your mind 

• Increase awareness and openness to whatever might take place

• Practice being in the moment 

• Set your intention for ketamine experience ahead of time

• Prepare to let go and surrender to the experience, if nothing else

• Record hopes and desires for experience 

• Write down goals (i.e. decrease pain or let go of worries/specific fears) 

• Consciously create a calm mindset before the experience takes place 

• Keep stress levels to a minimum, and do not be rushed right before your experience

• If possible, spend time in nature prior to ketamine treatment

• Consider music you might like during your treatment. Calming background music (i.e. with theta waves) works well for most individuals. Others prefer to create playlists of meaningful songs, with or without lyrics.

To optimize the SETTING of your treatment, I commit to providing compassionate, patient-centered psychotherapy, in a safe environment. 

If a client/patient were to enter a crisis state during ketamine treatment, I would call upon competent and trained staff at the clinic to offer additional support. In the rare event that a crisis was to become an emergency, available staff and I would work together to access the appropriate level of care for the client/patient.

INTEGRATION: After each ketamine session, I recommend and provide follow-up therapy sessions, typically within days of ketamine treatment, where the experience can be processed in a safe holding space.