The Treatment

What is it?

 

Ketamine‑assisted EMDR sessions are medically supervised and begin with thorough screening to ensure this approach is safe and appropriate for you. Each session uses a carefully selected low dose of ketamine designed to help you stay present, oriented, and able to actively participate in EMDR trauma processing.

These sessions focus on targeted trauma work. Together, we identify specific memories, themes, or patterns ahead of time, then use EMDR to gently reprocess them while ketamine reduces fear, emotional intensity, and avoidance. This combination can make it easier to approach difficult material without feeling overwhelmed.

The goal of this work is not to erase or “wipe out” your memories, but to help your brain store them in a way that feels less distressing and more integrated. Over time, this allows painful experiences to lose their grip, so they no longer dominate your day‑to‑day life or sense of self.

 

EMDR + Ketamine

What is it?

  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, taps, or tones) to help the brain “digest” traumatic memories and shift negative beliefs.

  • Low‑dose (psycholytic) ketamine is given in a medically supervised setting to gently reduce fear and psychological defenses while keeping the client present and able to talk with the therapist.

  • Together, they leverage neuroplasticity: ketamine makes the brain more flexible and receptive, and EMDR provides a structured way to process and integrate what comes up.

The Process

What the 90-minutes look like

  1. Brief check‑in and safety review

    • Confirm medical clearance, dosing plan, and session goals (specific EMDR targets or themes).

    • Rehearse grounding skills and orient to the plan so the client knows what to expect.

  2. Ketamine administration

    • Low‑dose ketamine is usually given with the aim of softening defenses rather than creating a full psychedelic state.

    • The therapist monitors vital signs and emotional state, keeping the client in comfortable, ongoing contact.

  3. EMDR‑focused processing

    • As the medicine takes effect, the therapist uses EMDR protocols (assessment of target memory, bilateral stimulation, brief sets, and check‑ins) to guide trauma reprocessing.

    • Clients often find they can access painful memories with more ease and self‑compassion, and memories that might take multiple EMDR sessions without medicine may process more rapidly.

  4. Closing and integration

    • The last portion of the session shifts toward stabilization, discussing insights, and strengthening new, adaptive beliefs (for example, “I am safe now” or “It wasn’t my fault”).

    • The therapist helps the client return fully to the present, reinforce coping strategies, and plan follow‑up EMDR or integration sessions.

Why Use Low‑Dose Ketamine With EMDR

  • At low, sub‑anesthetic doses, ketamine can decrease the intensity of anxiety and shame, expand the “window of tolerance,” and reduce avoidance, so clients can approach traumatic material without becoming overwhelmed.

  • Clients often describe feeling more open, compassionate toward themselves, and less “stuck,” which allows EMDR to move more efficiently through target memories.

  • Early clinical reports suggest this combination may be helpful for PTSD, complex PTSD, and treatment‑resistant depression or anxiety when traditional talk therapy has not been enough.

Safety Protocol

Your safety is the top priority in ketamine‑assisted EMDR sessions.

 

  • You complete a medical and mental health screening before starting, and a qualified prescriber determines if ketamine is appropriate for you.

  • We use a low, carefully chosen dose so you stay awake, oriented, and able to participate in EMDR.

  • Your physical comfort and emotional state are monitored throughout the session, and you are not left alone while under the medicine.

  • We prepare you ahead of time with grounding and coping tools, and we choose EMDR targets together so you don’t move too quickly into overwhelming material.

  • At the end of each session, we help you fully re‑orient, review what came up, and give clear guidance about rest and safety (including not driving until the effects have worn off).