What Does a Ketamine Therapy Session Look Like?

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that has been used in hospitals and other medical settings for more than five decades. It first rose to popularity during the Vietnam War, where it was used as an anesthetic on the battlefield. 

In 1973, a study was conducted where 100 people who were given ketamine and psychotherapy showed mental health improvements. Despite these findings, research concerning ketamine as a means for treating mental health symptoms did not take off again until the early 2000s.

Now, ketamine therapy has risen in popularity as a safe and effective solution for treatment-resistant mental health conditions, with over 300 clinical trials already conducted to study this form of therapy. It can be used to treat depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, PTSD, OCD, CPSTD, postpartum depression, and chronic pain disorders.

About Ketamine

Ketamine blocks the activity of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in the brain. This receptor helps with regulating a person’s cognition, mood, and perception of pain. It can have rapid-acting antidepressant effects and lead to quick improvement in a patient’s mental state.

The goal of ketamine therapy is a lasting transformation achieved through enhanced neuroplasticity. This refers to the brain’s ability to rewire itself, as it can reorganize and form new neural connections as a response to learning, experience, and environmental changes.

Upon administration, ketamine facilitates the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein crucial for the connectivity and growth of neurons. Further, it activates TrkB receptors, which are a key part of the brain’s ability to form new synapses. 

This process, often referred to as ketamine neuroplasticity, enables a person’s brain to break free from negative thought patterns that have been ingrained for a long time. For some, this means freedom from negative thought loops that have kept them feeling trapped for years.

Benefits of Ketamine Therapy 

In addition to enhanced neuroplasticity, several other factors set ketamine therapy apart from other treatment methods: 

  • Long-Lasting Effects: As opposed to the short-term relief that often occurs from other treatment options, the effects of ketamine therapy can have long-term improvements on a person’s mental well-being and overall mood. 

  • Rapid Symptom Relief: For many patients, relief is almost immediate, with improvement in mood that can be detected within hours or days of the first session or first few sessions. 

  • Treatment-Resistant Symptom Relief: It can be discouraging to face mental health symptoms after trying multiple treatment options and not seeing improvements. Ketamine therapy is specifically used to target mental health conditions that have not responded to other treatments.

The Full Treatment Process

At Renewed Foundations, our treatment process combines ketamine with therapeutic support and includes four steps:

Psychiatric and psychological intake

In the first step of our ketamine program, we make an effort to understand what your needs and expectations are for treatment. We conduct medical and mental screenings and help create a personalized plan that meets your individual needs. It is essential to us that we fully understand what you are going through, so we can provide you with the best possible support throughout your treatment.

In-office prep sessions

Next, we want you to be prepared for your first ketamine session. We hold sessions where you can first focus on your intentions and mindset for treatment, develop grounding skills, and prepare yourself to get the most out of your experience with ketamine. This is also a great opportunity to get to know our team and environment a little better, which can help you to feel more at ease during your treatment. 

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) sessions

During our Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) sessions, you will work with a therapist who guides you as you experience the medicine. In each unique session, we will help you lean inward with the medicine and work through insights that you can apply to your life.

Integration sessions

Finally, you will be able to recall and process new insights gained during the KAP sessions with a therapist in follow-up sessions. The purpose of these meetings is to achieve lasting change in your life by implementing the insights you have gained. We also understand the importance of taking things at your own pace and are here to support you every step of the way.

In our program, you will have intake appointments, one or two in-office preparation meetings, six total KAP sessions, and six integration follow-up sessions. 

Renewed Foundations KAP sessions

Typical KAP sessions last for 2 to 3 hours, with the effects of ketamine usually kicking in after about 5-10 minutes. After that, you will find yourself in what can be described as a dream-like state. You will be monitored and guided by your therapist the entire time, and this is where we can help you explore your inner experience.

There are two main sensations that happen during these sessions:

  • Out-of-body experiences (OBE): In this state, you experience feelings of complete separation from your body. It can lead to decreased ego defenses while consciousness of self remains the same.

  • Empathogenic effects: This phenomenon can occur with smaller doses and lead to relaxation, a heightened awareness of your body, and an increase in certain qualities like empathy or compassion. This experience also leads to a decrease in ego defenses, and talk therapy is often beneficial in this state.

Potential Breakthroughs

Our ketamine program can provide fast-acting relief and may lead to breakthroughs. Some people notice changes after just one session, while others see progress after a few. 

Examples of breakthroughs can include:

  • A healthy break from reality

  • A more positive view of challenges

  • Decreases in negative self-talk or thoughts

  • Decreases in obsessive thoughts

  • Improvement of creative problem-solving skills

  • Increases in compassion

  • Increases in self-esteem

  • Motivation to make changes in lifestyle or behavior

  • Perspective shifts around relationships, worldview, and oneself

  • Relief from existential distress 

  • Spiritual experiences 

Ketamine Therapy in Idaho Falls

At Renewed Foundations, we target four primary mental health conditions that have not responded to other treatment methods:

  • Depression: Shifts in perspective concerning relationships, worldview, and self-perception can occur.

  • Anxiety: Long-term, repetitive cycles of worry can come to an end.

  • PTSD: Traumatic memories can be dealt with and worked through safely.

  • Suicidal Ideation: Existential distress can be relieved. 


If you are feeling discouraged about your mental health symptoms and feel that you have tried everything, we want you to know that there is still hope. Contact us today to learn more about our ketamine therapy services and how we can support you on the road to mental wellness.