KETAMINE ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY IN DENVER

Connect with your authentic self and change your life.

Ketamine combined with therapy is a highly effective and durable treatment option for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and addictions and can be used to explore the self when taking an inward journey for self-development.

ketamine assisted therapy in denver co

What is Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy?

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that has been safely used in emergency and surgical procedures since the 1970s. It’s been discovered in the mental health field to be highly effective for treating depression, anxiety, PTSD, addictions, chronic pain and stress conditions. It works on a neurotransmitter called Glutamate and enhances Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) to regenerate synaptic connections between brain cells and enhance neuroplasticity.

Ketamine itself can provide rapid antidepressant effects in as little as 24 hours, including relief from suicidal thoughts. After a short series of repeated doses, the effects typically extend for weeks to months. Ketamine without a combination of preparation and therapy after your session can make results very short lived.

Ketamine is the first clinician-prescribed psychedelic medicine and relies on the concept of utilizing your own inner healer to relieve emotional suffering. At Balanced Mental Wellness, we treat ketamine for this purpose to deepen your therapy experience and use this specifically for you to gain access to yourself and personal growth. 

At Balanced Mental Wellness, we take it one step further by combining specific therapeutic interventions to make the results longer lasting and to help you connect with your authentic self through a guided psychedelic experience. Many individuals with trauma, anxiety, or depression have experienced debilitating symptoms over the course of years and can become disconnected from the essence of life and their authentic self.

We provide the healing environment, and the space for you to do your own internal work – at your own pace. We honor our indigenous practices with psychedelic medicines that came before us, and incorporate the belief that all individuals are born whole. Reconnecting and coming home to self through this spiritual process has the power to heal wounds and stay connected to oneself.

2 hour sessions

We act on the belief that each of us possesses our own internal healer that can be accessed through this type of therapy. Our job as a psychedelic guide is to allow space for that inner healer to surface and for you to remember yourself as the whole being you are.

IM Ketamine – medication is given via intramuscular injection. Integration therapy is given before and after the medicine. 

Ketamine Troches – lozenges in lower doses are used within a therapy session to gain more emotional access and openings that wouldn’t normally be obtained in regular talk therapy. 

What's the process?

01

Information Call


Schedule Free 15 minute consultation with a provider.

02

Prepare

You will meet with the whole  team (prescriber, therapist, and/or guide) to discuss your history, treatment goals, and develop an individualized treatment plan with recommendations. You’ll obtain preparation instructions and beginning steps for creating your intentions for the first Ketamine session. Some therapeutic work may be done in this session.

03

Experience

Your two-hour Ketamine session will take place in a comfortable, private room with our Ketamine guide or therapist. The medicine will last 40-60 minutes and our therapist will provide integration before and after the session to help you navigate your journey.

04

Integrate

Our trained therapist will help you dive deep into your experience, explore strategies for lasting change, while creating intentions for the next ketamine session. These sessions are 60 minutes in length and are offered 24-48 hours after a ketamine session.

We offer individual integration sessions and group integration opportunities as needed throughout the process.

FAQ

Is ketamine for you?

We offer ketamine for a variety of mental health conditions, transitions through stages of life, identity issues, and spiritual crises. Common mental health conditions treated with ketamine include depression, anxiety, PTSD, and addictive disorders. We utilize standard medical protocols but individualize your treatment plan and recommend the number of sessions needed based on your individual needs and goals at the time of our first interview. This can be adjusted throughout treatment.

Is ketamine safe?

Ketamine has a proven track record for safety and is FDA approved for an induction agent for general anesthesia in surgery for children, adults, and animals.

Who’s not a good fit for KAP?

  • Recent psychosis
  • History of psychotic disorder such as Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder
  • Lack of psychosocial support
  • Active, poorly controlled substance use disorder
  • Uncontrolled Seizure disorder
  • Individuals on oxygen
  • Moderate to severe dementia
  • Cardiac impairment that may be jeopardized by an increase in blood pressure (Uncontrolled high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, etc.)
  • Severe obesity
  • Increased intracranial or cerebral spinal fluid (CSF)
  • Why do you prefer intramuscular (IM) injections over IV?

    Intramuscular injections are safe, predictable, and are the most likely route of administration to provide a psychedelic experience which is highly bioavailable. There are pros and cons to all forms of administration, and we offer various methods of delivery.

    What if I don’t want a psychedelic experience?

    That’s ok! Receiving ketamine in non-psychedelic states still has effectiveness in treating depression and anxiety. Some individuals may be hesitant to embark on a full journey and we welcome that; we work with where you’re at and understand that not everyone is comfortable with those states. We offer lozenges at lower doses which allow you to be more consciously present in session to help you feel safe in your body before exploring anything deeper.

    Why is integration important?

    Integration therapy is meant to improve neuroplasticity effects and to help connect the dots of your experience, through deepened awareness. Here you’ll learn/practice tools to apply outside of the medicine to make results longer lasting. 

    What is Inner Healing Intelligence?

    The term inner healing intelligence refers to the knowledge and power within oneself to move towards wholeness and wellbeing. It’s a deep knowing and an innate wisdom that’s present within each one of us and carries an intrinsic ability to heal and grow oneself. We call it our inner healer. Having the right environment to meet this inner healer is essential to our growth and wellness. We help you identify your own inner healer, and meet with your authentic self in the session.

    What is the cost?

    The average cost of ketamine varies from clinic to clinic. Please contact our office for a breakdown of services and fees.

    How does this fit into my sobriety if I’m treating addiction?

    Ketamine is used to treat the root causes of addictions. This can be trauma, unresolved experiences, narratives and belief systems, spiritual bankruptcy, etc. Sobriety and recovery require a healthy mindset and attitude.

    We are careful to not introduce ketamine too early into recovery as sobriety from the substance and development of personal and psychological safety is recommended before doing a deeper dive into the roots of addictions.

    When used with the right timing and attitude, ketamine has the potential to break old patterns of behavior that lock us into painful addictions. Having a recovery-oriented mindset is key to establishing that neuroplasticity. Our medical staff monitor for risks of dependency very carefully.

    Financial Investment

    We understand that ketamine is a significant financial investment, and we make every effort to make treatment affordable, understanding that you are financially investing in your long-term mental wellness. This is an off-label treatment and is often not covered by insurance.

    Our team provides out-of-network claim forms to assist with the process of reclaiming some funds from your insurance company.

    We realize this investment can be costly and requires a time commitment throughout your length of treatment. We hold this sacred time and space for you and recognize the deep impact this work can do. We equally invest in your wellbeing and consider this self-development work analogous to an intensive outpatient program.

    Initial evaluation and stand alone integration therapy sessions are covered by most major insurances. Ketamine sessions are out of pocket but priced competitively considering we are one of the few clinics in our area that provide therapy in the medicine session itself. 

    Our team has been trained in a variety of psychedelic assisted therapies and our practitioners are board certified ketamine providers. We are dedicated to advancing community knowledge and understanding of psychedelics in a safe and therapeutic setting. We do not provide or support the illicit use of substances, but we offer integration therapy to those who have experienced psychedelics and don’t have the emotional support to integrate their experience.

    How is our Ketamine Therapy Different?

    • Our niche is to facilitate a connection with your authentic self to heal from the inside out, while utilizing a safe and effective medicine to treat certain mental health conditions 
    • 1:1 personalized attention and a more intimate experience. We believe in the power of relationship-based care to facilitate healing. 
    • Integration therapy before, during, and after each session – so you can process your experience and make meaning to what you’re working on
    • A comfortable, home-like environment
    • A private space for your journey, along with your guide who’s present throughout the entire session with you
    • A safe space to have a psychedelic experience within a therapeutic environment. We combine the safety of a medical practice with holistic approaches that honor the indigenous practices that we learned from.
    • Our whole treatment team is dedicated to meeting with you throughout the process and develops personalized relationships with you. This is not a fast-paced clinic where volumes matter. We go above and beyond to really understand your needs and provide a comprehensive experience for you.
    • Expert medical faculty that are board certified in providing Ketamine safely and effectively. We stay on top of cutting edge evidence-based medicine interventions. 

    All treatment plans are developed from a multi-disciplinary approach, and we center you in the process.

    We use the lens of our integrative psychiatry specialty to identify and treat the root causes of your symptoms. This ensures that you are given a variety of treatment options outside of ketamine if appropriate to treat your symptoms.

    Although 6-9 sessions is evidence-based and recommended for the majority of conditions, we tailor the dose, frequency, route of administration, and the type of experience needed to break through difficult to treat symptoms.

    “I’ve worked with Chelsie for four years and she is kind, compassionate and incredibly insightful. I trust her and her recommendations implicitly. She is remarkable, and is at the forefront of mental health. I went through the ketamine program with her, and it helped me so much. Char is also a great therapist. She’s very gentle and extremely intuitive. It seems like she just knows what you need. If I could give them 10 stars, I would.”

    Balanced Mental Wellness Patient

    Ready To Begin Your Journey?

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