Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) Program

Have you struggled to find relief from your symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD or OCD using conventional methods of treatment?

We offer a cutting edge Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) program that combines both ancient and modern healing practices. We have designed a program that supports mind, body and spirit and ensures that each client feels held in their sacred healing journey.

Our program is intensive, combining Ketamine treatments with trauma healing therapy sessions. This program is designed to help individuals to heal the root of their pain, to create movement where their system feels “stuck” and to find the innate internal strength that each person holds. The Ketamine helps individuals to see their lives, themselves and their world from a different perspective. Ketamine creates the opening, and the trauma therapy supports and guides each individual to deeper and lasting healing.

The Science of Ketamine

Depression and chronic stress deplete the connections between neurons in the brain. Ketamine helps us to grow new neurons and increases the connection between brain cells. Ketamine does this by activating the release of a neurotransmitter called glutamate in the brain, as well as increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which causes an increase in functionality (neuroplasticity) of the brain. This opens our system to growth and transformation, and accelerates the healing process.

Ketamine activates a different pathway in the brain from that of most other psychiatric medications including SSRIs, SNRIs, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics and benzodiazepines. Because it works on a different neurotransmitter, Ketamine can be effective in treating mental health conditions where other medications have failed.

Why Pair Ketamine with Trauma Healing Therapy?

After each ketamine journey, there is a two week window of time when the neuroplasticity of the brain is significantly increased due to the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF acts like a fertilizer to the brain, allowing the brain to create new neurons and increasing the connectivity between neurons. Your brain and body will be in an ideal state to shift patterns, to learn and to create healthier habits. This period is an important time to have your trauma healing sessions as your body is more open and receptive to healing.

Often times when our environment is unhealthy, vulnerable parts of us can believe we are the cause; if something bad happens to us then it must be our fault. Ketamine can help us to release and move beyond our long held, deeply rooted negative beliefs. The ketamine creates the opening, and the trauma therapy supports and guides each individual toward deep and lasting healing.

Individuals with depression and anxiety tend to have a very strong Default Mode Network (DMN), which is our protective system that works to keep us safe. This system can go into overdrive, creating a fortress-like rigid defense system. Ketamine dissolves the walls from this rigid defense system to see the world and self from a different perspective. This experience creates new neural pathways and “muscle memory” of a new way of being and responding to the world. The trauma healing therapy is essential in supporting the ketamine treatment.

Am I a fit for the KAP program?

Some experiences that ketamine can be helpful for:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD/Trauma
- OCD
- Grief/loss
- Feeling “stuck” in life
- Existential crisis/Quarter-Life and Mid-Life crisis
- Wanting to optimize personal/spiritual growth and relationships
- Expanding your perspective, seeing life through a more expansive lens
Unfortunately, for your own safety, we are not able to offer KAP services if you experience the following conditions:
- Uncontrolled hypertension or heart failure
- Active Psychosis or Mania
- Active Ketamine Use Disorder
- Recent traumatic brain injury, intracranial tumors, recent stroke, or other conditions that cause elevated intracranial pressure
- Unstable Glaucoma or recent ocular surgery
- Pregnancy or at high risk of becoming pregnant during treatment

Is Ketamine Safe?

Ketamine is the only legally prescribable psychedelic medicine in Hawaii. It is fast acting and has a short duration of 40-90 minutes. It has been used medically since the 1970’s and has been highly researched for decades, showing positive and safe outcomes with few negative side effects. Ketamine is a medication that has historically been used in anesthesia and pain management. In the early 1990’s, research found that ketamine has positive impacts on mood and anxiety, and further research over the last three decades has supported these findings. Though there have been many studies and decades of clinical experience showing the benefits of ketamine for depression and other mental health conditions, its use remains off label for these conditions. We utilize intramuscular (IM) injections and intravenous injections (IV) to administer ketamine.

How Does a Ketamine Journey Feel?

Ketamine medicine sessions last between two and three hours, with the active effects of ketamine lasting an average of 45-90 minutes. Ketamine works as a dissociative, which means it can quickly induce a state in which individuals feel detached from their body and their everyday awareness and perception.

Ketamine activates visual, auditory and other sensory changes, which means that time and space are likely to feel altered. Ketamine often induces feelings of openness, wonder, creativity, gratitude, empathy and connection, although ketamine journeys can also put us in touch with pain, suffering, grief, loss and past trauma. This may be painful, yet it creates a different perspective as we experience grief and loss. Ketamine can create a non-ordinary (“altered”) state of consciousness that can lead to profound transpersonal (“transcendental”, “mystical”, “spiritual”, “religious”) peak experiences. These experiences build with each journey and can lead to deep personal transformation.

Your experience will be unique to you. KAP journeys are journeys that cannot be pre-programmed. They evolve from your own inner world and vary in intensity. Some experiences are enjoyable and filled with awe, and some are difficult. Each journey is important and brings opportunity for healing and growth.

“Recent data suggest that ketamine…might be the most important breakthrough in antidepressant treatment in decades. First and most important, several studies demonstrate that ketamine reduces depression within six hours, with effects that are equal to or greater than the effects of six weeks of treatment with other antidepressant medications. Second, ketamine’s effects have been noted in people with treatment-resistant depression. This promises a new option for people with some of the most disabling and chronic forms of depression...Third, it appears that one of the earliest effects of the drug is a profound reduction in suicidal thoughts.”

~ Dr. Tom Insel MD -Former Provost of Harvard University and former Director of the National Institute of Mental Health

KAP Pricing

With insurance (HMSA, HMSA Quest, UHA, Tricare, and TriWest):

Ketamine Journey Session (2-3 hours)

Intramuscular (IM) Injection or Sublingual Lozenge: $450 plus copay and GE Tax
Intravenous (IV): $400 plus copay and GE Tax

Psychiatry Intake: copay plus GE Tax

Preparatory Session: copay plus GE Tax

Integration Sessions: copay plus GE Tax

Without insurance (Cash pay/out of pocket)

Ketamine Journey Session (2-3 hours)

Intramuscular (IM) Injection or Sublingual Lozenge: $800 plus GE Tax
Intravenous (IV): $800 plus GE Tax

Psychiatry Intake: $350 plus GE Tax

Preparatory Session: $250 plus GE Tax

Integration Sessions: $185 plus GE Tax

Meet Our KAP Practitioners

Dr. Robin Martin,

-Psychiatrist - Ketamine Program-

Psychiatrist for Ketamine Program
Board Certified Psychiatrist
Integrative and Holistic
Mindfulness

Elle Jackson,

MS, LMFT

-Psychotherapist - Ketamine Program-

Trauma Healing Psychotherapist
EMDR Trauma Therapy
Comprehensive Resource Model (CRM)
Mindfulness

Jaime D’Eredita,

MSW, LCSW

-Psychotherapist - Ketamine Program-

Therapist for Ketamine Program
Trauma Healing Psychotherapist
EMDR Therapist
Somatic Experiencing

Katrin Skeele,

RYT, RPYT

-KAP Integration Guide/Pre-Licensed Psychotherapist-

Trauma Healing Therapist
EMDR Therapist
Brainspotting
Somatic Therapy/Embodiment

Rowen Laura,

-Nurse Guide - Ketamine Program-

Ketamine Nurse Guide
Reiki Practitioner
Sound Healer
Shamanic Energy Medicine

Begin Your Journey

The Process:

Contact our Intake Department to schedule your Ketamine program by calling 808-451-3960 or click here to book a consult with the Intake Team. Intake will schedule your Initial Assessment with our KAP Psychiatrist, Dr. Robin Martin.
Dr. Martin will assess to ensure that you are a fit for our KAP program and then create an individualized treatment plan.
If treatment plan includes psychotherapy, then you will have an Intake Session with your therapist.
A Preparation Session prior to your ketamine journey with our nurse guide, Rowen Laura, RN will help you to deepen into your goals and intentions for your ketamine journey.
Your journey guide will administer the medicine, be present throughout each journey, provide support as needed, and can integrate Reiki and other supportive therapeutic techniques, depending on the wants and needs of each client.
Integration sessions after your Ketamine Journey will support deeper healing and processing of your journey.

Integration sessions with a psychotherapist or clinician deepens the experience and expands out the learning. Here are our current options:

Integration Sessions with Rowen Laura, RN. Rowen incorporates Reiki and other Shamanic Healing Techniques to further process sessions and facilitate the movement of energy in the body.
Integration Sessions with Jaime D’Eredita, LCSW. Somatic Therapy, IFS, & EMDR will help clients to further integrate the journeys, to process emotions that may arise and to work through past trauma.
Integration Sessions with Elle Jackson, LMFT. Powerfully utilizes EMDR, CRM, and Parts Work to support clients to process their journeys and heal trauma at a deep level.

Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) services are available on Oahu only. Call or text (808) 451-3960 to find out more and ask questions or book a consult with the Intake Team.

Note: Our apologies…due to high call volume, our intake department may take up to 5 business days to return your call. It is best to book a time with Intake to avoid this wait. Mahalo for your patience and we greatly appreciate you.