Why the Experience Matters in Ketamine Assisted Therapy

Shirli Libet
6 days ago
3 min read

What New Research Says About Better Patient Care in California

When people think about ketamine or esketamine treatment, they often focus only on the medication. However, new research shows that how a patient feels during the session may be just as important as the medicine itself.

A 2022 study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry found that patients receiving (es)ketamine for treatment resistant depression had better experiences and outcomes when they felt emotionally prepared, supported, and safe during treatment. The authors emphasized that preparation, environment, and trained support staff significantly improve quality of care.

For individuals seeking ketamine assisted therapy in California, this matters deeply.

The treatment space, the preparation process, and the emotional support offered during and after the session can make the difference between feeling overwhelmed and feeling held.

The Research: What Patients Actually Need

The study found that patients often struggle with:

fear of losing control:
dissociation and altered sensations:
anxiety before future sessions:
difficulty letting go:
emotional overwhelm

Patients who felt supported by the environment and staff were more likely to tolerate the session well and continue treatment.

This is why high quality ketamine care should never be medication alone.

Why Set and Setting Matter

In ketamine assisted therapy, set and setting are essential.

Set is your internal experience:: mindset: expectations: emotional readiness: intention

Setting is your physical space:: privacy: comfort: safety: lighting: music: support

A calm, emotionally safe environment can help clients feel grounded enough to allow the experience to unfold.

This is one reason I provide clients with preparation tools such as Creating Your Container, so they feel emotionally and physically ready before each session.

Virtual Ketamine Assisted Therapy: Different Setting, Same Healing

One question I often hear is whether virtual ketamine assisted therapy is different from in office treatment.

The answer is yes, the setting is different, but the healing principles are the same.

In a virtual psycholytic ketamine session, clients are typically sitting comfortably in front of their computer and connected with their therapist in real time.

This allows us to actively work together during the session through:

guided emotional processing:
therapeutic reflection:
grounding support:
trauma informed interventions:
real time meaning making

Instead of a clinic room, we intentionally help create a therapeutic container in the client’s own home.

This may include:

a quiet private room:
a comfortable chair or sofa:
minimal interruptions:
water and tissues nearby:
intention setting journal or notes

The research shows that set and setting strongly influence how safe and therapeutic the experience feels, and this applies whether the session is in person or virtual.

For many California clients, virtual care offers additional benefits:

privacy: convenience:
no travel stress:
comfort of familiar surroundings

For some clients, being in their own space actually helps them feel more emotionally open and less anxious.

Why Emotional Support Improves Outcomes

The article strongly recommends training nurses and support staff in trauma informed communication and emotional support.

This includes:

normalizing dissociation:
reassuring the client they are safe:
helping them tolerate temporary discomfort:
offering psychological containment

As a licensed therapist providing ketamine assisted psychotherapy support in California, I see this as one of the most important parts of care.

Medication may open the door, but therapy helps the experience become healing.

Integration Is Where Lasting Change Happens

The research also highlights the need for follow up support after the session.

This is where integration therapy becomes critical.

After a ketamine session, clients may experience:

emotional release:
memories surfacing:
new perspectives:
relational insight:
changes in self understanding

Without integration, these moments may remain confusing or incomplete.

With therapy, they can become meaningful and lasting change.

Looking for Ketamine Assisted Therapy in California?

If you are in California and exploring ketamine assisted therapy, I provide virtual preparation and integration support with a warm, trauma informed approach.

My work focuses on helping clients feel safe, prepared, and supported before, during, and after treatment.