MEDICINE ASSISTED THERAPIES
KETAMINE ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY (KAP)
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy blends a legally prescribed medicine with a strong therapeutic container so insights translate into real change. When thoughtfully supported, ketamine can help soften rigid defences, reduce depressive burden, and open access to emotion, memory, and meaning that talk therapy alone may not reach. In clinical research, ketamine has shown benefit for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and is being explored for PTSD and other conditions under medical supervision.
KAP is not a shortcut or an escape; it’s a catalyst. The work is in the preparation, the dose-supported session, and—most importantly—the integration that follows.
HOW KETAMINE MAY HELP
Ketamine primarily modulates glutamatergic signalling (NMDA receptor antagonism), which can rapidly reduce depressive symptoms and support plasticity in brain networks involved in mood, cognition, and fear processing. In controlled studies (including Australian trials), ketamine has produced rapid improvements in TRD—sometimes within hours to days—with structured courses over several weeks. Public-sector programs in Australia have also demonstrated feasibility and safety when delivered within multidisciplinary care.
Research suggests low-dose oral ketamine may be feasible for PTSD in supervised settings, with symptom reduction reported in open-label trials; research is currently ongoing to confirm durability and best practice.
WHY COMBINE KETAMINE WITH THERAPY?
While ketamine alone can produce short-term relief, pairing it with psychotherapy improves meaning-making, emotion regulation, and behaviour change— so insights don’t fade when the acute effects wear off. Best-practice KAP emphasizes preparation, set & setting, music-assisted inner focus, and structured integration to translate experience into daily life.
Current evidence and Australian clinical programs focus on:
Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD)
Complex mood disorders / public clinic models:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):
SAFETY, SCREENING AND ETHICAL CARE
KAP should only occur within a comprehensive medical and psychological framework: medical assessment, clear indications, dosing and monitoring, and robust preparation and integration. Multidisciplinary programs (GP/psychiatry/psychology) help maintain safety, continuity, and informed consent. At The Life Medicine Collective, our role is to provide:
Preparation & integration psychotherapy
Trauma-informed, harm-reduction-oriented care
Collaboration with your GP/psychiatrist/prescribing clinic to support a unified treatment plan.
Important disclaimer
The Life Medicine Collective does not prescribe, supply, or administer ketamine.
All medicine access, dosing, and eligibility decisions are made only by a licensed prescribing GP or psychiatrist in accordance with Australian law and clinical guidelines. If you wish to explore ketamine treatment, please speak with a qualified prescriber; we are happy to collaborate on preparation and integration psychotherapy as part of your broader care team.