Ketamine is a pharmaceutical medication that was developed in a Michigan lab in 1962. The molecule is a close cousin of PCP (phencyclidine), developed in 1956. PCP had too many unwanted side effects, so researchers searched for an alternative. Ketamine was FDA approved in 1970 and first used in soldiers during the Vietnam War. Both PCP and ketamine were primarily used for anesthesia and pain control for surgery and procedures. Legally, it is listed as a Schedule III controlled substance by the DEA.

Today, racemic ketamine is an inexpensive generic medicine, considered to be a “dissociative anesthetic” or “non-classic psychedelic.” Racemic means there are two shapes of molecules in a mixture: a “left-handed” shape called S-ketamine, and a “right-handed” shape called R-ketamine. The two are mirror images of each other. Most often in surgical or ER settings, generic ketamine is given via IV (intravenous) push or infusion or via IM (intramuscular) injection. It is a short-acting medication, with a reliable dosing profile, few side effects, and an outstanding record of safety over many decades.

Racemic ketamine (generic since 2002) has been used off-label for mental health conditions for over 2 decades. A groundbreaking study conducted at Yale in 2000 found that a single IV dose (0.5 mg/kg) significantly improved symptoms of major depression within 72 hours, with HDRS scores dropping by 14 points vs. 0 for placebo (Berman et al., Biol Psychiatry, 2000). A 2006 NIMH trial confirmed these findings — 71% of treatment-resistant patients responded and 29% achieved full remission within just 24 hours (Zarate et al., Arch Gen Psychiatry, 2006). Since then, larger trials and meta-analyses have consistently supported ketamine's rapid antidepressant effects, with one 2015 meta-analysis of 8 randomized controlled trials showing remission rates over 7x higher than placebo at 24 hours (McGirr et al., Psychol Med, 2015). In fact, the development and promotion of esketamine/Spravato by Janssen is a direct result of the growing use of ketamine for mental health conditions since the early 2000's.

Sources: Berman et al. 2000 | Zarate et al. 2006 | Murrough et al. 2013 | McGirr et al. 2015

We take an integrative approach to ketamine treatment. That means:

• Careful screening and preparation

• Clear intention-setting before each session

• Medical oversight combined with psychological support

• Integration sessions to help translate insight into lasting change

This is not an assembly-line model. Each course of treatment is individualized, paced, and responsive.