The Center for Transformational Psychotherapy
The Premiere Ketamine Therapy Provider in The San Francisco Bay Area
COVID-19 Requirements for in-person sessions
Announcements
The Ketamine Research Foundation (KRF)is proud to present its research on the presence/absence of ketamine in breast milk. As a first line antidepressant, ketamine in assisted psychotherapy (KAP) for women who are breast-feeding and suffering with postpartum depression (PPD), and depression and PTSD offers the option for intermittent use. This solves the dilemma for women seeking effective treatment and who do not wish to expose infants to continuous exposure to conventional treatments such as antidepressants. As the effects of long term continuous use of medication on infant development is unknown and difficult to study prospectively, the assurance of our study opens the door to a different and effective approach.
KRF is in the process of developing its protocol for PPD and we expect to launch in the Fall.
Contributions to our 501c3 Ketamine Research Foundation are deeply appreciated: ketamineresearchfoundation.org
Read the New Yorker Article that mentions our work here: Ketamine Therapy Is Going Mainstream. Are We Ready?
CTP/Phil Wolfson named by Double Blind online mag as a best Bay Area Ketamine Clinic!
Read our Latest Paper:
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP): Patient Demographics, Clinical Data and Outcomes in Three Large Practices Administering Ketamine with Psychotherapy
KRF is pleased to announce Wolfson, Andries, et al’s study of the MAPS sponsored MDMA and Life Threatening Illness,
this as KRF begins its study of KAP for Life Threatening Illness. READ MORE
KAP is focused on healing old trauma and habitual ways of being that don’t serve our highest selves, PTSD, eating-disorders, addiction, and relational work. KAP treatment has evolved to support patient’s need for a safe counter to discover the parts themselves that can be made whole and reclamation of the truest self.
Our practice tends to be to work as a male/female team, this emanates from our collaborative work in the MAPS sponsored MDMA trial. Our therapeutic teams work in diads to support patients through their healing journey.
After the determination if ketamine is to be used, a decision is made together as to which method will commence treatment. Most often we begin with a lozenge session to acquaint patients with the ketamine experience, to assess sensitivity and responsivity, dosage, and to design the at-home experience.
Thank you so much for your interest!
Our Process
Generally, we begin with an intake session which encompasses history, assessment measures, and is designed to get to know each other, establish a bond, and explore the issues to be addressed in the therapy. The KAP process is explained and questions and concerns answered. If ketamine is to be used, a decision is made together as to which method will commence treatment. Most often we begin with a lozenge session to acquaint patients with the ketamine experience, to assess sensitivity and responsivity, dosage, and to design the at-home experience. At the conclusion, a prescription for the lozenges is made through our formulating pharmacy for a limited number of them but adequate for a series of at-home sessions. No refills are provided. We have a no abuse policy and provide ketamine in a manner where that is not possible. IM sessions are done only in the office.
Our practice tends to be to work as a male/female team, this emanating from our collaborative work in the MAPS sponsored MDMA trial. We remain in active contact through email and telephone with patients doing the at-home work.
Generally, in-office sessions last two and a half to three hours and with follow-up, this represents a commitment to you and our work with you. Hence, our fees are in accord with this extended time frame. Ketamine is not yet being reimbursed by insurance, but our sessions can be partially compensated based on psychotherapy coding and we will provide billing whenever possible.
Thanks so much for your interest!
Our View
The Center offers our view of Transformational Psychotherapy—assisting individuals, couples and families towards healthy minds and healthy bodies in a setting that is gentle, safe, and creative of new and freer energy for life and connection. We cultivate awareness, imagination, and loving kindness using methods that utilize the best of mainstream psychology and psychiatry and of alternative methodologies. We are particularly focused on depression and trauma–past and present–and its alleviation. Loss and grief are inherent to our personal backgrounds and are part of our therapeutic awareness. As we have been working intensively with persons with life-threatening illnesses, this too is an area of our expertise that we offer.
We are interested in all aspects of personal history, experience in family and culture, and the present situation and your orientation to it.
- We aim to provide a freeing, liberating experience that validates the past and makes the present alive with potential for growth and development, new choices and a working through of suffering that inhibits this.
We are leaders in a new and exciting therapy (KAP) and may well recommend the use of the medicine ketamine as an assisted psychotherapy that has two major vectors: - As a low dose, sub-lingual lozenge consciousness experience in an interactive psychotherapy frame. This provides a time-out from ordinary mind, a relief from negativity and depression and a reset for new consciousness.
- And as a higher dose, intra-muscular injection, that engenders a transformative experience, a journey, that is unique to the person and leads to a shift in usual ways of being and viewing oneself and one’s world.
- Both methods may be used together over time in support of relief from suffering, depression PTSD and obsessional mind.
We follow the course of your treatment with assessment measures that enable us to understand difficulties and progress, and to contribute to the growing awareness of ketamine’s benefits. This work encompasses training for at home use of the lozenge low dose format that enables you to have sessions in your own space, in communication with us. Our model minimizes the medical aspect with its objectification and alienation. Instead, we embrace the personal and subjective as our focus in what we regard as a therapeutic nest that holds our patients in safety and furthers the exploration of mind, heart and spirit.
- Our therapeutic methods embrace non-directive therapy, our own form of Ericksonian hypnosis, the Internal Family Systems model, psychodynamic psychotherapy, meditation and loving kindness, gestalt and other approaches brought to bear as appropriate to the person(s).
- Going deep into mind means to us understanding suffering and its origins and seeking its relief.
- We are adept with medical and health issues and will use consultants and other practitioners as necessary.
- Our commitment is to an ongoing relationship with you, your dear ones, outside therapist(s) and practitioners with whom you may be involved—being with you as long as is necessary and fruitful.
- We situate our patients in their contexts (and include important relationship persons–as desired by our patients and as appropriate).
- We work with couples and families.
Above all, we are confident in your ability to put your great good Self in charge of your life!
NEWS:
Wired Magazine
Wired Magazine just released a feature article about our practice titled “Ketmaine Stirs Up Hope – and Controversy – as a Depression Drug.” The article goes into some detail about the subject. The direct link for the article can be found here: https://www.wired.com/story/ketamine-stirs-up-hope-controversy-as-a-depression-drug/
Center for Transformational Psychotherapy
Reviews from Satisfied Patients
“I wanted to say thank you to The Center for Transformational Psychotherapy for the healing work that you do. I believe that KAP should be the first life of defense for problems like anxiety and depression.” – Kim P.
“When I came across The Center for Transformational Psychotherapy and underwent the ketamine treatment, I felt hope and my spirits lift. I knew I was in good hands the moment I entered the office.” – Ron S.
“There was a positive change that happened inside me. The treatment made me go from ‘I don’t care about my life anymore’ to ‘I want to live.’ Thanks to the folks at The Center for Transformational Psychotherapy, I can share my story with the world and let everyone know that life’s worth living.” – Candace F.
Our Covid-19 Processes
We are committed to your and our safety during this crisis. We also are committed to maintaining our therapeutic relationships and continuing to serve. Observing the quarantine restrictions means that we are most often practicing telemedicine/telepsychotherapy—being with you in your residences in a virtual way–via zoom or phone. We will consider personal crises that entail the possibility of an in-office visit to provide ketamine by injection, or occasionally, to sustain by this means the process of the psychotherapy that is essential to a patient’s safety and well-being. But for all our sakes, we will be keeping this to a minimum. We are open to discussing this on a case by case basis.
At-home KAP sessions will continue to be fostered with appropriate prescribing of our RDTs (lozenges), and we will connect with you for integration sessions via Zoom. We are conducting intake sessions with new prospective patients and have developed an on-line procedure for this. We will be doing live video observation of sessions to experience with you your sensitivity to ketamine and to provide the psychiatric and psychotherapy components that are inherent parts of this KAP process of healing and growth.
Our CTP group is sensitive to the financial needs of our patients. We are open to discussion of fees based on the plague’s impact to employment and finances. And, we have our needs to support the clinic and our practitioners—so a dialogue is necessary. The time commitments for KAP sessions remain essentially the same.
For new patients, in view of the needs for intensive follow-up to initial sessions, we will be offering a package at the same cost that includes a follow-up session to the ketamine medicine session within a day or so. In general, to maintain quality of care and the therapeutic process we will be increasing the frequency of Integration sessions.
Recognizing the fear and anxiety of this time, the social isolation and immobilization and the attendant disorientation and confusion, we are here with you to be of support and to engender dialogue and community. Please feel free to reach out to us.
May you be safe and well.
Hugs and love,
Julane, Melissa, Carl, Phil, and Julian
