Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAT) is the right course of treatment for me?

Ketamine-assisted therapy is not appropriate for people with specific mental and physical health conditions.

Ketamine-assisted therapy may cause a loosening up of one’s perception of reality. In some mental health diagnoses, such as psychosis or schizophrenia, where there is already some disconnect with one’s sense of reality, this treatment can exacerbate these conditions.

Likewise certain physical diagnoses, for example, some heart conditions, may be contraindicated, so further screening is necessary to determine whether or not KAT is a safe course of treatment for you.

Can I try one ketamine session and see if I want to continue?

At Telos, our focus is client-centered care which uses ketamine as a catalyst for transformation through therapy. Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAT) does not provide significant benefits after a single treatment session. The Telos model considers your unique physical, mental, and emotional needs. We take great care to ensure your safety and find the dosage that best supports your transformation through KAT. Our first ketamine session helps us to determine the most appropriate ketamine dose for you; therefore, we recommend having a minimum of three ketamine-assisted therapy sessions.

How long is a session, and what does it involve?

Each KAT session is 3 hours, including a 15-minute check-in with your medical provider and your KAT provider. Your KAT provider is present throughout the entirety of the session. The ketamine journey itself typically lasts between 30-50 minutes. The remaining time ensures adequate recovery and integration time with your KAT provider.

Can you tell me about the schedule for the treatment and any other appointments there might be?

Telo’s Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAT) model involves 1-2 preparation/intake non-ketamine sessions and 3-6 KAT sessions, typically with integration sessions following each KAT session. There is no specific schedule between sessions; everyone’s needs are different. That is why we leave the scheduling of your sessions between you & your KAT provider. Although intensive treatment protocols are available for people who need to travel from out of state, we recommend you wait at least a week between sessions. This may change depending on your response to the medication & input from your provider/therapist.

What is a booster session, and how will I know if I need one?

A booster session is a follow up session after you have completed the initial KAT series of treatment. One way to think about booster sessions are KAT to keep the momentum going in your healing trajectory, to help recenter or to deal with a crisis. Whether you need a booster session or would benefit from it; how to time them and how many you would need,  would be up to you and your therapist to determine.

Do your prices include the intake and integration sessions with my provider?

The prices listed on our pricing page only include Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAT) sessions (involving the use of ketamine). All preparatory or integration sessions are not reflected in our pricing, and are dealt directly with your provider.

Does insurance cover Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAT)?

Currently, insurance plans do not cover ketamine-assisted therapy. Insurance may cover your intake, preparatory sessions, and integration sessions depending on your plan. Please confirm with your insurance company to see what they cover and if the provider you are interested in working with takes your insurance.

What if I already have a therapist or mental health provider?

Many mental health providers are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy yet cannot provide those services for their clients. We encourage you to continue your work with your provider while going through KAT. Your Telos practitioner will require a specific number of preparation and integration sessions with you. With your permission, your current provider and your Telos provider will share information to support you through your ketamine journeys. Once you complete your series of ketamine treatments, we recommend you continue with your current provider.

How is Telos different from other Ketamine clinics?

At Telos, we believe transformative medicine, quality care, and intentional space are core ingredients of healing and growth. As we surveyed the field of ketamine treatment we found widely varying practices in session length (running as short as 40 minutes), session practices (with some clinics even putting on television during the journey), dosage (with some clinics using doses in which the effects are only mildly noticeable), and support (with many clinics around the country having no mental health professional on-site and minimal to no in-session integration or pre-and post-session preparation and integration). We also saw many practice settings that leaned into the medical model of care, feeling much like a doctor’s office. In contrast, at Telos we aim to create a warm, comfortable environment, with intention given to each part of the process. This includes careful selection of music designed to enhance the therapeutic journey, the use of eyeshades during sessions to deepen the experience, 3 hour-long session times to ensure adequate recovery and integration time, post-session refreshments, a KAT provider/therapist who accompanies you in a supportive role throughout all of your ketamine journeys, an onsite medical professional to ensure your physical wellbeing throughout your sessions, and the opportunity for ongoing integrative psychotherapy in concert with your ketamine treatment.