Ketamine-Assisted Therapy
People come to Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAT) because they feel stuck, overwhelmed, and unsure what else to try. KAT helps reconnect the body and mind, allowing new perspectives, emotional release, and creative insight to emerge. Ketamine can help soften defenses and widen perception, while art therapy offers a way to translate what you experience into color, form, and meaning.
KAT is a safe and legal form of psychedelic therapy that can support profound healing by eliciting a non-ordinary state of consciousness through medication. Kaitlin partners with Illumma, Austin’s leading ketamine clinic, serving as the therapist in your process while their clinical team provides medical oversight.
Kaitlin is a scholar in the integration of art therapy and psychedelics and has completed sitting and integration training with the Zendo Project. She also brings lived experience with KAT, which informs her approach to preparation, support, and integration using art therapy and other complementary modalities.
What can Ketamine-Assisted Therapy help with?
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KAT can help quiet the looping thoughts and tension that fuel anxiety. Ketamine’s effects on neuroplasticity allow the brain to see old worries in a new light, while simultaneously dulling the persistent feelings of stress and dread. Art-based integration offers a way to give those sensations and stories form, and together, these approaches create space for calm, curiosity, and a new sense of possibility.
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When grieving, it can feel like time has been suspended or like you’ve lost your sense of connection to your life. Ketamine-assisted therapy can soften that paralysis, offering spaciousness and re-connection with yourself. Art therapy then helps translate that experience into form- through ritual, image, or creative remembrance- supporting the slow, human work of healing after loss.
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Trauma can leave your nervous system on constant alert. Ketamine helps calm the fear response and create distance from intrusive memories, allowing clients to observe rather than relive them. Paired with art therapy, KAT helps integrate these experiences as new images of safety, resilience, and self-trust. [Source 1, Source 2]
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For those who have tried multiple treatments for depression without relief, KAT can offer a shift in both mood and perspective. Ketamine’s rapid impact on depressive symptoms can encourage emotional reconnection, while art therapy helps ground that new energy in creative expression and meaning-making. The combination can help people bring color, movement, and vitality back in to their inner world. [Source]
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Chronic pain can feel like being trapped in a cycle of tension, fear, and exhaustion. Ketamine interrupts the loop by resetting pain pathways and supporting the brain’s capacity to form new patterns. Through art therapy, clients can externalize the pain, witness it with compassion, and reimagine their relationship to it. From session-to-session KAT offers small but meaningful shifts in relief and agency. [Source]
How it works
Every person’s experience with KAT is unique, but I’ve designed a process rooted in best practices to help you get the most out of your experience. We’ll take things step-by-step through each phase together- beginning with thoughtful preparation, moving into the dosing experience itself, and spending time afterward to integrate what emerges. My goal is to help you feel safe, supported, and grounded at every point along the way.
Phase 1 - Getting Started
Initial consultation
The first step is a free 15–20 minute phone consultation with Kaitlin to explore whether Ketamine-Assisted Therapy (KAT) may be a good fit for you. This is a chance to ask questions, share what’s bringing you here, and learn more about the process.
Medical consultation
If you decide to move forward, the next step is a medical intake with Illumma’s clinical team. This 45–60 minute phone appointment with their Nurse Practitioner ensures that KAT is medically safe and appropriate for you.
Phase 3 - KAT Series
Infusion sessions
Your KAT sessions take place at Illumma. Each begins with a medical and therapeutic check-in to help you feel safe and centered. Kaitlin will remain present throughout the infusion, and once you return from your non-ordinary state, she’ll spend about 45 minutes helping you process and make sense of your experience.
Integration sessions
Between infusions, you’ll meet in person or virtually to integrate what arose during dosing. These sessions focus on noticing changes in mood, perspective, and relationships, and revisiting goals for the next phase of treatment.
Phase 2 - Preparing for Treatment
Treatment planning session
Once you’re medically cleared, you’ll meet Kaitlin at her studio for a 60-minute session to discuss your background, current mental health, and goals for KAT. Together you’ll outline your treatment plan and schedule your KAT series.
Preparation session
Before your first infusion, you’ll meet again for a dedicated preparation session. This time is used to set intentions, discuss what to expect during dosing, and create a plan for staying grounded and supported throughout the process.
Phase 4 - Long-Term Integration
Ongoing art therapy
After your KAT series, the insights and “messages from the medicine” often continue to unfold. Ongoing art therapy provides a space to stay connected to your intuition, process experiences nonverbally, and anchor the shifts you’ve made. Many clients feel newly inspired or creative after KAT—art therapy helps translate that inspiration into a sustainable art and self-care practice.
How will I feel?
During your infusion, you may feel as if you’re entering a dreamlike state. Some people experience shifts in vision, speech, or thought patterns, while others feel waves of calm or insight. The Illumma medical team and I will be with you throughout the process to ensure you feel safe and supported. On occasion, mild side effects such as nausea, dizziness, or changes in blood pressure can occur, and the nursing staff is fully prepared to address these if they arise.
In the hours following your session, it’s normal to feel tired, spacey, or unsure whether anything is happening. Even if it doesn’t feel immediate, ketamine begins working at a neurological level—helping the brain form new connections and pathways that support healing and emotional flexibility.
Most clients begin to notice subtle shifts in mood or outlook within the first few days- such as increased energy, lightness, or ease. This period often opens a “window of opportunity” for insight and change, which we’ll explore together through therapy, creative processing, and reflection. Activities like journaling, rest, or gentle movement can feel supportive at this phase.
The effects of ketamine are cumulative, meaning each session builds upon the last. Over the course of your KAT series, we’ll work with the medical team to gradually adjust your dosage and find your optimal level. After the initial series, many clients continue to notice improvements for several weeks.
While “booster” sessions are an option in the future, the goal of KAT is not dependency- it’s change. The medicine supports your inner growth process, helping you integrate new ways of feeling, thinking, and relating. During and after your series, I encourage you to care for yourself, spend time away from screens, reconnect with loved ones, and stay curious about what’s unfolding.
Why it works
Ketamine-Assisted Therapy works by combining biological and psychological processes to support meaningful change. On a neurological level, ketamine acts on the brain’s glutamate system, promoting neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to form new connections. This can temporarily loosen rigid thought and emotional patterns, creating space to see old challenges from a fresh perspective.
The therapy also provides rapid relief from symptoms of anxiety, depression, trauma, or chronic pain, often within hours or days, which can create a window for deeper exploration and growth. During sessions, the altered state of consciousness allows clients to observe thoughts, emotions, and memories in new ways.
In KAT, integration with therapy and creative expression is key. Using art therapy and other modalities, clients can process what emerges, externalize emotions, and translate insights into lasting change. Together, these elements support flexibility, clarity, and emotional resilience—helping the shifts from the medicine take root in daily life.
Outcomes
Research suggests improvement in 70-80% of patients who are treated with ketamine for depression. At Illumma, about 82% of clients see a significant (>30%) reduction in their mental health scores over the initial six infusion series. [Source: Illumma]
What to expect
FAQ
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Ketamine has been safely used in medical settings for over fifty years and was first FDA-approved as an anesthetic in 1970. For mental health treatment, the doses used are much lower (typically a fraction of what’s given in surgery) and have been shown to be both safe and effective when administered in a controlled environment.
At Illumma, all infusions are overseen by a licensed medical team, and clients are continuously monitored using EKG and pulse oximetry throughout the session to ensure safety and comfort. Ketamine does not significantly suppress breathing and generally has mild effects on blood pressure and heart rate, which makes it one of the safest anesthetic agents available.
While its use for mental health is considered “off-label,” there is extensive research supporting ketamine’s benefits for depression, anxiety, trauma, and chronic pain. Before beginning treatment, every client completes a comprehensive medical intake to make sure KAT is appropriate and safe for them.
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For most clients, the recommended number of infusion sessions is 6, with a matching number of integration sessions. Some clients may find they need fewer or more, depending on their individual process and needs.
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Typically the 6 infusion sessions are scheduled over a 6 week period with integration sessions in between.
Scheduling will be discussed during the Treatment Planning session, however Kaitlin only sees clients at Illumma on Fridays and Saturdays.
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Ketamine-Assisted Therapy is a significant investment in your healing. A full treatment series (Phases 1–3 outlined above) totals between $4,500-$6,000, though costs are paid per session rather than all at once. For reference, each infusion session is $800, and each therapy session is $120.
Some folks are able to receive partial reimbursement through their out-of-network insurance benefits, and you can also use FSA or HSA funds toward treatment. My goal is to make sure every session feels intentional, supportive, and a step toward change that lasts well beyond the treatment itself.
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You don’t need a referral to begin the process. Many clients come to Ketamine-Assisted Therapy on their own, looking for new ways to heal when other approaches haven’t helped. Before beginning treatment, you’ll complete an intake so we can ensure ketamine is a safe and appropriate fit for you. Myself and/or Illumma will coordinate with your existing providers when needed.
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In my work with KAT at Illumma, we use IV (intravenous) ketamine because it gives you the greatest sense of safety, control, and precision. With IV administration, the medication enters your bloodstream directly and the clinical team can adjust or stop the infusion at any point based on your comfort and response. This real-time control helps you remain grounded, aware, and supported throughout the experience.
IV ketamine is also supported by research showing it offers more predictable dosing, higher bioavailability (meaning more of the medication reaches the brain), and more consistent therapeutic response than many other delivery methods.
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Most clients do not need to stop taking their regular medications to do KAT. However, certain medications may affect how your body responds to ketamine. During your medical intake with Illumma’s Nurse Practitioner, they will carefully review your medication list to ensure safety. Any adjustments will be made in collaboration with your prescriber, so you’ll never have to make changes on your own.
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My approach blends clinical best practices with creative processes. As both an art therapist, licensed professional counselor, and KAT provider, I help clients access and integrate insights not just through conversation, but through expressive arts. This is, in my opinion, the most powerful and effective way to process experiences that go beyond words. I also bring a trauma-informed lens and a deep respect for pacing and preparation.
I’ve published research on the role of art therapy in psychedelics and use those findings to guide my practice- helping clients move from relief to sustained, embodied change. Each phase of treatment is intentional, supportive, and designed to help you feel grounded throughout your journey.
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Feeling nervous is completely normal. Many people come to KAT with some uncertainty about what it will feel like. Unlike in most recreational settings, KAT sessions are medically supervised and therapeutically supported from start to finish. You’ll be continually monitored by Illumma’s nursing staff and accompanied by me throughout your infusion.
We’ll take time beforehand to prepare and set intentions, and I’ll help you identify tools to feel grounded and safe during dosing. Most clients describe the experience as gentle, introspective, and easier to navigate than they expected- often leaving with a sense of calm, curiosity, or emotional release.
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Ketamine is not appropriate for everyone. During your medical intake, Illumma’s clinical team will review your health history to ensure safety.
In general, KAT is not recommended for individuals who:
Have a diagnosis or strong potential for schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders
Are experiencing an active manic episode related to bipolar disorder
Have unstable heart disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or serious respiratory conditions
Have untreated thyroid disease
Are currently using certain medications or other substances that may increase risk
If any of these apply, treatment may need to be postponed or an alternative approach explored. Safety is the first priority, so if KAT isn’t the right fit, we’ll look into other options!
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