Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy in San Diego and Throughout California

A gentle, supported approach to deeper healing and lasting change

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What Is Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy?

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is a therapeutic approach that combines a carefully monitored dose of ketamine with psychotherapy to help individuals process trauma, depression, and emotional patterns that may feel stuck in traditional talk therapy.

For many trauma survivors—especially those with CPTSD, attachment wounds, or long-standing emotional patterns—the nervous system can become rigid in its responses. The brain learns protective patterns like hypervigilance, people-pleasing, emotional shutdown, or perfectionism in order to survive.

KAP can sometimes help create enough psychological flexibility to work with those patterns in new ways.

How Does KAP Work?

1. Assessment & Preparation

The first step in KAP involves a thorough evaluation of your mental health history,

current challenges, and treatment goals. This includes a psychiatric assessment with

licensed providers from Journey Clinical and goal-setting sessions with your therapist.

Together, we establish a safe, trusting environment and clarify your intentions for

therapy, laying the groundwork for meaningful transformation.

2. Medicine Sessions: Guided Ketamine Experience

During this phase, you experience ketamine in a safe and comfortable home setting with

your therapist present via telehealth. You will be asked to self-administer a vital signs and

prescribed ketamine sublingual medication while engaging in inward-focused

exploration. Soothing music and therapeutic guidance help you access deeper insights,

process emotions, and explore therapeutic breakthroughs that may not be reachable

through traditional talk therapy alone.

3. Integration Sessions: Applying Insights to Daily Life

After your ketamine sessions, integration sessions help you transform insights into lasting

change. Your therapist works with you to process memories, thoughts, and emotional

breakthroughs from your experience, helping you apply these discoveries to daily life and

build healthier thought patterns, coping strategies, and emotional resilience.

What KAP Can Help With:

  • Treatment-Resistant Depression: Find relief from persistent hopelessness when other

    treatments have not worked.

  • Anxiety Disorders: Calm racing thoughts, develop emotional flexibility, and handle

    stress with ease.

  • PTSD & Trauma: Process difficult experiences safely, reduce hypervigilance, and

    resolve stuck emotional patterns.

  • Existential &Spiritual Distress: Discover renewed meaning, purpose, and self-

    connection during life transitions or periods of grief.

  • Chronic Stress: Break free from overwhelming stress and develop sustainable coping

    strategies.

Why Clients Choose KAP:

  • Facilitates Breakthrough Moments: Access insights and emotions that traditional

    therapy may not reach.

  • Medically Supervised Safety: Ketamine is prescribed and dosed under the careful

    oversight of licensed medical providers.

  • Personalized Treatment Plans: Every protocol is tailored to your mental health history,

    goals, and pace of integration.

  • Rapid Relief with Long-Term Benefits: Many clients experience meaningful shifts in

    just a few sessions, with lasting transformation when combined with ongoing therapy.

  • Enhanced Neuroplasticity: Support your brain’s natural ability to form healthier thought

    and emotional patterns.

Sydney is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist in California who offers virtual Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) for individuals who feel ready to move beyond entrenched mental health patterns and access deeper levels of healing. Through this work, Sydney supports clients who want to gain profound self-awareness, process unresolved trauma, and create meaningful emotional and behavioral change in their lives.

Sydney completed specialized training and certification through Journey Clinical, a leading provider in the field of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. This training allows her to safely integrate ketamine treatment with trauma-informed psychotherapy, ensuring that clients receive both medical oversight and therapeutic guidance throughout the process.

Her approach is grounded in the understanding that many people carry long-standing patterns shaped by trauma, attachment wounds, depression, or anxiety that can feel difficult to shift through traditional talk therapy alone. Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy can help create the psychological flexibility needed to explore these patterns with greater clarity, compassion, and openness.

Sydney works collaboratively with clients to prepare for each experience, guide them through the process, and thoughtfully integrate insights afterward. This integrative approach has helped many individuals reconnect with themselves, process painful experiences, and move toward a life that feels more authentic, grounded, and emotionally free.

Meet our KAP Therapist, Sydney Hafer, AMFT

Frequently Asked Questions about Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy in San Diego and virtually throughout California

  • Ketamine assisted psychotherapy in San Diego and throughout California is a therapeutic approach that combines talk therapy with the use of ketamine in a safe, guided setting. It’s designed to help you access deeper emotional insight and create meaningful shifts that can feel hard to reach through traditional therapy alone.

  • Ketamine can create a temporary shift in awareness that helps you step outside of habitual thought patterns. This can make it easier to process difficult emotions and experiences while feeling supported and less overwhelmed.

  • It’s often used to support depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other experiences that feel stuck or resistant to change. Many people come to this work after trying other forms of therapy and still feeling like something isn’t fully shifting.

  • Everyone’s experience is different. Some people feel a sense of distance from their usual thoughts, while others notice new perspectives or emotional release. You’re supported throughout the process so it feels contained and intentional, not overwhelming.

  • When done with trained professionals and proper medical oversight, ketamine assisted psychotherapy is considered safe for many people. Careful screening and preparation are part of the process to make sure it’s an appropriate fit.

  • No. While your awareness may shift, you’re still in a supported environment where your therapist is present and guiding the process. The experience is structured to help you feel safe and grounded.

  • Ketamine assisted psychotherapy in San Diego can help open a window where your brain is more flexible and receptive. This can allow deeper insights and emotional processing to happen more quickly, especially when you’ve felt stuck for a long time.

  • Yes. Preparation is an important part of the process. You’ll spend time with your therapist setting intentions, building trust, and making sure you feel ready before moving into any ketamine sessions.

  • Integration is where a lot of the healing happens. You’ll work with your therapist to make sense of what came up and begin to apply those insights to your everyday life.

  • If you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like traditional approaches haven’t fully helped, ketamine assisted psychotherapy in San Diego may be worth exploring. You don’t have to figure it out on your own. Starting with a consultation can help you get a sense of whether it feels like the right fit for you.

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