Ketamine-Assisted Therapy for PTSD in Orlando, FL
For when the usual treatments haven’t been enough.
Therapist-led ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for trauma, in person in Orlando and by telehealth across Florida.
Ketamine is not FDA approved for PTSD, so when it is used for trauma it is prescribed off-label. Early research is promising. It seems to help most when it is part of a full course of therapy rather than used on its own.
If you have lived with trauma for a long time, you may have already tried a lot. Below I explain what the research does and does not show, how ketamine-assisted psychotherapy works with me, and how to tell whether it is worth exploring for you.
Why PTSD can feel stuck
PTSD is not a sign that you are weak or that you did something wrong. It is what can happen when the mind and body go through something overwhelming and never fully get the message that it is over.
Your body may still react as if you are in danger. A sound, a smell or a crowded room can bring it all back. You might sleep badly, feel on edge, or feel numb and far away from the people you care about.
Many people with PTSD cope by avoiding anything that reminds them of what happened. That makes sense, because avoidance protects you in the short term. Over time, though, it can shrink your life and keep the memory frozen in place.
This is often why PTSD can feel stuck even after years of trying. You may understand what happened and still feel it in your body as if it were happening now. Good trauma therapy works on both of those levels, and that is where ketamine-assisted psychotherapy may have a role.
What the research shows so far
In 2021, the American Journal of Psychiatry published a randomized trial by Feder and colleagues. People with PTSD received either repeated ketamine infusions or a comparison drug, midazolam. Those who received ketamine had a greater reduction in PTSD symptoms than those who received midazolam.
That result is encouraging. It is also one study. The evidence for ketamine in PTSD is still early, and there is a lot researchers do not know yet.
The effects can fade. Without ongoing support, any relief from ketamine may not last. That is one of the main reasons I think of the medicine as one part of the work, not the whole of it.
I would rather you hear this from me before you start. Ketamine is not a cure for PTSD, and I cannot promise how you will respond.
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy vs. IV ketamine for PTSD
If you have looked into ketamine for PTSD, you have probably seen IV ketamine clinics as well as therapist-led care. They are set up differently, and it helps to know how before you compare them.
Setting
IV clinics give ketamine through a vein in a medical office, with medical staff monitoring you. With ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, medicine sessions happen in person in Orlando, or at home in Florida with me on video the whole time, when the medical provider decides at-home dosing is safe.
How therapy is built in
At many IV clinics, therapy is not part of the visit. In ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, the therapy is part of the treatment. We meet to prepare before medicine sessions and to integrate afterward.
Who prescribes
At an IV clinic, the clinic’s medical team decides on and gives the ketamine. With me, a licensed medical provider does the medical evaluation and prescribing. I do not prescribe ketamine. My role is the psychotherapy.
Neither approach is right for everyone. The best fit depends on your health, your history and the kind of support you want. If you would like the full step-by-step process, I walk through it on my page about ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in Orlando.
Why the therapy part matters for trauma
Trauma work needs safety first. That is true with or without ketamine, and it matters even more when a medicine can bring up strong feelings or memories.
Before any medicine session, we get to know each other. We talk about what brought you here, what you want from this work, and how you tend to react when things feel intense. We practice ways to stay steady, so you have them ready before you need them.
During each medicine session, I am with you the whole time, in the room or on video. I do not push you toward any memory. My job is to help you feel safe enough to stay with whatever comes up.
Afterward, we meet to make sense of what happened. Some people notice new feelings about an old memory. Others notice very little. Either way, we connect the experience to your daily life, your relationships and your patterns.
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy can also sit alongside other trauma therapy. If you already do EMDR therapy in Orlando with me, or you are thinking about it, we can plan how the two fit together. If you see another trauma therapist, we can talk about how to coordinate.
Ketamine therapy for first responders and veterans
I have a lot of respect for people who move toward danger as part of their work. Police officers, firefighters, paramedics, dispatchers, nurses and veterans often carry things they do not talk about.
Many people in these roles are used to handling things on their own. Asking for help can feel uncomfortable, or even risky. I understand that, and I will not pressure you to share more than you are ready to.
You do not have to tell me every detail of what you saw. We go at a pace that feels manageable, and you decide what we talk about.
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is one option to explore, not the only one. Some people prefer to start with regular trauma therapy first. You can read more about how I approach therapy for first responders and others in high-pressure roles.
Is it safe for me?
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is not for everyone, and the first step is always a medical screening.
I do not prescribe ketamine. A licensed medical provider does the medical evaluation and decides whether ketamine is safe and appropriate for you. They review your health history and current medications as part of that.
If it is a fit, the medical provider also decides whether at-home dosing is safe for you, or whether your medicine sessions should happen in person in Orlando.
If the medical provider decides ketamine is not right for you, that is useful information, not a failure. There are other ways to work on trauma, and we can talk about what makes sense instead.
Please do not stop or change any of your current medications on your own. That is a decision to make with your prescriber.
Ketamine-assisted therapy for PTSD in Orlando and across Florida
I am Artie Gately, LMHC, a licensed mental health counselor in Florida (license MH22813). I see adults in person at my office in Orlando and by secure video anywhere in Florida.
I accept insurance for therapy with these plans: UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Florida Blue, Oscar, Optum, Oxford and Carelon Behavioral Health. That covers regular therapy and the preparation and integration sessions of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. Ketamine dosing sessions are cash-pay only. The medicine and medical visits are billed separately by the medical provider.
For a full breakdown, read my page on ketamine therapy cost and insurance.
If you are not sure where to start, I offer a free 15-minute consultation. We can talk about what you are going through and whether ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, regular trauma therapy or something else makes the most sense.
Artie Gately, LMHC
Florida license MH22813
545 N Mills Ave
Orlando, FL
Frequently asked questions
Is ketamine FDA approved for PTSD?
No. Ketamine is not FDA approved for PTSD. When it is used for PTSD, a licensed medical provider prescribes it off-label.
Can ketamine help with PTSD when other treatments have not?
Early research is promising, but the evidence is still early and I cannot promise how you will respond. Ketamine seems to help most when it is part of a full course of therapy.
Can I keep doing EMDR or other trauma therapy?
Often, yes. Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy can sit alongside EMDR or other trauma therapy. We plan together how the pieces fit.
How many sessions will I need?
It varies from person to person. We plan the number of medicine sessions with the medical provider, and we plan the preparation and integration sessions together as we go.
Is ketamine therapy for PTSD covered by insurance?
I accept insurance for therapy (UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Florida Blue, Oscar, Optum, Oxford and Carelon Behavioral Health), and that covers the preparation and integration sessions of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. Ketamine dosing sessions are cash-pay only. The medicine and medical visits are billed separately by the medical provider.
Relief can begin with one honest message.
Send a short note and we’ll be in touch. There’s no pressure and no commitment—just a calm first step toward feeling better.
Send us a note and we’ll be in touch—no pressure, no commitment.
Start a ConversationPlease don’t include sensitive medical details. If you’re in crisis, call or text 988.