What to Expect During a Ketamine Therapy Session

Jan 16, 2025

If you have been struggling with your mental health, you may have heard about ketamine therapy to help get to the root causes of your symptome. As a leading ketamine therapy clinic in Edmonton, here is a breakdown of what typically occurs during a session at The Sitting Room.

Intake

Prior to getting your prescription, you will be evaluated by our Medical Director and psychiatrist, Dr. Krista Leicht. As a specialist in psychedelic medicine, you can be assured that Dr. Leicht will take every care to ensure that psychedelic medicine is right for you.

If you are approved for Ketamine Sessions, your prescription will be sent in to a compounding pharmacist for preparation.

A few days prior to your session, one of our Mentor Psychedelic Practitioners will reach out to you to prepare you for your session. They will cover everything from tapering medicines, what to wear during the session, confirming that you have a responsible adult drop you off and pick you up. They will also answer any questions that you might have regarding your session.

On the day of your session, you will be greeted by your Psychedelic Practitioners who will take the time explain exactly what will happen during your session and answer any of your questions. They will check your prescription and ensure that you are completely comfortable before you start your session, the goals that you may have for your session and any unanswered questions that you may have.

Once you are ready, you will ingest your Ketamine. At The Sitting Room, Ketamine is administered in a sub-lingual tablet form. We have found that the gentle effects of sublingual ketamine are preferable to the sudden effects of IM or IV Ketamine. Our approach to dosing and administration allows us to work with you to access and process your emotions and lived experiences.

During the Experience

Around 30 minutes into the administration, ketamine levels peak in the bloodstream, often producing altered states of consciousness. Every persons’ experience is different. You may encounter powerful emotions or face deep insights about yourself or your life. Our practitioners are highly trained to gently guide you through any difficult parts of the journey and support you in making sense of your experience.

Integration

By the time the ketamine wears off you will have been with us for about 180 minutes. You may feel a profound sense of peace, acceptance or relief. Crying, laughing or profound realizations are normal responses. Integration of the insights gained during the experience is a key part of the process. Our experienced practitioners will stay with you to discuss your session and help begin to put things into perspective.

Ongoing Support

Follow-up integration sessions help articulate insights from ketamine therapy and make changes stick. Ongoing support aids in incorporating therapeutic breakthroughs into daily life over the weeks and months. The typical session frequency is between 3 and 6 sessions, starting weekly or bi-weekly and then moving to monthly or longer. Some clients find they only require one session to feel relief from their symptoms.

If you’re considering ketamine therapy in Edmonton to address mental health challenges, please don’t hesitate to ask questions. We are here to make you feel informed and secure throughout the entire process.