Ketamine Assisted Therapy in Vancouver, WA

Experience deeper breakthroughs and faster relief from treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, and PTSD with specialized ketamine therapy.

Book a Free Consultation
Ketamine Assisted Therapy in Vancouver, WA
Get bigger breakthroughs with Ketamine therapy

Bigger Break Throughs, Faster Relief, and Lasting Improvement is Possible

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is a holistic kind of treatment that uses ketamine combined with mental health therapy. KAP helps eligible clients experience more frequent breakthroughs and lasting improvement in symptoms. 

Ketamine therapy can be a powerful option if you’ve felt stuck in therapy or have treatment resistant symptoms, and it can take you deeper when you feel blocked.  

Book a free Consultation

How Does Ketamine-Assisted Therapy Work?

Refuge Counseling & Wellness takes a team approach to KAP. Our specialty is therapy, so we partner with the medical team at Journey Clinical to support you with ketamine and all the medical aspects of treatment. 

If you express interest in ketamine therapy, we will refer you to Journey Clinical. They will go over your medical and psychiatric history with you, provide education on the treatment and determine if you are eligible for KAP. If you’re eligible, they’ll develop a custom treatment plan, prescribe your medicine and monitor outcomes. 

Their medical team will teach you how to monitor your vitals and provide all your instructions for your prescription. Your prescription is mailed to your home. 

You’ll meet with your therapist to prepare for ketamine therapy. We will get to know you, your trouble areas and goals, and make your KAP plan together. We take time to address your questions, concerns, and set intentions for the work. 

A typical ketamine treatment dosing session lasts between 2-3 hours and takes place in-person at our Vancouver therapy office in Salmon Creek. An option for remote or virtual sessions may be considered if appropriate.

You’ll lie in a comfortable reclined position wearing an eye mask and listening to calm music. You’ll bring your Ketamine prescription with you to therapy and take it there with your therapist present. 

Your therapist will be there to support you before, during, and after your ketamine journey. You’ll have plenty of time to process emotions, new insights and make plans to maximize the effects of your dosing session.

Within several days after each dosing session, you’ll meet with your therapist to continue processing the dosing session and making progress on your goals. This deepens the impact and keeps learning and positive changes moving forward.

After our first ketamine therapy session, Journey Clinical’s medical team schedules regular follow ups with you to monitor outcomes and prescribe ketamine refills if appropriate. The number of follow ups depends on your unique treatment plan, at a minimum of once per quarter.

Ketamine Assisted Therapy Can Be Beneficial For:

  • Treatment-Resistant Depression
  • Acute Suicidal Ideation
Ketamine Assisted Therapy in Vancouver, WA

Why Choose Refuge Counseling & Wellness

At Refuge, you’re not just another number—you’re the most important person in the room. You’ll find support and belonging in our deeply hospitable and judgement free therapeutic center in Vancouver, WA.

Refuge is designed to cut through the noise of shallow, impersonal mental health and wellness services. We take our time to know you and your priorities in order to curate a custom counseling and wellness strategy to help you achieve your goals.

Stop wasting money just talking about your week. Our team is trained in powerful, evidence based therapy approaches that create lasting transformation in less time. While our clients are responsible for doing the work of change, our therapists and practitioners are the highly skilled, trauma informed guides you want to help you on your way.

Book a free Consultation
Ketamine Therapy in Vancouver, WA with Refuge Counseling & Wellness

Therapists Offering Ketamine-Assisted Therapy at Our Vancouver, WA Location

Renee Thompson - Ketamine-assisted psychotherapist in Vancouver, WA
Renee Thompson
Read Full Bio

FAQ’s about Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy

Ketamine is a legal, safe and effective medicine used to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, PTSD and more. 

Ketamine has fast-acting antidepressant and mood-enhancing effects, which can begin to take effect within 1-2 hours after treatment and last for up to 2 weeks. 

It works by blocking the brain’s NMDA receptors as well as by stimulating AMPA receptors, which are thought to help form new synaptic connections and boost neural circuits that regulate stress and mood. 

Ketamine has also been shown to enhance overall neuroplasticity for lasting symptom improvement. Ketamine can be administered in a variety of ways, including IV infusion, intramuscular injection, via nasal spray and using oral lozenges. In our work with Journey Clinical we only use the oral lozenge form.

Ketamine has been used safely in medical settings for over 50 years. It was originally developed as an anesthetic and is on the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines. When used at the lower, sub-anesthetic doses we use in ketamine-assisted therapy, it has a strong safety profile.

That said, ketamine therapy isn’t for everyone. There are certain medical conditions and medications that may make you ineligible. That’s why we partner with the medical team at Journey Clinical, who will do a thorough review of your medical and psychiatric history before you’re ever prescribed anything. Your safety is the priority, always.

Ketamine therapy tends to be most helpful for people who have tried traditional approaches like talk therapy or antidepressant medications and haven’t gotten the relief they need. If you’ve been dealing with treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, chronic anxiety, or acute suicidal ideation and feel like you’ve hit a wall, ketamine-assisted therapy may be the next step worth exploring.

It’s also a great fit for people who are already in therapy and want to go deeper. Some clients come to us feeling “stuck”. They’ve done good work, but can sense there’s more underneath that they can’t quite reach. Ketamine can help open that door.

During your medical intake with Journey Clinical, their team will determine whether you’re a safe and appropriate candidate based on your unique history.

If we only use the medicine, we are probably only doing half the work.   

While ketamine treatments are available in clinics or at home, using ketamine as part of your therapy gives you a deeper insight and added emotional safety than if you were just to go get a ketamine IV or injection.

Powerful images, revelations and memories may surface during treatment. Without careful preparation, we can miss out on depth and meaning, or even run the risk of a “bad trip.” A skilled and trained professional can help support you through any difficult content that might come up, as well as help you use your new insight to make the changes you want. 

Plus, it just feels good to feel cared for and not to be alone. Having a nurturing therapist to witness the experience with you, bring you a snack or make you tea can be part of the healing.

At a ketamine infusion clinic, you typically receive an IV drip of ketamine in a medical setting. You might sit in a recliner, listen to music, and go home afterward. The focus is on the medicine doing the work.

At Refuge, the medicine is just one part of the process. You’ll take an oral ketamine lozenge in the presence of your therapist, who is there to guide and support you through the entire experience. Before your dosing session, we spend time in preparation, getting clear on your goals, building trust, and setting intentions. After each session, we do dedicated integration work to help you make sense of what came up and turn those insights into real, lasting changes.

We believe the combination of ketamine with skilled psychotherapy is what creates the deepest results. The medicine opens the window — the therapy is what helps you walk through it.

Most clients find the effects of ketamine to feel pleasant. These effects can make you feel “far from” your body, and facilitate shifts in perception that can often feel expansive in nature. Your motor and verbal abilities will be reduced, so you’ll be lying down in a comfortable position during the experience.

The effects of ketamine last for approximately 45-60 minutes.

Once these effects subsided, we’ll spend the remainder of our appointment giving you space to process your experience. While it may feel hard to find words for your experience, clients usually feel like their insights are clear and continue to get clearer over time.

Often clients feel some relief immediately after dosing. Studies have shown that the benefits to mood and neurological growth can last up to two weeks after the Ketamine experience. 

Ketamine can provide both mental and physical benefits. It is not, however, a cure-all so it’s important to set realistic goals and expectations regarding treatment and maintenance plans.

Yes, in many cases you can. Ketamine therapy can work alongside your existing therapy or be the therapy itself. If you’re currently seeing another therapist, we’re happy to coordinate and communicate with them if that’s helpful to you.

As for medications, many people on antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications are still eligible for ketamine treatment. However, there are some specific medications that can interact with ketamine, so this is something Journey Clinical’s medical team will carefully evaluate during your intake. They’ll let you know if any adjustments are needed before starting.

A typical course of treatment at our Vancouver, WA office ranges from 6-8 dosing sessions, though this can vary depending on your unique situation and goals. Some clients begin to notice shifts after just one or two sessions, while the more lasting, structural changes tend to build over the full course of treatment.

In between dosing sessions, you’ll have integration sessions with your therapist. A common schedule is alternating one dosing session and one integration session per week. So a full course of treatment might span roughly 3-4 months from start to finish.

Your therapist will check in with you regularly about how things are going, and together you’ll decide the right pace and number of sessions for you.

Journey Medical Costs (subject to change)

  • Initial medical consultation with Journey Clinical: $250 
  • Cost of medication: $85 (enough for your first two sessions)
  • Follow-up medical consultation with Journey Clinical $150 (at least 1X per quarter) 
  • Cost of medication: $145 (enough for up to 6 sessions)

Refuge Therapy Costs

A typical full course of treatment ranges from 6-8 dosing sessions, though this can vary.

For Individuals

  • Preparation and Integration sessions: Your therapist’s standard session rate (view team page for current rates).
    • The number of preparation sessions varies by client. 
    • There will always be at least one integration session within one week of each dosing session. 
    • A typical schedule is alternating a KAP dosing session and an integration session each week for the course of treatment. 
  • 3 hour dosing session: $500

For Groups 

2-4 participants. Must meet eligibility criteria.

  • Preparation and Integration sessions: $125 per person
    • Two participants: 60 minute sessions
    • Three or four participants: 90 minutes sessions
  • 3 hour dosing session: $350 per person 

Payment

Payment is due at the time of session. 

Journey Clinical may be in network with your insurance. They will provide a super bill for possible reimbursement.

Preparation and integration sessions are therapy sessions. They can be submitted for reimbursement. 

One hour of the dosing session is considered therapy and may be submitted for reimbursement.

Always check with your insurer about your individual benefits.

Care Credit

Care Credit is a deferred interest credit card and may be an option to help spread out the cost of KAP therapy. Clients must apply and qualify. See additional materials if interested. 

Ketamine-assisted therapy is not yet widely covered by insurance, but there are options to help manage the cost. Journey Clinical, our medical partner, may be in-network with your insurance for the medical consultation and prescription portions of treatment. They’ll provide a super bill that you can submit for possible reimbursement.

Your preparation and integration sessions at Refuge are therapy sessions, and they can also be submitted for out-of-network reimbursement. One hour of each dosing session is considered therapy and may be submitted as well. We always recommend checking with your specific insurance provider about your individual out-of-network benefits.

We also accept Care Credit, which is a deferred-interest credit card option that can help spread out the cost. Your therapist can provide more details.

Check out the following resources to learn more about ketamine assisted psychotherapy:

The first step is simple, book a free 15-minute consultation with Renee. This is a chance for you to ask questions, share a little about what you’re going through, and find out whether ketamine-assisted therapy might be a good fit.

If it feels right, we’ll refer you to Journey Clinical for your medical screening. Once you’re cleared, we’ll schedule your preparation sessions and get your treatment plan in place. From the initial consultation to your first dosing session, the process typically takes a few weeks.

You can book your free consultation right here on this page, or call us at (360) 207-6343. Our office is in Salmon Creek, just off I-5, at 13912 NE 20th Ave, Suite 204, Vancouver, WA 98686. We serve clients throughout Clark County including Ridgefield, Battle Ground, Camas, and Washougal.

We offer ketamine-assisted therapy at our office in Vancouver, Washington. This ensures that deep, transformative healing is accessible to you, whether you’re in Vancouver, Ridgefield, or anywhere within driving distance of Clark County.

Our office is located just off I5 in Salmon Creek at 13912 NE 20th Ave. Suite 204 Vancouver, WA 98686.

Have More Questions?

Contact Us

Book a free 15 minute consultation with Renee Thompson

Just fill out the form and Renee will be in touch to schedule

Renee Thompson - Free Ketamine Therapy Consultation
Contact Us – Renee
Preferred Contact Method