Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
A medically supervised, rapid-acting option for treatment-resistant depression, trauma, and severe emotional distress.
Pairing Biological Action with Therapeutic Integration
Traditional antidepressants take 4–6 weeks to begin working. For patients in severe distress — acute suicidal thinking, treatment-resistant depression, debilitating trauma symptoms — that timeline is too long.
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy offers a different pathway. Used at low, sub-anesthetic doses under medical supervision, ketamine produces rapid antidepressant effects — often within hours — and creates a temporary state of neural plasticity that allows guided psychotherapy to access memories and emotional patterns that have been resistant to standard talk therapy.
At MetroMind, ketamine is delivered as a clinical protocol — not as a recreational substance. Every session is conducted under medical supervision, paired with structured integration therapy, and limited to patients for whom the clinical evidence supports its use.
Who This Therapy Is For
Treatment-resistant depression
Patients who have not responded adequately to multiple antidepressant trials and where rapid symptom relief is clinically needed.
Severe suicidal ideation
Ketamine has rapid anti-suicidal effects, often within hours of administration — making it valuable in acute crisis situations.
Chronic PTSD and complex trauma
The temporary neural plasticity produced by ketamine can allow patients to process traumatic material that standard therapy alone cannot reach.
Severe, treatment-resistant anxiety
For patients whose anxiety has not responded to standard medications and therapy, ketamine protocols may provide breakthrough relief.
Bipolar depression (under careful supervision)
Used with careful screening to avoid triggering manic episodes — and only as part of an integrated treatment plan.
How Ketamine Works
Ketamine acts through biological pathways entirely distinct from standard antidepressants.
NMDA receptor modulation
Ketamine modulates the NMDA glutamate receptor — a different pathway from the serotonin/norepinephrine systems targeted by standard antidepressants. This is why it works when other medicines fail.
Rapid neuroplasticity
Triggers a temporary surge of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and increases synaptic plasticity, helping the brain form new neural connections.
Default mode network reset
Temporarily disrupts the default mode network associated with self-referential rumination. This 'reset' often produces immediate relief from depressive thought loops.
Integration window
The synaptic plasticity creates a 'window' of 24–72 hours during which therapy is unusually effective. This is why we pair the medicine with structured psychotherapy.
Our Ketamine-Assisted Protocol
We follow internationally established clinical standards with full medical oversight.
Medical & Psychiatric Screening
Full medical workup including blood pressure, cardiac history, and screening for psychiatric or substance contraindications.
Preparation Session
Pre-treatment psychotherapy session to set therapeutic intentions, establish trust, and prepare for the experience.
Medical Administration
Administered under continuous medical monitoring of vital signs, with a psychiatrist and clinical psychologist present (60–90 minutes).
Integration Session
Within 24–48 hours, a structured psychotherapy session helps process and integrate the experience, consolidating lasting therapeutic change.
Multi-session Course
A typical course involves 4–8 sessions over several weeks. Maintenance sessions may follow based on individual response.
Why Choose MetroMind for Ketamine-Assisted Therapy
Full medical setting
Sessions are conducted in our licensed hospital with continuous medical monitoring and resuscitation equipment ready.
Psychiatry & psychology together
Every protocol pairs medical administration with structured integration therapy to produce lasting results.
Rigorous screening
We screen carefully for cardiovascular or psychotic contraindications before suggesting ketamine.
Coordinated outpatient planning
Ketamine sessions are part of a wider outpatient treatment roadmap, maintaining active communication with your referring doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ketamine-assisted psychotherapy legal in India?
Yes. Ketamine is a regulated medication available for medical use in India and is widely used in anesthesia and pain medicine. Its use for treatment-resistant depression and trauma follows established international clinical protocols under strict medical supervision.
How quickly does ketamine work for depression?
Most patients experience some reduction in depressive symptoms within hours of the first session. Sustained improvement typically develops over the course of 4–8 sessions paired with integration therapy, which is much faster than standard antidepressants.
Is ketamine addictive?
When used recreationally in high doses, ketamine carries addiction risk. When used in controlled, low, sub-anesthetic doses under medical supervision as part of a structured therapeutic protocol — as we do at MetroMind — the addiction risk is very low.
What does ketamine therapy feel like?
During the session, most patients experience an altered state of awareness — sometimes described as dreamlike or dissociative. This is a normal, expected part of the protocol. The medical team is present throughout and vital signs are continuously monitored.
What does ketamine-assisted psychotherapy cost?
Costs depend on the number of sessions required and whether integration therapy is bundled. A typical 4–8 session course is a structured package. Our clinical coordinators discuss pricing transparently.
Can I drive after a session?
No. You will not be able to drive for the remainder of the day after a ketamine session. We require that a family member or caregiver accompany you home.