You’ve tried therapy. Maybe medication too. Now you keep seeing ads for ketamine treatment you can do from your couch, and you’re wondering whether that’s the same thing a clinic offers, and which one makes sense for you.
Both options exist in Colorado, and both can help the right person. They’re built differently, though, and the differences matter.
What is ketamine therapy?
Ketamine is an FDA-approved anesthetic that clinicians prescribe off-label, at lower doses, for depression, anxiety, PTSD and related conditions. A related nasal spray, esketamine, is FDA-approved for treatment-resistant depression.
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) pairs the medicine with therapy. The ketamine experience can loosen rigid patterns of thinking for a period of time, and therapy helps you use that window to process what’s underneath and make lasting changes.
What at-home ketamine therapy looks like
At-home programs are run by telehealth companies. After an online medical screening, a prescriber may send ketamine, usually in a dissolving tablet form, to your home. You take it on your own schedule, typically with a trusted adult present as a monitor, and follow guided sessions through an app or video calls.
At-home ketamine can work well for people who:
- Live in rural Colorado or mountain towns far from a clinic
- Have a stable home environment and a reliable person to sit with them
- Are already in therapy and want a structured, lower-cost option
- Prefer the privacy of their own space
One of the best-known at-home providers is Mindbloom, which offers at-home ketamine therapy in Colorado.
What in-office ketamine-assisted psychotherapy looks like
At My Denver Therapy, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy happens in person, with clinicians who know you:
- Medical screening and prescribing by Shannon Keane, PMHNP-BC, our in-house psychiatric nurse practitioner
- Dosing sessions at our Greenwood Village office, which typically run about two to three hours in a quiet, private room
- Integration with your own therapist, so the insights from each session carry into your regular therapy
- Experience: our practice was a founding member of Journey Clinical’s ketamine-assisted therapy community
Our ketamine therapy in Denver page explains the full process.
Wondering whether ketamine is a fit for you? A free 15-minute consultation is a good place to start. Talk with our team.
At-home vs. in-office ketamine: the key differences
- Supervision: At home, a friend or family member usually serves as your monitor. In the office, trained clinicians are with you for the whole session.
- Therapy: At-home programs often include coaching or guided integration. In-office KAP is built around ongoing psychotherapy with a licensed therapist who knows your history.
- Setting: At home, you control the environment but also have to manage distractions. In the office, the setting is designed for the experience.
- Medical oversight: Both require screening. In-office care lets your prescriber and therapist coordinate closely and adjust as you go.
- Cost: At-home programs are often less expensive per session. In-office KAP includes clinician time during dosing, which raises the cost but adds support.
- Convenience: At-home wins for people far from a clinic. In-office works well if you live in the Denver metro or can get to Greenwood Village.
Who should choose in-office care
In-office ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is usually the better choice if:
- You’re working through significant trauma or PTSD
- You don’t have a safe, quiet place or a reliable person to sit with you at home
- You’ve had strong reactions to medications before
- You want your prescriber and therapist working as one team
- You’d like help making sense of difficult material as it comes up
Is ketamine therapy safe?
Ketamine is considered safe when it’s prescribed after proper screening and used as directed. Common short-term effects include dizziness, nausea, a rise in blood pressure and feeling disconnected from your body during the session.
Ketamine isn’t right for everyone. People with uncontrolled high blood pressure, certain heart conditions, a history of psychosis, active substance misuse or who are pregnant are usually not good candidates. Whichever route you choose, an honest medical screening comes first.
Ketamine is one option among several
Ketamine can help when other treatments haven’t, but it isn’t the only path. Many people do well with EMDR, IFS, depression therapy or medication management. Some Coloradans also explore psilocybin-assisted therapy, which is legal at licensed healing centers in the state.
At-home ketamine therapy FAQ
Is at-home ketamine therapy legal in Colorado?
Yes. Licensed prescribers can prescribe ketamine off-label for mental health conditions, including through telehealth programs that ship it to patients in Colorado after a medical screening.
Is at-home ketamine as effective as in-office treatment?
Both can help, and research on at-home programs is still growing. In-office ketamine-assisted psychotherapy offers more clinical support during sessions and closer integration with ongoing therapy, which many people find helpful for trauma and complex concerns.
How long is an in-office ketamine session?
At My Denver Therapy, dosing sessions typically run about two to three hours at our Greenwood Village office.
Do I need a therapist for ketamine therapy?
Ketamine tends to work best alongside therapy. The medicine can open a window for change, and therapy helps you use it. At our practice, integration happens with your own therapist.
Does insurance cover ketamine therapy?
Ketamine for mental health is prescribed off-label and is generally not covered by insurance. We’re a self-pay practice and provide superbills, which some clients submit for out-of-network reimbursement of the therapy portion.
Who prescribes ketamine at My Denver Therapy?
Shannon Keane, PMHNP-BC, our psychiatric nurse practitioner, handles screening and prescribing for ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.
Talk with a Denver therapist about ketamine
My Denver Therapy has 20+ Denver area therapists across offices in Denver, Greenwood Village and Lone Tree, plus online therapy anywhere in Colorado. Most new clients start within a week, and the first 15-minute consultation is free.
Request an appointment or call (720) 504-4329.
Disclosure: My Denver Therapy may earn a referral fee if you sign up with Mindbloom through a link on this page.
If you’re in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or call the Colorado Crisis & Support Line at 1-844-493-8255.
