Ketamine: A Tool for Healing, Not a Quick Fix

Ketamine is a medication that was first developed as an anesthetic and is still used for that purpose today. In recent years, research has revealed that ketamine can also play a role in mental health care. When used off-label, ketamine has shown promising results in helping individuals with treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, severe anxiety, and chronic suicidal thoughts.

How Ketamine Works in the Brain

Guided. Safe. Transformative. Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy at Pivot means you’re never alone on your healing journey.

Unlike traditional antidepressants that primarily target serotonin, ketamine works on the glutamate system, the brain’s most abundant neurotransmitter. By blocking NMDA receptors and stimulating AMPA receptors, ketamine promotes neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to form new connections.

This process can:

• Reduce the intensity of negative thought patterns

• Provide rapid relief from depressive symptoms (sometimes within hours)

• Create a window of opportunity for healthier emotional processing

In simpler terms, ketamine can help “reset” certain pathways in the brain, creating space for change.

What Ketamine Can and Cannot Do

When administered in a therapeutic setting, ketamine can:

• Offer a break from overwhelming symptoms

• Help disrupt cycles of rumination and hopelessness

• Make it easier to engage in therapy and new coping strategies

However, ketamine is not a cure on its own. It doesn’t erase trauma, change daily habits, or automatically build resilience. Without continued effort, old patterns may resurface.

Why Psychotherapy Matters

While ketamine can create a powerful window of relief, the most meaningful and lasting healing happens when it’s paired with psychotherapy. Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) combines the medicine’s ability to increase openness and flexibility with the guidance of a skilled therapist. In this space, patients can explore difficult memories, process trauma, and begin to integrate new insights into their daily lives. Psychotherapy provides the tools to turn ketamine’s short-term neuroplasticity into long-term growth and resilience.

The Value of Expertise

Because ketamine works differently than other psychiatric medications, it’s essential that treatment be provided by professionals with specialized training. At Pivot Integrative Health, Lauren Hannah, DSW, LCSW and Aaron Hannah, MSW, LCSW have both completed training through the Psychedelic Research and Training Institute (PRATI), a leading program in Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy. Their expertise ensures that each treatment session is not only safe but also grounded in the latest evidence-based practices, helping patients move from short-term relief to lasting transformation.

Healing Is a Partnership

At Pivot Integrative Health, we view ketamine as a powerful tool—but only one part of the healing process. The real transformation comes when patients use the clarity and relief ketamine provides to do the deeper work: engaging in therapy, building supportive routines, and practicing healthy coping skills.

Ketamine can open the door, but you have to walk through it.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

If you’ve been struggling with depression, anxiety, or trauma and traditional treatments haven’t worked, ketamine may provide a new path forward. At Pivot Integrative Health, located in Jonesboro, AR, our team is here to guide you through both the medical and therapeutic process so you can make the most of this treatment.

📞 Call us today to schedule a consultation and learn if Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy is right for you.