Understanding ketamine—a comprehensive guide from The Burlington Clinic.
Ketamine therapy has gained significant recognition for its effectiveness in treating mental health conditions, particularly for individuals whose symptoms have been resistant to traditional therapies. Initially developed as an aesthetic, ketamine is now used in low doses to address challenges such as depression, PTSD, and anxiety, offering a promising alternative where other treatments may not have succeeded.
At The Burlington Clinic, located in London’s Harley Street, we specialise in ketamine-assisted therapy, with the unique option of home treatments for those seeking privacy and convenience.
What is Ketamine Therapy?
Ketamine therapy involves the administration of ketamine via IV infusion, nasal spray (Spravato), or lozenge to aid in the treatment of mental health conditions such as depression, PTSD, and chronic pain. Unlike traditional antidepressants, which can take weeks or months to take effect, ketamine often provides rapid relief within hours or days. This makes it a vital option for those managing severe or treatment-resistant symptoms.
Administered in a controlled clinical setting or through our discreet home visit service, ketamine therapy works by targeting NMDA receptors in the brain, promoting synaptic growth and restoring emotional balance.
How Does Ketamine Therapy Work?
Ketamine primarily acts on the brain’s glutamate system, which is crucial for mood regulation and cognitive function. It helps rebuild synaptic connections that have been weakened or damaged by depression, trauma, or anxiety. By resetting these connections, ketamine enables the brain to form new patterns of thought and emotion.
As a non-classical psychedelic, ketamine also fosters unique states of consciousness that allow individuals to process emotions and gain insights into their challenges. This is why integration—the process of making sense of and applying these insights—is a cornerstone of effective treatment.
The Infusion Process
Ketamine is most commonly administered via IV infusion for precise dosing and effective results. During a session:
Precise dosing: The dose is tailored to individual needs to ensure safety and efficacy.
Dissociative effects: Patients may experience a dissociative state, creating space to detach from entrenched patterns of thought and emotion.
Session length: Infusions last 40 minutes to an hour, during which time patients are closely monitored by our expert clinicians.
Recent research also highlights ketamine’s ability to engage the brain's opioid receptors, enhancing its antidepressant effects, particularly for those with treatment-resistant conditions like depression and PTSD.
A Comprehensive, Integrative Approach to Healing
At The Burlington Clinic, we believe that ketamine therapy is most effective when paired with integrative treatments designed to support and sustain the insights gained during sessions. These therapies—commonly used in psychedelic treatment models—are critical to the process of integration, where patients reflect on and apply the breakthroughs they’ve experienced.
Our additional therapies include:
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): Helps patients process trauma and integrate new emotional insights gained during ketamine sessions.
Music Therapy: Creates a deeply therapeutic environment that aligns with ketamine’s non-classical psychedelic effects, helping patients connect emotionally.
Breathwork (Sophrology): Supports emotional regulation and physical grounding, complementing the dissociative state induced by ketamine.
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: Provides a structured space to explore underlying emotional patterns and unresolved conflicts, helping patients gain deeper self-awareness and integrate their experiences into long-term healing and growth.
By combining ketamine with these integrative approaches, we offer a truly holistic treatment model that helps patients deepen and sustain the positive impacts of their therapy.
What Conditions Can Ketamine Therapy Help?
Ketamine therapy is particularly effective for:
Depression: Rapid relief for individuals unresponsive to conventional antidepressants.
PTSD: Aids in processing and reducing the emotional intensity of traumatic memories.
Anxiety: Often provides significant symptom reduction within days.
Chronic Pain: Particularly effective for neuropathic pain, offering relief where other treatments may fail.
The Benefits of Ketamine Therapy
Ketamine therapy offers distinct advantages over traditional treatments:
Rapid Relief: Effects are often noticeable within hours or days.
High Success Rates: Especially for treatment-resistant conditions, many patients experience meaningful improvements after just a few sessions.
Sustained Impact: With proper integration, the benefits of ketamine therapy can last weeks or months, and in some cases, even longer.
Is Ketamine Therapy Right for You?
If you’ve struggled with depression, PTSD, or anxiety and found limited success with conventional treatments, ketamine therapy may provide a compelling alternative. At The Burlington Clinic, our clinicians conduct comprehensive consultations to assess eligibility and craft personalised treatment plans.
Clients often wonder what ketamine therapy feels like. Many describe a sense of calm and detachment, followed by renewed emotional clarity. You can read more about one clients personal experience in this case study, and a step by step guide to your session experience here. For information on how much ketamine therapy costs, you can find a comprehensive breakdown of pricing here.
Exploring Ketamine Therapy in London
At The Burlington Clinic, we combine privacy, clinical excellence, and compassionate care to deliver a tailored ketamine therapy experience. Whether you visit our Harley Street clinic, offering a discrete, private, back entrance, or choose the convenience of a home treatment, our tailored programs provide expert care for ketamine assisted therapy near you.
Ready to explore ketamine therapy as a treatment option? Book your psychiatric assessment or appointment below.