Conventional treatments aren’t always effective for major depression. When depression doesn’t respond adequately to standard antidepressant medications, it’s often described as treatment-resistant — and for many people, that’s where the search for something else begins. Ketamine-assisted therapy at Restore Mental Health is one option worth understanding.

Research beginning with trials at Yale in the early 2000s found that low doses of ketamine could relieve symptoms of major depression far faster than conventional antidepressants. Paired with psychotherapy, this approach may help people for whom other treatments haven’t worked. Ketamine is an anesthetic medication, and Restore administers it only in a clinical setting, under the direct supervision of a licensed medical provider.

What Is Ketamine-Assisted Therapy?

Ketamine can reduce symptoms of depression, but on its own it doesn’t resolve what’s underneath them. Ketamine-assisted therapy combines the two: ketamine to reduce symptom intensity, and psychotherapy to work on the causes.

The pairing matters. Using very small doses, ketamine can offer relatively rapid relief from depressive symptoms and appears to increase neuroplasticity — the brain’s capacity to form new connections. That window is what therapeutic work is built on. Ketamine alone tends to be temporary; the therapy is what gives the relief somewhere to go.

How Ketamine Works

Unlike traditional antidepressants, which act on serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, ketamine targets and blocks N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, one of three types of glutamate receptor in the brain.

That different mechanism is why ketamine can act faster than conventional antidepressants, which typically take several weeks to reach full effect. Research also indicates longer-term benefit for some patients with treatment-resistant depression who receive ketamine treatment, particularly when it’s part of a broader treatment plan rather than a standalone intervention.

Conditions Ketamine-Assisted Therapy May Help

If you are having thoughts of suicide or self-harm right now, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or go to your nearest emergency room. Acute crisis requires emergency care. Ketamine-assisted therapy is a scheduled outpatient treatment and is not a substitute for it.

Ketamine-assisted therapy shows promise across several conditions, including:

    • Treatment-resistant depression. Ketamine can reduce major depressive symptoms relatively quickly. Restore offers intravenous (IV) ketamine infusions, an off-label use, delivered alongside psychotherapy.

    • Suicidal ideation. Studies conducted in supervised clinical settings have found that ketamine can produce rapid reductions in suicidal thinking, though the effect is typically short-lived without follow-on treatment. This is an area of active research rather than settled practice, and it does not replace emergency care during an acute crisis.

  • Neuropathic pain with co-occurring depression. Ketamine may reduce neuropathic pain by blocking NMDA receptors and interrupting pain signaling, with potential benefit for depression occurring alongside chronic pain.
  • PTSD. Ketamine-assisted therapy combined with psychotherapy may help reduce trauma symptoms, and is being studied in combination with other trauma-focused modalities.

Ketamine-Assisted Therapy at Restore Mental Health

Ketamine-assisted therapy is delivered under medical and therapeutic supervision at our Deerfield Beach, Florida campus, as part of the broader mental health care we provide rather than as a standalone service.

Your therapist will meet with you for one or more preparatory sessions before treatment, walking through what to expect. During the session you’ll receive a small, controlled dose of ketamine administered intravenously. The care team monitors your vital signs throughout, and your therapist stays with you for the duration.

Afterward, the therapist talks through what you experienced. Approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic therapy then help you work on the underlying issues connected to your condition. Ketamine-assisted therapy is available to clients in both residential and outpatient programs.

IV Ketamine and Esketamine (Spravato) Are Not the Same Thing

Esketamine, sold as Spravato, is an FDA-approved nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression, administered through a restricted certification program. Restore does not offer Spravato. Our ketamine-assisted therapy uses intravenous ketamine, which is an off-label use of an approved medication — a common and legal practice, but one worth understanding clearly, particularly where insurance is concerned.

Safety, Supervision and Contraindications

For most people, ketamine-assisted therapy is well tolerated when delivered in a supervised clinical setting. Side effects do occur. Some patients experience dissociation, blurred vision or drowsiness during the session. Heart rate and blood pressure may rise. Nausea and mild perceptual changes are also reported. Vital signs are monitored continuously, and a physician is available throughout.

Contraindications

Ketamine-assisted therapy isn’t appropriate for everyone, and suitability is determined through medical evaluation before any treatment is scheduled. Factors that may rule it out or require additional caution include:

  • Psychosis and schizophrenia. Ketamine may worsen psychotic symptoms.
  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Effects on pregnancy and on infants are not established.
  • Bipolar disorder. Ketamine may carry a risk of triggering a manic episode.
  • Liver disease. Ketamine is metabolized in the liver, and liver disease can alter how the body processes it.
  • Cardiovascular conditions. Certain cardiac conditions may make ketamine treatment unsafe.
  • Uncontrolled high blood pressure. Ketamine can raise blood pressure, increasing cardiovascular risk.

Ketamine as Part of a Broader Treatment Plan

At Restore, psychotherapy is always part of ketamine treatment. Ketamine may lift depressive symptoms, but it doesn’t address what’s driving them.

There is growing evidence that combining ketamine with other approaches produces better and more durable results than either alone. Research suggests that pairing ketamine with neurotherapies such as transcranial magnetic stimulation may improve outcomes in depression and neuropathic pain, and that ketamine-assisted therapy combined with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) shows promise for treating PTSD. A 2026 randomized trial published in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that a follow-on course of low-dose buprenorphine extended ketamine’s effect on suicidal ideation for at least four weeks in a small group of patients, though it did not extend the antidepressant effect. Restore does not currently offer that specific combination; it’s noted here as an indication of where the research is heading.

Insurance Coverage for Ketamine Therapy

Coverage depends on which form of ketamine is prescribed. FDA-approved esketamine is more commonly covered, typically subject to prior authorization and specific clinical criteria — but Restore does not provide it.

IV ketamine infusions, which is what we offer, are an off-label use. Insurers frequently classify off-label procedures as investigational and provide limited or no coverage. Some components of your care, such as psychotherapy sessions and psychiatric services, may still be covered even when the infusion itself is not. Our admissions team can verify your specific benefits and explain what to expect before you commit to anything.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ketamine Therapy

For appropriate candidates, ketamine-assisted therapy has a well-established safety profile when delivered in a controlled clinical setting under direct medical supervision, with continuous monitoring of vital signs. It is not appropriate for everyone — conditions including psychosis, pregnancy, certain cardiovascular conditions and uncontrolled high blood pressure may rule it out. Suitability is determined through a medical evaluation before treatment is scheduled.
Side effects are common but usually mild and short-lived. During or shortly after a session, patients may experience dissociation, blurred vision, drowsiness, nausea, mild perceptual changes, or a temporary rise in heart rate and blood pressure. Less commonly, people report anxiety or vivid dreams. Your care team monitors for these throughout the session and a physician is available if anything needs attention.
Spravato is the brand name for esketamine, an FDA-approved nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression delivered through a restricted certification program. Restore does not offer Spravato. We administer intravenous ketamine, which is an off-label use of an approved medication. The main practical differences are the route of administration and how insurers tend to treat coverage.
Ketamine is a Schedule III controlled substance with recognized potential for misuse, which is why it is administered only in a supervised clinical setting at controlled doses rather than prescribed for use at home. Within that structure, the risk of developing a use disorder is low. Used at higher-than-prescribed doses or frequently outside medical supervision, ketamine can be habit-forming.
Coverage varies. Because IV ketamine infusion is an off-label use, many insurers classify it as investigational and offer limited or no coverage for the infusion itself. Other parts of your treatment, including psychotherapy and psychiatric services, may still be covered. Our admissions team can verify your benefits and walk you through the costs before you decide anything.

Find Out Whether Ketamine-Assisted Therapy Is Right for You

If you’ve been managing treatment-resistant depression, PTSD or chronic pain with co-occurring depression and conventional treatment hasn’t given you what you needed, ketamine-assisted therapy may be worth a conversation. Whether it’s a fit depends on your history, your current medications and a medical evaluation — which is exactly what an initial conversation is for.

Call (877) 810-2074 or get in touch through our contact form to talk with our admissions team. The conversation is confidential and carries no obligation.

Contact Restore Mental Health