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Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy and other therapies we offer at Kaapi
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Questions about Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
What is the difference between the use of ketamine in psychiatry and ketamine-assisted therapy?
The use of ketamine in psychiatry primarily refers to its administration as a psychopharmacological treatment. In this context, ketamine is used to alleviate symptoms—for example, in treatment-resistant depression—and the focus is on its neurobiological effect and symptom resolution. The patient's subjective experience is not taken into account, and it is administered in a medicalized setting without therapeutic support. Ketamine-assisted therapy (KAP), on the other hand, integrates ketamine into a structured psychotherapeutic process. Here, the experience facilitated by the substance (emotional, perceptual, and symbolic) is central and is addressed clinically before, during, and after the session. Ketamine is not only used to eliminate symptoms but also as a tool to amplify mental processes, increasing cognitive and emotional flexibility, allowing for the exploration of conflicts, relational patterns, healthy lifestyle habits, and profound experiences that are then processed and integrated in psychotherapy.
How does ketamine work in the brain?
Ketamine acts in the brain in a different way from traditional antidepressants: it modulates the system of the most widely distributed neurotransmitter in the brain (glutamate), which triggers an increase in BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and promotes neuroplasticity, that is, the brain’s ability to create and strengthen new neural connections. This process helps to loosen rigid mental and emotional patterns associated with depression and other disorders, allowing for better regulation of mood. For this reason, its antidepressant effect can be rapid, sometimes within hours or days, and when used within a therapeutic framework, this window of plasticity facilitates the consolidation of emotional and psychological changes through psychotherapy.
Is ketamine legal?
Yes. Ketamine is a legal medication that has been used in medicine for decades. In mental health, its use is legal when prescribed and administered by a mental health professional within a regulated clinical setting.
What are the main adverse effects of ketamine?
When used in a controlled medical setting, with prior evaluation, appropriate dosing, and monitoring, ketamine is safe and well tolerated, and its effects are usually temporary. The most common adverse effects include nausea, dizziness, a mild and temporary increase in blood pressure or heart rate, drowsiness, mild anxiety, a sense of disconnection, changes in visual perception, or difficulty speaking fluently. If these effects occur, they generally disappear within a few hours and are managed through medical monitoring, dose adjustment, or other medications to control symptoms.
Are there long-term adverse effects?
When ketamine is used in a clinical, supervised, and properly spaced manner, no serious long-term adverse effects have been described in standard therapeutic protocols. The risks reported in the literature, such as urinary problems, cognitive issues, or dependence, are mainly associated with recreational, frequent, and uncontrolled use, rather than with medical use within structured therapeutic programs.
Can I become addicted to ketamine?
The risk of addiction is very low when ketamine is used therapeutically, under supervision and spaced over time. The addictive potential is mainly associated with recreational and non-medical use.
Is ketamine a psychedelic?
Ketamine is not considered a classic psychedelic like psilocin, yagé (ayahuasca), or LSD. Ketamine is classified as a dissociative anesthetic, although at therapeutic doses it can facilitate deep subjective experiences.
What does a ketamine infusion consist of?
Ketamine infusions are carried out in a private anesthesia room, with continuous monitoring of heart rate, pulse, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure. Infusion therapy involves placing an intravenous (IV) line through which an appropriate dose of ketamine is administered over approximately 45 minutes. The clinical team can observe vital signs at all times, and the patient is continuously accompanied by the therapist, the anesthesiologist, and a nurse. Most patients describe the experience as relaxing and calm. It is common to experience changes in visual perception, difficulty focusing on objects, slowed speech, or a sensation of floating or disconnection. On average, the stay at the clinic lasts 90 to 120 minutes: the first hour is dedicated to the immersive experience and the second to a psychotherapy integration session, which takes place only with the therapist. After the treatment, the patient must return home accompanied by a family member or a trusted person. In general, driving and work activities can be resumed the following day
How many ketamine sessions are required in the PAK process?
It depends on the nature and severity of the mental health condition, as well as the emotional needs and intentions of each patient. The process usually involves a minimum of 4 sessions and a maximum of 8, and one or two sessions per week may be scheduled depending on the case. The target number of sessions will be established beforehand. If an important complication arises, a joint decision can be made to interrupt the process before completing the previously established number of sessions. In very severe or treatment-resistant cases, some patients may receive maintenance infusions approximately every 4 weeks during the first year of treatment.
What can I expect from the process?
Although some patients report positive changes from the first session, most report significant improvement by the third infusion, and more than 70% show a meaningful response by the fourth. When combined with a psychotherapy integration process, the results are even more promising. In addition to symptom improvement, it may facilitate introspection, emotional maturation, and personal growth.
Questions about Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy
Is psilocybin legal?
It depends on the country. In many places, psilocybin is still a controlled substance and is not approved as a medication, so its therapeutic use is limited to clinical research or special programs. In contrast, in some U.S. states (e.g., Colorado and Oregon), it has been approved for use in mental health contexts (citation). In other countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, and Australia, there are exceptional pathways through research or compassionate use, in authorized centers for selected cases of treatment-resistant depression. In Colombia, the compound psilocybin is included within international control frameworks and is not approved by INVIMA for medical or therapeutic use.
Is psilocybin safe?
In relevant clinical studies, where patients are carefully selected, receive adequate preparation, therapeutic support, and where psilocybin is administered under medical supervision, it has been shown to be well tolerated and safe. However, there are clinical profiles where special caution is required or where it may be clearly contraindicated (for example, certain psychotic disorders or risk of mania).
Could I become addicted to psilocybin?
The available evidence suggests that psilocybin has a low potential for dependence and does not typically produce physical withdrawal; the risk, although minimal, increases mainly in non-medical contexts or with repeated, uncontrolled use.
How does psilocybin work in the brain?
Psilocin acts primarily on serotonergic receptors (especially 5-HT2A), the same receptors targeted by antidepressants and other commonly used psychopharmaceuticals, although with greater affinity and through direct activation. At a biological level, it induces temporary changes in brain connectivity, promoting neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to reorganize itself), modulates pathways related to the growth and strengthening of synapses (connections between neurons), and promotes the release of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). This helps explain not only the psychedelic effects that appear when it is ingested, but also the long-term psychological changes that may follow.
Is PAK covered by prepaid health insurance?
Currently, PAK is NOT a benefit covered by any insurance plan because it is considered an “off-label” use of this medication. Kaapi accepts cash, bank transfers, and major credit cards. Our clinic requires payment at the time of treatment.
About how Kaapi works
KAAPI is a clinical center dedicated to psychiatric assessment and treatment, psychotherapy, and mental health research.
KAAPI does not produce, cultivate, synthesize, transform, store, distribute, sell, market or provide psychoactive substances of any kind.
KAAPI does not act as an intermediary or participate in obtaining these substances, nor is it part of any supply chain related to them.
KAAPI's role is limited exclusively to clinical, psychotherapeutic, and academic support within ethical, medical, and mental health research frameworks.
Any decision related to the origin of substances is the sole responsibility of the patients and is outside the scope, control, and competence of KAAPI.