What is Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy™?
Ketamine Assisted Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy™ (KA-EMDR) was developed in 2024 by psychotherapists Danielle Ciccone and Michele Topel, experts in both EMDR and ketamine assisted psychotherapy and co-founders of the Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy Institute™. After completing training with the co-founders, and through supervision and mentorship by Danielle Ciccone, Dr. Amy Waldron began offering KA-EMDR to clients in 2025.
Before diving in, it’s important to note that Dr. Waldron does not provide or administer ketamine. She partners with Journey Clinical to connect clients to a prescribing medical professional for a medical intake and to determine eligibility for this unique form of treatment. There are additional steps and costs associated with obtaining this medical evaluation and ketamine prescription, which will be outlined below.
What is Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy™?
Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy™ (KA-EMDR) is an emerging approach that combines two powerful tools: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and low-dose sublingual ketamine to help clients safely and effectively process trauma and/or adverse experiences from the past that continue to have an impact on their daily lives.
EMDR is a well-established method that focuses on reprocessing distressing or traumatic memories. Ketamine, which clients self-administer under direction from a licensed medical provider, can be combined into EMDR treatment at a carefully prescribed low (psycholytic) dose. Taken sublingually, this low dose of ketamine is mild enough for the client to remain alert and engaged during the psychotherapy session. As an alternative to a psychedelic or dissociative dose, this psycholytic form of ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) can enhance emotional openness, reduce anxiety, and expand the brain’s capacity for change.
Dr. Waldron partners with prescribers at Journey Clinical to develop a course of KA-EMDR therapy that will create a unique therapeutic window in which clients may feel calmer, more connected, and better able to reprocess difficult experiences that contribute to symptoms like anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress. By targeting memories that feel “stuck” or unintegrated, clients can begin to work through symptoms such as hypervigilance, anxiety, avoidance, feeling “numb”, low self-esteem or self-worth, difficulty with emotional regulation, ruptures in relationships, and physical symptoms of panic or acute stress.
Both EMDR and KAP rely on our inner healing intelligence and the brain’s adaptive information processing system to re-consolidate and integrate distressing experiences into more adaptive memory networks.
Partnership with Journey Clinical
Dr. Amy Waldron partners with Journey Clinical, a specialized medical practice that focuses exclusively on prescribing ketamine for use in psychotherapy. In this collaborative model, Journey Clinical’s licensed medical providers conduct a thorough medical evaluation to determine if ketamine is an appropriate option, prescribe the medication when clinically indicated, and monitor each client’s treatment plan. Dr. Waldron then integrates the prescribed ketamine into EMDR sessions, guiding clients through the therapeutic process while Journey Clinical oversees the medical aspects of care. This partnership allows clients to receive safe, evidence-based medical support alongside deeply focused trauma therapy, creating a comprehensive and well-coordinated healing experience.
Who Might Benefit from Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy™?
Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy™ may be especially supportive for people who have found traditional talk therapy difficult or overwhelming, or who feel “stuck” in trauma treatment. It has shown promise for individuals living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex trauma, depression, anxiety, and other conditions where unresolved experiences continue to fuel symptoms. The addition of ketamine can help reduce avoidance, soften emotional barriers, and create a sense of safety that allows clients to engage more deeply in the EMDR process. While not a fit for everyone, KA-EMDR offers a valuable option for those seeking relief from persistent symptoms and a pathway to greater resilience and emotional freedom.
Moving Through the 8 Phases of EMDR
EMDR therapy follows an eight-phase framework designed to support safe and effective trauma processing. The early phases include history-taking, treatment planning, and preparation, where we build trust, establish coping skills, and ensure you feel grounded and resourced. These steps are essential foundations before moving into the later phases that involve reprocessing traumatic memories. When incorporating ketamine, we first move through these early EMDR phases together so that you feel confident, supported, and well-prepared. Only once a strong therapeutic base is established do we introduce ketamine, which can enhance the reprocessing work by helping to manage anxiety, increase openness, and deepen access to difficult material. This structured approach helps ensure both safety and effectiveness as we integrate ketamine into the EMDR process.
How Does Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy™ Work in Practice?
Once we move through the earlier phases of EMDR, we will begin to incorporate ketamine into the sessions. A typical KA-EMDR session begins by activating a distressing memory network. At this stage, Dr. Waldron would have already walked through and prepared the client for the process of self-administering a carefully measured low dose of ketamine. As the medicine takes effect, clients often experience a relaxed, open state of mind that can make it easier to face and engage with difficult emotions or memories. The therapist then guides the client through EMDR’s structured process, using bilateral stimulation (such as tactile stimulation, tapping, and sometimes tones) to help the brain reprocess traumatic material. The ketamine experience can enhance this work by reducing the fear response, loosening rigid patterns of thinking, and allowing new perspectives to emerge. Afterward, Dr. Waldron supports the client in integrating insights, making meaning of the experience, and identifying how these shifts can support healing in daily life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to work with Journey Clinical to do Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy™ with Dr. Waldron?
For now, yes. All medical evaluations and prescriptions for ketamine are managed by Journey Clinical, a trusted partner specializing in safe, evidence-based use of ketamine in psychotherapy. This ensures that every client receives medical oversight alongside therapeutic support.
What happens in the medical evaluation?
Before beginning ketamine treatment, you’ll meet with a licensed medical provider from Journey Clinical (via telehealth). They will review your medical history, current medications, and overall health to determine whether ketamine is a safe and appropriate option for you. They will also review risks, benefits, and alternative treatments.
Who prescribes the medication?
If you are a good candidate, the prescribing provider at Journey Clinical will write your ketamine prescription. The medication is then delivered to your home pharmacy. Clients bring the medication to a psychotherapy session in Dr. Waldron’s office in San Francisco or Corte Madera, California. Some clients may be eligible for telehealth treatment. Clients self-administer the medication during the EMDR therapy session with Dr. Waldron. The entire process will be established in earlier sessions with Dr. Waldron so that clients feel safe and confident with the process.
What if I have questions about the medication?
Any medical or medication-related questions are addressed directly by Journey Clinical’s medical team. Dr. Waldron focuses on guiding you through the therapeutic process during your EMDR sessions.
Why This Partnership?
By partnering with Journey Clinical, Dr. Waldron ensures that clients receive specialized medical support and monitoring, while she provides expert trauma-focused therapy. This creates a safe, coordinated, and client-centered approach.
If you would like to schedule a complementary 20-minute consultation to ask questions and learn about KA-EMDR, please contact me. You can also learn more about other forms of ketamine assisted psychotherapy, and ask questions about whether your insurance will cover a portion of the medical treatment with Journey Clinical. You can also learn more about Journey Clinical by visiting their website.
