Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy™ in San Francisco + Marin county, CA
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 therapy 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 our daily lives.
EMDR therapy 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 therapy 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 therapy 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 Therapy
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 About Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy™
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 traditional EMDR therapy, 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Therapy with me is a collaborative and compassionate process. I work with adults and teens who identify as highly sensitive, introspective, or creative. Many of my clients struggle with feeling overstimulated, anxious, or disconnected from themselves or others. Our sessions are designed to help you understand your emotional patterns, heal from past trauma, and reconnect with your authentic self.
I integrate approaches such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), art therapy, somatic awareness, and, when appropriate, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. Each session is personalized. There’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach. My goal is to help you feel seen, supported, and empowered to make meaningful changes at your own pace.
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If you find yourself stuck in patterns of overthinking, self-doubt, people-pleasing, or emotional overwhelm, therapy can be a supportive and effective next step. Many of my clients come to therapy because they feel anxious in social settings, struggle with imposter syndrome, or notice that past experiences continue to shape their current relationships and sense of self.
You don’t have to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. Sometimes, the most powerful work begins when you’re simply curious about why you feel the way you do and ready to experience life with more ease, clarity, and confidence.
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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based form of trauma therapy that helps people process and reconsolidate distressing memories and reduce the emotional charge these experiences continue to have in the present. Instead of talking through every detail of a painful experience, EMDR helps the brain reprocess those memories so they no longer feel as activating in the present.
This approach is especially helpful for clients with trauma histories, social anxiety, or chronic self-doubt. Many highly sensitive people (HSPs) find EMDR particularly supportive because it works gently with the nervous system and doesn’t require rehashing painful stories. Over time, clients often report feeling calmer, more grounded, and better able to handle stress and triggers.
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Masking refers to the tendency to hide or suppress parts of yourself, be it your emotions, needs, humor, or authentic personality, in order to fit in, avoid judgment, or stay safe. It’s common among HSPs, trauma survivors, and those with social anxiety or imposter syndrome.
In therapy, we explore where these protective patterns came from and how they’ve helped you survive in the past. We also work to gently unlearn them, so you can show up more authentically in relationships and feel comfortable being yourself without the fear of being “too much” or “not enough.”
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Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) combines the therapeutic effects of ketamine, a fast-acting medication shown to support neuroplasticity and emotional healing, with psychotherapy in a safe, supportive setting.
Clients who engage in KAP often experience breakthroughs in processing long-held emotional pain, trauma, or patterns of depression that have felt resistant to traditional talk therapy. During sessions, you’ll have support before, during, and after your experience to help integrate insights into daily life.
KAP can be especially beneficial for clients experiencing chronic depression, anxiety, or emotional blocks. All KAP sessions are conducted in partnership with a medical provider with attention to eligibility, safety and integration of the experience.
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You don’t need to be an artist to benefit from art therapy. Art therapy uses forms of creative expression like drawing, painting, collage, or other mediums, as a way to access emotions and experiences that may be hard to put into words.
Art therapy helps clients externalize complex feelings, reduce anxiety, and gain insight into unconscious thoughts and patterns. For highly sensitive people and trauma survivors, it can offer a grounding, nonverbal way to explore healing at a pace that feels safe and empowering.
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A Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) is someone with a finely tuned nervous system who processes information and emotions deeply. About 15–20% of people fall into this category, a trait identified by psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron.
HSPs often notice subtleties in their environment, feel deeply affected by others’ moods, and need time to recharge after social or sensory stimulation. In therapy, we work on understanding your sensitivity as a strength, developing tools to regulate overstimulation, set boundaries, and embrace your sensitivity in order to engage meaningfully in your relationships, work, and interests.
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You may benefit from trauma-informed therapy if you:
Experience difficulty regulating your emotions
Feel detached or numb
Experience an exaggerated startle response or experience hypervigilance
Have experienced relationship patterns rooted in fear or shame
Struggle with physical tension, exhaustion, or burnout
Struggle with intrusive memories or avoidance of reminders
Therapy provides a safe space to process these experiences at your own pace. Through approaches like EMDR, somatic awareness, and mindful grounding, you can reestablish a sense of safety, self-trust, and empowerment.
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Yes! This is one of my specialties. Many of my clients struggle with social anxiety, especially those who are highly sensitive, introverted, or creative. We work on understanding the root of these fears, often tied to early experiences of judgment, rejection, or perfectionism.
If you experience imposter syndrome, therapy can help you uncover the underlying beliefs that fuel self-doubt and comparison. Over time, we’ll replace those patterns with self-compassion and authenticity, helping you feel more confident in both professional and personal settings.
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Our first session is about connection and understanding. You’ll have space to share what’s bringing you to therapy, what you’ve tried so far, and what you’d like to change. I’ll ask some gentle questions to learn about your background and goals, and we’ll begin to outline a plan that feels right for you.
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Most clients begin with weekly sessions, which provide enough consistency to create meaningful change towards your initial goals. As therapy progresses and you feel more grounded, we may shift to biweekly sessions.
The length of therapy depends on your goals, history, and pace of healing. Some people see noticeable shifts in a few months, while others choose longer-term therapy for ongoing personal growth and self-understanding.
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Yes. I offer secure online therapy sessions for clients located anywhere in California, North Carolina, and Florida. Many clients appreciate the flexibility and privacy of virtual sessions, especially highly sensitive people who feel more comfortable processing in their own space or have busy work schedules..
Online therapy can be just as effective as in-person sessions, and I use HIPAA-compliant telehealth platforms to ensure your confidentiality and comfort.
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Getting started is simple.
Schedule a free 20-minute consultation to see if we’re a good fit.
If you decide to move forward, I’ll send a secure intake packet to complete before your first session.
We’ll meet for a 60-minute session to begin exploring what’s bringing you to therapy and how I can help.
From there, we’ll create a plan that fits your needs and goals at a pace that honors your sensitivity and your process.
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My areas of focus include:
Anxiety, panic, and overthinking
Social anxiety and imposter syndrome
Trauma and complex PTSD
Highly Sensitive People (HSPs)
Burnout and emotional exhaustion
Creative blocks (artists, writers, musicians)
Life transitions and identity exploration
Integration of psychedelic or ketamine experiences
Each of these challenges is approached with compassion, curiosity, and evidence-based care.
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That’s completely normal, especially for HSPs or those who’ve felt misunderstood in past therapeutic or relational settings. You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start.
Therapy is a space where it’s safe to not know, to explore, and to take things one step at a time. My approach is gentle, supportive, and rooted in building trust. Over time, you’ll likely find yourself feeling more grounded, self-aware, and confident in navigating life’s challenges.
Ready to Get Started with Therapy?
Begin by booking a complementary 20-minute consultation. This is a chance for you to ask any questions and for me to learn more about what’s bringing you to therapy.
If we’re a good fit, we’ll schedule your first 60-minute session. Before we meet, I’ll send you an electronic intake packet to complete at your convenience. During our initial session, you’ll have space to share more about your goals, challenges, and what you hope to gain from therapy.
From there, we can set up ongoing weekly sessions. The length of your therapy journey will depend on your individual needs and goals. Together, we’ll create a pace that feels right for you..