Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy in San Francisco + Marin county, CA
Dr. Amy Waldron partners with the medical team at Journey Clinical to offer Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy to her clients. Journey Clinical handles the medical aspects of KAP treatment while Dr. Waldron delivers the psychotherapy sessions in her offices in San Francisco and Corte Madera, California.
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is a holistic modality which combines talk therapy with ketamine as an adjunct, to help eligible patients experience profound breakthroughs and lasting improvement.
It is especially effective for depression, anxiety, and PTSD, particularly when other treatments haven’t been as effective.
Dr. Waldron takes on the psychotherapy portion of the experience, while Journey Clinical’s medical team supports clients on all medical aspects. This includes determining eligibility, developing a custom treatment plan, prescribing the medicine and monitoring outcomes.
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine is a legal, safe, and effective medicine used to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. It has rapid antidepressant and mood-enhancing effects, often noticeable within hours and can last for weeks.
Ketamine works by targeting the neurotransmitter glutamate, which influences mood and thought patterns.It promotes neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to form new connections. Ketamine can be administered in a variety of ways, including IV infusion, intramuscular injection, nasal spray, and sublingual lozenges. At Journey Clinical we use the sublingual lozenge form.
How Does Ketamine Feel?
The effects of ketamine, which most patients find pleasant, last for approximately 45 minutes.
These effects can make you feel “far from” your body, and facilitate shifts in perception that can often feel expansive in nature. Many people report having unique emotional or visual experiences that can give you a break from habitual thoughts and gain a new perspective on traumatic situations. Your motor and verbal abilities will be reduced, so you’ll be lying down in a comfortable position during the experience.
Once these effects subside, Dr. Waldron will spend the remainder of your appointment giving you space to process and discuss your experience. While it may feel hard to articulate what happens during the experience, patients feel like the insights gained are clear.
How Does Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Work?
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy consists of a sequence of preparation, dosing, and integration sessions. On average, 6-8 dosing sessions are prescribed. Outcomes tend to be stronger once a trusting relationship has been established with the psychotherapist through the exploration of history and goals. The steps are outlined below:
Meet with Dr. Waldron for 2-4 sessions to gather history and determine goals for treatment
Schedule an initial consultation with Journey Clinical medical prescriber for eligibility check and ketamine prescription (appointments for psychotherapy and medical intake can be scheduled concurrently)
Preparation session with Dr. Waldron to align on the process and set intentions for the KAP dosing session
KAP dosing session with Dr. Waldron: Self- administer your ketamine lozenge with Dr. Waldron in her office in San Francisco or Corte Madera, CA
Integration session: Review memories, thoughts and insights that arose during your dosing session.
Follow-up consultations with Journey Clinical prescriber for refills if eligible
What is The Cost?
Journey Clinical Insurance Covered Costs:
Depending on your insurance plan, your sessions with Journey Clinical (the medical intake, follow ups, and medication management sessions) can be covered by insurance, or eligible for out-of-network reimbursement. Dr. Amy Waldron is not in network with any insurance provider. I am happy to provide monthly super bills for out-of-network insurance reimbursement for preparation, dosing, and integration sessions.
Journey Clinical Out of Pocket Medical Costs
First Time Patients:
Initial Medical Consultation: $250
Medication: $97 (for 2 sessions)
Ongoing Treatment:
Follow-up Medical Consultation: $150 (at least 1x per quarter)
Medication: $163 (6 sessions)
Ongoing Psychiatric Medication Management Sessions: $150
Dr. Amy Waldron’s Out of Pocket Psychotherapy Costs
Initial sessions, preparation sessions, and integration sessions (1 hour): $225
Dosing sessions (2.5 to 3 hours): $550 to $675
What is Journey Clinical?
Journey Clinical is a platform for licensed psychotherapists to incorporate science-based psychedelic therapies in their practice safely and effectively, starting with Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). Journey Clinical’s in-house medical team takes on patient eligibility, prescriptions and outcome monitoring, while a licensed KAP provider takes on the therapy. This collaborative care model is designed to deliver personalized treatment plans to meet your individual needs and improve long-term outcomes.
Ready to Get Started with Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy?
Please contact me to schedule a complementary 20-minute consultation so you can ask questions and see if Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy might be a good fit for you. Dr. Amy Waldron specializes in treating trauma, social anxiety, patterns of overthinking, and imposter syndrome. Dr. Waldron works with those who are highly sensitive, athletes, and anyone who has experienced adverse childhood experiences. Dr. Waldron incorporates EMDR and Art Therapy along with relational psychotherapy based on need.
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..