A Personalized Approach to Ketamine Treatment
There is more than one way into the work.
At Martin Healing Sanctuary, ketamine treatment is not one-size-fits-all.
We offer both intramuscular (IM) ketamine and sublingual (oral) ketamine lozenges, with different ways to incorporate psychotherapy and therapeutic support into your care.
The question is not simply, “Which form of ketamine is better?”
It is: Which treatment model, kind of administration, and level of support make the most sense for you?
You don’t need to know the answer before you begin. Your treatment plan is developed with our team based on your individual needs, history, and goals.
Your Treatment, Built Around You
There are two primary parts of your ketamine treatment that can be personalized:
How You Receive Ketamine
IM Ketamine
An injection into the muscle with relatively rapid and predictable absorption.
or
Sublingual Ketamine
A lozenge or troche that dissolves in the mouth and is absorbed gradually.
How Psychotherapy Supports the Experience
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
Your therapist prepares with you, remains with you during the medicine session, and supports you afterward through integration.
or
Preparation + Integration
You receive ketamine in a comfortable, monitored observation setting without your therapist remaining with you throughout the medicine session. You meet with your therapist separately for preparation beforehand and integration afterward.
IM or Sublingual Ketamine?
Both routes can be incorporated into a thoughtful, psychotherapy-centered treatment plan. The primary differences are how the medicine is administered, how it is absorbed, and how quickly the experience begins.
IM Ketamine
IM ketamine is administered through an injection into the muscle.
Because the medication is absorbed relatively quickly and consistently, the effects typically begin sooner and the transition into the ketamine experience can feel more immediate.
IM ketamine also has relatively high and predictable bioavailability—the amount of medication that reaches the bloodstream and becomes available to the body—commonly estimated at approximately 90% or higher.
For some clients, this allows for a more immersive medicine experience within a shorter period of time.
Faster onset
More predictable absorption
More immediate transition into the experience
Sublingual Ketamine
Sublingual ketamine is provided as a lozenge or troche that dissolves in the mouth and is absorbed through the tissues of the mouth.
The onset is typically slower, allowing the effects to build gradually over time. Some clients experience this slower transition as a gentler entry into the ketamine experience, with more time to settle in as the effects develop.
Bioavailability is lower than with IM ketamine and can vary more from person to person.
For some clients, sublingual ketamine provides exactly the therapeutic experience they need. It offers flexibility, allows for gradual dosing, and can work particularly well within a psychotherapy-centered KAP model.
More gradual onset
More variable absorption
Slower transition into the experience
Neither Experience Is Inherently Better
Some clients prefer the gradual onset and flexibility of sublingual ketamine. Others may benefit from the more rapid and predictable delivery of IM ketamine.
A higher dose or greater exposure to ketamine is not necessarily better.
The goal is to identify the safest and most appropriate treatment approach for your individual needs.
The decision to use IM ketamine is made through an individualized medical evaluation with our nurse practitioner. Together, you’ll review your medical history, current medications, previous treatment experiences, and treatment goals to determine whether IM ketamine is an appropriate option for you.
The Medicine Is Only One Part of the Process
At Martin Healing Sanctuary, psychotherapy is an important part of how we approach ketamine treatment, whether you receive IM or sublingual ketamine.
Your therapy does not have to look exactly the same as someone else’s.
We offer two primary ways to incorporate psychotherapy into your treatment.
1
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Your therapist is with you through the experience.
Preparation
You and your therapist prepare for the experience beforehand.
↓
Medicine Session
Your therapist remains with you during your ketamine experience.
↓
Integration
You meet afterward to process what arose and connect the experience to your ongoing therapeutic work.
2
Preparation + Integration
Your therapist supports the work surrounding your medicine session.
Preparation
You meet with your therapist before your ketamine experience.
↓
Medicine Session
You receive ketamine in one of our comfortable observation rooms, where you are supported and monitored without your therapist remaining in the room for the entire experience.
↓
Integration
You reconnect with your therapist afterward to process the experience and connect it to your ongoing work.
Why Preparation + Integration Matter
In either approach, we don’t view the medicine session as a stand-alone treatment.
Preparation helps you understand what you are entering and approach the experience with intention and support.
Integration creates space to process what came up and connect the experience to the work you are already doing in therapy.
The ketamine experience becomes one part of a larger therapeutic process.
Already Have a Therapist?
You don't have to leave them.
One of the principles behind The MHS/Ko-Op model is that ketamine treatment does not have to replace an established therapeutic relationship.
If you already have a therapist, we can explore ways for them to remain involved in your treatment.
Depending on their training, comfort level, and your treatment plan, they may:
Provide preparation and integration
Participate directly in KAP
Coordinate care with the Martin Healing Sanctuary medical team
Ketamine can be one component of treatment—not a replacement for the therapeutic relationship you have already built.
How Do I Know Which Option Is Right for Me?
You don't need to figure that out before contacting us.
Choosing between sublingual ketamine, IM ketamine, KAP, and an observation-based model depends on several factors, including:
Your symptoms
Treatment history
Previous response to ketamine
Current medications
Medical history
Therapeutic goals
The level of psychological support you want during treatment
Your process begins with determining whether ketamine treatment may be appropriate for you.
From there, we work with you to identify the route of administration and treatment model that best fit your individual needs.
Start with a conversation.
Explore whether ketamine may be appropriate
→ Complete your medical evaluation
→ Develop your treatment approach
You don't have to arrive knowing exactly what kind of treatment you need.
That is something we determine together.