Ketamine or Psilocybin: How do I know which one is right for me?

If you’re looking to deepen your therapeutic work by exploring ketamine or psilocybin as additional treatment options, you may be wondering where to start. While each person is different and recommendations are based on individuals, here are some things to consider for where you might start:

• Ketamine may be right for you if you have no experience with psychedelics and don’t know where to start. Ketamine is a much shorter experience (60 minutes on average, compared to 4-6 hours with psilocybin) and can be a more approachable option for considering expanded states of consciousness. 

  
  

• Ketamine therapy may be right for you if you have a strong pull toward it as a treatment modality. Honoring that internal knowing can be so important! 

  
  

• Ketamine therapy may be right for you if you are experiencing treatment-resistant depression that is accompanied by suicidal ideation. 

  
  

• Ketamine or psilocybin therapy may be right for you if you’ve been in therapy for years, can talk at length about your challenges and why they exist and show up in your life, and you still feel stuck. 

  
  

• Psilocybin therapy may be right for you if you have a lot of experience with psychedelics recreationally and are looking for a deeper dive with a higher dose in a supportive environment. 

  
  

• Psilocybin therapy may be right for you if you feel strongly called toward it and/or are averse to ketamine as an option (or have tried it with no success). 

  
  

• Psilocybin therapy may be right for you if you’ve tried micro-dosing and found it helpful, but are hesitant to try higher doses on your own. 

Safety is top priority. We consider current medications, health history, goals, environment and social supports prior to determining our path forward. Ketamine can be a more approachable first step than psilocybin for many people, and it can also potentially be used in preparation for psilocybin work further down the road.

Each person will need to participate in thorough assessment and preparation sessions to determine risks, benefits and contraindications to adding ketamine or psilocybin to your therapeutic work. If you’re still uncertain about how to proceed, you’re welcome to schedule a complementary initial consultation to ask questions and get more information.