A thoughtful, physician-guided, intentional process designed to support both safety and insight. Each phase of treatment is approached with care, preparation, and integration so that the experience can be meaningful—not overwhelming. Preparation matters. Before treatment, mindset and intention are discussed so clients feel informed, grounded, and supported going into the experience.
The Space
Sessions take place in a private, carefully designed environment intended to support comfort, safety, and inward focus. The treatment room is equipped for your ease and monitored throughout.
Getting Started
Before beginning treatment, all clients complete an on-line initial intake form. This is followed by a one hour initial comprehensive pre-medication visit with Dr. Almeida. This includes a detailed review of medical and psychiatric history, current medications, and treatment goals. Time is taken to discuss risks, benefits, alternatives, and expectations so you can make an informed decision. Informed consent is required prior to treatment.
Preparing for Your Session
Following your initial consultation, and prior to the medicine journey you will schedule a one hour preparatory session with Dr. Almeida. This time will be used to help settle the nervous system and to clarify intentions. You will be invited to explore your goals, challenges and potential blockages to help prepare you for your ketamine journey and you will be gently guided at your own pace and at your own comfort level. For those who are open to it and prefer less talk and a more directly embodied approach, the session may draw on principles of Internal Family Systems as a framework for self-exploration. On the days leading up to your journey quiet reflection, gentle grounding practices, or other supportive modalities will be encouraged. This is an opportunity to arrive fully and orient toward what you hope to cultivate.
On the day of treatment, simple preparation helps support comfort and safety:
- Avoid eating for several hours beforehand
- Limit fluids and reduce caffeine intake
- Wear comfortable clothing
- Arrange transportation home — driving is not permitted until the following day
The Ketamine Experience & Integration
All sessions are private, one-on-one with Dr. Almeida, and tailored to each individual. The ketamine session itself lasts approximately 45–60 minutes and takes place in a calm, comfortable and private setting. Ketamine is administered under medical supervision, most commonly via intramuscular injection or intravenous infusion. In some cases nasally administered Esketamine (Spravato) can be used.
During the session, you’ll rest comfortably with an eye mask and carefully selected and curated music to guide your journey and support an inward focus. Experiences vary widely. Some people notice imagery or insights, others experience emotional release, and some simply feel a sense of spaciousness or calm. There is no “right” way to experience ketamine. Dr. Almeida remains present throughout, offering reassurance and support as needed.
Dr. Almeida’s approach emphasizes preparation, therapeutic presence, and importantly post-session integration. It is much more than simply providing a medication—it is a structured, supportive process involving both thoughtful preparation and deep post-medicine journey reflection so that insight becomes grounded, embodied, and sustainable.
While the medicine journey can reveal important themes and allow for new perspectives, lasting change most often comes through reflecting on what emerged and thoughtfully carrying it into daily life. During integration insights will be gently explored and connected to your life, relationships, and emotional patterns with the goal of translating experience into understanding and supporting lasting change. The process often includes bringing previously unrecognized or avoided emotional material into awareness, allowing it to be met with understanding and compassion rather than the typical unconscious triggering that it would often otherwise invoke.
After each session, key themes are summarized and personalized journaling prompts are offered to support continued reflection between visits. These practices help reinforce emerging perspectives and may support the brain’s natural capacity for change during periods of increased neuroplasticity.
Integration may take place immediately after a ketamine journey or at a later time. It is important to note that integration is an ongoing process and should complement, not replace any ongoing therapy. Continuity and ongoing work with a therapist and/or psychiatrist is strongly recommended. For patients with more complex psychiatric histories, it may be required as a condition of treatment.
Recovery & Aftercare
Most clients recover from the dissociative effects of ketamine after about one hour post session. Additional recovery time is available if needed. Because ketamine can temporarily affect coordination and judgment, driving and major decisions should be avoided until the next day.
After treatment, gentle self-care is encouraged. Quiet time, rest, time in nature, journaling, and minimizing stressful input can help insights settle and support the brain’s natural capacity for change.