Understanding the Mindbloom Therapeutic Process

Medically reviewed by

Chelsea Tersavich, PA-C

Published on

December 20, 2022

Updated on

Summary

Ketamine therapy can seem confusing, here is every step of your first program.
You begin by meeting your clinician, receiving your medicine, and selecting a Guide.
The first two sessions include meeting your Guide and Clinician before and after.
Sessions 3-6 are self-led and scheduled at your convenience.
Your Guide is available throughout your program if you want additional support.

For many people, at-home ketamine therapy may be a new experience, and this can come with many questions, comments, and concerns.

Here is what to expect every step of the way.

Step 1: Video consult with your clinician

After completing your in-take form, you meet with your psychiatric clinician for a comprehensive medical evaluation.

During this session, your clinician will assess your symptoms and screen for any issues in your medical history.

If for any reason you are not qualified for treatment, you will be fully refunded the cost of treatment. If you are qualified, you will be enrolled into The Basics, your first program, and move onto the next step.

Step 2: Receive your Bloombox

After your clinical screening and approval, you are mailed your Bloombox and medicine. Your medicine is delivered separately from your Bloombox.

The Bloombox includes everything you need for a safe and successful session: journal, eye mask, blood pressure monitor, and other essentials for ketamine therapy.

Step 3: Find your guide

Your Guide is a professional who is trained to help you get the most out of your ketamine therapy, by helping you prepare for your experiences, integrate the material afterwards, and address any questions you may have.

Using your Mindbloom app, you can find the perfect Guide for you based on their experience, areas of expertise, gender, and other selection criteria.

You will meet with your Guide before your first session to ensure you are set up for a successful, safe, and powerful experience. They will walk you through each step of the session and make sure all your questions are answered.

Step 4: Conduct your first session

There are a few key steps for a successful first session:

Find a comfortable, quiet place. We recommend dimming the lights and avoiding bright windows, and making the area free of pets or children.
Hold the medicine under your tongue for 7 minutes without swallowing. You should begin to feel the effects within 10-15 minutes.
The entire experience lasts about 60 minutes. Many clients describe the experience as providing a sense of calm and relief.

After your session, your Guide helps you to integrate and understandyour experience. You can work together to explore any themes that arose, and make an action plan to see lasting changes in your mental health.

Step 5: Conduct Your Remaining Sessions

Now that you are familiar with the session experience, you are free to schedule your remaining sessions whenever works for you. We recommend 7–10 days between sessions.

Your Guide and Clinician are always available if you have questions, comments, or concerns..

Step 6: Wrap-up Call

At the end of your 6 sessions, you will meet again with your Guide to reflect on your experience of this first program and create a personalized plan moving forward.

Depending on your situation, there are many possible avenues to take after completing your first program. You can explore some of these in more detail here.

Eric Brown

Eric Brown is a content writer and program creator at Mindbloom, and the Director of Apotheosis Retreats. As a facilitator, coach, guide, and creator, he combines cognitive science, psychedelic medicines, and healing modalities to create powerful spaces for personal growth and development.

Chelsea Tersavich, PA-C

Chelsea Tersavich, PA-C, is a psychiatric clinician who has conducted psychiatric evaluations and facilitated ketamine therapy sessions for over 250 Mindbloom clients. Chelsea obtained a master’s degree from the Interservice PA Program and has extensive mental health and primary care experience from her army career, where she treated thousands of Soldiers as a Battalion PA and a clinic Medical Director.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. If you are in a life-threatening situation, call the National Suicide Prevention Line at +1 (800) 273-8255, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room.

Safety Information

Important FDA Safety Information

Ketamine is not FDA-approved for the treatment of depression or anxiety. Learn more about off-label uses here.

Side effects of ketamine treatment may include: altered sense of time, anxiety, blurred vision, diminished ability to see/hear/feel, dry mouth, elevated blood pressure or heart rate, elevated intraocular or intracranial pressure, excitability, loss of appetite, mental confusion, nausea/vomiting, nystagmus (rapid eye movements), restlessness, slurred speech, synesthesia (a mingling of the senses).

Do not proceed with ketamine treatment if any of the following apply to you:

Allergic to ketamine
Symptoms of psychosis or mania
Uncontrolled high blood pressure
CHF or other serious heart problem
Severe breathing problem
History of elevated intraocular or intracranial pressure
History of hyperthyroidism
Other serious medical illness
Pregnant, nursing, or trying to become pregnant

Ketamine has been reported to produce issues including, but not limited to, those listed below. However, lasting adverse side-effects are rare when medical protocols are carefully followed.

While ketamine has not been shown to be physically addictive, it has been shown to cause moderate psychological dependency in some recreational users.

In rare cases, frequent, heavy users have reported increased frequency of urination, urinary incontinence, pain urinating, passing blood in the urine, or reduced bladder size
Ketamine may worsen problems in people with schizophrenia, severe personality disorders, or other serious mental disorders.
Users with a personal or family history of psychosis should be cautious using any psychoactive substance, including ketamine, and discuss potential risks with your MindBloom^® clinician before proceeding with treatment.
The dissociative effects of ketamine may increase patient vulnerability and the risk of accidents.

To promote positive outcomes and ensure safety, follow these ketamine treatment guidelines:

Do not operate a vehicle (e.g., car, motorcycle, bicycle) or heavy machinery following treatment until you’ve had a full night of sleep
Refrain from taking benzodiazepines or stimulants for 24 hours prior to treatment
Continue to take antihypertensive medication as prescribed
Avoid hangovers or alcohol intake
Refrain from consuming solid foods within 3 hours prior to treatment and liquids within 1 hour prior to treatment
Ketamine treatment should never be conducted without a monitor present to ensure your safety