Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy: A New Horizon for Treatment-Resistant Depression
Aug 14, 2026
It’s difficult to describe what treatment-resistant depression feels like to people who’ve never experienced the condition. The frustrations, anxieties, and overwhelming burden of this condition can shape an individual’s life and also create significant anxiety and stress for their loved ones.
Treatment-resistant depression has long been the focus of research and various trials. In recent years, a great deal of focus has turned to how ketamine could offer hope for those living with this incredibly challenging condition.
At Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry, our team of mental health specialists goes to great lengths to research advancements in treating and managing the full scope of mental health issues. When it comes to ketamine as a tool for managing treatment-resistant depression, we find a lot to be hopeful about.
Treatment-resistant depression is a form of major depressive disorder (MDD). People are diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression after at least two types of first-line antidepressant medications have failed to deliver results during depressive episodes.
People with treatment-resistant depression experience the same symptoms as people with other forms of depression, like low mood, changes in appetite, and sleep disruptions. But they tend to have far more severe symptoms and more frequent depressive episodes, and those episodes can last longer.
Some eventually develop anhedonia, which is an inability to experience pleasure. Even more distressing, people with treatment-resistant depression have an increased risk for suicidal ideation and behaviors.
Ketamine is a type of drug known as a dissociative. Originally derived from phencyclidine (PCP), it’s a synthetic hallucinogen that was first developed in the 1950s for use as an anesthetic. Since then, the drug has been abused by some who seek its dissociative and euphoric effects.
In 2019, the FDA approved ketamine as a therapy for hard-to-treat depression. Since that time, many patients have found a path away from treatment-resistant depression using this medication.
Because everyone reacts a bit differently to ketamine therapy (and to reduce the risk of misuse or addiction), ketamine is administered by your practitioner during an office visit. It can be given as a nasal spray or intravenously. There is also a pill version that’s used in certain cases.
In-office administration allows your provider to monitor your reaction to the medication. Many patients report feeling their depression lift in as little as 40 minutes after taking ketamine.
Talk therapy is also part of the process, and the combination of the two helps you process the changes brought on by ketamine therapy and work toward enhanced stability. When you choose Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry for care, you’re never alone on your mental health journey.
If you’ve tried numerous options for treating depression but haven’t found the relief you’re searching for, ketamine therapy might be a good fit.
While this approach is not used as a first-line treatment for depression, it can be a game-changer for individuals experiencing treatment-resistant depression.
You deserve to experience life to the fullest, and you deserve treatments that can help manage depression. When other attempts haven’t been successful, ketamine might be your hope on the horizon.
Schedule a visit at Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry to discuss your experience and learn about treatment paths. Give our office a call or visit our online scheduling page.