Ketamine therapy for treatment-resistant depression, severe anxiety, and PTSD.
IV ketamine, in-office, with physician monitoring throughout — for patients whose conditions haven't responded to first-line treatments. Real medicine for real diagnoses, screened carefully and dosed deliberately.
Who ketamine
therapy is for.
- Treatment-resistant depression (failed 2+ antidepressant trials)
- Severe anxiety not responding to standard pharmacotherapy
- PTSD — combat, accident, or chronic-trauma origins
- Persistent suicidal ideation requiring rapid intervention
- Postpartum depression with limited medication options
- Patients who've considered at-home ketamine and want medical care instead
- Patients who want a screening evaluation to determine if it's appropriate at all
Ketamine deserves the seriousness it's lost.
Ketamine therapy is one of the most significant developments in psychiatry in fifty years. It's also been increasingly handed out by mail-order telehealth companies, dispensed in lozenge form to be taken alone at home, marketed for productivity and "performance," and treated like a wellness drip. That's not what the evidence base supports. The clinical care around it is what makes it medicine — and the patient population it's appropriate for is narrower than the marketing suggests.
Most ketamine clinics in this region operate as mail-order subscriptions or as add-ons to IV-bars. A ketamine clinic should be a clinical environment first — screening, dosing decisions, in-session monitoring, integration support afterward. Ours is.
- ✓Clinical screening — not everyone is a candidate. We say no when no is the right answer.
- ✓IV-only protocol — dose-precise, physician-controlled, immediately responsive if the session needs adjustment.
- ✓Physician present and monitoring vitals throughout every session — not "available by phone."
- ✓Integration support built into the protocol — what happens after the session is as important as the session itself.
Pricing — for everyone.
Ketamine therapy at Mt. Baker Medical is available to anyone who passes clinical screening — no membership required. Members save 15% per session and on the 6-session standard protocol.
| Retail | Member | |
|---|---|---|
| Single IV sessionAfter protocol completion · or as standalone with screening | $495 | $420 |
| 6-session protocol packageStandard treatment-resistant-depression protocol · 6 sessions over 2–3 weeks · 16% off vs single | $2,495 | $2,195 |
| Maintenance boosterSingle follow-up session after completing protocol · typically every 4–8 weeks | $395 | $335 |
In-office IV vs at-home mail-order.
The biggest decision a patient makes isn't whether to try ketamine — it's the form factor. The at-home telehealth model is dramatically cheaper. It's also a categorically different clinical product. Here's the honest comparison.
How we approach it.
Screening first — seriously. Standard 6-session protocol once cleared. Integration support, then individualized maintenance.
Clinical screening.
Full psychiatric history, prior treatment trials, current medications, cardiovascular and substance-use screening. Some patients are not candidates — including patients with active psychosis, untreated hypertension, or substance use disorder.
First session.
Lower test dose to assess tolerance. Vitals monitored throughout. Sessions last 60–90 minutes including monitoring. Eye mask and noise-canceling headphones provided.
Protocol of 6.
Six sessions over 2–3 weeks at therapeutic dosing. Most patients show response by session 3–4. We track depression/anxiety scales between sessions and adjust dose if needed.
Maintenance, adjusted.
After protocol completion, maintenance boosters every 4–8 weeks depending on response. Most patients integrate ongoing psychotherapy alongside — we coordinate but don't provide it directly.
Common questions.
The six questions we get most. The first is the single highest-volume FAQ keyword in the ketamine space — written for AIO citation.
What does ketamine therapy feel like?
During an IV session, most patients describe a 45–60 minute experience of feeling distant from their usual thoughts — a "stepping back" from the mental patterns that normally feel sticky. Some experience visual or auditory changes; some describe it as a deeply restful mental state. The acute effects fade within ~30 minutes of the infusion ending. The therapeutic effects — improved mood, reduced rumination, easier emotional access — typically appear 24–72 hours later and consolidate over the protocol's 6 sessions. Physician and staff are present throughout.
Who is a good candidate for ketamine therapy?
Candidates typically have treatment-resistant depression (failed 2+ antidepressant trials), severe anxiety, PTSD, or persistent suicidal ideation. We screen carefully — ketamine is not appropriate for patients with active psychosis, uncontrolled hypertension, active substance use disorder, or certain cardiac conditions. The screening evaluation is free and we say no when no is the right answer.
How much does ketamine therapy cost?
At Mt. Baker Medical, a single IV ketamine session is $495 retail ($420 for members). The standard 6-session treatment protocol is $2,495 retail ($2,195 member), which saves about 16% over single sessions. Maintenance boosters after protocol completion are $395 ($335 member). National pricing for IV ketamine ranges $400–$800 per session, with 6-session packages typically $2,000–$4,000.
Is ketamine therapy safe?
When delivered IV in a medical setting with physician supervision, ketamine has a well-documented safety profile for the indications we treat. Vitals are monitored throughout every session. Side effects during the infusion can include transient blood pressure elevation, mild nausea, or dissociative effects — these resolve within an hour. The safety profile is markedly different at home — at-home oral protocols carry meaningfully higher risk because patients are alone and dosing is variable. We screen out patients for whom ketamine isn't appropriate.
How long does ketamine therapy last?
Response duration varies significantly. Most patients experience 2–8 weeks of benefit from the initial 6-session protocol. Some maintain durable improvement for months without boosters; many benefit from a maintenance dose every 4–8 weeks. Integration with ongoing psychotherapy and lifestyle factors substantially affects how durable the response is — ketamine opens a window; what you do during that window determines how long the change lasts.
Can ketamine help anxiety?
Yes, with caveats. Ketamine has clinical evidence for generalized anxiety disorder and PTSD-related anxiety, particularly when first-line treatments (SSRIs, SNRIs, therapy) haven't produced adequate response. It's less established for situational anxiety or acute panic. We screen anxiety candidates carefully — pure performance-anxiety or mild generalized anxiety is usually not the right fit. Patients with anxiety as a comorbid feature of treatment-resistant depression tend to be the best responders.
Start with a free screening conversation.
30 minutes with Dr. Scribner. We review your treatment history, talk through whether ketamine is appropriate for your situation, and answer your questions about what the protocol actually involves. No commitment — and "no" is sometimes the right answer.
Or call(360) 498-7529