Missoula County Medical Benefits

Administered as an intramuscular (IM) injection, ketamine facilitates a profound, expanded state of consciousness. This visionary state can be effective for therapeutic reprocessing, personal growth, and healing. When combined with mindfulness practices, ketamine-assisted therapy becomes a powerful tool for addressing challenges such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and emotional stress.

By quieting the ego and creating space for deeper insight, ketamine serves as a catalyst for healing processes that unfold and evolve in the days, weeks, and months following treatment.

How Does Ketamine Work?

Ketamine is an FDA-approved medication long used for anesthesia and pain. At lower doses, it can act as a rapid-acting antidepressant and anti-anxiety treatment. By affecting glutamate and enhancing neuroplasticity, it helps the brain shift out of rigid thought patterns and opens space for new insights.

Many people experience a temporary softening of their usual sense of self. Research suggests this may be due to relaxation of the brain’s Default Mode Network (often compared to the “ego”). With preparation and integration, this altered state can support lasting changes in mood, perspective, and behavior.

“For the first time in years, I felt like I wasn’t stuck in the same old loop. It gave me space to see things differently.”

What to Expect in Your Session

During dosing, you will have an eye mask, noise-cancelling headphones, a customized playlist, and a comfortable chair. You will be guided gently into and out of the journey by trained professionals. We will help you develop new ways of thinking and integrating the experience into your everyday life.

We have collaborated with Missoula County Medical Benefits to offer IM Ketamine Assisted Therapy for employees, including first responders.

Outline of a stylized lotus flower in gold color.

What Does the Program Look Like?

  1. Connect with us: Call or email. Our patient care coordinator, Ali, will guide you through qualifying, scheduling, and payments. She is ready to answer all your questions.

  2. Complete paperwork: About 20 minutes online.

  3. Initial visits: Behavioral health intake and medical clearance (can often be done the same day; telehealth available).

  4. Preparation sessions: 1–2 therapy visits to help you get ready.

  5. Dosing sessions: 4–6 treatments, each lasting ~2 hours. You’ll need a driver and should rest the remainder of the day.

  6. Integration: 1-3 sessions durning and/or after completion to help treatments integrate into your everyday life.

What Does It Cost with a Missoula County Medical Benefit plan?

  • Due to rules surrounding high deductible plans, this amount can not be waived.

  • The deductible is waived for outpatient counseling for the standard deductible only.