Ketamine Therapy For Depression, Anxiety, PTSD in the Pacific Northwest
A new option for mental health
A different approach when other treatments haven’t worked.
If you’ve been dealing with depression, anxiety, or ongoing emotional distress, you may have tried medication, therapy, or both.
For some people, these approaches are really helpful. For others, progress may feel limited or inconsistent. When that happens, ketamine therapy can offer another option to help move things forward.
What ketamine therapy is and when it’s used.
Ketamine has been used in medicine for decades, originally as an anesthetic.
In a controlled clinical setting, it’s now used as a treatment for mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, particularly when other approaches haven’t worked as expected.
One of the reasons ketamine therapy is used is because it can work more quickly than traditional medications, which often take weeks to take effect.
Ketamine therapy for depression is one of the most common use cases, but it may also be used for anxiety, PTSD, and certain types of chronic pain.
Ketamine assisted therapy is typically part of a broader plan, often alongside ongoing care like therapy or other treatments.
Your clinician will help determine whether this approach makes sense based on your history and current symptoms.
What to expect from your experience.
Ketamine treatment can be administered in several ways, depending on your plan.
At Flow Wellness, treatments IV infusions in a monitored clinical setting in Bend, Oregon, or at-home options when appropriate.
During in-clinic sessions, you’re in a private room and monitored by a clinician and medical staff throughout the treatment.
Some people describe the experience as feeling detached or inwardly focused during the session. Others feel relaxed or quiet. The effects are temporary, and your care team is there to guide you through the process.
Before starting treatment, your clinician will review your medical history, current medications, and overall health to determine if ketamine therapy is appropriate for you.
Care that continues over time.
Ketamine therapy is not a one-time experience. Treatment is typically structured over a series of sessions, with follow-up care to assess how you’re responding.
For patients continuing treatment at home, guidance and support remain an important part of the process. In many cases, working with a therapist alongside ketamine assisted therapy is recommended.
Your plan is adjusted over time based on how you respond, so care stays focused on you and what you need.
A different path when you need it.
For some people, ketamine therapy offers a way forward when other approaches haven’t worked as expected.
If you’ve been looking for ketamine therapy in Bend, Oregon, you can start with a consultation and decide whether it’s the right next step for you.
Benefits for Depression
Rapid Symptom Relief:
Traditional antidepressants often take weeks to show their effects, partly because they rely on gradually changing neurotransmitter levels. In contrast, ketamine’s ability to rapidly induce neuroplastic changes can lead to quick improvements in mood and cognitive function, sometimes within hours or days.
Resilience to Stress:
By enhancing neuroplasticity, ketamine may help the brain become more resilient to stress. This is crucial in depression treatment, as stress and an inability to adapt to it can be a significant factor in depressive disorders.
Circuitry Rebalancing:
Depression is often linked with dysfunctional neural circuitry in the brain, particularly in areas related to mood and emotion regulation. Ketamine’s promotion of neuroplasticity can help rebalance these neural circuits, effectively ‘resetting’ them, which may alleviate depressive symptoms.
Cognitive Benefits:
Enhanced neuroplasticity can also lead to improvements in cognitive functions such as memory and executive function, which are often impaired in individuals with depression.
Benefits for Anxiety
Enhanced Neuroplasticity:
As with its effect on depression, ketamine promotes neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to form new neural connections. This increased plasticity can help the brain ‘rewire’ itself, potentially creating new, healthier patterns of thought and behavior that are less dominated by anxiety.
Reduction in Overactive Brain Areas:
Anxiety disorders often involve overactivity in certain brain areas, such as the amygdala, which is associated with fear and emotional responses. Ketamine can help dampen this overactivity, leading to a reduction in anxiety symptoms. Ketamine also blocks NMDA receptor which can lead to a reduction in anxiety symptoms.
Psychological Effects:
Ketamine can produce dissociative effects, which some patients report as helping them gain new perspectives on their anxiety and stressors. This altered state of consciousness can sometimes facilitate therapeutic breakthroughs.
Benefits for PTSD
Disruption of Fear Memories:
Ketamine may disrupt the reconsolidation of fear memories, a key aspect of PTSD. When traumatic memories are recalled, they become ‘labile’ or malleable. Ketamine, given during this labile phase, may interfere with the re-strengthening of these memories, thus diminishing their emotional impact over time.
Emotional Detachment:
The dissociative effects of ketamine can create a sense of detachment or distance from emotional pain and traumatic memories. This temporary detachment might provide a window where patients can process their trauma more effectively in therapy.
Reduction in Avoidance Behaviors:
PTSD often involves avoidance behaviors, where individuals avoid certain places, people, or thoughts that remind them of the trauma. By reducing the emotional intensity of traumatic memories, ketamine may help patients engage more successfully in therapeutic interventions, like exposure therapy.
Ketamine Treatment Options
IV Ketamine
- Most customized
- Highest bioavailabiliy
- Most well studied
- In-clinic treatment
- Available at Flow Wellness Bend
Oral Dissolving Tablets or Troches
- Convenient
- Lowest bioavailability
- Maintenance option
- Home treatment
- Available in CA, OR, WA
Spravato (esketamine)
- FDA-approved nasal spray
- Insurance may cover
- Fixed treatment doses
- Clinic monitoring required
- Not available at Flow Wellness
Why Choose Flow Wellness for Ketamine in Bend, Oregon
- Personalized protocols—no one-size-fits-all treatment
- Safe, medically supervised environment
- Relaxing treatment rooms designed around healing
- Board-certified Emergency Medicine physician overseeing ketamine treatments with more than 15 years of clinical ketamine experience.
2025 Finalist Best Wellness Clinic
The American Society of Ketamine Physicians, Psychotherapists, and Practitioners Member
Medically reviewed by Kevin Jones, MD – Medical Director, Flow Wellness | Last reviewed May 2026
Ketamine results are different for everyone and can not be guaranteed. Patients must meet eligibility criteria for treatment. IV and oral ketamine treatments are not FDA approved.
Ketamine Education
What Does Ketamine Therapy Feel Like? A Patient Guide
If you are considering ketamine therapy, one of the most common questions is simple and understandable: What does ketamine therapy actually feel like? At Flow
IV Ketamine: Your Questions, Answered
Ketamine Infusion Therapy FAQs: Everything You Need to Know At Flow Wellness, we believe that hope is powerful — and that healing is possible, even
Ketamine Oral Dissolving Tablet (ODT) Treatment Information and Instructions
What does Ketamine feel like? Everyone has a different experience. Most people describe entering a deeply relaxed state where your perceptions of light, sound, and
Real Stories of Real Progress With Ketamine
Ketamine FAQs
What types of ketamine therapy does Flow Wellness offer?
Flow Wellness offers IV ketamine infusions at our Bend clinic in the Old Mill and oral treatments for home use. Your provider will review the most appropriate treatment strategy during your consultation. IV treatments are available at our Bend, Oregon clinic but home treatments can be prescribed in Oregon, Washington, or California.
What happens during a ketamine session?
During treatment, patients relax in a monitored clinical setting while ketamine is administered by trained medical professionals. Sessions are designed to feel calm and supportive, with monitoring throughout treatment to prioritize comfort and safety.
How many ketamine treatments are usually recommended?
We recommend four to six treatments as an induction period. This can be spaced over one to two months as your schedule allows. Maintenance treatments vary from weekly to monthly to as needed depending on response to treatment. We work with you to find the best schedule for your mental health.
Can ketamine therapy be combined with counseling or therapy?
Yes. We strongly recommend ketamine therapy with counseling, psychotherapy, lifestyle changes, or other wellness strategies. Ketamine may help improve emotional flexibility and mental clarity, which can complement therapeutic work. We work with several therapists in Bend, OR and have virtual options as well.
What are the possible side effects of ketamine therapy?
Common temporary side effects can include nausea, dizziness, headache, elevated blood pressure, or dissociative sensations during treatment. These effects are typically short-lived and monitored closely by the Flow Wellness clinical team.
Who may not be a good candidate for ketamine therapy?
Ketamine therapy may not be appropriate for certain patients, including individuals with uncontrolled high blood pressure, active psychosis, or history of substance abuse. A medical evaluation helps determine safety and suitability before beginning treatment.
Is ketamine therapy addictive?
When used in a controlled medical setting under professional supervision, ketamine therapy is carefully monitored to reduce risk and prioritize patient safety. Flow Wellness follows structured treatment protocols and ongoing evaluations throughout care.
Does insurance cover ketamine therapy?
Insurance does not cover ketamine therapy. Flow Wellness does not bill insurance, which allows for more flexibility in care and more personalized treatment plans. We do take FSA/HSA payments and can provide a superbill to give to your insurance company.
How much does ketamine therapy cost?
The initial consultation with our Flow Wellness ketamine provider is $149. IV ketamine treatments at our Bend, Oregon clinic are $485. Oral treatment prescriptions start at $250. We do not accept insurance but can provide a superbill for insurance reimbursement. Free informational phone available to see if ketamine is a good fit for you.
How should I prepare for a ketamine treatment session?
Patients are typically advised to avoid eating for several hours before treatment and arrange transportation home afterward. Your provider will give you detailed preparation instructions before your appointment.
What makes Flow Wellness different for ketamine therapy?
Flow Wellness combines medical expertise, individualized care plans, and a patient-focused environment to create a more supportive ketamine therapy experience. Rather than standardized protocols, treatment is adjusted based on symptoms, response, and long-term wellness goals. The Flow Wellness ketamine IV program is supervised by Kevin Jones, MD with over 15 years of ketamine experience.
Does Flow Wellness provide ketamine therapy in Bend, Oregon?
Yes. Flow Wellness provides ketamine therapy in Bend, Oregon in a professionally monitored wellness setting focused on comfort, safety, and personalized care. Our private treatment rooms are calm and relaxing to optimized your healing.
How do I get started with ketamine therapy at Flow Wellness?
The first step is scheduling a consultation with the Flow Wellness team. Your provider will review your symptoms, goals, prior treatments, and medical history to determine whether ketamine therapy may be appropriate for you.
