Psychiatry, Psychotherapy & Ketamine in San Diego
Why Choose Us for
Ketamine Treatment?
At our clinic, every patient receives individualized ketamine treatment in a private and thoughtfully designed setting.
Your safety is a high priority throughout ketamine treatment, which is administered and monitored by Dr. Papp in private two-hour session, to ensure focused medical oversight, privacy, and attentive care.
What makes us different than a typical "ketamine clinic”
While ketamine is used at Point Loma Clinic, we distinguish ourselves from traditional "ketamine clinics" that focus solely on administering ketamine. Unlike these clinics, which are often led by non-psychiatrists and offer limited mental health services, we provide comprehensive mental health care.
Our practice integrates ketamine treatment into a broader framework of general adult psychiatry and psychology, encompassing full psychiatric and psychological assessments, traditional medication management, psychotherapy (which may incorporate biofeedback), psychogenetic testing, and other necessary treatments. .
The Ketamine Treatment Process
Before your first ketamine treatment, you will receive a full psychiatric evaluation from Dr. Papp. Following that you will see Dr Myers for a single psychological “preparatory visit”. These steps are important to make sure that the treatment is right for you and to help make the experience safe and effective.
Each ketamine treatment visit is scheduled for two hours. It begins with an assessment of your response to the prior ketamine treatments, setting up monitoring and making sure the room feels comfortable for you. The ketamine effect itself (the “trip”) lasts for about 40-70 minutes. The visit concludes with a discussion of the experience and making a plan for the next treatment.
While in the treatment room, Dr. Papp will be continuously monitoring your vital signs to assure your safety. You will also be under remote video observation, so that at any time, your doctor can know how you are doing while under the medication’s effects.
VitalStream monitoring system
Why Add Psychotherapy?
Integrating psychotherapy with ketamine treatment can enhance its benefits, as studies suggest a synergistic effect between the two. At Point Loma Clinic, we employ "Ketamine Coordinated Therapy," strategically timing psychotherapy sessions after ketamine administration to optimize outcomes. (Sometimes, therapy is added during the ketamine experience. )
By planning sessions to coincide with periods of heightened brain connectivity induced by ketamine, typically 1-2 days post-administration, we aim to leverage the flexibility and insight facilitated by these new neural connections. Additionally, psychotherapy aids in integrating experiences from ketamine sessions, maximizing the therapeutic potential of the treatment.
Ketamine Office in Del Mar
Type of Ketamine We Use
Ketamine can be administered in two fundamentally different ways: by injection or by oral/intranasal routes. Absorption is most reliable when ketamine is injected. Research shows no difference in overall effectiveness among the three injectable methods (intramuscular, intravenous, or subcutaneous), although they differ in how long they take begin effect and how large the peak effect is.
We use the intramuscular route only, because of its simplicity and reliability as well as its safety profile. Dr. Papp is highly skilled in administering and monitoring ketamine.
We do not prescribe oral ketamine for home use, because we consider that practice to be risky. Internasal ketamine has a different profile than injectable ketamine, and you can learn more about this on the Spravato website.
Ketamine hydrochloride
Ketamine is a Unique Form of Treatment
Ketamine treatment stands out due to its rapid onset of action, unlike traditional antidepressants that may take weeks or months to show effects. Within hours to days, patients often notice a significant improvement, a unique feature among antidepressants. Additionally, ketamine is administered intermittently, sparing patients from daily medication concerns and potential side effects associated with daily use.
Ketamine bypasses the slow molecular machinery that is utilized by conventional antidepressants. It facilitates nerve regeneration in the hippocampus and dampens activities of brain structures that mediate depression (such as the habenula and “default mode network”)
Originally used as an anesthetic in the 1970s, ketamine's efficacy in depression treatment was recognized in studies from the early 2000s. Since then, its use has expanded exponentially, proving effective in treating various psychiatric conditions, including severe depression, suicidal thoughts, PTSD, premenstrual mood symptoms, and certain
Learn More About Ketamine
Watch a short video about ketamine by Dr. Papp
Tracking the Effect of Repeated Use of Ketamine for Depression in a Private Practice Setting, by Drs. Papp and Myers-Turnbull, Ketamine and Related Compounds for Psychiatric Disorders Conference, 2024 in Oxford England.
Watch a lecture on ketamine by Dr. Papp and Dr. Myers
Ketamine in the Treatment of Mental Health Conditions: A Primer,
Drs. Papp and Myers, Alliant University Speaker Series, 2025
Read scientific research articles
Here are some scientific articles about ketamine.
Oxford Ketamine Conference