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Healing Postpartum Depression and Anxiety with Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy

Postpartum Depression and Anxiety

Bringing a new life into the world is often portrayed as a joyful experience, but for many new mothers, it can also bring overwhelming feelings of sadness, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion.

Postpartum depression (PPD) and postpartum anxiety (PPA) affect countless women, making it difficult to bond with their babies, manage daily tasks, and find joy in motherhood. When traditional treatments fall short, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) offers a promising and effective path to healing.

Study here: https://womensmentalhealth.org/posts/ketamine-esketamine-for-postpartum-depression/

Understanding Postpartum Depression and Anxiety

PPD and PPA are more than just the “baby blues.” They are serious mental health conditions that can cause:

  • Persistent sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness
  • Intense anxiety, panic attacks, or excessive worry
  • Difficulty sleeping or extreme fatigue
  • Irritability and mood swings
  • Feelings of guilt or inadequacy as a mother
  • Trouble bonding with the baby

These symptoms can be debilitating, affecting both mother and child. Seeking help is crucial, and innovative treatments like ketamine-assisted psychotherapy are offering new hope.

How Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Can Help

Ketamine is a fast-acting medication that has been shown to relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety by promoting neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to form new, healthier connections. When psychotherapy is combined with ketamine it creates a unique opportunity for healing and transformation.

Benefits of Ketamine-Assisted Therapy for PPD and PPA:

Rapid Symptom Relief – Unlike traditional antidepressants that take weeks to work, ketamine often provides relief within hours or days, offering new mothers a faster way to regain stability.

Reduced Anxiety and Emotional Distress – Ketamine helps regulate mood and decrease overwhelming feelings of fear and worry, allowing mothers to feel more present with their babies.

A Break from Negative Thought Patterns – The dissociative effects of ketamine create a mental “reset,” allowing individuals to step outside of ruminative, self-critical thinking.

Enhanced Emotional Processing – In a therapeutic setting, ketamine helps patients process trauma, birth-related stress, and emotional blocks that may be contributing to their struggles.

Improved Bonding and Connection – By alleviating depression and anxiety, KAP supports a mother’s ability to connect emotionally with her baby and engage more fully in motherhood.

What to Expect from Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy

KAP involves a structured, supportive approach to healing:

Consultation & Assessment – A thorough evaluation ensures ketamine therapy is the right option for you.

Preparation Session – Before beginning treatment, I will work with you to set set goals and think about your intentions for the session.

Ketamine Session – In a calm, guided setting, you will self-administer the ketamine does in my office.

Integration Therapy – After each session, we will have a session to integrate thoughts and feelings that came up for you on your journey. It’s important that you are able to weave this material into your daily life moving forward.

Ongoing Support – Continued sessions will help sustain emotional well-being and further your long-term healing.

Reclaim Your Joy in Motherhood

Postpartum depression and anxiety can feel isolating, but you are not alone. Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is a groundbreaking treatment that provides real hope for new mothers struggling to find balance and peace. If you or a loved one is facing postpartum challenges, reach out to explore how this innovative therapy can help you reclaim your joy and well-being.

Contact Me to Learn More

Michelle Cilia
Psychotherapy San Francisco
415-710-6731
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Finding the Right Therapist for You

Finding the right therapist can be a daunting task.

You are embarking on a very personal journey and your therapist must be someone that you TRUST. It’s important to remember, there is no one size fits all. I made this guide to help you decide and find the best therapist for you.

Where to start

One place to start is by asking friends or someone you know that likes their therapist. In my experience though, the first place people look is on the almighty internet. Good Therapy or Psychology today are two good resources. A therapists website should include info about their education, location and specializations. Location is important to consider as getting to therapy should not pose unrealistic expectations on your time.

Secondly, try your best to figure out which type of therapy you think fits both your personality and the issue you are dealing with. For example, let’s say you just started a new job and they want you to fly a lot. You love everything about the new job but have a major phobia of flying. This is a very specific area of work and you may want to find someone who is more time limited in their approach and someone who is more CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) oriented.

How about dealing with perhaps deeper rooted issues? You may want to find someone who is more psychodynamic, insight-focused. Here is a link to a guide that breaks this all down: https:// www.talkspace.com/blog/2016/09/different-types-therapy-psychotherapy-best/

The next and maybe most difficult part: the phone call

Most therapists offer a free 15 min phone consultation. Some even offer an in-person session but you should be able to get a sense of your prospective therapist from a phone call. This is your time to share your background, what issue you are struggling with and ask how the therapist thinks they can help you. Is this person a good listener? Pay close attention to how you are feeling when you speak with him or her. The relationship you develop with your therapist is the most important predictor of your success in therapy.

Trusting your gut

I think this maybe the most important part of the process. Millions of nerve cells exist in the stomach, hence the term “gut instinct”. The sub-conscious part of the brain sends signals to these nerves when we are faced with big decision making. It’s essentially a full body decision. If, when you are on the phone with your new therapist, you feel at all uncomfortable or feel like you are not “clicking”, listen to that. It is an important instinct to pay attention to.

And finally, your first appointment

A skilled therapist maintains good boundaries and doesn’t talk about themselves at length. A skilled therapist also listens very closely and does not seems distracted. Lastly, you should feel more and more connected and supported as time goes on. When we are listened to and understood, our problems seem immensely more manageable.

Set up a 20-minute consult call so I can answer any questions you may have.

Michelle Cilia
Psychotherapy San Francisco
415-710-6731
Find me on Facebook

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