By Dr. Lisa Parker, DNP, APRN, NP — Owner & Clinical Director, Parker Neuroscience, Omaha, Nebraska
Many patients tell me their biggest fear about ketamine therapy is not the treatment itself. It’s simply not knowing what to expect.
That fear makes sense. Most people considering this treatment have never seen the inside of an interventional psychiatry clinic. What they’ve seen instead is a mix of dramatic media portrayals and vague clinic websites, neither of which tells you what actually happens when you sit down in the chair.
So let me walk you through a first ketamine appointment at Parker Neuroscience, start to finish, the same way I walk patients through it in consultation. Most patients leave telling me the experience was far less intimidating than they expected. By the end of this article, you’ll understand why.
Before treatment: your history, your goals, your questions
Your appointment doesn’t begin with treatment. It begins with a conversation.
We review your medical history, your psychiatric history, and your current medications. We talk through your treatment goals, what “better” would actually look like in your life. And we make room for your questions. All of them. If something is worrying you, this is exactly when I want to hear it, because an anxious patient who didn’t get to ask their question doesn’t get the full benefit of a calm treatment environment.
Nothing about this step is rushed, because nothing downstream works well if this step is rushed.
Getting ready: baseline vitals and getting comfortable
Before treatment starts, we obtain your baseline vital signs. This isn’t a formality, your baseline is the reference point we monitor you against during and after treatment, and it’s part of how we confirm you’re ready for discharge later.
Then we make sure you’re comfortable and prepared. You’ll be in a comfortable treatment chair in a private, calm clinical environment, not a group room, not a shared infusion suite.
During treatment: monitored, relaxed, and awake
While you receive treatment, our team monitors you closely throughout. You are never left unattended.
Most patients choose to settle in with an eye mask and calming music, or simply rest quietly. You remain awake throughout the experience, this is something many first-time patients are surprised by. You are not sedated into unconsciousness. Many patients describe feeling deeply relaxed, or somewhat detached from their usual thought patterns. For someone whose mind has spent months or years running the same painful loops, that shift in perspective is often described as a relief rather than something frightening.
If anything feels uncomfortable at any point, the clinical team is right there. That is the point of the monitoring.
After treatment: monitoring until you’re back to baseline
Treatment doesn’t end when the session ends. We continue monitoring you until you have returned to your baseline, the same reference point we established when you arrived. Only then are you ready for discharge. We don’t rush this, and we don’t assume it. Every patient meets discharge criteria before leaving.
Your ride home
Because ketamine can temporarily affect reaction time and judgment, you’ll need a responsible adult to drive you home after every session. Plan for this before your first appointment, it’s not optional, and it’s one more layer of the safety structure around your care.
By the next day, most patients are back to their normal routines. And many are already noticing the early signs of what the treatment series may hold.
The honest summary
A first ketamine appointment is a quiet, structured, closely monitored medical visit: a thorough conversation, baseline vitals, a comfortable chair in a private room, a monitored treatment while you rest awake, continued observation until you’re back to baseline, and a ride home with someone you trust.
The unknown is almost always scarier than the reality. If not knowing what to expect is the thing standing between you and a consultation, I hope this walk-through removed some of that weight. And whatever questions remain, bring them. Answering them is the first part of the treatment.
If your bigger question is about addiction risk rather than the appointment itself, that’s a fair thing to want settled before you book. I’ve written about exactly that here: Is Ketamine Therapy Addictive?
Questions related to this one
How long does a first appointment take? Plan for more time than the treatment itself. The infusion typically runs 45 to 60 minutes, with additional time before for your history review, vitals, and preparation, and time after for monitoring until you meet discharge criteria.
Will I be unconscious during treatment? No. You remain awake throughout. Most patients describe feeling deeply relaxed or pleasantly detached from their usual thought patterns, and many choose an eye mask and calming music to settle into the experience.
Can someone come with me? You’ll need a responsible adult to drive you home after every session, so yes, plan on having someone involved in your treatment days. Treatment itself takes place in a private clinical environment.
When does the full treatment series start? For most patients, a typical induction series is six sessions over two to three weeks, followed by a personalized maintenance plan based on your response. Your protocol is built for you after your evaluation, not borrowed from someone else.
If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or go to your nearest emergency room.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or establish a patient-provider relationship. Ketamine and Spravato carry potential risks; individual candidacy is determined through clinical evaluation by Dr. Parker.
Parker Neuroscience, LLC · 179 Welch Plaza, Suite 106, Omaha, NE 68135 · (402) 915-1862