Fast, Effective Relief with Ketamine Therapy
Rapid relief from treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, anxiety, bipolar depression symptoms
Supervised by experienced mental health providers
Cash-based—no waiting on insurance
Consultation is covered by insurance
Available NOW at Bright Horizons Psychiatry
87% of patients report feeling better in just 4 weeks!
When daily pills and talk therapies don’t work,
ketamine therapy offers a fresh path toward recovery and healing.
How Ketamine Therapy Helps Your Brain Heal
Ketamine works in a unique way—by targeting NMDA receptors in the brain and stimulating the release of glutamate, a key neurotransmitter. This jumpstarts the creation of new neural connections, helping to reset unhelpful thought patterns and support emotional healing.
Key Benefits of Ketamine Therapy:
Boosts neuroplasticity – helps your brain rewire itself for healthier thinking.
Restores neuron communication – improves mood, clarity, and emotional balance.
Reduces brain inflammation – addressing an underlying factor in many mental health conditions.
THE PROCESS
How Does It Work?
Pre-screening
Speak with an expert member of our care team to see if IM ketamine is right for you.
Office Visit
1-hour mental health evaluation with provider covered by insurance, creating a personalized treatment plan
Treatment
Alleviation of depressive, PTSD, anxiety, bipolar depression symptoms within the first few weeks!
Effective for a Wide Range of Conditions
Ketamine isn’t just for depression. It’s proven effective for conditions like anxiety, PTSD, and addiction, making it a versatile option for people who haven’t found relief through traditional methods. One treatment can address multiple conditions at once.
Effective for a Wide Range of Conditions
Ketamine isn’t just for depression. It’s proven effective for conditions like anxiety, PTSD, and addiction, making it a versatile option for people who haven’t found relief through traditional methods. One treatment can address multiple conditions at once.
NOT JUST ANOTHER treatment
IM Ketamine for trauma, PTSD & depression
Backed by science and most major health insurances cover consultation with our mental health provider
*IM Ketamine injections are starting from $349 per session
How IM Ketamine at Bright Horizons Psychiatry Works
Why IM Ketamine?
After treatment: Once you’re stable and alert enough, you’ll be discharged to go home with your designated ride. You may feel tired or mentally foggy for the rest of the day, so it’s best to take it easy and avoid working, driving, or making major decisions. IM ketamine is typically given 1–2 times per week to start, with frequency adjusted as symptoms improve.
What is IM ketamine?
IM ketamine is a fast-acting treatment that involves administering ketamine via intramuscular injection. It’s used to treat certain types of depression—especially when other medications failed. It also helps with several diagnoses like depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar depression and more. Unlike traditional antidepressants that can take weeks to work, IM ketamine often begins to relieve symptoms within hours or days. All our treatments are supervised by mental health providers.
Before treatment:
You’ll meet with one of our providers to see if IM ketamine is the right option for you. If approved, we’ll help coordinate your treatment plan and schedule your sessions. To prepare, don’t eat for 2 hours or drink for 30 minutes before your appointment. Since you won’t be able to drive afterward, please arrange a ride home.
During treatment:
Your session will take place in a private, spa-like room at our clinic. A trained provider will administer the injection, and you’ll remain in the room while we monitor you for about 1 to 2 hours. It’s normal to feel relaxed, detached, or lightheaded during and after the treatment—these effects are usually temporary.
Dr. Amir Etesam, MD
Dr. Amir Etesam, MD, is a Johns Hopkins-trained Psychiatrist at Bright Horizons Psychiatry in North Bethesda, Maryland. After receiving his medical degree, Dr. Etesam chose to focus his career on mood and anxiety disorders. He is a member of the well-respected Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA), the only medical honor society in the world.
Diagnostic clarification and appropriately treating psychiatric disorders are the fundamentals of Dr. Etesam’s practice and his promise to his patients. His particular interests include complex psychopharmacology, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), and Intranasal Ketamine Esketamine (Spravato®) treatment. Dr. Etesam is a National Institute of Mental Health (NIH) certified TMS provider.
At present, he sees and treats patients with mild to moderate depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, OCD, PTSD, and ADHD, including severe and treatment-resistant cases. He warmly welcomes all patients into Bright Horizons Psychiatry, and he looks forward to caring for them.
Clinically Proven, Doctor-Guided Care
IM ketamine is helping people with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and bipolar find real relief. Every session is supervised by licensed providers in a calm, spa-like setting.
No Insurance Delays or Hassles
As a direct-pay treatment, IM ketamine avoids the long waits and denials of insurance. Our team explains costs, sets expectations, and builds a plan that works for you.
Fast Relief, Gentle Side Effects
Many patients start to feel better within days instead of weeks. Side effects are usually mild and short-lived, such as feeling calm, relaxed, or lightly dreamy.
TESTIMONIALS
What people say about us
Frequently Asked Questions
How does IM Ketamine work?
IM ketamine works by targeting a different brain pathway than traditional antidepressants, helping to quickly reset mood and thought patterns. It’s used to treat conditions like treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, bipolar depression, and PTSD—especially when other treatments haven’t worked.
Why IM Ketamine?
If you’ve tried several antidepressants without meaningful relief, you may be experiencing treatment-resistant depression. Intramuscular (IM) ketamine offers a different approach by acting on alternative pathways in the brain, often delivering faster symptom improvement than traditional medications. It can be especially helpful for individuals with persistent, severe depression who need a more effective option. At Bright Horizons Psychiatry, we incorporate IM ketamine into customized treatment plans—providing a renewed path toward healing when other treatments haven’t worked.
Is IM Ketamine covered by insurance?
IM ketamine is a cash-based treatment and is not typically covered by insurance. Our team will guide you through pricing options and help ensure you have clear expectations and payment plans to make your treatment accessible.
What are the potential side effects of IM Ketamine?
IM ketamine is generally well-tolerated, and most side effects are mild and temporary. Some people may feel a bit “dreamy” or disconnected during treatment, which usually fades within an hour. Other possible effects include lightheadedness, mild nausea, or a temporary rise in blood pressure or heart rate—all of which we monitor closely. You may also feel tired or foggy afterward, so we recommend taking it easy for the rest of the day. Our team is here to ensure your experience is safe and as comfortable as possible.
Is IM Ketamine safe and effective?
Yes, IM ketamine is considered safe when administered under the supervision of trained mental healthcare professionals. It has shown significant effectiveness in treating treatment-resistant depression, providing relief much faster than traditional antidepressants. Additionally, it is a great option for anxiety, PTSD, and bipolar depression. At Bright Horizons Psychiatry, your well-being is our priority, and we monitor your treatment closely to ensure both safety and optimal results.
⚠️ Disclaimer on FDA Status, Off-Label Use, and Evidence Base for Ketamine in Psychiatry
Important Notice
Intramuscular (IM) ketamine treatment for depression and other mental health conditions is an off-label use. While ketamine is FDA-approved as an anesthetic, its use for psychiatric disorders—such as treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, and anxiety—is not FDA-approved.
However, off-label prescribing is both legal and common in psychiatry, especially when supported by peer-reviewed evidence and clinical expertise. Our IM ketamine protocols are informed by the growing body of psychiatric research and are delivered under close medical supervision.
Ketamine has been extensively studied in psychiatry and consistently shown to be safe and effective in controlled settings when administered appropriately:
Ahuja et al. discusses that IM ketamine is being utilized to treat psychiatric outpatients with multiple mental illnesses not limited to depression. Average depression and anxiety levels significantly improve throughout IM ketamine treatment and do not regress to baseline during patients' maintenance treatment phase.
Hietamies et al. discusses Patients treated with ketamine exhibited significant and concordant reduction in both anxiety and depression symptoms after induction. patients experienced a significantly greater reduction in depression symptoms at eight weeks.
These and many subsequent studies have shown that when administered in controlled, medically supervised environments, ketamine is well-tolerated and safe for psychiatric use. IM ketamine, like IV, is used to harness these effects through a different route of administration.
Our clinic follows best-practice safety protocols, including medical screening, informed consent, and structured monitoring. Treatment is individualized and monitored closely for efficacy and tolerability.
References:
1-Ahuja S, Brendle M, Smart L, Moore C, Thielking P, Robison R. Real-world depression, anxiety and safety outcomes of intramuscular ketamine treatment: a retrospective descriptive cohort study. BMC Psychiatry. 2022 Oct 3;22(1):634. doi: 10.1186/s12888-022-04268-5. PMID: 36192794; PMCID: PMC9528178.
2-Hietamies TM, McInnes LA, Klise AJ, Worley MJ, Qian JJ, Williams LM, Heifets BD, Levine SP. The effects of ketamine on symptoms of depression and anxiety in real-world care settings: A retrospective controlled analysis. J Affect Disord. 2023 Aug 15;335:484-492. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.141. Epub 2023 May 16. PMID: 37201900.
Ready To Leave Depression Behind?
We are here to support you in your healing journey
