How Ketamine & EMDR Work Together
Traumatic experiences can continue to affect us long after they happen, contributing to anxiety, hypervigilance, emotional numbness, avoidance, and negative beliefs about ourselves. EMDR therapy helps people process distressing memories, while ketamine may offer additional support during this process.
KA-EMDR was developed in 2024 by Danielle Ciccone and Michele Topel, co-founders of the Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy Institute. This innovative approach combines EMDR with low-dose, sublingual ketamine to help clients engage with difficult memories while remaining present and involved in therapy. EMDR supports the brain’s ability to reprocess traumatic or upsetting memories that may be “stuck” or unintegrated. This process is believed to work by activating the brain’s natural information processing system, allowing traumatic memories to be integrated into broader, more adaptive memory networks. KA-EMDR incorporates low-dose ketamine, prescribed by a medical provider. This psycholytic approach aims to promote emotional openness, reduce anxiety, and expand the window of tolerance, making difficult material potentially easier to process without requiring a full psychedelic experience.
Why Combine Ketamine and EMDR?
Research suggests ketamine may influence neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to form and strengthen connections. It may also affect patterns of thinking associated with rumination and self-criticism. These effects have led researchers to explore whether ketamine can support emotional learning and help people develop new perspectives. When combined with EMDR, ketamine may help some clients feel more relaxed with an increased capacity during trauma processing.
What Does the Research Say?
A 2025 pilot study (Topel & Ciccone) reported reductions in PTSD symptoms following several KA-EMDR sessions. Participants described feeling safer, more emotionally connected, and more open to therapy, with minimal reported side effects. Although encouraging, these early findings require confirmation through larger, controlled studies.