For patients living with treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, or severe anxiety, the search for relief can feel endless. Antidepressants that worked for others leave you unchanged. Therapy sessions produce insights but not the neurological shift that makes those insights stick. Ketamine-assisted therapy represents something genuinely different — and at Victory Medical's Austin clinic, we've seen it change lives.

What Is Ketamine Therapy?

Ketamine is an FDA-approved anesthetic that, at sub-anesthetic doses, acts as a rapid-onset antidepressant. Unlike traditional SSRIs that take weeks to build up in the system, ketamine produces antidepressant effects within hours to days of treatment. It works primarily through the glutamate system — specifically NMDA receptor antagonism — triggering a cascade of neuroplasticity that literally rewires the brain's response to stress and negative thought patterns.

At Victory Medical, our ketamine program is led by Melissa Gabrielli, DNP, a dual-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner and ketamine therapist. Before any infusion occurs, every patient completes a comprehensive psychiatric intake, medical history review, and shared decision-making conversation to ensure ketamine is the right tool for them.

Who Qualifies for Ketamine Therapy?

Our program is designed for adults with:

  • Treatment-resistant depression — typically defined as failing at least two adequate antidepressant trials
  • Major depressive disorder with suicidal ideation — where rapid response is medically urgent
  • Bipolar depression — during depressive episodes when conventional mood stabilizers are insufficient
  • PTSD — particularly when trauma memories remain intrusive and dysregulating despite therapy
  • Generalized anxiety disorder or OCD refractory to standard pharmacotherapy

Contraindications include uncontrolled hypertension, active psychosis, schizophrenia, and certain substance use disorders. Our comprehensive intake process screens for all of these.

The Infusion Protocol at Victory Medical

A standard induction course consists of six infusions over two to three weeks. Each infusion session lasts approximately 45–60 minutes of active infusion time, plus 20–30 minutes of recovery. Here is what happens at each stage:

Before the Infusion

You'll arrive fasting — no food for six hours, clear liquids up to two hours prior. Wear comfortable clothing and arrange for a trusted driver; you will not be able to operate a vehicle for the rest of the day. We ask patients to leave phones in a bag during infusion, minimizing external stimulation and allowing the therapeutic window to be as open as possible.

During the Infusion

You'll be seated in a reclining chair in a private, dimly lit room. Vital signs are monitored continuously. The ketamine is delivered intravenously at a dose calibrated to your weight and medical profile — typically 0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes for depression, with protocols adjusted for PTSD and anxiety.

Most patients describe a dissociative experience: a loosening of the boundaries between self and surroundings, visual patterns, a sense of floating, or abstract thoughts that feel unusually significant. This can feel unfamiliar, but our team prepares patients thoroughly so it feels safe rather than alarming. Music — specifically curated ambient playlists designed for ketamine sessions — is available if desired.

After the Infusion

As the infusion ends, the dissociative effects clear within 15–20 minutes. We encourage patients to rest quietly and, when ready, to journal or simply notice their emotional state. Many patients report a "lift" — a lightening of the depressive weight — within hours. Others feel the shift emerge over the following day.

Integration: The Work After the Infusion

At Victory Medical, we emphasize that ketamine infusions are not a standalone cure. The neuroplasticity window opened by ketamine — typically lasting one to two weeks after infusion — is an opportunity to do the psychological work that produces lasting change. We strongly encourage patients to continue with their therapist during an infusion series and to engage actively in the integration process: journaling, mindfulness, lifestyle adjustments, and revisiting core beliefs that the infusion may have brought to the surface.

What Results Should You Expect?

Clinical literature shows response rates of 60–70% in treatment-resistant populations after a full six-infusion course. "Response" typically means a 50% or greater reduction in depression scores. Many patients achieve full remission. Effects can last weeks to months after an initial series; some patients return for maintenance infusions every four to eight weeks to sustain benefits.

Results are not universal, and ketamine is not a replacement for ongoing mental health care. But for patients who have spent years finding nothing that works, a ketamine trial at Victory Medical often represents the most meaningful therapeutic step they have taken.

Next Steps

If you are interested in learning whether ketamine therapy is appropriate for you, call our office at (512) 462-3627 or book a psychiatric consultation with Melissa Gabrielli online through our Privia Health patient portal. We serve patients throughout the Austin metro and accept both in-person and telehealth initial consultations.