Frequently Asked Questions
What is ketamine therapy?
Please see our Ketamine FAQ.
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What is nature therapy?
Nature therapy is a form of therapeutic intervention that emphasizes the connection between individuals and the natural world. It involves spending time in nature, engaging in outdoor activities, and using natural environments to support healing and personal growth. Nature therapy has been shown to have many physical and psychological benefits, including reduced stress and anxiety, improved mood and self-esteem, and increased feelings of well-being. At our clinic, we integrate nature therapy into our Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) sessions to deepen connection with the healing power of nature and to promote overall wellness.
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Do you work with insurance?
At this time, AIP is not able to accept insurance. However, we will provide you with a superbill for appointments that may be reimbursable through your insurance.
Where can I find the costs for services?
Costs are listed on each service description page.
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Do you offer payment plans?
Yes. Through our partner, Care Credit, patients can finance their treatment at 0% interest. Apply for CareCredit here.
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Do you provide overnight accommodations?
We do not currently have accommodations on site, but have put together a list of local cabins, Airbnb’s, and campsites, as well as other things to see and do while you are in the area, here.
How are ketamine sessions monitored?
All ketamine is administered at our forested therapy center 25 minutes from downtown Asheville. We do not prescribe ketamine for at-home use and all our sessions are therapist guided and include preparatory and integration therapy before and after and with physician oversight throughout. With our highly trained therapists and medical monitoring by a nurse practitioner, we believe this to be the safest and best approach to the use of psychedelic therapies currently available.
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Why is ketamine therapy so expensive?
Ketamine may be a useful medication in and of itself and it is certainly possible to acquire ketamine online or at infusion centers as a solely medication-based intervention. And, while ketamine can be effective for short term improvements in the treatment of depression and other mental health conditions, it requires repeated dosing and may be less effective over time. However, when ketamine is correctly recognized and used as a psychedelic therapy, its benefits can be sustained and even curative. This requires attention to the mindset of the user and the setting in which the medicine is used. Our ketamine assisted psychotherapy protocol includes a comprehensive therapeutic and medical assessment and follow up and hours of weekly experiential therapy focused on nature connection at our mountain retreat center. Our ketamine assisted psychotherapy sessions are conducted outdoors or in rustic structures when possible and attended by a therapist specifically trained and experienced in psychedelic therapy and all sessions are monitored by a physician or nurse practitioner. The primary expense of our approach is the hours spent with trained and experienced providers. Within this framework, the unique and valuable perceptual shift that ketamine can offer can be anchored with a durable connection to the natural world. Clients also have access to classes and events at Asheville Integrative Psychiatry for no additional charge while enrolled in KAP services. While most insurers do not currently pay for the ketamine assisted psychotherapy sessions themselves, they do usually cover the many hours of physician and therapist visits included in our protocol and our medical record keeping software is designed to provide "super-bills" that can be given to insurers for reimbursement. We do all that we can to ensure that our clients out-of-pocket expenses are as small as possible. The therapeutic and medical assessment provided in our protocol ensures that all avenues of healing are being explored and attended to so that the use of KAP is safe and appropriate. All sessions are conducted by therapists who have met our extensive requirements for psychedelic therapy, have experience with ketamine assisted psychotherapy specifically, and have been trained in our approach to nature connection therapy. Additionally, all sessions are medically monitored by our Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and physicians. While the unique perspective that psychedelics can offer is extraordinarily valuable, it is also temporary. With the guiding hand of a well trained and experienced therapist and the amount of therapy offered throughout the protocol, the insights gained from psychedelic medicines can be incorporated into daily life and can remain accessible. Considering the cost and duration of typical medical therapy, our protocol may be less expensive than other alternatives. Our protocol represents what we believe to be the best available method of using ketamine assisted psychotherapy as a component of a holistic treatment plan for mental health based on our training and experience in the fields of integrative psychiatry and psychedelic medicine.