Please note that our office will be closed September 2nd in honor of Labor Day.
Ketamine Therapy in Eugene, Oregon
What Could Better Mean for You?
Depression is more than a list of symptoms. And when it continues to affect your life after standard treatment, the question can become bigger than “What should I try next?”
It may sound more like:
Can life feel more open again?
Can I feel more present with the people I care about?
Can I participate more fully in my days?
Is there still a thoughtful next step worth exploring?
At Head Well, ketamine therapy is for adults exploring another option after depression has continued to limit daily life. Our care model includes two in-office treatment pathways, Spravato and IV ketamine, along with preparation, monitoring, and integration support.
The goal is not only to complete a treatment session or check symptoms off a list. The goal is to help you explore whether this kind of care could support the life you are trying to move toward.
Spravato and IV ketamine at Head Well
Head Well offers two in-office treatment pathways within this broader care model.
Both are supervised, structured, and part of a comprehensive care plan, but neither is inherently better or stronger. The best fit depends on your history, how you’ve responded to previous treatment, medical considerations, and insurance coverage. It’s a decision made together during the consultation process.
Spravato
A prescription esketamine nasal spray that is FDA-approved for treatment-resistant depression. You self-administer Spravato in our office under clinical supervision, followed by a required monitoring period. Spravato follows a standardized treatment process and may be covered by insurance when criteria are met.
IV Ketamine
Ketamine administered through an intravenous infusion in a medically supervised setting. It is used off-label, most often for depression or other treatment-resistant psychiatric conditions. It allows for weight-based, adjustable dosing and is generally not covered by insurance. Patients pay out of pocket for each infusion.
A Different Kind of Treatment Process
Many traditional antidepressants work through serotonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine pathways. Ketamine-related treatments work differently. They are connected to the brain’s glutamate system, which plays a role in mood, learning, memory, and neuroplasticity which is the brain’s ability to change, adapt, and form new patterns over time.
Neuroplasticity is supported by more than medication alone. Sleep, movement, meaningful routines, connection with others, therapy, medication management, and the mindset you bring to change can all matter in the weeks around treatment.
That is why Head Well includes preparation and integration as part of care. The medication session is one part of the process. The support around it helps connect treatment to the changes you are hoping to make in daily life.
Safe, Supported Care
Feeling cautious about ketamine therapy is understandable. There is a lot of information online, and not all ketamine treatment is offered in the same kind of setting.
At Head Well, Spravato and IV ketamine are provided in a clinical environment by a trained team that includes medical assistants, registered nurses, and nurse practitioners. Spravato treatment is provided through Head Well’s certified Spravato treatment program, and both Spravato and IV ketamine care include screening, monitoring, and follow-up planning.
Before beginning care, the Head Well team completes a medical and psychological evaluation to understand your history, current symptoms, medications, health considerations, transportation needs, and other factors that may affect whether treatment is appropriate.
During treatment, some patients feel sleepy, lightheaded, quiet, reflective, disconnected, emotional, or aware of changes in perception, body sensation, or thought patterns. The experience can vary from person to person and from session to session.
Your care team is nearby to monitor your comfort and safety throughout the visit. Because Spravato and IV ketamine can temporarily affect alertness, coordination, and perception, patients arrange for a trusted person to drive them home after treatment.
Why Preparation, Integration, and KAP Matter
Ketamine therapy is not simply about receiving a medication and going home.
Before treatment, preparation helps you understand what to expect, ask questions, talk through concerns, and clarify what you hope treatment may help you move toward.
During treatment, you are supported in the office by a care team that monitors your comfort and safety.
After treatment, integration helps you reflect on the experience and connect it back to your daily life. This may include your routines, relationships, therapy, medication management, lifestyle support, and personal goals.
This is where ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, or KAP, fits into Head Well’s care model. KAP is best understood as a therapeutic framework around treatment, not as a separate third medication option. At Head Well, preparation and integration are part of the support offered with both Spravato and IV ketamine.
Some patients may also choose an optional KAP medicine session during treatment itself, when clinically appropriate. Because this service is often not covered by insurance, the team will review cost and fit before scheduling. The goal is to help the treatment process connect to the life you are trying to return to, not just the time you spend in the treatment room.
In-office treatment, not at-home ketamine
Some patients encounter at-home ketamine options while researching care. Those options may sound convenient, but they are different from Head Well’s in-office model.
Head Well provides Spravato and IV ketamine in connection with psychiatric care. That means evaluation before treatment, monitoring during or after the medication session, support afterward, and clear planning around transportation and follow-up.
For patients who feel cautious, uncertain, or overwhelmed by the amount of information online, that structure can matter. You are not expected to figure everything out on your own.
Head Well does not offer compounded or at-home ketamine.
Cost, insurance, and planning ahead
Cost and coverage are important parts of deciding whether treatment is realistic. Head Well reviews these details with you before treatment begins so you can make an informed decision.
Spravato is often covered by insurance when clinical and documentation criteria are met. Head Well currently accepts Moda, PacificSource, Regence BlueCross BlueShield, Aetna, Cigna, and Providence for Spravato treatment. Prior authorization is usually required, and the process can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks.
IV ketamine is usually self-pay because it is rarely covered by insurance. Head Well does not bill insurance for IV ketamine infusions. The current self-pay cost is $600 per treatment.
Optional KAP medicine sessions are also generally self-pay. The current cost is $175 per session.
Before treatment begins, Head Well will review expected costs, scheduling needs, transportation requirements, and payment considerations so you can plan ahead with clarity.
The First Step Is Not A Commitment
You do not need to arrive with a decision already made.
The first step is a consultation. Together, we will talk through what you have tried, what symptoms are still affecting your life, what treatment would require, and whether ketamine-assisted treatment may be a thoughtful next step.
If Spravato or IV ketamine is not recommended, that does not mean you are out of options. The conversation can still help clarify a safer or more appropriate path forward.
Ketamine Therapy Q&A
Ketamine-assisted treatment refers to care that includes a ketamine-related medication session along with clinical support before, during, and after treatment. At Head Well, this includes Spravato or IV ketamine, plus preparation, monitoring, and integration support.
KAP stands for ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. It is a therapeutic framework that may include preparation before treatment, support around the treatment experience, and integration afterward. At Head Well, KAP is part of the care model around Spravato and IV ketamine, not a separate third medication pathway.
Some patients may also choose an optional KAP medicine session during treatment itself, when clinically appropriate.
Spravato is a prescription esketamine nasal spray that is FDA-approved for treatment-resistant depression. It is self-administered in a certified healthcare setting under supervision, with monitoring after each dose.
IV ketamine is ketamine administered through an intravenous infusion in a medically supervised setting. It is used off-label, most often for depression or other treatment-resistant psychiatric conditions.
Ketamine-related treatments are connected to the brain’s glutamate system, which plays a role in mood, learning, memory, and neuroplasticity. This is different from many traditional antidepressants.
These treatments do not work the same way for everyone, and they are not guaranteed. For some patients, they may be worth discussing when depression has continued to limit daily life despite other treatment efforts.
When administered in a clinical setting by trained professionals, ketamine treatment is generally considered safe for appropriately screened patients. It is not suitable for everyone, which is why Head Well completes a medical and psychological evaluation before treatment begins.
Experiences vary. Some patients feel sleepy, lightheaded, quiet, reflective, disconnected, emotional, or aware of changes in perception, body sensation, or thought patterns. There is no “right” experience.
During treatment, the care team monitors your comfort and safety and is nearby if you feel uncomfortable, anxious, or unsure of what you are experiencing.
No. Patients need a trusted person to drive them home after Spravato or IV ketamine treatment.
Spravato may be covered by insurance when criteria are met. IV ketamine is generally not covered by insurance, and Head Well does not bill insurance for IV ketamine infusions.
No. Head Well is located in Eugene and may serve patients from surrounding communities or other parts of Oregon when clinically appropriate. Because treatment requires in-office visits and transportation home, travel logistics should be considered before beginning care.
The first step is to complete intake and screening forms so the Head Well team can understand your history and determine whether a consultation is appropriate.
From there, the process may include:
- An initial consultation with a board-certified medical and psychiatric nurse practitioner, often virtually
- Insurance benefits review and prior authorization, when Spravato is being considered
- A preparation session before your first treatment
- An in-office education visit to review vitals, treatment spaces, what to expect, how to prepare, financial information, and Spravato REMS enrollment if needed
- Your first treatment session
- Integration support after treatment
- A follow-up consultation after the first several weeks to review response and adjust the treatment plan if appropriate
You do not have to sort through the process alone. The goal is for you to understand what treatment would involve before you decide whether to move forward.