Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
Not all ketamine clinics are created equal—and at Riverwoods Behavioral Health, that difference is everything.
As traditional treatments like antidepressants and talk therapy fail to keep up with the worsening mental health crisis, Riverwoods offers a new path forward through Integrated Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (IKAP). Unlike clinics that simply administer ketamine, Riverwoods provides a comprehensive, trauma-informed healing process guided by skilled clinicians from start to finish.
"We don't just administer ketamine," says the Riverwoods clinical team. "We guide clients through preparation, therapy, and integration—because that's where real change happens."
Riverwoods' approach is built on key pillars:
- Trauma-informed, strengths-based care.
- Deep, process-oriented therapy.
- Positive psychology and resilience-building.
- Ethical, research-aligned treatment standards.
This isn't just about symptom relief. It's about helping people heal deeply, live meaningfully, and move forward when nothing else has worked.
What Is IKAP?
Integrated Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (IKAP) is an innovative model combining the neurological reset of ketamine with the structured insight of psychotherapy to create a deeply transformative healing experience.
Rather than administering ketamine in isolation, Riverwoods ensures that every session is guided by licensed, trauma-informed clinicians.
This means patients are prepared beforehand, supported during the experience, and helped to integrate their insights afterward.
This comprehensive process allows for breakthroughs that might otherwise take years of traditional therapy to achieve. Research shows that this is more effective than just administering ketamine in isolation. What's more, IKAP can be used to treat a wide range of conditions, including:
- Treatment-resistant depression.
- Suicidal ideation.
- PTSD and complex trauma.
- Anxiety disorders.
- OCD.
- Addiction and relapse cycles.
- Chronic psychological pain and burnout.
Why now?
Despite increased access to care, mental health outcomes continue to decline. One in five Americans report anxiety or depression, yet many remain stuck in cycles of medication and therapy that don't bring meaningful relief. SSRIs can take weeks to work—if they work at all.
Ketamine, by contrast, acts rapidly on the brain's glutamate system, promoting neuroplasticity and offering fast, profound relief from depression, suicidal thoughts, PTSD, and more. But when used in isolation, its benefits are often short-lived.
That's why Riverwoods' IKAP model matters: it combines the neurological reset of the brain with structured therapy to create lasting transformation.
Setting the standard: Doing it right
As ketamine therapy becomes more mainstream, not all providers will meet the same standards of care. Some clinics offer ketamine without therapeutic integration—leaving clients adrift after powerful emotional experiences.
Riverwoods stands apart by delivering ethically grounded, clinically supervised treatment from start to finish. Their therapists are specifically trained in integration, trauma care and the nuanced demands of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.
"We treat ketamine as a tool, not a cure," explains Dr. Trish Henrie-Barrus, who leads the clinic's program. "It's the therapy — the connection, the insight, the guidance — that allows that tool to transform lives."
Riverwoods combines medical excellence with a human touch, partnering with researchers and maintaining a strong ethical commitment to patient care.
A new vision for mental health
Riverwoods is setting a new standard—where science meets compassion, and healing means more than just symptom management. The goal: to help people not just survive but thrive.
If you're ready for real change, Riverwoods is ready for you. Learn more at www.rbh.care.
