More than 70% of patients with treatment-resistant depression experience rapid symptom relief after a low-dose ketamine infusion — yet most people searching for ketamine therapy near them have no framework for telling a rigorous clinic apart from a casual one (National Institutes of Health). That gap matters, because the setting, supervision, and clinical judgment surrounding ketamine treatment are not incidental details. They shape whether the experience produces lasting change or fades within weeks. At Revitalize Ketamine Clinic in Flagstaff, we’ve guided patients through this evaluation process from the beginning, and we want to make it easier for anyone researching their options across Northern Arizona.
What Credentials Actually Tell You
The first thing to examine is who is administering and supervising treatment. Ketamine infusions should be managed by a licensed provider with prescriptive authority — ideally one with specialty training in psychiatry or pain management, not just general practice. At Revitalize, our co-founder Casey Dubravcic is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who has been working in psychiatry since 2015 and following ketamine research since approximately 2008. Our medical director, Jill Dubravcic, is both a Family Nurse Practitioner and holds a post-master’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certificate from the University of Arizona. These aren’t resume checkboxes — they translate directly into the clinical judgment applied during your screening, your infusion, and your follow-up care.
Beyond the primary prescriber, look at who else is in the room. A well-staffed clinic should have trained personnel monitoring your vitals throughout the infusion. Ketamine elevates heart rate and blood pressure temporarily, and while this is typically well-managed, it requires active observation, not assumption. We monitor every patient’s cardiovascular status throughout every session. That is a clinical standard, not an upgrade.
Integration: The Criterion Most People Overlook
The research is clear that ketamine works best when paired with psychological support. A study examining ketamine-assisted psychotherapy found that combining psychotherapy with ketamine treatment may produce more durable and meaningful outcomes than ketamine alone (National Institutes of Health). That finding reflects something we have seen directly in our patient population — the infusion can create a window of neuroplasticity, and what happens in that window matters.
We have Cilla Pennington on our team specifically for this reason. Cilla is a licensed mental health social worker and former first responder whose clinical repertoire includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, EMDR, and trauma-informed care. Integration therapy at Revitalize isn’t an add-on — it is part of how we think about the treatment itself. When you are evaluating a clinic, ask directly whether they offer any form of psychotherapeutic support before or after infusions, and what that looks like in practice.
What a Rigorous Intake Process Looks Like
A legitimate ketamine clinic should ask hard questions before accepting you as a patient. At Revitalize, every patient completes a comprehensive medical and psychiatric questionnaire that our team reviews before any treatment is scheduled. Ketamine is not appropriate for patients with unstable cardiovascular conditions, certain psychiatric histories, or active substance use disorders that fall outside our treatment scope. Our intake process exists to protect you, not to create paperwork.
The intake at Revitalize costs $625 and includes the physical assessment, evaluation, and time spent reviewing the integration workbook with you. Infusions two through six in the standard induction series are $525 each. Maintenance or booster sessions — for patients returning after an initial series — are $425 each. Patients who have completed an induction series elsewhere and come to us for ongoing care are also charged $425 per session. We are direct about cost because we know it is a real factor in whether people pursue treatment, and we do not believe in making patients ask twice.
The Safety Profile You Should Expect a Clinic to Discuss Openly
Research from the National Institutes of Health confirms that side effects at a single therapeutic dose of intravenous ketamine are mild and brief for most patients — most commonly mild nausea, temporary drowsiness, and a dissociative “floating” sensation during the infusion itself that resolves before you leave the clinic. At Revitalize, we discuss all of this during your consultation before treatment begins. We also ask that every patient bring a driver for in-clinic infusions, as the aftereffects — while not dangerous — are not compatible with driving.
A clinic that minimizes side effects entirely or, conversely, presents them as dramatically unpredictable is likely not giving you an accurate picture. The correct framing is that ketamine at therapeutic doses has a well-documented safety profile, and that profile depends heavily on proper screening and monitoring — which is exactly what an in-clinic setting with trained staff provides. To understand more about the science behind ketamine therapy, our blog covers the neurological mechanisms in detail.
Treatment Options Beyond IV Ketamine
One mark of a comprehensive provider is whether they offer more than one pathway. At Revitalize, we offer IV ketamine therapy, at-home ketamine therapy via sublingual troches for qualifying patients, SPRAVATO® (esketamine nasal spray) for treatment-resistant depression, and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) — a non-invasive, drug-free, FDA-approved treatment for depression, anxiety, and OCD. TMS therapy in Flagstaff is covered by Cigna, Evernorth, Tricare West, Aetna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield for patients who meet the clinical criteria, which includes having tried and not responded to at least two antidepressant medications. SPRAVATO® carries the same insurance coverage through those same carriers.
Having multiple evidence-based options under one roof means your treatment plan can be adjusted based on your response, your history, and your goals — rather than defaulting to a single protocol because that is all a clinic offers. We discuss all relevant options with every patient and make treatment decisions collaboratively.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if a ketamine clinic is legitimate? Look for licensed providers with psychiatric or pain management credentials, a formal intake and screening process, active monitoring during infusions, and some form of integration or follow-up support. A clinic that will schedule you without a thorough evaluation is a red flag. At Revitalize, every patient is screened before treatment is offered — not every applicant qualifies, and that is by design.
Does it matter if the clinic is local vs. a telehealth-only service? For IV ketamine, local and in-person is the only option — infusions require clinical supervision. For at-home ketamine therapy using sublingual troches, a local provider like Revitalize offers something telehealth-only services cannot: in-person backup. If you need an in-clinic visit during your at-home treatment course, we are a short drive away in Flagstaff, Sedona, or Prescott Valley.
What questions should I ask during a consultation? Ask who will be supervising your treatment and what their credentials are. Ask what the intake process involves. Ask whether integration support is offered. Ask specifically about the side effects you should expect and how they are managed. Ask about pricing upfront — any reputable clinic will answer that question directly. We do at Revitalize.
Is TMS a good alternative if I am hesitant about ketamine? For patients who want a non-medication, non-infusion approach to treatment-resistant depression, TMS is a strong evidence-based option. It uses magnetic pulses to stimulate specific areas of the brain involved in mood regulation, requires no anesthesia, and has no systemic side effects. At Revitalize, we offer TMS at our Flagstaff and Prescott Valley locations and it is covered by major insurers including Aetna and Cigna when criteria are met.
What if I have already done ketamine elsewhere? We work with patients who have completed an induction series at another facility and are seeking ongoing maintenance care. Those patients are charged $425 per session at Revitalize. We ask for as much detail as possible about your prior treatment history — what protocols were used, how you responded, and what the follow-up looked like — so we can calibrate our approach to your specific history.
Key Takeaways
- The credentials of the supervising provider matter — look for licensed practitioners with documented psychiatric or pain management training, not just general clinical experience.
- Integration therapy significantly improves long-term outcomes from ketamine treatment; a clinic that does not offer any form of psychological support is leaving a meaningful clinical variable unaddressed.
- A rigorous intake process that screens out poor candidates is a feature, not an obstacle — it is evidence that the clinic takes safety seriously.
- Comprehensive providers offer multiple evidence-based pathways, including IV ketamine, SPRAVATO®, TMS, and at-home options, and make treatment decisions collaboratively rather than defaulting to one protocol.
- Results vary by individual; no ethical provider guarantees outcomes, but thorough screening, skilled supervision, and integrated follow-up care are the strongest predictors of a meaningful response.
If you are researching ketamine therapy in Northern Arizona and want a straight answer about whether you are a good candidate, call us at 928-589-0567 or schedule a consultation through our website. We serve patients across Flagstaff, Sedona, and Prescott Valley, and our team will walk through your history, your options, and the real costs involved before you make any decisions.
References
Ketamine’s Effectiveness for Depression. Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-021-01327-5
Side Effects Mild and Brief: Single Antidepressant Dose of Intravenous Ketamine. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/side-effects-mild-brief-single-antidepressant-dose-intravenous-ketamine
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy. National Institutes of Health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9207256/
Medical Disclaimer
The information in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Ketamine therapy, TMS, and SPRAVATO® should only be pursued under the supervision of a licensed provider familiar with your full medical and psychiatric history. Individual results vary. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or thoughts of self-harm, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to your nearest emergency room.