At-home ketamine therapy in Michigan, guided by a psychiatric team you can actually see
Compounded ketamine troches taken at home for treatment-resistant depression, anxiety and PTSD, prescribed and monitored by licensed prescribers who also manage the rest of your mental-health care. Not an app. Not a subscription box.
Who this is for
Most people who ask about ketamine have already tried two or more antidepressants without enough relief. Some have depression with a strong anxious edge; some have PTSD that hasn't budged with therapy alone. If that's you, at-home ketamine troches may be an option worth a real conversation, one that starts with a full psychiatric evaluation, not a checkout page.
Ketamine is not a first-line treatment and it is not for everyone. We screen carefully and we say no when it isn't a good fit. See who should not use ketamine below.
How our program is different from online-only ketamine services
Ketamine is one tool we use. The same team can adjust your antidepressants, offer therapy including EMDR, run pharmacogenetic testing, and keep caring for you long after the ketamine course ends.
Ann Arbor and East Lansing. If an in-person visit is needed for your initial evaluation or a blood-pressure check, you can come in. Many online-only services have no physical location in the state.
Evaluation and follow-up appointments are billable to insurance. The compounded medication itself usually isn't covered by any insurer, but at under $80 a month it is one of the lowest-cost parts of care.
Ketamine has strong evidence for rapid relief in treatment-resistant depression. Sublingual dosing has less research than IV infusions, and PTSD evidence is still emerging. We'll tell you that plainly.
How it works
- Call or book online. Tell us what you've tried so far. Our team can check your insurance and answer first questions before you commit to anything.
- Psychiatric evaluation. A full new-patient visit with a licensed prescriber covering your history, current medications, blood pressure and safety screening. Billable to insurance. Depending on current federal telehealth rules for controlled substances, this visit may need to be in person at our Ann Arbor or East Lansing office.
- Prescription to a compounding pharmacy. If ketamine is appropriate, we send the prescription to a licensed Michigan compounding pharmacy. Medication is typically under $80 per month, paid directly to the pharmacy.
- Guided first dose. Clear written instructions, a safety checklist, and a plan for your first session at home with a trusted adult present.
- Follow-up and adjustment. Early follow-ups are closer together while we find the right dose and frequency. Once you're stable, visits stretch to about every three months.
Your care team
Ketamine at Root Psych is prescribed and monitored by the same licensed prescribers who provide the rest of our psychiatric care. Every patient in the program is under the oversight of a board-certified psychiatrist.
Psychiatrist and medical director. Oversees the ketamine program and supervises the prescriber team.
Psychiatric physician assistant. Medication management including ketamine follow-up.
Psychiatric physician assistant. Medication management including ketamine follow-up.
Psychiatric physician assistant. Medication management including ketamine follow-up.
Psychiatric physician assistant. Medication management including ketamine follow-up.
Psychiatric nurse practitioner. Medication management including ketamine follow-up.
Psychiatric nurse practitioner. Medication management including ketamine follow-up.
Our therapy team, including EMDR-trained clinicians for trauma and PTSD, is available to patients in the program who want to pair ketamine with psychotherapy.
Who should not use ketamine
We will not prescribe at-home ketamine if you have any of the following. Some are absolute; some depend on details we'd discuss at your evaluation.
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure or unstable heart disease
- A history of psychosis, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, or a current manic episode
- An active substance use disorder, especially involving ketamine, alcohol or other dissociatives
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Increased pressure in the brain or eye, or a recent stroke or head injury
- No safe home environment, or no responsible adult available during dosing sessions
What a session at home is like
You dissolve the troche under your tongue and hold it for about 10–15 minutes before swallowing or spitting, following our written protocol. Effects begin within 15–30 minutes and usually fade within 60–90 minutes. Many people feel floaty, detached or dreamlike; this dissociation is expected and temporary. You stay seated or lying down in a quiet room, eyes closed or with calm music, with a trusted adult in the home. You don't drive, work, or make important decisions for the rest of the day.
Common side effects include nausea, dizziness, blurred vision and a short-term rise in blood pressure. Rarely, frequent or high-dose use has been linked to bladder irritation, which is one reason we keep doses conservative and check in regularly.
Ready to find out if it's a fit?
Call (734) 999-3505, or Book a new-patient evaluation. We serve patients throughout Michigan by telehealth, with in-person visits at 2500 Packard St, Suite 104A, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 and 325 East Grand River Ave, Suite 250, East Lansing, MI 48823. Open Monday–Friday 9am–5pm and weekends 9am–3pm.
Wondering about price? See cost and insurance. Comparing options? Read troches vs Spravato.