Dr Nikola Ognyenovits
Brisbane QLD
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) program only.
No take home ketamine is prescribed by Dr Ognyenovits. No ketamine infusion is available.
Referral from GP or psychiatrist is necessary for ketamine assisted psychotherapy.
Female clients need to engage a support person for ketamine sessions.
Friendly room in a well established medical centre in the inner city of Brisbane, in Spring Hill. After reading an information leaflet and filling in a questionnaire, clients are screened by Dr Ognyenovits for suitability for ketamine assisted psychotherapy. All appointments are face to face, integration sessions can be online in exceptional circumstances.
Ketamine is only used in observed therapy sessions on site. Ketamine sessions are conducted on weekends.
Ketamine assisted psychotherapy program includes screening, preparation sessions (60 mins), observed and supported on-site ketamine session (3 - 3.5 hours) and integration sessions (60 mins). Further ketamine sessions are arranged dependent on need and suitability.
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy is part of a therapeutic process. A commitment to several appointments for supportive psychotherapy helping to integrate your experience outside ketamine sessions is essential.
It is important that you are engaged in established counselling/psychotherapy with a qualified counsellor before commencing ketamine assisted psychotherapy with Dr Ognyenovits.
KAP may not be beneficial for everyone. There are certain conditions or drug interactions making it inefficient or even contraindicated (potentially harmful).
The beneficial effects of ketamine are blocked by some common medications, particularly by benzodiazepines (diazepam, temazepam, clonazepam, alprazolam, oxazepam etc.), ‘Z-drugs’ (zopiclone, zolpidem) and lamotrigine (Lamictal, Lamidus etc.) If you are on multiple psychotropic medications the effects will be reduced.
Ketamine therapy is NOT suitable for you if you:
• have an active, current drug or alcohol addiction/dependence
• have a history of psychotic illness/schizophrenia
• have an unstable/severe personality disorder
• are in a current psychological or existential crisis
• are pregnant, breastfeeding or not using contraception
• have untreated high blood pressure
• have unstable angina
• have high risk coronary vascular disease
• have severe liver disease
• have untreated thyroid disease
• have elevated intracranial pressure, brain tumour, high pressure
hydrocephalus
• have elevated intraocular pressure, glaucoma
• currently taking certain prescription medications, as above
• ketamine may cause a mild headache or trigger migraine in some people
If you are female, you are requested to arrange and bring a support person to be present in the room during ketamine sessions, Dr Ognyenovits will not be able to support your sessions alone while you are under the effects of ketamine.
Dr Nikola Ognyenovits is an addiction medicine specialist physician, you will need a referral from your GP or psychiatrist to see him.
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy is privately billed and it is not recognised and covered by private health funds or DVA.