IV Ketamine to Treat Depression

In this episode, we welcome Alison Greenberg, former co-founder of the virtual perinatal care platform Ruth Health and current Senior Director of Growth and Partnerships at Ember Health. Allison shares her journey from addressing physical maternal health gaps to tackling the interconnected mental health crisis. We dive into the groundbreaking work at Ember Health, the largest IV ketamine practice in the country, to demystify the medical use of ketamine for treating major depressive disorder, bipolar depression, and postpartum depression.The conversation unpacks the science and safety behind IV ketamine, a drug traditionally used as a highly safe anesthesia that boasts an astounding 75% to 84% efficacy rate for depression, far surpassing the 33% average of standard SSRIs. Alison explains why Ember strictly administers ketamine via IV in a medically supervised, clinical setting, strongly cautioning listeners against the rising, risky trend of mail-order, at-home oral ketamine. She warns that these unmonitored at-home treatments lack essential emergency oversight and pose serious risks, such as organ damage and a propensity for addiction.Finally, Alison walks listeners through the beautifully choreographed patient experience at Ember Health, highlighting their rigorous, interdisciplinary care model that requires patients to actively collaborate with a mental health provider. She explains the profound concept of neuroplasticity, how ketamine creates a vital 24 to 72-hour window after an infusion where the brain is literally ripe to rewire negative habits, behaviors, and depressive patterns. Tune in to learn how this fast-acting, safe treatment, which is even accessible to breastfeeding mothers, is changing the landscape of mental health care.Connect with her: emberhealth.coClick here and use your exclusive 20% listener discount (Code: Fit20) to enroll in Master Your Pelvic Floor, our signature self-paced course that will change the way you understand and care for your body.