Maria Malo, LMFT

Maria Malo is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) and trauma specialist with offices in Irvine and Arcadia, California, who focuses on ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) and psychedelic integration. She also offers EMDR, general psychotherapy and consultation, and sees clients online anywhere in California.

Approach

Malo has worked as a psychotherapist for more than 20 years. She studied psychology at Hofstra University and counselling psychology at John F. Kennedy University, and added KAP to her practice in 2022 after training with Journey Clinical and Fluence and after her own experience with ketamine. Her other methods include solution-focused therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness coaching. In a dosing session, which lasts three to four hours in her office, the client lies down with an eye mask and calming music and takes a ketamine lozenge, and she stays present throughout. The first integration session follows 24 to 48 hours later. She can also support clients before, during and after IV ketamine infusions at a clinic.

Who it is for

She works with individuals, couples and other therapists, particularly on trauma, chronic depression, anxiety, inner child work, relationships and spiritual growth, and with people who want to make sense of experiences from retreats or ceremonies. Group KAP is open only to people who have first done individual sessions with her.

Practical details

A 50-minute intake, preparation or integration session costs $350, an individual dosing session $1,300, and group dosing $500 per person. Sessions are not usually covered by insurance but are eligible for out-of-network reimbursement. A free 20-minute consultation comes first.

Care and safety

After the intake on mental health history, a licensed doctor who prescribes ketamine checks each client medically and writes the prescription, and is paid separately.