Lucid Therapeutics

Lucid Therapeutics is a ketamine therapy clinic in Santa Barbara, California, founded and medically directed by Dr Remi Drozd. Ketamine is given by intramuscular injection or IV drip and paired with integration sessions. The clinic also offers Spravato, TMS, stellate ganglion block and a set of longevity treatments.

Approach

Dr Drozd holds board certification, has fifteen years in practice and trained as a ketamine practitioner; after hospital medicine, he says, he wanted care that starts with understanding the patient. Treatment starts with his medical assessment, in which he chooses between injection and IV. A 50-minute preparation session with an integration coach follows. Each ketamine session lasts two hours and is given by a licensed nurse or doctor, with the coach in the room throughout; a 50-minute integration session follows. The team also includes psychiatric nurse practitioners and two coaches who are licensed psychotherapists.

Who it is for

The clinic says ketamine suits people with depression, including treatment-resistant depression and depression with suicidal thoughts, as well as PTSD and anxiety. Its broader work covers trauma, burnout and chronic pain.

Practical details

A standard course is six ketamine treatments with paired integration sessions, usually spread over 12 weeks. Spravato sessions are held twice weekly in the first four weeks, then weekly. Insurance does not cover IM or IV ketamine, while most insurers cover Spravato, and payment options include Care Credit. Prices range from $175 to $695. The first contact is a discovery call.

Care and safety

Dr Drozd screens each patient for risk factors, such as a rise in blood pressure or heart rate, before treatment. Nausea, vertigo and headache are the most common side effects it lists, and staff treat them during the session. Patients often feel lethargic for a few hours afterwards. The clinic presents ketamine as a tool for long-term management, not a cure.