Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of an Asian American patient with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): a case study
Psychiatry Research Case Reports May 22, 2026 Albert Yeung, Huiqiong Deng, Wendy Feng et al.
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) may offer a viable treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Asian American patients, who face cultural barriers such as stigma and collectivist values that complicate mental health care. In a case study of a 26-year-old Asian American woman with chronic PTSD from childhood abuse and neglect, 11 intramuscular ketamine sessions (mean dose 88.2 mg) over eight months, paired with integration therapy, led to symptom improvement on standardized measures (PCL-5, PHQ-9, GAD-7). The patient's choice to work with an Asian therapist highlighted the importance of cultural concordance. KAP remains understudied in Asian communities.