Ketamine is Hope - A New Path to Healing
Julie Addis opened Ketamine is Hope in 2023 with a clear mission: to restore healing and hope where traditional treatments had failed. After decades in the medical field – 26 of them as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) – she saw firsthand how the mental health crisis was worsening despite more prescriptions, more referrals, and more frustration. It was time for a different approach.
“I kept seeing people silently battling the weight of mental health conditions – depression, anxiety, PTSD, postpartum struggles – while cycling through medications that offered little lasting relief,” Julie says. “It was heartbreaking. The need for something different, something that truly helped, became impossible to ignore. I wanted to offer a path forward for people who felt like they were out of options.”
Discovering a Different Kind of Treatment
Julie’s search led her to Ketamine therapy – specifically, low-dose intravenous (IV) Ketamine infusions administered in a controlled, supportive setting. With decades of experience in anesthesia, she recognized the science behind the treatment and the emerging research supporting its use for mental health conditions.
“I didn’t jump into this blindly,” she says. “I spent years researching everything I could about Ketamine therapy. I wanted to understand how it worked, who it helped, and how I could bring it to my community safely and effectively.”
What she discovered was compelling: a therapy backed by growing clinical research and real-world results, one that offers relief for individuals suffering from treatment-resistant mood disorders. Ketamine infusions target key neurochemical imbalances in the brain, helping to reset patterns that often contribute to chronic mental health struggles. For many patients, especially those who have tried multiple medications with little success, it offers something they haven’t felt in a long time—hope.
Personalized Care in a Purposeful Space
Julie’s extensive medical background paved the way for her to explore Ketamine therapy, but it’s the level of care she provides that truly sets Ketamine is Hope apart. Her decades of experience in trauma and surgical ICU settings bring clinical precision to every treatment; however, Julie’s patients remember her calm presence, deep empathy, and unwavering commitment to walking alongside them through the healing process.
“No one is ever just a number here,” Julie says. “I’m with each person throughout their journey. I want them to feel supported every step of the way.”
That support begins the moment a patient walks through the door. Ketamine is Hope was never designed to feel like a hospital or a traditional clinic. From soft lighting and comfortable recliners to peaceful music and thoughtfully arranged private treatment rooms, the space is calm, quiet, and intentionally welcoming.
“People come in carrying so much – emotionally, physically, spiritually,” Julie says. “I wanted to create a place where they feel safe to breathe again.”
Each session is unrushed and tailored to the individual. Patients are invited to wear headphones and listen to music, bring a therapist to stay with them, or sit in silence as the medicine takes effect. Julie oversees each infusion personally, while her Registered Nurse handles the IV placement, monitors vitals, and provides comfort and gentle reassurance throughout the treatment. Whether a patient wants to talk, reflect, or rest, they’re never alone.
“We don’t just administer treatment and walk away,” Julie says. “We take our time. We listen. We hold space for whatever someone is going through.”
Why IV? A Safer, More Tailored Approach
At Ketamine is Hope, low-dose Ketamine is delivered intravenously – a method Julie believes offers the safest and most flexible path to healing. Unlike oral or nasal treatments, IV infusions allow real-time adjustments based on the patient’s needs and responses. If someone experiences discomfort or a stronger-than-expected reaction, the infusion can be paused or stopped immediately, which is something not possible with other methods.
“With IV, I can respond in the moment if something feels off,” Julie explains. “That level of control means better outcomes and a greater sense of safety for my patients.”
IV infusions also provide the most precise dosing options, which is especially important for patients dealing with treatment-resistant conditions. While most begin with a foundational series of six infusions over three weeks – a structure based on clinical research – Julie adapts each treatment plan to fit the individual, ensuring that no two journeys look exactly alike.
When Hope Returns
Julie has witnessed powerful moments of transformation – quiet breakthroughs that speak volumes.
“Our very first patient was a young man with a long history of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse,” she recalls. “He started noticing significant changes after just a few treatments. He was much more present, hopeful, and no longer felt the temptations that had haunted him for years. Watching people leave here with hope in their eyes is the reason we do this.”
“When I first opened the clinic, we had a small segment about us on the local news, and the next day, a man reached out to me because of that segment,” Julie explains. “He couldn’t see a future with him in it, but he completed his treatment with us anyway. To this day, he says he owes his life to that news segment.”
These moments, Julie says, are what make the work so meaningful. “It’s not about dramatic changes overnight,” she explains. “It’s about seeing people slowly start to believe in their future again.”
Julie is careful to clarify that Ketamine isn’t a quick fix. It’s a tool – one that can help people finally begin to heal when combined with therapy, support, and intentional care.
“This isn’t a replacement for everything else,” she says. “It’s a catalyst. It opens the door so people can move forward.”
The Heart Behind the Practice
Julie didn’t open Ketamine is Hope simply as a professional venture – it was a personal mission. While she continues to work part-time administering anesthesia, she dedicates the majority of her time and energy to building a clinic that offers gentle care, connection, and actual results.
“I had a strong feeling this was what I was meant to do,” she says. “This clinic is about being present with people in their pain and helping them rediscover what healing can feel like.”
Starting the practice meant doing nearly everything herself – research, outreach, education, and operations. But every effort felt worthwhile as she watched patients begin to reclaim their lives.
“There were challenges, of course,” she says. “But the stories, the transformations – they remind me every day why I started.”
Accessible, Responsive, Human
One thing Julie is especially proud of is the clinic’s accessibility and responsiveness. Every message or request is answered within 24 hours – a rarity in most healthcare settings.
And their easy-to-navigate website, www.ketamineishope.com, makes it simple for potential patients to request a consultation or learn more about the treatment process.
While the clinic does not bill insurance, since IV Ketamine for mental health is considered an “off-label” treatment, patients have multiple payment options. Ketamine is Hope accepts credit cards, HSA cards, CareCredit, and Advance Care Card financing to help make treatment more accessible.
“We try to remove barriers wherever we can,” Julie says. “From the very first moment someone reaches out, we want them to feel supported. We want them to feel seen.”
A Way Forward
At Ketamine is Hope, the message is simple and sincere. Healing is possible, and no one has to walk through it alone.
“You are not your diagnosis,” Julie says. “You are not your trauma. You are not broken.”
She meets each person with compassion and belief in their potential, holding space for the pain while offering a way forward.
“People often come to me at their lowest point,” she says. “They feel like nothing will ever change. But there is always hope. That’s what I want them to know.”
