Foundation Medical Group offers IV and IM ketamine therapy at its Virginia clinic, 11600 Busy Street, Suite 203, Richmond, VA 23236. It’s used for treatment resistant depression, chronic PTSD (a trauma-related condition) and severe anxiety. Each infusion takes about 45 to 60 minutes. It’s mostly self-pay, and the drug isn’t FDA-approved for any psychiatric disorder.
What Is Ketamine Therapy?
Ketamine therapy is the use of low-dose ketamine, given through an IV or as an IM (intramuscular) injection in a monitored medical setting. The aim is to treat certain mental health conditions when standard care hasn’t helped. In a 2026 warning letter, the FDA states that ketamine is not FDA-approved for any psychiatric disorder. Surprised? Given how often ketamine shows up in the news, that’s a fair reaction. A survey in the American Journal of Psychiatry describes this psychiatric use as off-label.
Now, ketamine isn’t the same as Spravato. Spravato is esketamine, an FDA-approved nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression, and it’s a separate medication with its own rules. Ketamine is one of several innovative treatments in mental health care. Interesting? Sure. Still, it needs careful medical oversight and a plan.
Where Can I Get Ketamine Therapy in Richmond, VA?
For ketamine, Richmond is the only FMG location. Our ketamine clinic is at 11600 Busy Street, Suite 203, Richmond, VA 23236. It’s our flagship clinic, and its medical director is Vincent Nardone, MD. The American Fork, UT, Decatur, GA and Dallas, TX clinics don’t offer it. So whether you’re coming from across town or from elsewhere in the Commonwealth, Busy Street is where you’d go. The same office also offers Spravato and TMS, with our psychiatric team on site. Psychiatry, talk therapy and medication-assisted recovery happen there too, all under one roof. See the Virginia location page or our treatments page.
If you’re comparing ketamine clinics, ask plain questions. Who oversees care? How are patients monitored? Are payment terms clear up front? A good provider won’t mind any of them. Also know that FMG does not offer detox, IOP, PHP, residential care or 24/7 supervision.
Who Is a Good Fit for Ketamine Treatment in Richmond?
FMG uses ketamine treatment for three conditions: treatment-resistant depression, chronic PTSD and severe anxiety. These mental health disorders can wear down your work, sleep and overall wellness. And they don’t always respond to traditional treatment such as antidepressants and talk therapy. That’s frustrating, especially when you’ve done everything you were asked to do. Exhausting, too.
Ketamine treatment may be worth asking about if you’ve tried several treatment options without enough relief. That can include a mood disorder that hasn’t lifted, or trauma symptoms that keep coming back. This treatment is still off-label for these conditions, though. Keep that in mind as you weigh it.
You don’t decide fit alone. It’s decided at a psychiatric evaluation, where your provider reviews your health history and past treatments first. Then we ask what you actually want out of treatment. Relief? Better sleep? Getting back to work? Those answers matter.
What Happens During an IV Ketamine Infusion?
On the day of your IV ketamine treatment, you check in first. You then receive the medicine by IV (or by IM injection, if that’s your plan) in a calm, monitored clinical room. A scoping review on PMC found IV is the most common route in research, with IM as an emerging alternative.
The treatment itself lasts about 45 to 60 minutes. After each dose, our patients have dedicated recovery time before going home. Feeling nervous beforehand, especially the first time, is normal. You’re trying something new, after all. Our team explains the day-of rules at your first visit. Think of ketamine infusion therapy as a plan for relief, healing and better wellness over time, not a single visit.
How Does a Course of Ketamine Infusions Usually Run?
Research courses often use a short series of infusions close together. In a study in Biological Psychiatry, adults with treatment-resistant depression had up to six IV infusions (0.5 mg/kg) three times a week over 12 days. In that study, 70.8% of patients responded. Among responders, the median time to relapse was 18 days.
That last number is easy to skim past. It shouldn’t be. Honestly, it’s a sobering one. Relief can fade, and what comes after the first series of treatments matters. In practice, the number of treatments at FMG is set for each person after evaluation, with no fixed promise. Your provider reviews your response and talks with you about long-term wellness and healing.
Is Ketamine-Assisted Therapy Available at FMG?
You may see the terms ketamine assisted therapy or ketamine assisted psychotherapy. They describe the drug paired with structured psychotherapy, mostly in research. FMG does not offer this as a packaged program.
FMG does offer talk therapy, including CBT, DBT and ACT, in person at our Virginia office and by secure video in Virginia, Utah, Georgia and Texas. So if you’d like psychotherapy too, ask your provider how the two could fit your mental health and wellness goals.
Does FMG Use Ketamine for Chronic Pain?
You may have seen ketamine linked to chronic pain or neuropathic pain care. That’s a different use. At FMG, it’s used for mental health: treatment-resistant depression, chronic PTSD and severe anxiety. It isn’t a pain treatment here. We know that may be disappointing if pain is what brought you to this page. If you live with chronic pain, talk with your pain specialist.
How Much Does Ketamine Therapy Cost Near Richmond, VA?
Here’s the short answer. At FMG, this therapy is self-pay, and some plans cover a portion. Call our office to confirm coverage and current pricing. FMG does not accept Medicare in Virginia.
Why does insurance rarely pay? Because psychiatric ketamine use is off-label. In the survey cited earlier, providers reported that 64% of patients paid out of pocket and 23% had part of the cost reimbursed. A PMC scoping review names limited coverage as a barrier and says FDA-approved esketamine has better coverage than off-label IV ketamine. Frustrating? Yes. Unfortunately, that’s how coverage tends to work for off-label care. Our Spravato cost guide explains that side.
Ketamine vs Spravato Treatment: How Do They Compare?
Both are offered at our Richmond flagship on Busy Street, but they’re different medications. Here’s how they compare at FMG, based on the FDA and the Spravato label.
| IV/IM ketamine at FMG | Spravato (esketamine) at FMG | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Ketamine given through an IV or as an IM injection | Esketamine nasal spray |
| FDA status | Not FDA-approved for any psychiatric disorder (off-label) | FDA-approved for TRD in adults, alone or with an oral antidepressant |
| Used at FMG for | Treatment-resistant depression, chronic PTSD, severe anxiety | Treatment-resistant depression |
| Time in clinic | About 45 to 60 minute infusion, then recovery time | Monitoring for at least 2 hours each session |
| Payment | Self-pay; some plans cover a portion; call to confirm | Usually better insurance coverage; call to confirm |
| Where | Richmond, VA clinic only | Richmond, VA clinic only |
For the nasal spray, read about Spravato in Richmond or see our Spravato treatment page.
Key Takeaways
- FMG offers ketamine only at its Richmond, VA clinic, 11600 Busy Street, Suite 203.
- IV and IM ketamine is used for treatment-resistant depression, chronic PTSD and severe anxiety.
- Each infusion takes about 45 to 60 minutes, plus recovery time.
- It is self-pay, some plans cover a portion, and Medicare is not accepted in Virginia.
- Ketamine is off-label; Spravato is the FDA-approved therapy.
FAQ
Is ketamine therapy in Richmond FDA-approved?
No. The FDA says ketamine is not approved for any psychiatric disorder. Esketamine (Spravato) is the FDA-approved nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression in adults.
Does Medicare cover ketamine therapy in Richmond, VA?
FMG does not accept Medicare in Virginia. Ketamine is mostly self-pay, and some plans cover a portion, so call to confirm coverage.
How long does a ketamine infusion take in Richmond?
About 45 to 60 minutes. You then have recovery time in the clinic before you go home.
Can I get ketamine therapy at other Foundation Medical Group clinics?
No. Ketamine is offered only at the Richmond, VA clinic. Our Utah, Georgia and Texas clinics offer other services.
Is oral or nasal ketamine offered in Richmond?
FMG uses IV and IM ketamine for patients. The only nasal option is Spravato, a different, FDA-approved medication.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Warning letter on ketamine products, June 23, 2026.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Drugs@FDA), SPRAVATO (esketamine) nasal spray prescribing information.
- Biological Psychiatry via PMC, Rapid and Longer-Term Antidepressant Effects of Repeated Ketamine Infusions in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression.
- PMC, Mapping the Use of Ketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression and Other Psychiatric Disorders: A Scoping Review.
- American Journal of Psychiatry via PMC, A survey of the clinical, off-label use of ketamine as a treatment for psychiatric disorders.