Beyond the Blues
Centerspace is using ketamine to help patients find relief from depression when traditional treatments fail. Hear Kaitlyn's inspiring story.
Conditions | Treatments | Ketamine | Spravato | Location | Contact | Other Services
The MUSC Centerspace Clinic provides personalized, evidence-based therapies that incorporate effective, rapid-acting medications for common treatment-resistant mental health conditions like depression, anxiety and PTSD. From your first visit, our team of board-certified psychiatrists and behavioral health experts will collaborate with you to develop a personalized care plan that will lead to long-lasting improvements in your mental health and overall well-being.
At Centerspace, we incorporate highly effective medications into tailor-made treatments for treatment-resistant psychological conditions including:
Depression that does not respond to conventional antidepressants or psychotherapy is commonly referred to as treatment-resistant depression. At Centerspace, our psychiatrists incorporate a medication called ketamine into our treatments for treatment-resistant depression. Research shows ketamine can provide rapid and robust antidepressant effects, often within hours or days of administration. With this treatment, Centerspace can significantly reduce your symptoms of depression, even if they have not responded to other treatments in the past.
If you are currently experiencing thoughts of suicide, please talk to someone today. Call 988 to speak to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline now.
At Centerspace, we treat suicidal ideation with treatments that include the medication ketamine. Research has shown that a single treatment of ketamine may produce significant and rapid reductions in suicidal thoughts, making it a potentially life-saving intervention for individuals struggling with suicidal ideation and severe depression. This rapid effect contrasts with traditional antidepressants, which often take weeks to show clinical benefit.
If you suffer from anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety, or social anxiety, you may benefit from treatments at Centerspace. We incorporate the medication ketamine into our treatment for anxiety. Research suggests that ketamine's effects on anxiety are thought to be related to its ability to promote changes in the brain's response to stress and emotional regulation. Some studies suggest that ketamine treatment may be beneficial in reducing the intensity and frequency of anxiety symptoms in certain individuals.
Treatments at Centerspace may be right for you if you suffer from depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder, especially if your symptoms have not previously responded to mood stabilizers or other antidepressant medications. We incorporate the medication ketamine into our treatment for bipolar depression as studies have shown that it can produce a rapid improvement in mood, even in severe depressive states.
Ketamine use in bipolar disorder must be carefully managed to avoid triggering manic episodes, and should therefore only be utilized in a clinical setting under the careful supervision of mental health professionals like those at Centerspace.
If your symptoms of PTSD have not responded to traditional therapies like talk therapy or conventional medications, Centerspace may offer the right treatment for you. We use the medication ketamine in a comprehensive treatment approach to enhance healing and promote long-term recovery. Ketamine has been shown to help reduce habitual intrusive thoughts, hyperarousal, and negative emotional states commonly associated with PTSD.
Through our integrated approach, we help patients address the underlying trauma while also supporting symptom relief.
At Centerspace, we use the medication ketamine in conjunction with other treatments for our approach to treating problematic alcohol and substance use. While more research is needed, early studies suggest that ketamine may help reduce cravings and promote abstinence by altering the brain's reward system and enhancing emotional processing. Ketamine’s effects on the brain may also help reset unhealthy patterns of thought, emotion, and behaviors associated with problematic alcohol and other substance use.
Centerspace is using ketamine to help patients find relief from depression when traditional treatments fail. Hear Kaitlyn's inspiring story.
The psychiatrists and health care providers at the MUSC Health Centerspace Clinic are compassionate mental health experts who know that traditional psychiatric treatments may not always be fully effective. Using cutting edge treatments like ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and Spravato, Centerspace offers a highly personalized and functional environment to support your path to healing and transformation. We work closely with your other healthcare providers to coordinate a comprehensive treatment plan for you. We aim to complement the care you currently receive from your other medication and therapy providers, not replace them. Together, we create a collaborative approach to treat your mental health symptoms, and maximize your overall well-being.
At Centerspace, we incorporate the medication ketamine into our comprehensive treatments for mental health conditions. Want to learn more about ketamine? Review this list of frequently asked questions:
Ketamine is FDA-approved and has been increasingly studied for its effectiveness in treating mental health disorders since the early 2000’s. It is now recognized as a highly effective treatment for conditions that don’t respond well to traditional therapies, such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
Ketamine appears to work by enhancing neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to form new connections and "rewire" itself. This can be thought of like remodeling a room. Sometimes our brain’s usual patterns of thought and behavior become fixed in a certain way, especially when dealing with conditions like depression, anxiety, or PTSD. Ketamine helps by creating new neural connections, resetting pathways in the brain that were previously blocked or underactive. This process allows patients to break free from negative thought patterns, emotional responses, and behaviors that can be deeply ingrained over time. As a result, individuals often experience a shift in mood, with feelings of relief and a greater ability to engage with the present moment. Ketamine can also make it easier for patients to connect with the insights and progress made in therapy, further enhancing the overall healing process.
By encouraging the brain to reorganize and form new pathways, ketamine provides the opportunity to create lasting changes in how we think, feel, and respond to the world around us. This increased flexibility in the brain helps foster emotional resilience and opens the door to deeper, more meaningful changes in mental health and well-being.
When used in a controlled clinical setting, ketamine has been shown to be both safe and well-tolerated. At Centerspace, ketamine is administered under the close supervision of trained mental health professionals who monitor each patient throughout the treatment to ensure their comfort and safety. Because ketamine is used at much lower doses than those typically given for anesthesia, it remains safe for patients when administered with appropriate clinical supervision.
The side effects of ketamine are typically mild and temporary. Temporary side effects may include:
The ketamine experience is often described as dream-like, with some patients feeling a sense of detachment from their surroundings or experiencing altered perceptions of time and space. This mental experience is temporary, and patients are monitored to ensure they return to their usual state of awareness before the treatment session concludes.
One of the unique benefits of ketamine therapy is its ability to provide rapid relief. Many patients begin to notice improvements in their mood, energy, and overall well-being within hours or days of their first treatment. However, the onset of full effects may vary depending on individual factors, such as the severity of symptoms and the treatment plan.
For some, a series of treatments may be necessary to achieve sustained, long-term benefits. While traditional antidepressants can take weeks to show effects, ketamine’s fast-acting nature can help patients feel better more quickly, often enabling them to engage in therapeutic work and start making lasting changes much sooner.
At Centerspace, we are committed to making our transformative mental health treatments accessible to as many individuals as possible. We understand that insurance coverage is often a key consideration when seeking care, and we strive to work with our patients to navigate this process.
Currently, many insurance providers—both federal and commercial—cover certain aspects of the services we offer, including consultations, evaluations, and intranasal ketamine treatments. Spravato, in particular, is often covered by insurance, and in some cases, patients may have no out-of-pocket costs for this treatment, depending on their plan. Our team will work with you to secure prior authorizations for your treatments. Our team is available to assist with any necessary paperwork and to help clarify billing questions, ensuring that you fully understand the costs associated with treatment.
If use of insurance is not required or available, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy services provide an alternative option. Our goal is to help you access the treatment you need with as little stress as possible, and we are here to support you every step of the way.
At Centerspace, we offer several types of ketamine treatments to provide a range of options tailored to meet the diverse needs of our patients. We recognize that your mental health journey is unique, and we believe in offering personalized treatment plans that can effectively address unique mental health conditions. By providing different types of ketamine treatments, or a combination of therapies, we ensure that we can offer the most suitable approach, whether you’re looking for the integrated support of therapy or a more medication-focused solution. The two primary treatment methods we offer at Centerspace are:
The Centerpace team will ensure you receive the highest standard of care, closely assessing your individual needs and medical history to determine the most appropriate treatment plan. Our team of experienced clinicians administer the ketamine treatment in a quiet, comfortable, professional and private environment. Depending on your treatment plan, ketamine is typically administered through an intranasal spray, or by injection in your shoulder. Each session typically lasts between two to three hours, with follow-up sessions scheduled as needed to ensure your continued progress. Throughout your process, we emphasize creating a calming atmosphere that allows for your emotional exploration and healing.
If ketamine treatments are not suitable for you or do not prove effective, we offer referrals to other specialized forms of mental health treatment to ensure that you have access to the right care for your needs. We are committed to helping you find the most effective path to healing and wellness.
Centerspace patients who have received ketamine treatments often report rapid and long-lasting improvements in both emotional and cognitive well-being. Based on the most-commonly reported feedback from our patients, these are benefits you'll likely experience from treatment at Centerspace:
In this episode of Advance with MUSC Health, Jennifer Jones, M.D., details how Centerspace, a transformational center at MUSC Health, is offering ketamine, a common anesthetic, as a novel treatment to help people with difficult-to-treat mental health conditions, such as treatment resistant depression.
Listen.Your first visit to the MUSC Health Centerspace Clinic will be an opportunity for our team to get to know you and understand your unique needs, concerns, and goals. During this initial consultation, you can expect:
By the end of your first visit, you will have a clear understanding of how ketamine therapy can help you and what steps to take next. We are committed to guiding you through your treatment and providing the support you need to achieve your mental health goals.
We are a team of highly skilled and dedicated behavioral health experts committed to transforming mental health care through innovative, compassionate, and evidence-based treatments. Led by the clinic’s director Dr. Jennifer Jones, our multidisciplinary team includes psychiatrists, therapists, and other health care professionals who are experts in mental health care and ketamine-based treatments.
At Centerspace, our commitment to providing exceptional care is reflected in the following hallmarks of service:
To learn more about how the MUSC Centerspace Clinic can help you with difficult-to-treat mental health conditions, please contact us Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We accept both self-referrals and referrals from providers. If you are seeking to use insurance coverage for treatment, we may ask that you work with your provider or pharmacy to bring a list of any previously tried mental health medications.
Before a consultation, we generally ask for a patient information form to be completed before arriving for the consultation. Click here to fill out the "contact us" form.
The Centerspace team is passionate about advancing knowledge for new and emerging medication-assisted therapies, such as psilocybin and MDMA, through ongoing research. Our goal is to offer the most effective and innovative treatment options for patients.
Centerspace also provides interdisciplinary trainees with the opportunity to gain hands-on skills in a clinical setting. Whether you are a medical student, resident, or early-career clinician, our clinic offers a unique learning environment where you can work alongside experienced professionals, gaining practical experience in cutting-edge mental health treatments while contributing to the impactful work we do for our patients.
Together, the Centerspace team is committed to delivering the highest standard of care while fostering an environment of learning, growth, and innovation.
At Centerspace, we believe that the environment in which healing takes place plays a crucial role in supporting the treatment process. Our clinic has been thoughtfully designed to create a serene and supportive atmosphere that fosters relaxation, peace, and emotional well-being. Every element of the space, from the calming colors and natural light to the carefully selected furnishings and soothing sounds, is chosen to encourage a sense of safety and tranquility.
The treatment rooms are equipped with comfortable seating and soft, ambient lighting, offering an environment that feels more like a peaceful retreat than a traditional clinical setting. This calm atmosphere helps to reduce stress and anxiety, allowing patients to fully engage in their therapeutic journey.
We also prioritize privacy and confidentiality, ensuring that each patient has the space they need to feel comfortable and respected during their time with us. For each patient’s treatment, our team works to provide a space where healing can unfold naturally, free from distractions and stress.
By intentionally creating a space that supports relaxation and emotional openness, we help guide you toward a deeper connection with your personal healing process. Our clinic is not just a place for treatment; it’s a place where you can feel truly cared for and supported every step of the way.
You can find the MUSC Centerspace Clinic at 1470 Tobias Gadson Boulevard, Suite #107 in Charleston, SC.
Centerspace Clinic