Ketamine therapy for Riverview adults is delivered at Ascend Mind and Body's Wesley Chapel clinical hub by Anna Stouffer, PMHNP-BC. South Hillsborough patients (Big Bend, Boyette, Summerfield, Panther Trace) come up I-75 north to SR 56, about 35 minutes outside rush hour, ZIPs 33569, 33578, and 33579. The required psychiatric consultation is $320 and is available via Florida telehealth from home. Treatment sessions are in person only at the Wesley Chapel suite. Induction series: $1,500 bundled. Single session: $300. Call (813) 670-3005 or book a consultation.
The drive from south Hillsborough
Riverview is positioned in south Hillsborough where I-75 is the obvious route up to Pasco County. Most patients from the Big Bend area, Summerfield, and Panther Trace come north on I-75 to the SR 56 exit, then east a short stretch to Cashford Circle. Outside the morning northbound rush, the trip is 35 minutes. During peak northbound traffic (7:30 to 9:00 AM) add 15 to 20 minutes; mid-morning sessions are the most efficient.
From farther south near Sun City Center, the drive stretches to 45 minutes. From the Boyette area in Lithia, US 301 north is a usable alternate that cuts east at SR 56.
Who ketamine therapy is for
The primary indication is treatment-resistant depression: two or more antidepressants tried at therapeutic doses without adequate relief. Each indication below is assessed case by case. None are guaranteed to respond.
- Treatment-resistant depression: primary indication.
- PTSD: off-label, after trauma-focused therapy and first-line medications.
- Severe anxiety: presentations resistant to standard pharmacological treatment.
- OCD: off-label, after first-line ERP and SSRI trials.
- Bipolar depression: evaluated carefully; bipolar presentations require additional clinical assessment.
- Chronic pain: CRPS and neuropathic pain, off-label and adjunctive.
If you are in crisis, call or text 988. Ketamine therapy is not an emergency intervention.
How the subcutaneous protocol works
Ascend uses subcutaneous (SubQ) racemic ketamine: a small needle into the subcutaneous tissue rather than an IV line. SubQ produces a smoother and more predictable onset than oral routes and uses substantially less infrastructure than IV. The four-step protocol:
- Psychiatric evaluation (60 minutes, telehealth or in person). Treatment history, current symptoms, medical conditions, prior medication trials at therapeutic doses, and contraindications are reviewed by Anna Stouffer.
- Induction series: six sessions over approximately two to three weeks. Each visit at Wesley Chapel runs about 90 minutes from check-in to discharge.
- Active dose monitoring: 40 to 60 minutes in a recliner in a private treatment room. Anna Stouffer or a trained clinical team member is present and monitoring throughout.
- Maintenance determined by response. Some patients need none, some monthly, some every six to eight weeks.
You cannot drive yourself home after a session. Many Riverview patients pre-arrange an Uber or Lyft back down I-75 or schedule sessions on a day when a partner can drive.
Your provider
Anna Stouffer, MS, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC is the dual-board-certified psychiatric-mental health and family nurse practitioner who runs every ketamine evaluation, every dosing session, and every follow-up at Ascend Wesley Chapel. She also manages broader psychiatric medication management within the practice, so if ketamine is not the right fit, your treatment plan can be adjusted without a referral chain. Anna's full provider bio.
Pricing
- Initial psychiatric consultation: $320
- Six-session induction series (bundled rate): $1,500
- Single ketamine session (if paid per visit): $300
Insurance coverage for racemic ketamine is variable and most often out-of-network. The psychiatric consultation may be partially covered by in-network psychiatric benefits depending on your plan. We will not bill insurance for the ketamine sessions themselves.
What the research shows
Ketamine has been an FDA-approved anesthetic since the 1970s. The lower-dose psychiatric use is administered off-label, meaning a clinician may legally prescribe it within the standard of care but it is not specifically FDA-approved for psychiatric indications. Pharmacologically, ketamine acts on the glutamate system through NMDA receptor antagonism, a distinct pathway from the serotonin and norepinephrine systems most antidepressants target.
An American Psychiatric Association consensus statement (Sanacora G, et al., JAMA Psychiatry, 2017) summarized the evidence base for ketamine in mood disorders and described the framework for safe clinical use, including patient selection, monitoring, and dose-titration considerations. A randomized dose-frequency study (Singh JB, et al., American Journal of Psychiatry, 2016) reported significantly greater symptom reduction with repeated intravenous ketamine versus placebo in adults with treatment-resistant depression. Group averages are not promises. Individual responses vary, and not every patient responds.
Safety and side effects
Most effects are transient and resolve before discharge: temporary dizziness or nausea, mild and short-term increases in heart rate and blood pressure, brief perceptual changes or mild euphoria during the dose window, occasional headache or fatigue in the hours after. Ketamine is a Schedule III controlled substance administered only under medical supervision.
Conditions screened during consultation that may make ketamine therapy inappropriate include severe or uncontrolled cardiovascular disease, uncontrolled hypertension, active psychosis or a documented history of primary psychotic disorder, active or untreated substance use disorders, and pregnancy. Long-term unmonitored or recreational ketamine use carries documented risks. This page describes a supervised clinical setting only.
Where Riverview patients are treated
Treatment happens at Ascend Mind and Body, 27724 Cashford Circle, Suite 102, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544. Ground-floor suite, free parking, near the SR 54 and Meadow Pointe Boulevard intersection (about two minutes from the Shops at Wiregrass). Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Adjacent service-area pages: ketamine therapy in Brandon (Westfield Brandon corridor, I-75 east) and ketamine therapy in Valrico (SR 60 corridor). The in-person treatment hub: Wesley Chapel.
FAQs about ketamine therapy in Riverview
How long is the drive from south Hillsborough?
From the Big Bend Road or Summerfield area, about 35 minutes via I-75 north outside rush hour. From farther south near Sun City Center, plan on 45 minutes. The northbound morning rush adds 15 to 20 minutes; mid-morning is the most efficient session time.
Can I cluster sessions to reduce drive frequency?
The induction protocol is six sessions over two to three weeks, which already concentrates the drives into a short window. You cannot stack two sessions in one day. The schedule is built around your physiologic response and the time required to monitor between doses, not the drive.
What is parking like at the clinic?
Free, on-site, ground-floor suite access. No parking garage, no elevator. Important if you are coming out of a dissociative state at discharge.
Is ketamine FDA approved?
Ketamine has been an FDA-approved anesthetic since the 1970s. The lower-dose psychiatric use at Ascend is administered off-label, which means a clinician may legally prescribe it within the standard of care, but it is not specifically FDA-approved for psychiatric indications.
How long does a session take?
About 90 minutes from check-in to discharge: 10 to 15 minutes pre-session vitals, 40 to 60 minutes active dose, 20 to 30 minutes recovery observation. Add the drive home (you cannot drive yourself) and plan to be off-duty the rest of the day.
Does insurance cover it?
Coverage for racemic ketamine is variable and most often out-of-network. The psychiatric consultation may be partially covered by in-network psychiatric benefits depending on your plan. We will not bill insurance for the ketamine sessions themselves.
For the full clinical picture across all Ascend ketamine services, see the Ascend ketamine protocol summary.
Sources
- Sanacora G, Frye MA, McDonald W, et al. A consensus statement on the use of ketamine in the treatment of mood disorders. JAMA Psychiatry. 2017;74(4):399-405. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.0080.
- Singh JB, Fedgchin M, Daly EJ, et al. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-frequency study of intravenous ketamine in patients with treatment-resistant depression. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2016;173(8):816-826. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.16010037.