Ketamine has a complicated reputation. It’s been a horse tranquilizer, a party drug, linked to celebrity headlines, and is now being explored as a breakthrough treatment for depression, PTSD, and trauma. So what is it really?

Dr. Priyanka and Hari trace ketamine’s history from operating rooms to mental health clinics, explain how it works differently from traditional antidepressants, and unpack why it can help some people with treatment-resistant depression. They also discuss the principles of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP), the lessons from Matthew Perry’s death, and why proper medical oversight matters. Along the way, Dr. Wali shares powerful stories from her own clinical experience.