Cereva Health

Depression does not always look like someone who cannot get out of bed.

Sometimes it looks like:

• Going to work every day
• Taking care of the children
• Answering messages and meeting deadlines
• Making jokes and supporting everyone else
• Keeping the house running
• Looking completely “fine” from the outside
• Quietly wondering how much longer you can keep doing it

Being productive does not automatically mean someone is mentally well. Some people become exceptionally good at performing normal while privately experiencing exhaustion, hopelessness, irritability, disconnection or a loss of interest in life.

A full calendar can hide a lot. So can a sense of humor. So can competence.

You do not have to wait until your life completely falls apart before asking for help. In fact, that is a fairly terrible eligibility requirement.

If depression symptoms have persisted despite traditional treatment, Cereva Health can help you explore whether options such as Spravato or IV ketamine therapy may be appropriate.

Contact us to begin with a private evaluation and an honest conversation about what you’ve been experiencing.

Support can make a meaningful difference—but support and pressure are not the same thing.

If someone you care about is receiving ketamine or Spravato treatment, you can help by:

• Listening without immediately trying to fix everything
• Providing dependable transportation
• Helping keep the rest of treatment day calm
• Asking what kind of support they want
• Respecting their privacy and emotional boundaries
• Encouraging them to follow their treatment plan
• Noticing small changes in mood, energy or engagement
• Staying connected between appointments

After treatment, avoid turning the drive home into an interrogation:

“Did it work?”
“What did you see?”
“Do you feel better now?”
“Why aren’t you talking?”

A better approach might be:

“I’m here if you want to talk.”
“Would you prefer quiet, music or company?”
“Is there anything you need tonight?”
“You don’t have to explain the experience right now.”

Healing does not perform on command. Sometimes the most supportive thing you can offer is steady presence without demanding immediate proof that treatment is working.

If you notice concerning changes, worsening depression or statements suggesting that the person may be unsafe, contact their treatment provider or seek immediate professional help.

Cereva Health welcomes appropriate questions from loved ones while protecting every patient’s privacy and autonomy.

Your treatment-day checklist:

Before leaving home:

• Confirm your appointment time.
• Arrange for a responsible driver to take you home.
• Follow the eating and drinking instructions provided by Cereva Health.
• Take medications only as directed by your provider.
• Tell us about any medication changes, new symptoms or recent health concerns.
• Wear comfortable clothing and consider bringing an extra layer.

Helpful items to bring:

• Your phone and charger
• A journal if you’d like to capture thoughts afterward
• Any questions you want to discuss with the clinical team

Cereva Health provides private treatment rooms and comfort options such as warmed blankets, eye masks, music and headphones. You are not expected to arrive already knowing how to “do treatment correctly.” That is our job to help you navigate.

For Spravato appointments, patients are generally instructed not to eat for at least two hours or drink liquids for at least 30 minutes before treatment. Always follow the instructions given specifically to you.

Most importantly: do not arrive planning to drive yourself home. Your car keys may attend the appointment, but they are officially off duty afterward.

Questions before your appointment? Contact Cereva Health so we can help you arrive prepared and less anxious.

Progress doesn’t always arrive with fireworks and a dramatic movie soundtrack.

Sometimes, the first signs that treatment may be helping are much quieter:

• Getting out of bed feels slightly less difficult.
• You have a little more patience or emotional capacity.
• Your thoughts feel less heavy or repetitive.
• You’re sleeping, eating, or concentrating a little better.
• You respond differently to something that usually overwhelms you.
• You notice a small desire to reconnect, participate, or make plans.
• Someone close to you notices a change before you do.

Treatment progress isn’t always “I feel happy now.” Sometimes it begins with, “That didn’t knock me down as hard as it normally does.”

Track the small shifts and share them with your treatment team. They help us evaluate your response, understand what is changing, and make thoughtful decisions about your care.

If you’re wondering whether ketamine therapy or Spravato may be an option for you, contact Cereva Health to begin the conversation.

Treatment ends. Recovery continues.

What you do after a ketamine or Spravato treatment matters. Give your mind and body room to settle:

• Arrange for someone to drive you home.
• Keep the rest of your day simple and restful.
• Hydrate and eat something light if tolerated.
• Follow the instructions provided by your clinical team.
• Avoid alcohol and other intoxicating substances.
• Don’t change prescribed medications without speaking with your provider.
• Write down any thoughts or feelings that arise—but don’t pressure yourself to understand everything immediately.

This is also probably not the ideal time to resign from your job, text your ex, or reorganize the entire family tree.

Spravato patients should not drive, operate machinery, or do anything requiring complete alertness until the following day after a restful night’s sleep.

Contact your care team if you experience anything concerning. Seek urgent medical attention for trouble breathing, chest pain, a sudden severe headache, vision changes, fainting, seizures, or another medical emergency.

Have questions about preparing for treatment or planning your recovery time? Contact Cereva Health. We’ll help you know what to expect before, during, and after your appointment.

If ketamine and Spravato can work rapidly, why aren’t they usually given only once?

Because rapid does not always mean complete, sustained, or predictable.

A series of treatments gives the clinical team time to:

Observe whether symptoms are changing
Evaluate how well treatment is tolerated
Look for patterns across multiple sessions
Adjust the plan when medically appropriate
Determine whether improvement lasts between treatments
Decide whether continued or maintenance treatment makes sense

Some patients notice improvement after an early session. Others respond more gradually. A single uneventful treatment does not necessarily predict the final outcome—and one intense experience does not guarantee lasting improvement.

Treatment plans commonly begin with a more frequent induction or loading phase. If the patient responds, sessions may eventually become less frequent. The goal is not to keep someone in treatment forever. It is to find the least intensive schedule that appropriately maintains meaningful benefit.

And if there is no measurable improvement after a reasonable trial, that deserves an honest conversation too. “Let’s just keep doing the same thing indefinitely and hope harder” is not individualized medicine.

At Cereva Health, progress is evaluated over time using both symptoms and everyday functioning. We want to know not only how treatment felt, but whether life outside the treatment room is beginning to change.

Contact Cereva Health to learn what a typical IV ketamine or Spravato treatment course may involve.

he short answer: Spravato may be covered by insurance. IV ketamine usually is not.

The longer answer involves prior authorizations, deductibles, formularies, treatment records, and at least one mysterious fax machine that refuses to retire.

Spravato

Because Spravato is FDA-approved for specific depressive conditions, many insurance plans offer coverage when the patient meets their medical-necessity requirements.

The approval process may require:

A qualifying diagnosis
Documentation of previous antidepressant trials
Current medication and treatment records
Prior authorization
A Spravato REMS-certified treatment center
Approval for both the medication and treatment-related services

Coverage does not always mean the treatment is free. Deductibles, copays, coinsurance, and separate medical and pharmacy benefits can affect the final patient cost.

Commercially insured patients may qualify for manufacturer savings programs. Government-funded plans—including Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and VA benefits—are generally excluded from manufacturer copay savings, although the insurance itself may still provide treatment coverage.

IV ketamine

IV ketamine for mental-health treatment is an off-label use and is typically private pay. Coverage is uncommon.

At Cereva Health, we help patients understand the verification and authorization process before treatment begins. A benefits check is an estimate—not a guarantee of payment—but it gives us a much clearer picture of the likely cost.

Send us a message with your insurance information to learn what the next step may be.

“But I felt completely fine after my last treatment.”

We’re genuinely glad. You still cannot drive yourself home.

Ketamine and Spravato can temporarily affect:

Alertness and reaction time
Coordination and balance
Attention and judgment
Visual or spatial perception
Thinking and decision-making
Your ability to recognize your own impairment

That last one is important. Feeling normal is not a reliable driving test—just as confidently singing every word to a song does not mean you’re hitting any of the notes.

At Cereva Health, patients must arrange safe transportation after treatment. Your driver should be a responsible adult with a valid driver’s license who understands that treatment and recovery times can vary.

Rideshare use may only be permitted according to clinic policy and provider approval. Please ask before assuming it will be acceptable, particularly for your first treatment.

After Spravato, patients should not drive, operate machinery, or perform activities requiring complete alertness until the following day after a restful night’s sleep. After IV ketamine, follow the provider’s specific discharge instructions and do not drive for the remainder of the restricted period.

Planning transportation in advance prevents canceled treatments, protects everyone on the road, and allows you to focus on recovery instead of negotiating with us while holding your car keys.

Contact Cereva Health with questions about transportation requirements before scheduling your treatment.

September is Su***de Prevention & Awareness Month.

For someone living with severe depression or suicidal thoughts, being told to “just hang on” can feel impossible when their brain is telling them there is no way out.

This is one of the reasons ketamine therapy has changed the conversation around treatment-resistant depression.

Unlike many traditional antidepressants that can take weeks to begin working, ketamine has been shown to reduce suicidal thoughts rapidly in some patients- sometimes within hours or days.

It isn’t a magic cure. And it isn’t the right treatment for everyone.

But for people who have tried medication after medication, therapy after therapy, and still feel trapped in depression, knowing that another treatment option exists can matter tremendously.

Sometimes hope starts with simply knowing:

There is still something else we can try.

This month, check on your people. Ask the uncomfortable question. Talk openly about mental health. And if someone tells you they’re struggling, listen.

You never know when one conversation or one new treatment option could help someone.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 to reach the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline.