Collaborative Care Between Greater Atlanta Family Counseling (GAFC), Atlanta Center for EMDR (ACE) and The Atlanta Ketamine Center
1. Overview of Partnership
Greater Atlanta Family Counseling/Atlanta Center for EMDR partners with The Atlanta Ketamine Center to provide coordinated, trauma-informed, and evidence-based support for clients receiving ketamine infusions. Because individual responses to ketamine vary significantly, we offers therapeutic services designed to enhance safety, support emotional processing, and integrate insights gained from the infusion experience.
Clients may be seen:
Before their infusion for preparation and stabilization
During their infusion if they elect to have a therapist present
After their infusion, either on-site immediately afterward or within 48 hours at our office for integration therapy
All services require a clinical determination of appropriateness, completed prior to the start of therapy.
2) Our Process
Pre-Treatment Screening & Coordination
Before therapy begins, our clinicians:
Complete a comprehensive assessment to determine whether EMDR, CBT, DBT, or talk therapy is appropriate.
Evaluate emotional stability, trauma history, dissociation risk, and readiness for deeper work.
Review the client’s ketamine treatment plan and goals.
With the client’s consent, collaborate with the Atlanta Ketamine Center to coordinate care and ensure clinical safety.
Clients must meet clinical criteria before beginning EMDR or trauma-intensive therapy.
Therapeutic Models Used for KAP
GAFC utilizes a combination of evidence-based models that pair well with ketamine-assisted psychotherapy:
Talk Therapy (Supportive or Insight-Oriented Psychotherapy)
Helps clients process emotions, clarify goals, and explore themes that arise during infusions.
Useful during preparation, integration, and ongoing treatment.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Helps clients apply new insights from ketamine sessions to change patterns of thought and behavior.
Effective for depression, anxiety, and maladaptive belief systems.
Especially beneficial post-infusion when clients may be more open to reframing old cognitive patterns.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Can deepen integration for clients processing trauma-related material that surfaces during or after ketamine therapy.
Used only when clinically appropriate and only in sessions before or after infusions—not during the infusion itself.
These three models are considered the strongest complements to KAP, providing stabilization, cognitive restructuring, and trauma resolution.
Alon MckIlveen
Alon MckIlveen is a second year graduate student at Northwestern University who will be graduating in June of 2026. Alon chose to attend graduate school specifically to become a therapist who works with psychedelics. Alon uses a nonjudgmental approach to assist clients in processing their thoughts and circumstances before/during/after ketamine infusions, and also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to assist clients with challenging maladaptive belief patterns.
Alon sees clients both at The Atlanta Ketamine Center and in our offices in Decatur and East Cobb. Alon sees clients for a discounted flat rate of $50.00 per hour.
Rich Leseganich, LAPC
Rich specializes in trauma recovery (including religious trauma), mindfulness-based interventions, DBT, CBT, and EMDR. He is is deeply committed to providing inclusive, affirming care for LGBTQIA+ clients. His therapeutic style is warm, holistic, and client-centered, grounded in compassion and attuned to the whole person.
In addition to being a therapist, Rich is also a Lutheran Minister and overall student of spirituality, including time spent studying Buddhism in Tibet and Shamanism in the Amazon Rainforest. While Rich’s default approach is secular, Rich is willing to discuss spirituality with clients if they desire to do so.
Rich sees clients at The Atlanta Ketamine Center as well as our Decatur and Marietta locations. He is able to accept most health insurance plans.
William A. Smith, LCSW
Will is a seasoned therapist who specializes in trauma and relationship issues. Will is currently serving as the President of The Georgia Association for Psychedelic Therapy. He is also the Clinical Director for both GAFC and ACE.
Will primarily works with KAP in the capacity of EMDR intensives, which is 2-4 hours of EMDR therapy. Will does not meet clients at The Atlanta Ketamine Center; instead, he meets clients in our East Cobb location, located approximately 15 minutes from The Atlanta Ketamine Center. Clients often will leave The Atlanta Ketamine Center to come straight to our office.
Will does not accept health insurance but does offer package rates, usually starting at $800.00 per hour for a package of 4 hours.