Finding Specialized Mental Health Care in Grand Rapids: The Thrive Difference

Most people who arrive at Thrive Center for Health have already spent years trying to get better. They have worked with multiple providers, tried several medications, and still find themselves struggling with the same symptoms that brought them to treatment in the first place. This is the patient population we were built to serve — not people at the beginning of their mental health care, but people who have reached the limits of what standard care can offer and need something more specialized.

What “Specialized” Actually Means

Specialization is not just a marketing term. In mental health care, it refers to a clinic’s depth of focus on specific conditions, specific treatment modalities, and specific patient populations — and the clinical infrastructure built around that focus.

At Thrive Center for Health, our specialization is ketamine therapy and psychiatric medication management for treatment-resistant mood and pain conditions. We are not a general psychiatric practice that also happens to offer ketamine. Ketamine is the core of what we do, and every element of our clinical process — from the psych and medical clearance protocol to the design of our treatment environment — reflects that focus. Our providers are trained through the American Society of Ketamine Physicians, Psychotherapists, and Practitioners (ASKP3), a national credentialing body specifically for ketamine care, and our Medical Director, Dr. Drumm, conducted clinical research on ketamine’s utility in psychiatric disorders during his residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

That depth of focus matters for patients with complex histories. A general practitioner managing a full panel of patients across multiple specialties is working with different constraints than a team that has built its entire clinical workflow around one treatment area. Structured, provider-led treatment management has been shown to improve safety and outcomes for psychiatric patients (Bauer et al., 2022) — and that structure is most effectively delivered when the team’s expertise is concentrated rather than distributed.

The Conditions We Treat — and Why That List Is Specific

We treat depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, OCD, suicidal ideation, substance abuse, and a range of chronic pain conditions including fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, neuropathic pain, CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome), and restless leg syndrome. That list is not exhaustive of every condition someone might walk in with — it reflects the conditions for which ketamine therapy has demonstrated meaningful clinical evidence and for which our team has built specific protocols.

We also offer psychiatric medication management for patients who need ongoing prescription oversight for mood disorders, whether alongside ketamine therapy or as a standalone service. Our full-time Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners provide timely evaluations and ongoing care, monitoring progress closely and adjusting prescriptions when needed. For patients whose depression or anxiety has responded partially to medication but not fully, this integrated model — medication management coordinated with ketamine therapy when appropriate — addresses the treatment picture from multiple directions simultaneously.

Research confirms a strong relationship between conditions like anxiety and depression, with each often worsening the other (Zbozinek et al., 2020). Treating one in isolation while the other goes unaddressed is one reason patients stall in general care settings. Our integrated approach is designed to avoid that gap.

What the Intake Process Looks Like

We do not bring patients directly to an infusion table. Before any ketamine treatment begins, every patient completes both a psychiatric clearance — an in-depth evaluation with one of our Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners — and a medical clearance, which establishes that ketamine is clinically appropriate given the patient’s full health history. This two-step process serves the patient: it means that by the time treatment begins, we have a clear picture of who you are, what you have tried, and what a reasonable treatment plan looks like for your specific situation.

The initial consultation typically runs about 45 minutes. It is not a formality. Our providers use that time to understand the arc of your treatment history, identify any factors that may have contributed to prior medication failures, and answer every question you bring to the appointment. We do not rush that process.

Following clearance, the standard initial series consists of 6–10 infusions. For chronic pain patients, the protocol differs — 4–6 infusions at a higher dose per session — reflecting the distinct neurobiological mechanisms involved in pain sensitization versus mood disorders. Each infusion session runs approximately one to one and a half hours, including recovery time. Maintenance infusions are available as needed following the initial series. To better understand what to expect, you can read about the ketamine infusion therapy patient experience on our blog.

Addressing Two Common Barriers

Cost and insurance. We accept a range of insurance plans, including Cigna, BCBS, Priority Health, Aetna, McLaren, Molina, TriCare, Michigan Medicaid, and Michigan Medicare, among others. For patients with accepted insurance, we run prior authorization and verify in- and out-of-network coverage before treatment begins. The cash portion for mental health infusions with accepted insurance is $300 per session, with office visit components billed to insurance. Without insurance, the per-infusion rate is $500 for mental health protocols and $750 for chronic pain. Veterans receive a 10% discount on all visits. We also require a credit card on file, and a $40 deposit is required at scheduling for insured patients.

If you are unsure about your coverage, contact us before scheduling. Our team will work through the insurance details with you directly.

Scheduling hesitation. We hear from many patients who have delayed seeking care because they are not sure whether they qualify, are uncertain about what the process involves, or have had discouraging experiences with other providers. Our consultation is the appropriate place to bring all of those concerns. You do not need to arrive with a clear diagnosis or a complete treatment history organized in a binder. You need to show up and tell us what has been happening. We will do the clinical work of figuring out the rest.

Our Team and Environment

Our clinical team includes board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners Erika (DNP, ANCC board-certified, ASKP3-trained, 11+ years of clinical experience) and Kari (ASKP3-trained, BSN from Baker College), Family Nurse Practitioner Kelsey (board-certified, handles medical clearances and infusion administration), Nursing Director Jay Patrick Clancy (RN, BSN, MS, CEN, 10+ years of clinical and emergency nursing experience), and Medical Director Dr. Drumm, a General Psychiatrist whose special interests include treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and psychopharmacology.

Our facility is located at 847 Parchment Dr SE, Suite 105, in Grand Rapids, surrounded by nature, and designed with the treatment experience in mind. Private treatment rooms, a calm environment, and a clinical culture that prioritizes patients feeling heard and safe are not incidental features — they are part of how we deliver care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a referral to come to Thrive Center for Health? No referral is required to request a consultation. However, we do have a provider referral program for healthcare professionals who want to refer patients — you can find that information on our website. If you are a patient, you can contact us directly to schedule your initial consultation.

What if I am already working with a therapist or psychiatrist? We can work alongside your existing providers. Our team coordinates with other mental health professionals when appropriate, and our medication management service is designed to integrate with, not replace, any ongoing care you are receiving. Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) at our clinic explicitly includes coordination with outside therapists for patients who choose that service.

How do I know if I am a candidate for ketamine therapy? Candidacy is determined through our psych and medical clearance process, not by self-assessment. General indicators include a diagnosis of depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, bipolar disorder, suicidal ideation, or a qualifying chronic pain condition, combined with a history of inadequate response to prior treatments. The evaluation will clarify whether ketamine is appropriate for your specific situation.

What happens after the initial series? Following the initial series of 6–10 infusions, patients who respond well typically transition to maintenance infusions on a weekly or monthly schedule as needed. Our team also offers monthly support group meetings at no charge as part of our ongoing patient support model. Medication management follow-ups continue separately for patients enrolled in that service.

Key Takeaways

• Specialized mental health care means a clinical team whose expertise, protocols, and facility are built around specific treatment modalities — not a general practice that offers multiple services at surface depth.
• Thrive Center for Health specializes in ketamine therapy and psychiatric medication management for treatment-resistant mood disorders and chronic pain conditions, with providers trained through ASKP3 and a Medical Director with ketamine clinical research experience.
• The intake process includes two clearance steps — psychiatric and medical — before any infusion begins, ensuring every patient receives a thorough evaluation and individualized treatment plan.
• Insurance coverage is available through several accepted plans; the team runs prior authorization and verifies coverage before treatment begins to remove financial uncertainty from the process.
• Results vary by individual, and not every patient will respond to ketamine therapy — but the range of options available through an integrated ketamine and medication management model addresses more of the treatment picture than either service alone.

For patients in Grand Rapids and across West Michigan who have tried standard care and are still searching for relief, the next step is a conversation — not a commitment. Call us at 616-730-8069 or schedule a consultation to speak with our team about your history, your options, and whether our approach is the right fit for where you are right now.

References

Bauer, M., Andreassen, O. A., Geddes, J. R., Vedel Kessing, L., Lewitzka, U., Schulze, T. G., & Vieta, E. (2022). Improving the safety and efficacy of psychiatric medication management. BMC Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9498383/

Torous, J., & Gustafson, D. (2021). Ketamine therapy: Clinical evidence and effectiveness for depression. Translational Psychiatry, 11(1), 1–12. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-021-01327-5

Zbozinek, T. D., Rose, R. D., Wolitzky-Taylor, K. B., Sherbourne, C., Sullivan, G., Stein, M. B., Roy-Byrne, P. P., & Craske, M. G. (2020). Diagnostic overlap of generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder in a primary care sample. American Journal of Psychiatry. https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20030305

Medical Disclaimer

The information in this blog is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Ketamine therapy and psychiatric medication management should only be pursued under the supervision of a licensed medical provider familiar with your full psychiatric and medical history. Individual results vary — outcomes differ from patient to patient, and no specific result can be guaranteed. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or thoughts of self-harm, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to your nearest emergency room. Discuss all treatment options with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about your care.