Choosing the right ketamine provider can feel overwhelming, especially with the huge range of services available. In this article, we’ll compare Joyous and Mindbloom, two of the leading providers of at-home ketamine in the US.
We’ll discuss the key features, benefits, and potential drawbacks of each, helping you make an informed decision about which platform best aligns with your needs and goals.
Joyous vs. Mindbloom at a Glance
At a glance, Joyous and Mindbloom both offer at-home ketamine therapy for mental health disorders, but their approaches are quite different. Mindbloom focuses on spaced-out ketamine sessions that harness the drug’s psychoactive effects to help bring about insight and healing.
Joyous, on the other hand, provides small, daily doses of ketamine that are often non-psychoactive but work overtime to improve neurological function. Both companies offer a holistic path to wellness, providing ongoing communication with a care team and supportive resources.
Looking for at-home ketamine therapy? Check out Better U.
From an easy online assessment to guided virtual consultations with licensed professionals, they make the process seamless. Their “Brain Box” includes everything you need for at-home treatment, and their one-on-one integration support ensures you stay on track.
With Better U, you get personalized care that works for you—right from the comfort of home.
Joyous Overview
Joyous is a Public Benefit Corporation offering at-home, low-dose ketamine treatment to treat mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, PTSD, and OCD. Their treatment plan has a unique approach compared with other providers, which includes a 30-day ketamine microdosing regime. Joyous is among the most cost-effective options available for ketamine treatment.
Core Features
Microdosing Program
A standout feature of Joyous is its unique microdosing treatment plan. Unlike most at-home ketamine providers that offer one to two doses per week, Joyous provides clients with a small daily dose. This microdosing approach is designed to allow ketamine’s positive effects on the brain to accumulate over time. It also decreases the risk of physical and psychological side effects, making it a safer option for many users.
Cost Effective
Joyous treatment is more affordable than other providers at $129 a month. Clients can unsubscribe from the program at any point, so Joyous requires less financial commitment.
Personalized Care
During a course of treatment with Joyous, clients receive personalized support and are monitored daily by a team of professionals through digital technology. The treatment plan can be adjusted as needed ba client’s progress. Clients also have ongoing access to the Joyous Care team via a messaging service.
Supportive Resources
In addition to the treatment and guidance, Joyous offers a range of supportive resources to promote healing. These include guided meditations, curated playlists, and educational courses. Clients can also join a supportive forum to connect with others on similar healing journeys, share their experiences, and receive encouragement.
Benefits of Joyous
- Unique Microdosing Treatment Plan: Daily low-dose ketamine approach may allow for a gradual accumulation of ketamine’s neurological benefits.
- Cost-Effective: One of the most affordable ketamine telehealth options available.
- Safety: Low-dose strategy reduces the risk of physical and psychological side effects.
- Daily Monitoring and Personalized Support: Clients are monitored daily, with plans adjusted based on individual progress.
- Holistic Resources: Includes guided meditations, curated playlists, and educational courses to support mental health and wellness.
- Community Connection: Access to a supportive forum to connect with others going througundergoingConvenient Access: Treatment is at home and supported by an online messaging service for ongoing communication with the Joyous Care team.
Downsides of Joyous
- Lack of in-person support: Consultations and check-ins occur online, and ketamine is taken at home. As such, patients won’t get the benefits of in-person care.
- Slow to see results: The very small doses may mean it could take longer for any changes to be made apparent compared with higher doses.
- Lack of clinical evidence: There is no clinical evidence to support the neurological benefits of ketamine microdoses.
- Limited Scope of Support for Severe Cases: Clients with severe mental health conditions might require higher doses or more intensive in-person care.
- Potential for Tolerance: Daily dosing may lead to tolerance over time, possibly reducing long-term effectiveness.
Mindbloom Overview
Mindbloom is a mental health company that provides at-home ketamine therapy to help treat conditions like anxiety and depression. Their approach combines ketamine treatment with coaching, therapeutic support, and holistic practices to create a personalized healing journey for each client.
Mindbloom Core Features
Meaningful Ketamine Experiences
The doses of ketamine provided by Mindbloom can induce an introspective, dreamlike state. During these experiences, clients may experience changes in perception that could help them gain new insights into the roots of their problems. Clients are provided with carefully curated playlists and an eye mask to encourage a relaxing journey inwards.
Close Care During Ketamine Treatments
Before administering ketamine, clients have calls with their guide to ensure they feel prepared and comfortable. Clients then administer the drug under the digital supervision of a Peer Treatment Monitor, who can offer real-time support.
Personalized Coaching and Therapy
Mindbloom’s treatment combines ketamine therapy with personalized coaching and therapeutic support. Clients are guided through each stage, with regular clinician check-ins to monitor treatment and make changes accordingly, as well as a coach to help prepare for, understand, and make the most of treatment experiences.
Community and Connection
Clients have ongoing access to their guide through a digital messaging service. They also have unlimited access to group integration circles where they can reflect on and process their experiences with others going through a similar healing journey.
Tailored Programs
Mindbloom has 11 different treatment programs suited to different healing goals and outcomes. This includes improving self-love, increasing resilience, overcoming depression, and more. Each program has a unique array of resources that clients can access in the Mindbloom app.
Positives of Mindbloom
- At-Home Treatment: Allows clients to receive ketamine therapy in the comfort of their own home, making it more accessible and convenient.
- Psychedelic Experience: Clients may experience an altered state of consciousness during their treatment, which can foster deep emotional healing, insight, and personal growth.
- Personalized Support: Clients receive tailored care through consultations with clinicians and coaching sessions with guides.
- Community Connection: Access to group integration circles for shared experiences and encouragement from others on similar healing journeys.
- Mindbloom App: Provides resources such as soundscapes, journaling prompts, and integration activities to support the treatment process, which are tailored to meet the specific healing goals of clients
- Safety and Monitoring: Peer Treatment Monitors (PTMs) are present during ketamine sessions, ensuring support and safety throughout.
Downsides of Mindbloom
- Cost: The full program is priced at $1,176, which may be unaffordable for some clients.
- No In-Person Oversight: While clinicians and Peer Monitors provide oversight, clients won’t receive the same safety guarantee they’d get with direct interaction with healthcare professionals.
- Lack of In-Person Psychotherapy: Clients don’t get the therapeutic benefits of in-person sessions.
- Initial Commitment: Clients are required to commit to at least a six-session program, which takes seven weeks. This may not suit everyone’s needs or preferences.
- Psychedelic Effects Can be Unpleasant: Ketamine can cause dissociation, which may be frightening, disorientating, and unpleasant for some people.
- Increased Risk of Physical Side Effects: Ketamine increases heart rate and blood pressure and can cause nausea and dizziness.
Joyous vs. Mindbloom: Treatment Experience
Pre-Treatment Evaluation
For both Joyous and Mindbloom, clients will be required to meet with a medical provider to determine if the treatment program is right for them. This evaluation reviews their mental and physical health history and therapeutic goals. If accepted, clients will have their medicine sent through the post.
Ketamine Delivery
Joyous provides ketamine in buccal troches, which are small, usually tablet-like forms of medication designed to dissolve slowly in the mouth, typically between the gum and cheek (buccal mucosa). Mindbloom provides ketamine in rapid-dissolving tablets, which work similarly but dissolve more quickly under the tongue.
What to Expect with Ketamine
Joyous offers a more gentle ketamine experience through microdoses, providing gradual, ongoing support without significant psychoactive effects. However, clients may notice subtle changes in their ways of thinking and experience mild physical effects like nausea and increased heart rate.
In contrast, Mindbloom uses higher doses, leading to more pronounced effects. Clients may experience an altered state of consciousness, with some feeling a significant change in their sense of time, space, and body. These states can be valuable, producing insight, emotional openness, and changed perception.
Program Flexibility
The Mindbloom program is generally more structured, with a dedicated time for starting treatment and scheduled clinical check-ins and coaching sessions. On the other hand, there are no designated treatment start dates for Joyous clients. Clients can also message their care team at any point during the day.
Ongoing Support
Both Joyous and Mindbloom provide supportive resources, including educational content and peer support. Mindbloom’s resources are mainly found in the company app, whereas Joyous has an online patient portal.
Mindbloom has dedicated integration support to help patients process their personal experiences, whereas Joyous does not.
Joyous vs. Mindbloom: Financial Considerations
Joyous is much lower in price than Mindbloom. Whereas the full month of Joyous treatment costs $129, Mindbloom charges $193 per session, with a 6-session starter package costing $1,158 total. Mindbloom clients also need to pay $99 for their initial evaluation, which is refunded if someone is deemed ineligible for the treatment.
Neither Joyous nor Mindbloom is in-network with insurance companies. However, Mindbloom clients may be eligible for out-of-network reimbursement with their insurance company, depending on their provider. Clients may use HSAs (Health Savings Accounts) and FSAs (Flexible Spending Accounts) to save money when undergoing treatment with either provider.
Overall, the higher price of Mindbloom’s services likely reflects the more robust clinical support, including guided sessions. However, Joyous is more financially accessible.
Joyous or Mindbloom: Which Should You Choose?
When deciding between Joyous and Mindbloom, it ultimately comes down to your personal preferences, needs, and budget. Joyous is a great fit for those seeking an affordable, gradual approach to ketamine treatment with daily microdoses that integrate easily into a routine. It’s ideal if you value accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and a less intense treatment experience.
On the other hand, Mindbloom offers a more immersive and guided process, with higher-dose sessions designed for introspection and emotional breakthroughs. If you’re looking for more structured clinical support and deeper therapeutic experiences, Mindbloom may be the better choice.
Both programs have their strengths, so choose the one that feels right for your journey to mental wellness. By booking a consultation with either provider, you can speak to a team member and see if the treatment is right for you.
FAQs
Which is Safer Between Joyous and Mindbloom?
Both Joyous and Mindbloom are generally safe, but their approaches differ in terms of safety considerations. Mindbloom uses higher doses of ketamine, which can lead to more noticeable side effects, like nausea or dizziness, and may cause a more intense psychoactive experience. However, Mindbloom provides dedicated check-ins with licensed clinicians and real-time support during sessions, adding a layer of safety.
On the other hand, Joyous uses smaller microdoses, which tend to have fewer side effects and are considered safer for those at higher risk. However, it doesn’t offer the same level of direct clinical oversight during treatment.
Is High or Low-Dose Ketamine Better for Mental Health?
Ketamine doses vary based on treatment goals. Higher doses, like those from Mindbloom, create noticeable psychoactive effects and may be better for severe mental health challenges, with more clinical evidence to support their therapeutic benefits. Microdosing, as Joyous offers, has subtle effects that build over time. It’s a safer option for those at risk of side effects. However, the evidence for its effectiveness is less strong.