If you are considering Spravato for treatment-resistant depression, one of the first questions you probably have is how long the induction phase for Spravato actually takes. This initial stage lasts longer than many people expect. Rather than a single month, induction spans the first fourteen treatment sessions, which typically stretch across roughly ten weeks.
At Upswing Psychiatry, we walk every patient through this timeline before treatment begins, so there are no surprises once sessions are underway. Understanding the full Spravato schedule from the start helps you plan around work, family, and daily responsibilities, and it gives you a realistic sense of what the first several weeks of care will involve. To learn more about our treatment options, reach out to our team today.
The induction phase of Spravato unfolds in three stages. For the first four weeks, you will come in twice weekly. Over the next four weeks, sessions drop to once weekly. During the final month, appointments move to once every other week, with one week intentionally skipped. This gap is not an oversight. Rather, it gives your provider a clearer picture of how you respond when more time passes between doses, helping shape what maintenance therapy will eventually look like for you once your Spravato induction phase ends.
Depression that has not responded to two or more medications often needs a more gradual, closely monitored approach, and induction is where that groundwork gets laid. Each esketamine nasal spray session includes supervised dosing and observation, allowing our team to track your response and adjust support as needed. Patients who stay consistent with the full fourteen-session schedule tend to have a smoother transition into the next phase of care.
We also use this stage to build a relationship with you, not just a treatment log. Your provider will ask about your mood, sleep, and daily functioning at every visit, because those details shape decisions about your ongoing care long after induction ends. This early period is also when most patients begin noticing meaningful shifts in how they feel day to day.
Walking into your first induction session for Spravato can feel unfamiliar, so knowing what happens beforehand can ease some of that uncertainty. You will self-administer the Spravato nasal spray under the direct supervision of a member of our clinical team, who will remain nearby for the entire appointment.
Afterward, you will stay in our office for a required monitoring period of approximately two hours, during which we check your blood pressure and ask how you are feeling at set intervals.
The Spravato induction is the foundation of the treatment, and having a compassionate team beside you can make the process feel far more manageable. Contact our team at Upswing Psychiatry to schedule a consultation and learn how long the induction phase for Spravato is, and find out whether it could be the right next step for your treatment-resistant depression.