When Grief Gets Stuck: Emma's Story
Clinically reviewed by
Last reviewed: October 2026
Dr. Doreen Zarfati is Chief Medical Officer at Fountain Health NYC and a double board-certified psychiatrist. Her work spans mental health, longevity, metabolism and sexual health, with a particular interest in how biological and clinical factors can influence psychiatric symptoms and treatment response. At Fountain, Dr. Zarfati provides clinical oversight of Fountain’s care models, reviewing and approving them for clinical use and guiding how they are applied in patient care. Her work in IV ketamine focuses on neuroplasticity, emotional processing and the thoughtful integration of emerging treatments into structured clinical care. Her approach is individualized, collaborative and grounded in measurable response, with treatment evolving as the patient’s clinical picture changes.
When Emma came to us last month in May, she wasn’t okay, and she was tired of pretending she was.
Her husband had passed away unexpectedly the year before. She was 41, raising two kids, and quietly collapsing under the weight of “being strong.” She felt numb, flat, and deeply alone.
Weekly therapy helped her make sense of her grief, but not feel it. “It’s like I’m talking about my pain,” she told us, “But I’m still not connected to it.”
That’s where Fountain came in.
A Therapist's Referral, A New Path
Emma’s trusted therapist had heard about our integrative approach to IV ketamine and reached out. Not because therapy had failed, but because something deeper needed unlocking. Emma met with our team, completed advanced biomarkerMeasurable health signals, like blood sugar or hormone levels. Fountain Health uses biomarker tracking to guide treatment. testing, and began a six-session IV ketamine protocol over two weeks – with therapeutic integrationThe process of making sense of and applying insights after a therapeutic experience such as ketamine therapy. every step of the way.
Letting Grief Move
The first shift wasn’t dramatic. After her second session, she said: “I don’t feel better, exactly. But I don’t feel as tight. Like, I can actually breathe a little.”
By her fourth infusion, she cried. For the first time in almost a year. Not the kind of crying that leaves you feeling broken. The kind that opens a door. “I was scared that if I felt this grief, it would swallow me,” she said. “But it didn’t. It moved.”
Where She Is Now
Emma is still grieving. But she’s also living. She paints again. She listens to music with her kids. She talks openly about their dad. She’s still in therapy. But now, things are landing in a way they couldn’t before.
We share Emma’s story (with her permission) because so many people find themselves in her shoes: doing all the right things, showing up in therapy, trying to heal – but stuck.
Ketamine isn’t a magic wand. But in the right setting, with the right intention, it can help people reconnect with the parts of themselves that have gone quiet.
If someone comes to mind, we’re here. No pressure. Just a shared commitment to helping people move forward – gently, safely, and on their own terms when they’re ready.