Hive Bio

Hive Bio runs a ketamine-assisted psychotherapy retreat from a stone villa in San Lawrenz, on the Maltese island of Gozo. Its main programme lasts seven weeks, with a single week in Malta for medically supervised ketamine sessions.

Approach

The same three clinicians stay with each guest all week: the medical lead, Dr Christopher Gauci, an anaesthetist and intensive care specialist; Dr Peter Muscat, a psychiatrist for thirty-five years and former head of the University of Malta’s psychiatry department; and Audra Micallef, a psychotherapist with twenty years of practice. Three weeks of video preparation with a licensed psychotherapist come first. The residential week holds three or four ketamine sessions plus yoga and meditation, and three weeks of online integration follow.

Who it is for

Hive Bio aims the programme at burnout, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, depression that has not responded to treatment, and some substance-use disorders. A medical screening decides who is accepted, and it comes before any payment. The team says certain psychiatric and heart conditions rule ketamine out.

Practical details

Retreat weeks take four guests at most. Shorter formats, such as outpatient ketamine infusions over a few days, suit those who cannot stay a week, and a private retreat reserves the villa and the whole team for one guest. Prices run from about €6,000 to €10,000 a week; cost depends on the format and is discussed on a 15-minute introductory call. The earliest start is roughly a month after screening.

Care and safety

Dr Muscat and Dr Gauci assess each guest medically and psychiatrically before treatment. Every ketamine session takes place with a doctor and a nurse present. Three nurses with theatre, NHS and University of Malta training complete the team. Dr Gauci is registered with the Malta Medical Council as number 2753, and Audra Micallef holds psychotherapy warrant 140.