MY Self Wellness

MY Self Wellness is a ketamine clinic in Bonita Springs, in south-west Florida, that gives higher-dose ketamine by intramuscular injection or lozenge rather than low-dose IV infusions. It also offers psychiatry, group integration and IV vitamin infusions.

Approach

The clinic was founded by Charles Patti and Christina Thomas, who both describe recovering through ketamine, and it says every member of its staff has done the same. Its medical director is the psychiatrist Dr Andrew Ferber, who taught psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine before retiring from that post and wrote The Book of Family Therapy. Preparation and integration are led by staff including Jessica Siebert, a licensed practical nurse, and Gina Jake, a psychedelic integration coach. Sessions take place in private, dimly lit rooms with reclining chairs, eye masks and playlists on headphones, next to an integration lounge.

Who it is for

The clinic treats depression, including treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, PTSD and trauma, OCD, bipolar disorder, suicidal thoughts, addiction and eating disorders, as well as chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, neuropathy and migraine.

Practical details

Prices start at $300. Insurance does not cover ketamine therapy, but financing is available through CareCredit, the Advance Care Card and an in-house plan. New patients can usually book an intake within one to two weeks. A first course runs to 6 to 12 treatments, sometimes followed by occasional boosters.

Care and safety

New patients first meet a nurse for a medical history and preparation session, then see Dr Ferber, who decides whether they are approved for treatment. On treatment days they avoid stimulants that raise blood pressure, and benzodiazepines, which can weaken the effect of ketamine.