A Ketamine Clinic Adventure: From Starting Up to Self-Care with Dr. Glareh Imani

Synopsis: In this blog with Dr. Glareh Imani, get insights and practical advice on enhancing patient care and balancing personal well-being - crucial for professionals starting their own ketamine clinics.

This blog is an edited and adapted excerpt of the transcript from our podcast episode 8 - From The ER to Ketamine Therapy: Leading a Clinic & Balancing Life With Dr. Glareh Imani

Which you can listen to below or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcast 

Delivering ketamine in the hospital differs from in the clinic in terms of set & setting.

Comparing Ketamine Delivery in Hospitals vs. In A Ketamine Clinic

Sam [00:07:41]: I'm curious for those who are listening and who may have heard of ketamine use in the operating room of the emergency department. We're kind of delivering it in a different way. So for you and your perspective, what are some of the nuances of how it's delivered in the hospital setting versus in the outpatient clinic setting with you?

Dr. Imani [00:08:01]: The hospital setting is when you're using it for anesthesia. So you can even have a higher dose and you want them monitored at all times and it's just a different setting where somebody is either suffering from a broken bone, a dislocation, or there is something else going on. 

Versus in a clinic, you're doing it in a very calm, safe setting. Where you have the room dim, wearing eye shades. They're listening to music. I wish in the emergency room, we had music for patients and eye shades, because I think it would make it a little bit more pleasant for them.

But in the clinic setting, it's just a different setting. It's all about set and the setting. The setting and the set really prepare the individual when they're coming in. To be ready. To delve in and get deeper in their own mind to do self-therapy.

Key Advice for New Ketamine Clinic Owners

Dr. Imani [00:14:43] That would be the same advice I would give to myself. If you're going into this, you're not going into this to get rich. You're going to help people. Remind yourself of that. I mean, yes, I still need to be able to pay for the costs and pay for my time. 

The satisfaction and like the happiness that brings me, I'm happier doing this. And at some point I was happy working in the ER and I still have those days, but I'm just happier now because I know that I can help in a different way. So just start sooner!

It took me a while and I think it's totally fine because things kind of worked themselves out and I was looking for a ketamine clinic about a year ago and I couldn't find anything and it just happened that now I'm at a really good spot. I'm loving where I am right now. 

How Has Your Personal Journey Influenced Your Professional Approach to Ketamine Therapy?

Dr. Imani [00:18:54]: I'm more mindful, being just more mindful of the way you feel. And as long as you're not in a good place, you can't help somebody else.

Learning how to reset myself first, and to be ready to provide this practice for the people that are coming in. Teaching them about mindfulness, about journaling. I just recently listened to a podcast about journaling and I didn't realize how important it was until you start writing things down and then you walk away.

But then you come back to these and you read it and you're like, “Oh, wow, I was looking at this the wrong way.” Just that is mind changing to me. I've never done that before. 

Balancing Clinic Management with Personal Well-being: Insights from Dr. Imani

Sam [00:25:17]: How do you strike a balance between running a successful clinic and then at the same time ensuring your own wellbeing?

Dr. Imani [00:25:36]: It's hard, but having a solid partner helps. My husband helps me with our kids.  He's my operations director. He's the backbone, pretty much. So if it wasn't for him, I don't think I would have gone this far. Because he's the guy that I run things by.

Just having that and having a reality check, “Hey, we do have a lot going on. We do have activities for the kids.” I still have to do my full time job, and I'm running a clinic. So there are some sacrifices that we make. but at the same time, it takes both of us to work together. And really acknowledge that, okay, it's a high stress situation. What can we do to de-stress a little bit?

Sam [00:26:23]: I've done a few interviews already and when I'll ask [other guests this question], they'll say having a good partner and just having someone cause doing this alone is hard. And I think having support, whether it's our partners, husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, staff, like all of this, we can't do this alone. 

Do Entrepreneurs Who Start Ketamine Clinics Share Certain Risk-Taking Traits?

Sam [00:34:30]:  I could be wrong but for people who start up ketamine clinics, maybe there is a bit of adventuresome or risk seeking. People who like excitement versus someone who likes things very stable. Maybe that is an important value or trait.

Dr. Imani [00:34:49]: I think so, especially since as ER doctors I always say, “I'm a risk stratifier.” You look at risk. You look at, “Okay. Can I send this patient who's coming in from chest pain home or do they need to be admitted?” You're risk stratifying all day when you're at work and I think that starting your own business is taking a risk because there's so many unknowns. I know that we had so much anxiety before we had signed the lease because we're like,” What if this doesn't take off? What if this doesn't go anywhere, what if we don't do well?” There's so many what ifs and so many unknowns. 

Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or on your favorite podcast platform. Watch the discussion on YouTube here.

In this blog with Dr. Glareh Imani, get insights and practical advice on enhancing patient care and balancing personal well-being - crucial for professionals starting their own ketamine clinics.

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