Welcome to the Ketamine Startup Podcast!
The first podcast dedicated to ketamine therapy for medical professionals, and we're just getting started.
We've been in this space since 2018, in the trenches of ketamine therapy, medical entrepreneurship, and what it actually takes to build a practice that lasts. That experience is the foundation of everything we bring to this show.
Now in our second season with 60+ episodes in the catalog, the Ketamine Startup Podcast is evolving alongside the industry. We've helped over 16 clinics open nationwide, and our conversations have expanded to match where things are heading: ketamine therapy, pain management, emerging psychedelic medicine, marketing, mindset, and the business of running a modern medical practice.
Each episode brings you relevant topics, real industry insights, and honest conversations with the pioneers, researchers, and clinic owners who are shaping this space.
Whether you're building your first clinic, refining your protocols, or keeping an eye on what's coming next in psychedelic medicine, there's something here for you.
Welcome to the Ketamine Startup Podcast. 🚀
Episode 61 – Is Your Clinic Asystolic? The Marketing Framework Every Ketamine Provider Needs (Soundbites from the Vault)
Discover why your organic content is a vital sign for your clinic's health and how the ACC marketing funnel can help you build lasting patient trust.
Episode 60 – Why Music Is More Than Background Noise in Ketamine Therapy (Soundbites from the Vault)
Steve Gelberg explains why music selection matters in ketamine sessions and how sound supports the therapeutic process for providers.
Episode 59 - Rethinking Set and Setting: Dr. Roberto Malinow's Revolutionary Hypothesis on How Ketamine Actually Works
Neuroscientist Dr. Roberto Malinow challenges conventional thought, hypothesizing we should consider activating negative thoughts and pain during ketamine treatment.
Episode 58 - From Finance to Purpose: Why Dr. Marc Smith Chose Healing Over Hedge Fund Trading
Dr. Marc Smith shares his journey from hedge fund trading to ketamine psychiatry, building an integrated practice model that prioritizes purpose over profit-driven healthcare approaches.
Episode 57 - Beyond the Physical: Why Treating Chronic Pain Requires Healing the Whole Person with Dr. Michelle Weiner
Dr. Michelle Weiner shares her evolution from interventional pain medicine to integrative ketamine-assisted therapy using biopsychosocial-spiritual approaches for chronic pain treatment.
Episode 56 - Breaking: Four Major Developments Reshaping Ketamine and Psychedelic Therapy
4 major recent developments: Matthew Perry sentencing, France's IV ketamine authorization, Texas regulations, and new federal policy shifts affecting providers.
Episode 55 - Career Reinvention Success: Why Going Backwards Made Dr. Ruchir Gupta Advance
Dr. Ruchir Gupta shares his unconventional journey from established anesthesiologist back to pain fellowship training, then building a successful multi-location practice. Learn why he believes physicians create artificial mental barriers around entrepreneurship, his specialized fibromyalgia protocols achieving 80% success rates, and practical insights about monitoring standards and business development for medical professionals considering practice ownership.
Episode 54 -The Public Perception Reality Check: Psychedelic Culture and Ketamine Therapy with Shane Mauss
Comedian Shane Mauss shares cultural insider perspectives from years of psychedelic comedy tours, revealing how public perception has evolved since 2004 and what this means for ketamine providers today. Learn why scientific rigor trumps wellness industry hype and how to educate patients navigating complex cultural messages about psychedelic therapy.
Episode 53 - The Collective Lie in Ketamine Therapy (Part 2): MSKIT Protocol and the Future of Ketamine Therapy
In Part 2, Charles Miller details his evidence-based MSKIT protocol for optimal ketamine therapy outcomes, explains when therapeutic integration should actually occur, and shares his vision for advancing the field through rigorous science rather than experiential speculation.
Episode 52 -The Collective Lie in Ketamine Therapy (Part 1): Why the Experience Isn't the Treatment
In this episode Charles Miller challenges ketamine therapy's focus on psychedelic experiences, arguing that neuroplasticity science shows we're emphasizing the wrong mechanisms and reducing treatment success rates.
Episode 51 - The 4 Ketamine Clinic Business Stages: How to Know Where You Are and What to Do Next
Learn the 4 predictable life cycle stages every ketamine clinic experiences, from startup survival to strategic growth. Discover how to identify your current phase, understand normal challenges, and make value-based decisions that align with your practice goals rather than reactive choices
Episode 50 - Beyond Cookie-Cutter Protocols: Inna Zelikman's Comprehensive Approach to Ketamine and Psilocybin Therapy
MAPS-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner Inna Zelikman shares how her personal psychedelic healing journey transformed her approach to individualized ketamine and psilocybin patient care.
Episode 49 - Texas Medical Board Proposes Comprehensive Ketamine Therapy Regulations - What It Means for the Industry
Texas Medical Board proposes comprehensive ketamine clinic regulations including mandatory registration, onsite physician requirements, and enhanced monitoring standards that could reshape the entire industry.
Episode 48 - Does a Physician Need to Be Present During Ketamine Infusions?
Discover the real answer to physician presence requirements during ketamine infusions. Learn about the current regulatory landscape, scope of practice issues for different healthcare providers, various staffing models clinics use, and balancing risk management with patient care.
Episode 47 - What You Should Tell Your Ketamine Patients: 4 Things To Expect During Their Infusion (Episodes from the Vault)
From our vault: The patient communication masterclass originally from our Ketamine Startup 101 mastermind session. This essential episode covers four critical patient preparation strategies, team training protocols, and emotional safety frameworks.
Episode 46 - The Clinician's Guide to Ketamine Therapy (Episodes from the Vault)
From our vault: Sam's complete clinical overview originally presented to UCLA and Betty Ford Fellowship. This foundational episode covers ketamine's 50-year history, NMDA receptor mechanism, patient selection criteria, dosing protocols, and safety considerations.
Episode 45 - From Emergency Medicine to Psychospiritual Healing: Dr. Randy Frederick's Ketamine Clinic Journey
Dr. Randy Frederick, former military flight surgeon and ER physician, discusses his transformation from traditional clinical ketamine protocols to psychospiritual healing approaches. Learn why he views ketamine as a catalyst rather than cure, his insights on consciousness work, business ownership challenges, and the future of psychedelic medicine
Episode 44- Building a Trauma-Informed Ketamine Practice with Dr. Jack Hay & Dr. Harry Pepper
ER physician Dr. Jack Hay and psychologist Dr. Harry Pepper share their unique partnership approach to ketamine therapy at Oberlin Ketamine Clinic. Topics include patient-chosen music playlists, trauma-informed care principles, integration coaching versus traditional therapy, practicing from values, and lessons from their first year opening a clinic in Ohio.
Episode 43- What Licenses Do You Need to Open a Ketamine Clinic?
Learn which licenses you need to legally open a ketamine infusion clinic. This episode covers essential medical licenses like DEA and NPI, unfamiliar business permits including FNP and DBA, and why requirements vary significantly by state and county.
Episode 42 - Essential Risk Management: DEA Compliance & Insurance for Ketamine Clinics
Retired DEA agent reveals audit triggers while an insurance expert shares costly coverage mistakes. Essential compliance and protection strategies every ketamine clinic owner needs to know.