STUART – In two years, Sea Glass Healing of Stuart has seen an encouraging success rate in treating clinical depression with a rather unique form of treatment, the practice’s founder said.

The group therapy practice administers Spravato®, the only FDA-approved nasal spray for adults living with treatment-resistant depression or major depressive disorder with suicidal tendencies, said Amanda Allison, MSW, LCSW, site representative/therapist, Sea Glass Healing founder.

“It is a cost-effective treatment and we do have assistance programs available,” Allison, also a 10-year mental health therapist, said.

Currently, there are four clients enrolled in the program and vital signs are taken before and after the nasal spray is administered, Allison said. “We have a pretty good system of checks and balances,” she said.

Sea Glass Healing’s Spravato® program is supported by Journey Clinical, a national platform that enables licensed clinicians to offer FDA-approved mental health treatments in their own practices, according to Rekha Phillip, Journey Clinical’s chief of staff.

While the nasal spray is administered onsite by the client, the process is overseen by a trained professional, following evaluations of a patient to determine if Spravato® is right for them, Allison said. It acts on glutamate, a chemical messenger in the brain thought to regulate mood, according to the practice’s web site.

Besides Allison, another Spravato® clinician/prescriber on staff is Maria Clara Restrepo.

All clients in the Spravato® program must be at least 18 or older, Allison noted.

The process starts with at least a hour-long evaluation with one of the prescribers where they will determine eligibility.

Induction can be between one to four weeks, twice weekly in an in-person clinic. Then, five to eight weeks, once a week, in person, followed by a weekly maintenance program.

Sea Glass Healing practice, in existence for three years, also provides psychotherapy across a range of specialties, including trauma recovery; EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) for trauma and PTSD; internal family systems to foster balance and healing; couples counseling; Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP); hypnotherapy; and trauma therapy.

Nine insurance providers are accepted and the client pays anywhere from $125 to $250, depending upon the provider and the service offered.

Other on-staff outpatient therapists are Kitiara Rodriguez, MSW, RCSWI; Debra Dragomir, MSW, LCSW; Erin Majesty, MSW, LCSW; Ann Aguirregaviria, M.Ed., BCaBA, RMHCI; and Jacqueline Kelman, RMHCI.

Questions about Spravato® will be answered at an onsite open house at the facility at 506 SW U.S. 1, Suite 102, Stuart on Wednesday, Aug. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. Registration is requested and may be made by going to luma.com/journey-sea-glass-healing-open-house.

For more information, call 772-480-3588; email info@seaglasshealing.com; or go to www.seaglasshealing.com.