safe, compassionate, patient-centered ketamine therapy, emphasizing a holistic approach while adhering to evidence-based medicine
I am a board-certified Emergency physician with nearly 15 years of experience treating patients with acute mental health issues. In that time, I met people of all ages and backgrounds who felt they’d tried it all – every drug, every kind of talk therapy, even institutionalization. I sat face-to-face with people in fear, feeling like they were out of options.
As a physician, I felt like I was at a dead end too. I’m trained to heal, not to stand by powerless to help. I could see that the ER was not the ideal place for a patient in acute mental distress: it’s loud, rushed, and chaotic. For the most part, the best I could offer was immediate safety. But I couldn’t help the underlying problems.
I wanted more for my patients, and for myself as a doctor.
At the same time, I was regularly using ketamine in the ER for its traditional sedative and anesthetic purposes. I observed firsthand how safe it is, and why it’s so broadly used. I trained in managing its complications and contraindications. And when I began to read the thrilling new research on ketamine therapy for mental health and chronic pain, I knew I had a new path to follow.
This is why I founded Sana. I’m a doctor who finds purpose in spending quality time with her patients. Sana is about science-based, one-on-one patient care grounded in principles of compassion, respect, and kindness. Here, you won’t feel rushed, and you won’t feel like a number. I will listen to you, answer your questions, and above all, be by your side as you take charge of your mental health.
About Dr. Laura Gallegos
Dr. Gallegos received her medical degree from the prestigious Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in 2006, prior to which she graduated Cum Laude from the University of Florida with a B.S. in Psychology.
She completed residency training in Emergency Medicine in 2010 at the historic John H Stroger Hospital of Cook County in Chicago IL. Included in this experience was training in the use of ketamine in its conventional use for procedural sedation, as well as management of emergencies including complications such cardiac and respiratory complications.
Dr. Gallegos has been practicing emergency medicine since 2010 and is a board-certified emergency medicine physician. She has cared for patients suffering from severe uncontrolled depression, anxiety, and chronic pain conditions. There are limited, less than ideal options for treatment for these conditions in the emergency setting, which led to Dr. Gallegos to consider how she might best use her skills to help these patients.
Member of:
American Society of Ketamine Physicians, Psychotherapists and Practitioners (ASKP3)
American College of Emergency Physicians
American Board of Emergency Medicine
