Spravato® (esketamine) · Laguna Beach, CA
When antidepressants haven’t been enough, there is another way forward.
Mind Space Ketamine is a dedicated SPRAVATO® treatment center on the coast in Laguna Beach. We help adults with treatment-resistant depression get FDA-approved care in a calm, private, clinically supervised setting — and we handle the insurance paperwork.
The first and only esketamine nasal spray approved for treatment-resistant depression.
Preparation, self-administered dose, and monitored rest — all in one appointment.
Still have symptoms after two or more antidepressants — that’s who Spravato® is for.
We verify your benefits and handle prior authorization before you commit to anything.
Our one specialty
We do one thing, and we do it carefully: Spravato®.
Mind Space is not a general psychiatry office or a menu of wellness services. Every room, protocol, and staff member here is built around delivering esketamine safely and comfortably.
A nasal spray that works differently from pills
SPRAVATO® (esketamine) is the S-enantiomer of ketamine, delivered as a nasal spray. Instead of targeting serotonin like most antidepressants, it acts on the brain’s glutamate system, which is thought to help restore connections between nerve cells that chronic depression has worn down. Many patients notice a shift within days to weeks rather than months.
- FDA-approved for treatment-resistant depression (TRD)
- Also approved for depressive symptoms in adults with MDD and suicidal thoughts or actions
- Taken with or without an oral antidepressant, as your provider directs
Why we chose the FDA-approved path
IV ketamine infusions use racemic ketamine off-label; they are not FDA-approved for depression and are rarely covered by insurance. Spravato® is approved, studied in large clinical trials, dispensed only through certified REMS centers, and covered by most commercial plans and Medicare when medical criteria are met.
- Standardized dosing (56 mg or 84 mg) set by your provider
- Blood pressure and comfort monitored for at least two hours each visit
- No IV line, no anesthesia — you administer the spray yourself under supervision
How treatment works
From first call to maintenance, here’s what to expect.
The schedule below is the standard SPRAVATO® protocol. Your provider tailors dose and frequency to how you respond.
Consultation & benefits check
A psychiatric evaluation confirms the diagnosis and reviews your medication history, blood pressure, and any conditions that would rule Spravato® out. Meanwhile our team verifies your insurance and submits prior authorization.
Before you startInduction phase
Two visits per week for four weeks. Each visit: a quick check-in and blood pressure reading, the self-administered nasal spray, then about two hours of monitored rest in your own private room.
Weeks 1–4Maintenance phase
As symptoms improve, visits step down to once weekly, then to every week or every other week based on your response. Your provider reassesses the plan at each stage.
Week 5 onwardOngoing care
We coordinate with your existing psychiatrist or therapist, track your progress with standardized depression scales, and keep the paperwork moving so nothing interrupts your treatment.
Throughout
The setting
Two hours of quiet, a few steps from the coast.
A Spravato® session isn’t a quick shot and a handshake — you’ll spend about two hours with us each visit. We chose Laguna Beach on purpose. Our suite sits on Coast Highway in South Laguna, and the whole space is designed for the calm, unhurried rest the treatment calls for.
Every dose is given in a bright, private treatment room. Settle into a reclining lounge chair with fresh linens, put on headphones, and rest while a clinician monitors you. When your session ends, your ride takes you home along the coast.
The Mind Space difference
A typical clinic vs. a dedicated Spravato® center
Most places offer Spravato® as one line on a long menu. Here it is the whole practice.
Meet your care team
Experienced clinicians who specialize in treatment-resistant depression.
Medical Director
Charles Nguyen, MD, DFAPA
Board-certified psychiatrist · UC Irvine School of Medicine
Dr. Nguyen has practiced psychiatry for more than 25 years. He earned his medical degree and completed his psychiatry residency at UC Irvine, where he later served as Psychiatry Residency Training Director and won the Golden Apple Award for best teacher at the UC Irvine Medical Center.
Read more
An active researcher, Dr. Nguyen participates in clinical trials on depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and schizophrenia, and is an invited lecturer on schizophrenia, weight-gain management with antipsychotics, and obesity treatment. He is the author of The Thinsulin Program, named by the LA Times one of the top diet books of 2016.
Dr. Nguyen takes a collaborative approach: educating each patient on their illness and options, then building a personalized plan that improves well-being and quality of life.
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Thu Phan, MSN, AGNP-C, PMHNP-BC
Dual board-certified · CSU Long Beach · Purdue Global
Thu brings more than 15 years of clinical experience caring for adults. She holds a BSN and MSN in Adult-Gerontology from California State University, Long Beach, and completed her post-master’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification at Purdue Global University.
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She provides evidence-based care for depression, anxiety, and mood disorders, performs comprehensive psychiatric evaluations and medication management, and has direct experience caring for patients receiving Spravato® for treatment-resistant depression.
Her goal is a supportive environment where patients feel heard, understood, and empowered throughout treatment.
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Brian Tran, PMHNP-BC
Board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health NP
Brian is committed to compassionate, individualized care for people living with depression and other mental health conditions, with experience across multiple psychiatric settings and specialized work with treatment-resistant depression.
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He combines advanced clinical knowledge with a warm, collaborative style, and believes successful treatment begins with listening — understanding each person’s story and building a plan that restores hope, resilience, and quality of life.
Insurance & cost
Covered by most plans. We do the paperwork.
Because SPRAVATO® is FDA-approved, most commercial insurance plans and Medicare cover it when medical-necessity criteria are met — typically a diagnosis of major depressive disorder and an inadequate response to at least two oral antidepressants.
Our team confirms your benefits, submits prior authorization, and manages REMS enrollment before your first dose, so your out-of-pocket cost is clear up front and you can focus on getting better.
- Free, no-obligation benefits verification
- Prior authorization handled for you
- Manufacturer savings programs reviewed where eligible
Start here
Find out what your plan covers
Call us with your insurance card handy. We’ll check your Spravato® benefits, explain any copay or deductible, and tell you the next step — usually within one to two business days.
Call (949) 392-0159 for a free benefits checkMonday–Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Coverage varies by plan; final cost is confirmed after authorization.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How do I qualify for Spravato®?
Spravato® is approved for adults with treatment-resistant depression — generally major depressive disorder that hasn’t improved after two or more oral antidepressants at adequate doses — and for adults with MDD who have suicidal thoughts or actions. Our providers confirm candidacy at your consultation and screen for conditions that would make it unsafe, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, aneurysmal vascular disease, or a history of bleeding in the brain.
What does a treatment visit feel like?
After a blood-pressure check you’ll self-administer the nasal spray under supervision, then rest in a private room. Most people describe a sense of calm or relaxation; some feel temporarily dreamy, dizzy, or “disconnected” (dissociation). These effects usually peak within the first 40 minutes and resolve before you leave. A clinician monitors you for at least two hours.
Do I need a ride? Can I go back to work afterward?
Yes, you need a ride. Spravato® can cause sedation and impair your ability to drive, so you cannot drive or operate machinery until the next day after a restful sleep. Many patients schedule visits in the late afternoon or plan a quiet evening afterward.
How soon will I notice a difference?
Responses vary. Some patients notice improved mood, energy, or clarity within the first week or two of induction; for others it builds more gradually over the four-week induction phase. Spravato® is not an instant cure, and your provider will track your progress with standardized depression scales at each stage.
Can I keep taking my current antidepressant?
Usually, yes. Spravato® is approved for use with or without an oral antidepressant for TRD, and with an oral antidepressant for MDD with suicidal thoughts or actions. Bring a full list of your medications to your consultation — certain drugs (CNS depressants, psychostimulants, MAOIs) need special attention.
How do I prepare for a session?
Don’t eat for at least two hours before your appointment and avoid liquids for 30 minutes beforehand, to reduce nausea. If you use a nasal steroid or decongestant, take it at least an hour before. Wear comfortable clothes, bring headphones if you like, and confirm your ride home.
What is the difference between Spravato® and ketamine infusions?
Ketamine is an NMDA-receptor antagonist and a racemic mixture of two mirror-image molecules, R- and S-ketamine. IV ketamine for depression is used off-label and is rarely covered by insurance.
Spravato® (esketamine) is the purified S-enantiomer, delivered intranasally. It is FDA-approved, supported by multiple short- and long-term trials (a 2020 pooled analysis of five trials and 774 patients found better outcomes than placebo), and available only through certified REMS treatment centers such as Mind Space.
Where can I learn more?
Call us at (949) 392-0159 with any question. For information from the manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, visit spravato.com.
Begin your treatment
One call starts the process.
Tell us a little about your history and we’ll check your benefits, answer your questions, and schedule a consultation with our team in Laguna Beach.
Visit
Physician Center West
31852 Coast Hwy, Suite 400
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
On Pacific Coast Highway in South Laguna. On-site parking.
Hours
Treatment visits are scheduled in two-hour blocks; afternoon sessions available.
Important Safety Information
Please read this information about SPRAVATO® and discuss any questions with your healthcare provider.
What is the most important information I should know about SPRAVATO®?
SPRAVATO® can cause serious side effects, including:
- Sedation, dissociation, and respiratory depression. SPRAVATO® may cause sleepiness (sedation), fainting, dizziness, spinning sensation, anxiety, or feeling disconnected from yourself, your thoughts, feelings, space and time (dissociation), and breathing problems (respiratory depression and respiratory arrest).
- Tell your healthcare provider right away if you feel like you cannot stay awake or if you feel like you are going to pass out.
- Your healthcare provider must monitor you for serious side effects for at least 2 hours after taking SPRAVATO®. Your healthcare provider will decide when you are ready to leave the healthcare setting.
- Abuse and misuse. There is a risk for abuse and misuse with SPRAVATO®, which may lead to physical and psychological dependence. Your healthcare provider should check you for signs of abuse, misuse, and dependence before and during treatment.
- Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines, or street drugs.
- Your healthcare provider can tell you more about the differences between physical and psychological dependence in drug addiction.
- SPRAVATO® Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS). Because of the risks for sedation, dissociation, respiratory depression, and abuse and misuse, SPRAVATO® is only available through a restricted program called the SPRAVATO® REMS Program. SPRAVATO® can only be administered at healthcare settings certified in the SPRAVATO® REMS Program. Patients treated in outpatient healthcare settings (such as medical offices and clinics) must be enrolled in the program.
- Increased risk of suicidal thoughts and actions. Antidepressant medicines may increase suicidal thoughts and actions in some people 24 years of age and younger, especially within the first few months of treatment or when the dose is changed. SPRAVATO® is not for use in children.
- Depression and other serious mental illnesses are the most important causes of suicidal thoughts and actions. Some people may have a higher risk of having suicidal thoughts or actions. These include people who have (or have a family history of) depression or a history of suicidal thoughts or actions.
- How can I watch for and try to prevent suicidal thoughts and actions in myself or a family member?
- Pay close attention to any changes, especially sudden changes, in mood, behavior, thoughts, or feelings, or if you develop suicidal thoughts or actions.
- Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new or sudden changes in mood, behavior, thoughts, or feelings, or if you develop suicidal thoughts or actions.
- Keep all follow-up visits with your healthcare provider as scheduled. Call your healthcare provider between visits as needed, especially if you have concerns about symptoms.
- Tell your healthcare provider or get emergency help right away if you or your family member have any of the following symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you:
- thoughts about suicide or dying
- suicide attempts
- new or worse depression
- new or worse anxiety
- feeling very agitated or restless
- panic attacks
- trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- new or worse irritability
- acting aggressive, being angry or violent
- acting on dangerous impulses
- an extreme increase in activity and talking (mania)
- other unusual changes in behavior or mood
What is SPRAVATO® (esketamine) CIII nasal spray?
SPRAVATO® is a prescription medicine used:
- with or without an antidepressant taken by mouth, to treat adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD)
- with an antidepressant taken by mouth, to treat depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) with suicidal thoughts or actions
SPRAVATO® is not for use as a medicine to prevent or relieve pain (anesthetic). It is not known if SPRAVATO® is safe or effective as an anesthetic medicine.
It is not known if SPRAVATO® is safe or effective for use in preventing suicide or in reducing suicidal thoughts or actions. SPRAVATO® is not for use in place of hospitalization if your healthcare provider determines that hospitalization is needed, even if improvement is experienced after the first dose of SPRAVATO®.
It is not known if SPRAVATO® is safe and effective in children.
Do not take SPRAVATO® if you:
- have blood vessel (aneurysmal vascular) disease (including in the brain, chest, abdominal aorta, arms and legs)
- have an abnormal connection between your veins and arteries (arteriovenous malformation)
- have a history of bleeding in the brain
- are allergic to esketamine, ketamine, or any of the other ingredients in SPRAVATO®.
If you are not sure if you have any of the above conditions, talk to your healthcare provider before taking SPRAVATO®.
Before you take SPRAVATO®, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- have heart or brain problems, including:
- high blood pressure (hypertension)
- slow or fast heartbeats that cause shortness of breath, chest pain, lightheadedness, or fainting
- history of heart attack
- history of stroke
- heart valve disease or heart failure
- history of brain injury or any condition where there is increased pressure in the brain
- have liver problems
- have ever had a condition called “psychosis” (see, feel, or hear things that are not there, or believe in things that are not true)
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. SPRAVATO® may harm your unborn baby. You should not take SPRAVATO® if you are pregnant.
- Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant during treatment with SPRAVATO®.
- If you are able to become pregnant, talk to your healthcare provider about methods to prevent pregnancy during treatment with SPRAVATO®.
- There is a pregnancy registry for women who are exposed to SPRAVATO® during pregnancy. The purpose of the registry is to collect information about the health of women exposed to SPRAVATO® and their baby. If you become pregnant during treatment with SPRAVATO®, talk to your healthcare provider about registering with the National Pregnancy Registry for Antidepressants at 1-844-405-6185 or online at womensmentalhealth.org.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. SPRAVATO® passes into your breast milk. You should not breastfeed during treatment with SPRAVATO®.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines that you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. Taking SPRAVATO® with certain medicine may cause side effects.
Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take central nervous system (CNS) depressants, psychostimulants, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) medicine. Keep a list of them to show to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.
How will I take SPRAVATO®?
- You will take SPRAVATO® nasal spray yourself, under the supervision of a healthcare provider in a healthcare setting. Your healthcare provider will show you how to use the SPRAVATO® nasal spray device.
- Your healthcare provider will tell you how much SPRAVATO® you will take and when you will take it.
- Follow your SPRAVATO® treatment schedule exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to.
- During and after each use of the SPRAVATO® nasal spray device, you will be checked by a healthcare provider who will decide when you are ready to leave the healthcare setting.
- You will need to plan for a caregiver or family member to drive you home after taking SPRAVATO®.
- If you miss a SPRAVATO® treatment, your healthcare provider may change your dose and treatment schedule.
- Some people taking SPRAVATO® get nausea and vomiting. You should not eat for at least 2 hours before taking SPRAVATO® and not drink liquids at least 30 minutes before taking SPRAVATO®.
- If you take a nasal corticosteroid or nasal decongestant medicine take these medicines at least 1 hour before taking SPRAVATO®.
What should I avoid while taking SPRAVATO®?
Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything where you need to be completely alert after taking SPRAVATO®. Do not take part in these activities until the next day following a restful sleep. See “What is the most important information I should know about SPRAVATO®?”
What are the possible side effects of SPRAVATO®?
SPRAVATO® may cause serious side effects including: See “What is the most important information I should know about SPRAVATO®?”
Increased blood pressure. SPRAVATO® can cause a temporary increase in your blood pressure that may last for about 4 hours after taking a dose. Your healthcare provider will check your blood pressure before taking SPRAVATO® and for at least 2 hours after you take SPRAVATO®. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get chest pain, shortness of breath, sudden severe headache, change in vision, or seizures after taking SPRAVATO®.
Problems with thinking clearly. Tell your healthcare provider if you have problems thinking or remembering.
Bladder problems. Tell your healthcare provider if you develop trouble urinating, such as a frequent or urgent need to urinate, pain when urinating, or urinating frequently at night.
The most common side effects of SPRAVATO® include:
- feeling disconnected from yourself, your thoughts, feelings and things around you
- feeling anxious
- dizziness
- lack of energy
- nausea
- increased blood pressure
- feeling sleepy
- vomiting
- spinning sensation
- feeling drunk
- decreased feeling of sensitivity (numbness)
- headache
- feeling very happy or excited
If these common side effects occur, they usually happen right after taking SPRAVATO® and go away the same day. These are not all the possible side effects of SPRAVATO®.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Johnson & Johnson at 1-800-526-7736, or to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS, and Medication Guide for SPRAVATO® and discuss any questions you may have with your healthcare provider.
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SPRAVATO® is a registered trademark of Johnson & Johnson and its affiliated companies. Mind Space Ketamine is a REMS-certified SPRAVATO® treatment center. Use of SPRAVATO® materials and imagery on this site is not an endorsement by Johnson & Johnson of Mind Space Ketamine. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or go to the nearest emergency room.