On October 22, 2025, InnerMost officially opened its doors in our new flagship space in Manhattan—an evening that brought together more than 120 therapists, psychiatrists, researchers, journalists, and community partners. After a year of focused operational groundwork, the night marked a turning point: the completion of our renovation, the establishment of our core clinical and administrative teams, and our transition from vision-building to delivering and scaling integrative psychedelic care.
What unfolded that evening was more than a launch event. It was the beginning of a new chapter for mental health care in New York City.
Leaders across the psychedelic landscape shared both in-person and written statements for the launch, underscoring the significance of the moment.
Julie Holland, MD, Author of Good Chemistry shared:
“I think of integrity as being in alignment with yourself, and when I think of Dr. Casey Paleos, that word integrity is near the top of the list of things I think of. I can, without reservation, recommend InnerMost and his care, and that's why I'm here.”
Rick Doblin, PhD, Founder of MAPS, wrote:
“InnerMost, under the direction of Dr. Casey Paleos, will become an example to the entire field by centering the combination of psychedelics plus therapy, focusing primarily on enhancing patient outcomes. I'm delighted to see InnerMost moving forward.”
Amy Emerson, Board Member & Former CEO of Resilient Pharmaceuticals (formerly Lykos), shared:
“Dr. Casey Paleos and his team are redefining what ethical and effective psychedelic therapy can look like, and are helping ensure this field grows with safety, depth, and integrity.”
And from Michael and Annie Mithoefer:
“At a time when MDMA approval is delayed but coming soon, we are faced with new challenges to assure that when approval comes, it will come with an understanding of the importance of THERAPY in psychedelic-assisted therapy. Dr. Casey Paleos and InnerMost are stepping up to create the kind of center that is setting a high standard of care.”
The centerpiece of the evening was a moving address from InnerMost’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Casey Paleos, whose leadership continues to shape the emerging field of psychedelic-assisted therapy.
He opened with a message that grounded the night:
“What we are building in this space is not a ketamine or Spravato clinic. What the world needs right now is not another ketamine or Spravato clinic.
What the world needs—and what we are aspiring to become—are institutions committed to discovering, implementing, and disseminating the highest standard of care in psychedelic-assisted therapy.”
Dr. Paleos articulated InnerMost’s four foundational pillars:
These pillars, he emphasized, represent a deliberate challenge to the “broken and false paradigm” that has shaped psychiatry for decades—one that reduces human suffering to disordered brain chemistry.
“Healing is not about suppressing symptoms,” he said. “It’s about helping people safely engage with unresolved trauma from a place of deep inner wisdom and wholeness—transmuting wounds into conduits for compassion, connectedness, and growth.”
He described the shift that psychedelic therapies make possible: moving from a system that silences distress to one that listens to it, honors it, and supports people in healing at the root.
Clinical activity at InnerMost is already expanding rapidly across our six ketamine-assisted psychotherapy offerings and five ketamine group programs—designed to meet the diverse needs of individuals seeking relief from depression, anxiety, trauma imprinting, and existential distress.
A major catalyst is Spravato®, the first FDA-approved psychedelic treatment and the only one covered by insurance. One of Johnson & Johnson’s fastest-growing neuroscience products—with sales up more than 60% year-over-year—Spravato is driving nationwide demand for accessible psychedelic care.
Yet very few centers combine Spravato with psychotherapy.
InnerMost is uniquely positioned to fill this critical gap.
By building the operational infrastructure to accept insurance, we’ve advanced not only a sustainable business model but a core commitment of our public benefit mission: making high-quality, integrative psychedelic care available to those who need it most.
InnerMost is also becoming a hub for psychedelic research. In partnership with our sister nonprofit, Nautilus Sanctuary, we are preparing to launch our first investigator-initiated clinical trial in Q1 2026, studying MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for frontline workers navigating post-traumatic stress and burnout.
Sessions will be filmed to create a much-needed therapist training library, supporting the clinicians who will carry this paradigm shift forward.
Earlier this year, InnerMost secured a DEA Schedule I research license, one of the most significant regulatory milestones required to conduct psychedelic research in the United States.
From day one, InnerMost has been committed to raising the standard of care across the field. We are:
These initiatives are part of what Dr. Paleos described as “a new paradigm in mental healthcare”—one that places ethics, presence, and depth at the center of psychedelic work.
Dr. Paleos concluded his speech with a reminder that community is the most vital pillar of all:
“We cannot do this alone. We welcome all levels of involvement and support—from professional collaboration to capital investment. We have an opportunity to become a beacon for the entire world.”
The October 22 launch wasn’t just a milestone. It was a gathering of people who understand that the future of psychedelic medicine must be ethical, relational, trauma-informed, and rooted in human presence.
And it was a call for all of us—clinicians, researchers, philanthropists, and New Yorkers seeking healing—to build that future together.
InnerMost is now open in Manhattan.
We welcome you to learn more about our ketamine-assisted psychotherapy programs and begin your healing journey with us.
👉 Visit innermost.one/ketamine to get started.
