Ketamine treatment in Malta, from an infusion course to a private retreat
Three formats and one medical team. A doctor is with you at every session, and you don’t need a referral from your GP.
Three ways to have treatment with us
From the most affordable to the most private.
Ketamine infusions
A low dose of ketamine given slowly through a drip in your arm, with a doctor beside you. About 40 minutes a visit.
Best if you want medical treatment without taking a week away.
6 visits · 3 weeks
How the course worksThe seven-week programme
Three weeks of preparation online, one week in the house in Malta, then three weeks of integration from home.
Best if you want therapy before, during and after the medicine, with the same team.
7 weeks · 1 week in Malta
How the seven weeks workThe private retreat
The seven-week programme, with the house and the team to yourself for your week in Malta.
Best if you need complete privacy for your week in Malta.
7 weeks · 1 week in Malta
How the private retreat worksNot sure which one fits? Alex goes through all three with you on a free 15-minute call.
Who you will meet
The doctors who assess you and give the infusions, and the psychotherapist who leads the programmes.
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Medical lead
Licensed and practising anaesthetist and intensive care specialist. Hospital experience in Malta and the United Kingdom. Teaches cardiopulmonary resuscitation.View profile
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Lead psychiatrist
Consultant Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist, thirty-five years in psychiatry. Trained and worked in the UK, then Consultant Psychiatrist at Mount Carmel hospital for ten years. Former Head of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Malta and past member of the Medical Council.View profile
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Audra Micallef
Chief psychotherapist
Warranted psychotherapist, twenty years in practice. Leads therapeutic groups and retreats, and supervises other therapists.
What the research shows
55%
In the largest trial so far, six infusions over three weeks at least halved symptoms for 55% of people whose depression had not improved with other treatment.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2023
67%
In a small trial of 30 people with chronic PTSD, 67% of those given ketamine responded to six infusions over two weeks.
American Journal of Psychiatry, 2021
Hours to days
For many patients, effects begin within hours to days. Standard antidepressants usually take weeks.
American Journal of Psychiatry, 2013
The house on the island
Traditional Maltese stone in San Lawrenz, with room for four guests and the clinical team. Meals are cooked on site by a dedicated chef.
Want the house to yourself? The private retreat
- Five bedrooms, each with its own bathroom
- Open courtyard and a living room with a fireplace
- Dining room with a private kitchen and a dedicated chef
- Swimming pool and an outdoor area facing the sunset
- Hot jacuzzis, an ice bath and a sound bath dome
- Olive garden and a bonfire zone
What happens after you apply
- 01
A few questions
Two minutes online: what you would like help with and which format you are looking at.
- 02
A 15-minute call with Alex
He answers your questions, goes through the dates and tells you what it would cost in your case. No medical decisions are made on this call.
- 03
An assessment with our doctors
Our doctors decide whether treatment suits you, before you pay for the course or the programme.
- 04
Your dates
We plan the dates with you. For infusions, we also suggest where to stay.
Nothing is booked or paid for until you have spoken to us.
What you can verify about us
Everything here can be checked without asking us. If something you need is missing, say so on the call and we’ll send it.
Learn more
What people ask on the first call
What can infusions help with?
The strongest research is in depression, including depression that has not improved with medication. There is growing research in PTSD and chronic pain, and earlier research in OCD. The psychiatrist looks at your situation at the assessment.
Will I lose control during an infusion?
Not in the way people describe recreational ketamine. The dose is low and goes in slowly. Many people feel calm and dreamlike, a little detached from their body or the room, and some feel a little sick, dizzy or sleepy for a while. It fades once the infusion ends, and most people feel steady within about two hours. The doctor is beside you throughout and can slow the infusion down or stop it if it becomes too intense.
How long do I need to be in Malta for infusions?
The course is six infusions, two a week over three weeks. We go through the dates with you on the call and plan your stay around them.
How long am I away for the programme?
One week. The preparation and the integration happen online, from home. Flights are not included. We meet you at the airport, and the house is about ninety minutes away.
What is included in the programme?
Treatment, your room, meals cooked on site, the activities, and the preparation and integration with the same team. Flights are not included.
Who else is in the house?
Up to four guests at a time, each in a single room. On the private retreat, the house is yours.
Do I need a referral from my GP?
No. Our psychiatrist assesses you directly. If you already see a psychiatrist, you can use their assessment for the infusion course.
Can I keep taking my antidepressants?
Often yes, and it depends on which medication and at what dose. This is one of the first things the psychiatrist checks. Don’t stop anything before you speak to us.
What does it cost?
Infusions cost less than a course at a private London clinic, and less than our residential programmes. For the programme and the private retreat, Alex gives you the exact figure on the call.
A free 15-minute call with Alex
Alex runs Hive in Malta. He answers your questions about the three formats, the dates and the house, and tells you what it would cost in your case.
- Whether treatment suits you is decided by our doctors at the assessment, not on this call. Your medical history stays with them.
Our story
We develop next-generation mental health care protocols and the tools needed to deliver safer access to life-changing therapies for the millions who need them.
We are building a network of retreat centres offering ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.