MEET YOUR PHYSICIAN
Dr. Scott Gillin, MD
Board-Certified Physician. Ketamine Therapy Pioneer. Founder of Seaside Ketamine.
Dr. Gillin has spent over 30 years in medicine — from leading pediatric cardiac anesthesia at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego to pioneering ketamine therapy in Southern California.
After administering more than 3,500 ketamine treatments and observing the limits of symptom-only psychiatric care, he founded Seaside Ketamine to offer something different: a practice that combines rapid-acting ketamine therapy with metabolic psychiatry, root-cause investigation, and real integration support.
Board-Certified
Physician
3,500+ Ketamine
Sessions
Former Chief of Anesthesia, Rady Children’s Hospital
IFM-Certified Functional Medicine
Metabolic Psychiatry Training
Why I Started Seaside Ketamine
After more than three decades in medicine — including years as a pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist and Chief of Anesthesia at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego — I’ve had a front-row seat to both the power and the limits of modern medicine.
What I’ve witnessed over the past decade troubles me deeply: a steady, accelerating decline in mental well-being alongside an equally alarming rise in metabolic disease. I don’t think these trends are coincidental. I believe they’re the same problem, manifesting in different ways.
Bad diets, too much sugar, and constant stress cause deep inflammation in the body. In addition, poor sleep, sitting all day, and feeling alone make this problem worse. These habits do not just lead to diabetes and heart disease. In fact, they are the main biological drivers behind depression, anxiety, and chronic pain.
treatment resistance I see every day.
In 2018, I opened West Coast Ketamine Center after seeing ketamine’s remarkable ability to provide rapid relief for people who had tried everything else. Over the next seven years, I administered more than 3,500 ketamine treatments and helped hundreds of people find relief when nothing else worked.
But I also noticed something that changed my thinking entirely: the patients who got the best long-term results weren’t just getting ketamine. They were addressing the deeper biological and behavioral patterns that had been driving their symptoms all along.
That insight became the foundation for Seaside Ketamine. This practice exists because I believe mental health deserves the same rigorous, root-cause approach we apply to every other area of medicine.
Ketamine is a powerful tool — but it’s most effective when it’s the beginning of a transformation, not the end of one.
Clinical Experience
- Doctor of Medicine (MD)
- Board Certified in Anesthesiology
- Board Certified in Pediatric Anesthesiology
- Internship in Internal Medicine
- Former Chief of Anesthesia, Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego
- Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiologist
- 30+ years of clinical practice
- 3,500+ ketamine therapy sessions administered
- Founded West Coast Ketamine Center in 2018
- Founded Seaside Ketamine, Seaside Longevity, and RewindMD
Specialized Training
- Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) — Member & Training Completed
- Integrative Medicine in Mental Health (IMMH) — Trained
- American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) — Trained
- Metabolic Psychiatry (informed by Dr. Christopher Palmer’s research, Harvard Medical School)
- Certified in The Gupta Program (neuroplasticity-based brain retraining)
- Compassionate Inquiry (Gabor Maté’s trauma framework)
- Extensive 12-step recovery framework experience (since 1994)
My Philosophy
Systems Biology
The brain doesn’t exist in isolation. I approach mental health the same way I approach every other area of medicine — by looking at the whole system. Inflammation, metabolism, hormones, gut health, sleep, nutrition, stress — these all shape how you think and feel. When we address the right systems, lasting change becomes possible.
Root-Cause Medicine
I trained at the Institute for Functional Medicine because I believe in treating causes, not just managing symptoms. Standard psychiatric care often stops at ‘which medication adjusts your neurotransmitters.’ I start with a different question: what is happening in your body and life that’s making you feel this way?
Transformation Over Transaction
Ketamine is a powerful tool — but it’s most effective when it’s part of a larger process. I created The Seaside Method because I’ve seen firsthand that the patients who do best are the ones who combine rapid relief with deep investigation, thoughtful integration, and sustainable lifestyle change.
I Practice What I Teach
Doctors often ask patients to change their habits. In my view, those same doctors must be ready to do that hard work themselves.
To lead by example, my own daily routine includes quiet meditation and regular yoga. In addition, I focus on eating whole foods for good nutrition. I also combine cardio, strength, and fast interval training to stay fit. Finally, I maintain a deep commitment to my spiritual growth. I’m deeply family-oriented, value
personal relationships, and have been actively involved in recovery and 12-step work since 1994.
I also have a passion for teaching. Helping people understand why they feel the way they do — and
showing them a clear path forward — is the most meaningful work I’ve ever done.
One Doctor. Three Practices. A Complete System for Healing.
Seaside Ketamine
Mind
IV and IM ketamine infusions, Spravato®, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, and metabolic psychiatry for depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, and chronic pain.
Body
Comprehensive functional medicine including advanced lab work, genetic testing, metabolomic analysis, hormone optimization, and root-cause medical care.
Skin
Regenerative aesthetics to help you look as good as you’re beginning to feel — because healing is internal and external.
FAQ
What are Dr. Gillin’s medical credentials?
Dr. Gillin is a board-certified physician with dual board certification in Anesthesiology and Pediatric Anesthesiology. He completed an internship in Internal Medicine and served as Chief of Anesthesia at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego. He has over 30 years of clinical experience and has administered more than 3,500 ketamine therapy sessions.
What specialized training does Dr. Gillin have in mental health and ketamine therapy?
Dr. Gillin trained at several top health centers. For example, he studied with the Institute for Functional Medicine, IMMH, and A4M. In addition, he holds a certificate from The Gupta Program for brain retraining. He also learned Compassionate Inquiry directly from Gabor Maté’s well-known program. Furthermore, his work in brain health follows the deep research of Dr. Christopher Palmer at Harvard Medical School
Why did Dr. Gillin transition from anesthesiology to ketamine therapy?
After decades of practicing anesthesiology and observing the growing mental health crisis alongside rising metabolic disease, Dr. Gillin recognized that ketamine — a medication he had extensive experience with as an anesthesiologist — had remarkable potential for treating depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic pain. He opened West Coast Ketamine Center in 2018, administered over 3,500 treatments, and then founded Seaside Ketamine to offer a more comprehensive, root-cause approach to mental health care.
What is Dr. Gillin’s approach to patient care?
Dr. Gillin takes a systems biology approach — treating the brain as part of an interconnected system that includes metabolism, inflammation, hormones, gut health, nutrition, sleep, and lifestyle factors. Rather than managing symptoms with medication alone, he investigates the root biological causes of mental health challenges and builds personalized treatment plans that combine rapid-acting ketamine therapy with metabolic psychiatry, integration support, and lifestyle medicine.
What is The Seaside Method?
The Seaside Method is a four-step care plan created by Dr. Gillin. First, you get quick relief through ketamine therapy. Next, we look for the root cause of your pain using brain tests and deep lab work. Then, we rewire the brain with talk therapy and habit changes. Finally, we build lasting strength through good food, exercise, and ongoing care. This is because Dr. Gillin knows that true healing must fix your body, mind, and daily habits.
Ready to Talk?
The first step is a free 15-minute conversation. No pressure. No sales pitch. Just an honest discussion
about what you’re experiencing and whether we can help.