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Meet Dr. How

Medical Director of Stella San Diego and Irvine. Discover the most impactful treatment for you by booking an assessment with Stella's California team.

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DSR SGB, Spravato (esketamine), Ketamine Treatment, Therapy & Medication Management in San Diego

Treatment by Stella can effectively address symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD/PTSI and Long Covid.

Stella Encinitas is designed to create a high-end experience in our safe and therapeutic space, bringing dramatic healing through effective treatments.

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Depression, Anxiety, PTSD & Long COVID Treatment in San Diego

Located in Encinitas, Stella San Diego offers ketamine infusion therapy, Dual Sympathetic Reset treatment (an advanced stellate ganglion block SGB), and Spravato (esketamine) therapy to treat symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression, Long-COVID and more.

Stella Encinitas Address:
700 Garden View Ct, Suite 102
Encinitas, CA 92024.

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Are you looking for in-network psychiatric support? Stella now offers talk therapy and medication management support in California virtually. 

Are you looking for Spravato treatment? We are the process of rolling out insurance coverage. Starting December 1st, Spravato treatment in Encinitas will be covered by major insurance. 

We are proud to serve residents from nearby neighborhoods including Chula Vista, Escondido, Carlsbad, Oceanside, North Park, Ocean Beach, Mission Valley, City Heights, Coronado, La Jolla, National City, Vista and Downtown, Gaslamp Little Italy and more.

 

Stella Encinitas accepts major insurances for intake appointments, medication management and talk therapy. All other treatments are considered self pay. Use our look up tool to see what's covered:

Treatments vary per location. We understand that navigating insurance can feel overwhelming. Call our care advocates directly to discuss your coverage.

Stella accepts insurance

Depending on your location and plan, selected services may be covered by insurance.

About Stella San Diego

Located in Encinitas, Stella San Diego is designed to create a safe and accepting environment for those looking for relief from symptoms of emotional trauma and mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, PTSD/PTSI and more.

From your intake assessment to receiving a custom treatment recommendation, our expert medical and mental health professionals will provide tools and support throughout your healing journey. Our team will be your expert guide and will help you discover the most impactful relief through our effective treatments, such as DSR SGB, Spravato therapy, and ketamine infusion therapy.

Meet Our Team

  • Dr. John How. MD

    Dr. John How. MD

    Board-Certified Medical Doctor

    Dr. John How is a board-certified emergency medicine physician with over a decade of experience in the emergency department. He has a special interest in treating musculoskeletal and mental health conditions in people…

    Dr. John How is a board-certified emergency medicine physician with over a decade of experience in the emergency department. He has a special interest in treating musculoskeletal and mental health conditions in people who work or live in high-stress jobs and environments.

    Dr. How received his medical degree at Loma Linda University School of Medicine in California and completed a residency in emergency medicine at Ascension St. John Hospital in Michigan. He is particularly interested in the use of modern ultrasound to diagnose and guide treatment for various conditions.


    Through extensive training with doctors in a range of specialties, Dr. How has developed expertise in precision ultrasound-guided interventions for conditions such as peripheral nerve entrapment and soft tissue injuries. In addition to running the Stella San Diego clinic, Dr. How is also passionate about teaching and has joined the clinical faculty for the primary care sports medicine fellowship at UHC SoCal MEC, where he focuses on ultrasound guided diagnosis and treatment and regenerative medicine.
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  • Jacob Moussai, MD

    Jacob Moussai, MD

    Psychiatrist, Telehealth

    Dr. Moussai is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed his psychiatric training at Yale School of Medicine. He has been providing direct patient care for more than two decades specializing in adults with a variety…

    Dr. Moussai is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed his psychiatric training at Yale School of Medicine. He has been providing direct patient care for more than two decades specializing in adults with a variety of psychiatric conditions. 

    He is a former Associate Clinical Professor at UCLA School of Medicine and a former Assistant Clinical Professor at USC School of Medicine and has provided direct supervision to trainees over the years. 

    He was a Medical Director at the VA providing care to our returning combat Veterans and later worked in the commercial healthcare sector as the Regional Medical Director overseeing substance abuse and eating disorder treatment. 

    He has knowledge and expertise in providing care using various treatment modalities including medications, psychotherapy, and other approaches such as TMS and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy
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  • Lauren Jones

    Lauren Jones

    Registered Nurse

    Lauren is a registered nurse, graduating from California State University San Marcos with experience in a variety of settings including acute care, hospice, and integrative health. Lauren has a passion for providing…

    Lauren is a registered nurse, graduating from California State University San Marcos with experience in a variety of settings including acute care, hospice, and integrative health. Lauren has a passion for providing compassionate holistic care and working collaboratively to empower each person in their health and wellbeing.
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  • Melanie Jimenez

    Melanie Jimenez

    Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Telehealth

    Melanie is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with seven years of nursing experience. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University, San Marcos, and worked as…

    Melanie is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with seven years of nursing experience. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University, San Marcos, and worked as a Registered Nurse at Huntington Hospital and UCLA. Her commitment to psychiatric medicine grew from personal experiences and recognizing the unmet needs in mental health.

    To broaden her impact, Melanie obtained a Master's degree in Nursing from Maryville University. She has experience in treating patients with treatment-resistant mental health conditions, including the use of innovative therapies like ketamine infusion. Melanie is passionate about destigmatizing mood disorders and advocates for alternative treatments like ketamine and psychedelic medicine. She finds great fulfillment in working closely with patients, helping them take control of their mental health and confidently navigate their treatment journey.
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  • Maria C. Williams

    Maria C. Williams

    Medical Office Administrator

    Maria Williams received her M.A. in General Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, where her studies focused on transpersonal psychology, the use of imagery in improving athletic performance, and…

    Maria Williams received her M.A. in General Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, where her studies focused on transpersonal psychology, the use of imagery in improving athletic performance, and dance/movement therapy. She has a passion for alternative methods of healing, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, and spiritual exploration for personal growth and well-being. Maria has administrative and operational experience in holistic medicine and mental health, and she also offers certified trip sitting support.

    In her free time, Maria loves to attend concerts, festivals, and other live music events, using music and movement as medicine and personal therapy. She also loves going to the beach, eating french fries, and binging dramatic TV shows. Maria is honored to be a part of the Stella family and strives to bring her skill set and love for exploration to support and enhance clients' experiences.
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  • Photo of Patrick, a white male with red glasses wearing a blue suit coat and white shirt

    Patrick Wester

    Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Telehealth

    Patrick is a board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who is well-versed in the fields of psychopharmacology, psychotherapy and interventional psychiatry. Before joining Bespoke Treatment, Patrick…

    Patrick is a board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who is well-versed in the fields of psychopharmacology, psychotherapy and interventional psychiatry. Before joining Bespoke Treatment, Patrick worked in New York City at an outpatient clinic specializing in Treatment Resistant Depression, where he was responsible for complex medication management, overseeing IV ketamine and Spravato (esketamine) sessions and providing TMS. He also served as Clinical Director of the practice's Intensive Outpatient Program, overseeing a team of psychiatrists, PMHNPs and therapists. Prior to his work as a PMHNP, Patrick worked as a Registered Nurse in emergency, trauma and psychiatric emergency settings primarily in New Jersey and California – and is very happy to be back in Los Angeles!

    Patrick holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Fordham University, where he worked in the Mood and Behavior Lab, conducting and publishing research on topics related to non-suicidal self-injury.

    He also has a bachelor's degree in nursing from Seton Hall University, where he was the recipient of the Nursing Excellence Awards in both Psychiatric Nursing and Nursing Research for his graduating class. While completing his Masters in Advanced Nursing Practice at Wilkes University, Patrick completed a year-long internship at a community outpatient psychiatric practice, addressing a wide range of mental health and substance use concerns for patients of all ages. Patrick prides himself on providing individualized and compassionate care to all his patients, empowering them to be active participants in their healing journey.

    Patrick believes that this healing journey should be viewed holistically, treating the underlying causes of mental health challenges and not just the symptoms. With a passion for patient education and advocacy, Patrick strives to create a trusting relationship with patients to ensure that those he works with feel heard, optimistic and understood.
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  • Ben Spielberg, M.S., PhD Candidate

    Ben Spielberg, M.S., PhD Candidate

    Neuroscientist & Managing Director, California

    After working in behavioral health for a decade and finding mental healthcare to be splintered and inaccessible for many patients, Ben founded Bespoke Treatment in 2019 which was acquired by Stella in 2025. Ben attended…

    After working in behavioral health for a decade and finding mental healthcare to be splintered and inaccessible for many patients, Ben founded Bespoke Treatment in 2019 which was acquired by Stella in 2025. Ben attended graduate school at Columbia University and received a Master of Science degree in Neuroscience and Education. During graduate school, Ben developed a specialty in clinical neuromodulation and neuroimaging, where he used brain scans to predict off-label uses for TMS, neurofeedback, and Ketamine. Ben's research has been published in prestigious journals such as Brain Stimulation and ACR Open Rheumatology, and presented at The Clinical TMS Society, The International Neuropsychological Society, and the NYC Neuromodulation Conference. As a Cognitive Neuroscience Ph.D. candidate, Ben is currently researching ways to continue to personalize and optimize brain stimulation and medical psychedelic use.  Ben serves as the Psychedelic Medicine Association's Chapter Head of the Neurology Special Interest Group and has been honored as a 2023 Future Leader Under 40 by Behavioral Health Business and a Top 10 CEO to watch out for by Entrepreneur.com.
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  • Hannah Shay

    Hannah Shay

    Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Telehealth

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  • Amy Lopez

    Amy Lopez

    Physician Assistant

    As a seasoned physician assistant with a strong background in traditional medicine, Amy has found her passion in the world of cutting-edge biological treatments like Ketamine assisted therapy. With 17 years of…

    As a seasoned physician assistant with a strong background in traditional medicine, Amy has found her passion in the world of cutting-edge biological treatments like Ketamine assisted therapy. With 17 years of experience under her belt, she is dedicated to exploring innovative solutions for mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Join her on the journey towards healing and mental well-being.
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Reviews

Highly Effective Mental Health Treatments

As an interventional psychiatry practice, we offer mental health treatments that are backed by science. Stella's treatments target the source, aiming to health the root cause instead of just masking the symptoms.

We approach all modalities uniquely to optimize the best possible treatment outcome. All treatment plans are developed after a comprehensive intake assessment conducted with our Advanced Practice Providers (APP) to ensure you can get the most benefits from our treatment.

Get Stellate Ganglion Bock (SGB) Treatment in San Diego, CA

Two treatments within 30 days targeting a bundle of nerves connected to sympathetic nervous sysytem to give fight or flight system a reset, reducing emotional distress, especially in conditions like PTSD and anxiety.


 

 

Get Ketamine Therapy in San Diego, CA

In-office medically guided infusions that follow a responsible innovation approach paired with integration sessions to effectively treat mental health conditions, such as depression.

 

 

 

 

 

Get Spravato Treatment in San Deigo, CA

FDA-approved ketamine therapy for treatment resistant depression administered in office that targets symptoms of depression such as low mood, lack of pleasure in activities, feelings of hopelessness and more.


 

 

Stella's Integration Therapy is built to optimize healing and growth by making meaning of ketamine infusion sessions and create individualized action plans that turn insights into growth.

 

 

 


Work directly with Stella's Advanced Practice Provider to discover the most impactful relief through smart applications of safe and effective treatment modalities.

 


 

 

Financing & Payment Options

Finances shouldn't get in the way of you getting the help you need. Stella Mental Health offers financing plans that include 0% down through our partnership with Rectangle Health.

We also accepts multiple forms of payment such as Health Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts, CareCredit and major credit cards.

Your dedicated care team will work with you directly to review coverage, provide super bills, assist with financing applications and more.

*Insurance coverage varies by state and plan. Financing available to those who qualify.

Flexible Financial Support with

Cost shouldn't stand in the way of getting the treatment you need. Spravato withMe is a cost-savings program that can assist with up to $8,150 of out-of-pocket expenses per calendar year. Depending on your out-of-network benefits and current deductible, this rebate program can drastically reduce your Spravato treatment costs. 

Dr. How Explaining How DSR SGB Works

Stella's provider Dr. John How appearing on the "Gabrielle Lyon Show", where they dive deep into groundbreaking approaches for treating PTSD, anxiety, and depression, especially Dual Sympathetic Reset, an advanced stellate ganglion block (SGB) and non-invasive procedure that's transforming how we manage trauma and mental health without relying solely on medications.

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About Stella Mental Health

Stella Mental Health is a leading interventional psychiatry practice dedicated to delivering the most effective mental health treatments.

Since 2020, Stella has provided cutting-edge biological interventions to target the physical injury caused by emotional trauma and mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, PTSD, and stress. We have introduced and become the top provider of the "dual sympathetic reset" protocol, an advanced stellate ganglion block (SGB) created by Stella's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Eugene Lipov, as an effective treatment for PTSD and anxiety.

Over the past few years, Stella has expanded its care model to an individualized, multimodality approach, offering ketamine infusion, Spravato, TMS therapy, psychiatric medication management, and more. Our team of board-certified physicians, advanced practice providers, and tireless advocates provide comprehensive care across 20+ US locations, as well as in Israel and Australia.

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