Where are you located? Do you accept insurance? What are your credentials? What population do you work with, and which disorders do you primarily focus on?
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist providing in-person sessions in Southwest Florida and telehealth throughout the state. I work with clients of every age and I specialize in trauma, relationships, and the formation and exploration of Self. I also provide psychedelic integration services through a family-run ketamine-assisted psychotherapy clinic in the area. My private practice currently accepts some insurances, but I also provide sliding scale rates; the clinic does not accept insurance.
What is your theoretical orientation? Why did you choose that orientation?
Marriage and family therapists are foundationally trained in systems, so my approach to everything is somewhat mathematical. I see presenting issues and symptoms as little cells — each has its own specific and intricate inner working and each originated and grew in its own entirely unique environment. I intertwine approaches based on attachment patterns, neurological functioning, astrology and spirituality, and physical health. Each human being is so specifically designed that anything less than a holistic approach would be just the tip of the iceberg.
What is a mental health “golden nugget” you can give over?
The two things I remind myself of as often as I can are that A) Bite-sizing things can help combat overwhelm and B) Identifying as something gives permission for experiencing shame. The second one is huge; I have found that, more than anything else, when we identify with a label or characteristic, it increases the likelihood that we will feel shame if, or when, we break that identity. Often, we don’t realize the subconscious association of a label — especially a label that has been defined by society instead of our true Self. The moment that we step outside the box of the label or characteristic, we are “wrong” or “bad.”
What type of coffee do you enjoy best and how do you like your coffee? (If you don’t drink coffee that is fine too!)
I’ve never had the coffee bug (how I made it through college and graduate school without any caffeine-fueled all-nighters, I’ll never really know!) but I am trying my hardest to get into drinking tea. I love the idea of a cozy blanket and a warm mug at the end of the day — it would probably happen more often if I wasn’t in the Florida heat.
Do you work alone or are you a part of a group practice? Tell us about your practice/work!
It’s just me! I am the only clinician at the ketamine clinic right now and my private practice is just me. My psychedelic integration role focuses on preparation of clients prior to ketamine experiences and then follow-up and processing following their dose session. Clients can experience anything from deep relaxation and lessened mind chatter to witnessing spiritual figures and connecting with lost loved ones. It is a profoundly energetic therapy and so I need to remain grounded and impartial at all times. Within my private practice, I provide in-home and public assistance therapy. Really I’m like a counseling concierge! For clients who have debilitating depressive episodes, we will work on in-home cleaning and self-care plans, including active and hands-on practice. For those with social anxiety, it may be practicing an outing to the grocery store. So on and so forth. My approach to services is entirely specified to each individual.
When/How did you first become interested in a career in Psychology/Therapy? If you have a specialty, what is it and why did you choose your specialty?
When I was in high school, I wanted to be a journalist or a writer. Then I took a psychology class senior year and it was like my whole world made sense. My undergraduate internship was at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Gainesville, FL and our director was an MFT. I watched her in action and I was hooked. I found myself in the psychedelic-assisted world by divine placement. My husband is a paramedic and crossed paths with the clinic’s ambassador — a week later I had an interview. I had always kept up with psychedelics research and organizations like MAPS, often daydreaming about one day participating in the creation of literature and future theoretical orientations. Ketamine ultimately reduces inflammation in the brain, allowing for a significant decrease of anxious and depressive symptoms to happen within a handful of sessions, versus the months or years it may take through more traditional talk-therapy routes.
What aspects of clinical work do you enjoy most and why?
LOVE. Hands down great therapy is rooted in love. It is breathtaking to see a client develop a sense of love for their Self. Once this starts to grow, you get to witness the client make decisions rooted in their love for their Self. They want to eat better, move better, and communicate better. They develop such a sense of understanding and acceptance of their emotions. No one really warned me that, as a clinician, I would fall in love with a different person every week, but it is truly the most intense and profound gift.
What are your hobbies?
For a while, I didn’t know! I’ve had to learn to distinguish hobbies from self-care so I’m still learning what sets my heart on fire. I love reading, gardening, and all things artistic — pottery, painting, and DIYs. I have my sights set on a few more physical hobbies soon too — back into yoga, maybe some aerial silks, dancing, rock climbing, and paddleboarding! We’ll see where my heart fire takes me.
Do you have any blog/podcast/other media people can follow?
I am on Instagram and TikTok @hannapratico — Keep an eye out for a future YouTube channel outlining my active practice of life and a podcast! Big dreams coming!
Do you have any book recommendations?
I just finished listening to the audiobook “Atomic Habits” by James Clear and it was wonderful! I struggle with motivation often and get overwhelmed with how many ideas swim in my head each day. It’s a relatively short book and is so well-written. Entertaining, thought-provoking, and entirely validating!
If you were to write a book about your life, what would it be called? Where would you begin your first chapter?
I’ve actually put so much thought into this! My memoir would be called “Arrogant and Triggered” and it would begin with a story about me in graduate school, when I face planted after running drunk down a friend’s apartment hallway. I’d go through the timeline of my life and outline the themes of trauma, avoidance, and ultimately (as my professor said I showed in my graduate school interview) pure grit.
To get in touch with Hanna:
Website: https://www.advekit.com/therapists/hanna-pratico
Office phone number: 239–287–3551
Email: hannapratico@gmail.com
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