Providing innovative interventional nasal spray therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD)
HOME . HELD. HOPE
Compassionate Care,
Grounded in Safety.
Welcome to Karunya Health, located in the serene suburb of Rippleside. Rooted in the Sanskrit word for kindness and compassion, Karunya Health is a family-owned local Geelong practice founded in April 2026 by husband-and-wife team, Consultant Psychiatrist Dr. Jossy Antony and Mental Health Occupational Therapist Gabrielle Quinn.
Our vision was to establish a dedicated outpatient centre for specialised interventional psychiatry—providing comprehensive psychiatric assessments and multidisciplinary care for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and complex mood disorders in a space where both patients and staff feel genuinely respected, heard, and supported. We understand that navigating complex or persistent depression is multifaceted. To support diverse patient needs, we offer two distinct, collaborative treatment pathways:
Medical & Psychiatric Care Pathway: A doctor- and nurse-led clinical model focusing on comprehensive psychiatric assessment, outpatient pharmacotherapy, and structured medical monitoring.
Integrated Trauma-Informed Pathway: A collaborative model providing specialised psychotherapeutic support alongside your medical care, working in close partnership with Clinical Psychologist Sandra Burnett—who holds training in preparation and integration psychotherapy protocols and has a dedicated clinical interest in interventional mental health models—focusing on psychological preparation, nervous system regulation, and therapeutic integration.
We have intentionally designed our practice environment to be calm, welcoming, and grounded, ensuring you feel safely supported throughout your clinical care. Backed by an experienced team of nurses and multidisciplinary clinicians, we provide holistic, evidence-based psychiatric care that addresses biological, emotional, and nervous system health simultaneously—delivering compassionate care tailored to your individual journey.
Our Clinic Approach
At Karunya Health, we believe clinical intervention works best when integrated with holistic support. Chronic depression changes how the mind perceives the world, and treating it requires an environment and a team dedicated to complete emotional, biological, and physical safety.
Dr. Jossy Antony is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Medical Director at Karunya Health. Under his clinical governance and oversight, every interventional treatment pathway is individually tailored to balance neurobiological care with a compassionate, supportive clinical environment.
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How to Access Treatment
Interventional psychiatry is a highly specialized therapy. To ensure clinical safety and regulatory compliance, all patients must obtain a valid referral from their General Practitioner (GP) or treating Psychiatrist.
Clinical Evaluation & Eligibility Review
If you have trialled two or more oral antidepressant medications in your current episode of depression and continue to experience symptoms of depression, you may be eligible to undergo our treatment pathways.
Consult Your GP
Schedule an appointment with your General Practitioner or Psychiatrist to discuss your treatment history with Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD).
Send Referral
Ask your GP to send a formal referral (or our template) along with your complete medication history to our administrative team via email at admin@karunyahealth.com.au or by fax.
Interactive Referral Preparation Tool
Review the checklist to make sure you have everything required for your GP consultation.
Please check the items above as you secure them!
Your Treatment Journey: A Step-by-Step Guide
Embarking on a new treatment path is a significant step. This guide explains what you can expect during your journey with Karunya Health, from your first conversation through to your ongoing care.
If current treatments for depression haven't provided the relief you need, you and your GP or Psychiatrist will discuss if advanced options like interventional psychiatry are appropriate. If you agree to move forward, they will send a formal referral to our team, and we will contact you to organise the next steps.
Common Questions
How long is each session?
You should allow approximately two hours for each appointment, which includes the administration and a period of supervised rest.
Can I drive home?
No. For your safety, you must arrange for someone to collect you or use public transport/a taxi after each session. You should not drive until the following day.
Are there side effects?
Some patients experience temporary effects like tiredness or a "dream-like" feeling during the session. Our team will monitor you closely throughout.
How do Interventional Psychiatry Treatments Work?
Traditional oral antidepressants typically target monoamine neurotransmitter systems, such as serotonin or noradrenaline, often requiring several weeks to evaluate a clinical response. In contrast, modern interventional psychiatric research focuses on the glutamate pathway and NMDA receptors in the brain. By engaging these pathways, specialized interventional approaches aim to facilitate synaptic plasticity—the process through which the brain forms and reorganises neural connections that may have diminished under prolonged chronic stress and depressive episodes
Because it works directly on the glutamate receptors rather than traditional serotonin or noradrenaline reuptake systems, clinical results are often seen in hours or days rather than weeks.
Synaptogenesis & Neural Branching
Prolonged chronic stress and severe mood episodes can affect the structural connectivity and density of synaptic connections in key areas such as the prefrontal cortex. Interventional pharmacotherapies are designed to support synaptogenesis—stimulating the growth of dendritic spines and reinforcing neural pathways to help restore healthy communication between brain networks
Distinct Pharmacological Profile
By directly engaging glutamate neurotransmission, novel interventional treatments follow a different biological mechanism than standard daily oral medications.
Important: Therapeutic response to interventional psychiatric care varies by individual; these treatments are not a guaranteed cure, and full medical assessment is required to determine clinical suitability and discuss associated risks.
Our Three Treatment Phases
Medicine is administered systematically in carefully timed phases. This ensures safety, tracks therapeutic responses, and prepares the mind for long-term emotional independence.
Induction Phase
Weeks 1 – 4
The journey begins with intensive support. Administered twice every week, the Induction Phase focuses on stimulating rapid synaptogenesis and safely measuring initial neuro-cognitive reactions.
Maintenance Phase
Weeks 5 – 8
As symptoms begin to stabilize, we transition to weekly dosing. The Maintenance Phase locks in the structural growth of neural networks and ensures sustained improvement over a multi-week plateau.
Tailored Phase
Ongoing Support
To sustain wellness, treatment is spaced out based on your unique biological response. Doses are personalised to occur every one to two weeks, as determined by Dr. Jossy Antony and your progress.
What to Expect During Your Session
Your health and safety are our highest priorities. All treatments are self-administered under the direct supervision and guidance of our specialized, comforting healthcare providers in a beautifully tranquil clinical room.
Fees & Financial Structure
We believe in full transparency and financial clarity before your journey begins. We support workplace injury, veterans, and private patient paths.
DVA Patients
$0 Out-of-Pocket
Eligible veterans under the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) and valid workplace injury claims are fully covered, resulting in $0 out-of-pocket expenses.
Private Patients
$300 Per Session
Private patients pay a facility and clinical monitoring fee of $300 per session. This covers continuous clinical supervision, facility resources, and observation. *Consession rates available.
Psychology Consultation
$260 Per 50 Minutes
- Medicare or private health rebates may be available for eligible appointments.
- Some services have different fees and may not attract a Medicare rebate.
- Third-party funding may also be available where the service is eligible and an approval letter is provided.
Our Care Team will explain the cost and any available rebate before you book, so you can decide what works for you.
Your Serene Treatment Space
Located just steps from the waterfront at 2 St David Street, Rippleside VIC, our clinic has been meticulously engineered to feel like a tranquil retreat rather than a sterile medical center.
Calm & Acoustic Comfort: Every sensory element has been thoughtfully considered so you feel welcomed, held, and nurtured in the space.
Easy Access & Parking: Conveniently located near North Geelong train station and central arterial roads, offering accessible patient parking out front and at the back of the premises.
Karunya Health Clinic
2 St David Street, Rippleside VIC
Open via Appointment only
Let's Discuss Your Journey
Our patient support and clinical administration teams are ready to assist you or your General Practitioner through the referral process. Contact us directly during business hours.
Our clinic provides scheduled outpatient care only and does not operate an acute crisis or emergency response service. If you are experiencing unexpected side effects, worsening symptoms, or a medical/mental health emergency outside clinic hours, for non urgent see your GP or contact Nurse-On-Call (1800 022 222) or Barwon Health Mental Health Triage (1300 094 187) for 24/7 support. For an emergency dial 000, and attend your nearest emergency department.
Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Weekends & Public Holidays: Closed
Request Information or Check-In
Complete this secure clinical contact card and our clinic admins will return your enquiry.
We, Karunya Health, would like to acknowledge the Wadawurrung people, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we are privileged to live and work. We pay our deepest respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We are grateful for their enduring care of, and continuous connection to, these lands, waters, and communities.
WorkSafe Appointments Update
Karunya Health is currently not accepting new WorkSafe patients.
Existing WorkSafe patients: Your care is unaffected.
New patients: We are unable to accept new WorkSafe claims or referrals at this time.
We apologise for any inconvenience. If you have questions regarding booking types, please contact our reception team.