Built from lived experience, dedicated to healing humans.

At Nekawa, our team has witnessed thousands of lives transformed through medically supervised Ibogaine therapy. Our mission is to combine the best care, environment and guidance to help as many people as possible.

Our Story

A dream rooted in experience

Every origin story begins with pain and separation — and a vision that refuses to let it define us negatively.

In 2013, at the age of 28, our founder Charles D. Johnston traveled to a dingy house in Tijuana, Mexico for Ibogaine treatment. After years of battling heroin and cocaine addiction, it was the first time since using heroin that he felt clear - and in just 72 hours. Ibogaine revealed his deepest wound of self-hatred and shame, and gave him clarity about his purpose, that he had to share this with others. In the depths of that medicine experience, a vision was subconsciously planted: to one day create a place where Ibogaine could be offered safely, legally, and within nature.

But that path wasn't easy. Since his treatment, Charles would be a part of and help launch 6 separate Ibogaine projects in Mexico and Costa Rica. None lived up to his dream. Through each effort, the vision grew sharper: this work must be grounded in integrity, inclusivity, and deep respect for nature, the medicine traditions and the people it serves.

Meanwhile in Brazil, medical professionals have been working since the early 1990s to bring Ibogaine into the medical system. Their persistence paid off: in 2016, Brazil became one of the first countries to allow prescription Ibogaine under physician care. With legislation evolving toward full medical integration, the door was finally open.

Together, we saw a rare opportunity: a legal, ethical, partnership-based Ibogaine center in Brazil — one where treatment becomes transformation, and overcoming addiction is not the end, but the beginning.

Students Always

Meet The Nekawa Team

Health and wellness is a shared path. Every member of our team has been through their own psychedelic healing journey — and now lives in service to yours.

Charles Johnston - Nekawa - Headshot

Charles D. Johnston

Co-Founder & Teacher
Charles was raised in Appalachian mountains of North Carolina. He was fortunate enough to experience ibogaine in 2013 and has never looked back. He has guided thousands through psychedelic experiences and is an author, producer, and practical educator in addiction and psychedelic fields.
Ben Victorin - Nekawa - Headshot

Ben Victorin

Creative Director
Ben was raised in Gabon, Africa. A childhood of disconnection led to Ben seeking ways to leave and pursue his creativity. He found himself in San Francisco working for a large tech company in 2022 and yet felt more disconnected than ever. Then he found the plants, and his cultural heritage of Iboga has been calling him back ever since.
Jared Iorillo - Headshot - Nekawa

Jared Iorillo

Admissions & Peer Counselor
Jared was raised in New Jersey and like so many got caught up in heroin during his youth. After 7 years struggling with addiction, he went to Mexico in 2014 to experience Ibogaine and his life was never the same. He uprooted his life, moved cross country, and pursued a dream job in mycological production. Now he is in Brazil ready to support you.
Bruno Ramos Gomes - Nekawa Headshot

Bruno Ramos Gomes

Psychologist
Bruno was raised in São Paulo, Brazil. He became a licensed psychotherapist in 2011 and has been working with ibogaine, ayahuasca, and other psychedelics in treating substance addiction. He is the most experienced ibogaine psychotherapist in the world and has numerous publications.
Matt Sabatino - Nekawa Headshot

Matt Sabatino

Ayurvedic Medicine Doctor and Meditation Guide
Matt was raised in Florida and was blessed to experience ibogaine in 2015 opiates and benzodiazepines after spending close to 10 years battling addiction. Since then, he has completed a 4-year Ayurvedic Medicine Doctorate and helped start a successful business in Denver, CO. A great example of how to be after Ibogaine.
“Going from heroin addiction to freedom in 72 hrs - that was my miracle.”
Charles Johnston, Former Opiod Addict, USA
Our Mission

We aim to be the world’s most trusted program for safe, evidence-based therapy, education and research for Ibogaine and psychedelic medicines in treating addiction and chemical brain injury.

Our Vision

A world where Ibogaine is respected as a first-line treatment for addiction and brain repair.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “Nekawa” mean?
It’s a name rooted in the Amazon. You’ll feel it more than read it — in the jungle, in the people, in the way we approach healing. We don’t explain it. We embody it.
How is Nekawa different from other Ibogaine programs?
We’re are non-pharmaceutical, non-hippy, and not trauma-obsessed. We don’t label you. We don’t fix you. We build environments where you can do the real work of self-responsibility and become sovereign over your choices.
What do we at Nekawa believe in?
We believe healing is a practice — not a miracle. That agency is more powerful than shame. That movement, breath, food, and purpose are the foundations of a healthy life. We don’t sell salvation. We create conditions for transformation.
Why is Nekawa based in Brazil?
Brazil offers a unique legal framework for Ibogaine — where it can be administered safely, in hospitals, under medical supervision. It’s also home to our indigenous co-founder and a deep cultural respect for plant medicine. We’re building where the roots already run deep.
Who’s behind Nekawa?
We’re not a brand; we’re a lived practice. Charles built this after going through addiction, Ibogaine, and years of service in underground Mexican clinics. Our team is a mix of medical experts, indigenous wisdom keepers, and people who’ve lived the process — not just read about it.

Begin your journey

We measure success not by how many clients we treat, but by how many never need treatment again.

Schedule a call with one of our guides today to learn more.

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