Our Story
Lived Experience.
At Nekawa, our team has witnessed thousands of lives transformed through medically supervised Ibogaine therapy and Ayahuasca ceremonies — including our own.
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.
That same year, deep in the Amazon, Tatiana Aya Tupinambá was experiencing her first Ayahuasca ceremonies to heal her alcohol addiction but more importantly, her deep childhood trauma. A indigenous woman from Brazil and born in the jungle, Tatiana committed her life to learning from the plants and lineages that had helped her heal — studying with the Ashaninka of Peru and the Yawanawá of Brazil. For over 13 years, she dreamt of building a psychedelic garden school to teach people how to live in right relationship with the plants.
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.
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 D. Johnston
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.
Tatiana Aya Tupinambá
A Brazilian born indigenous woman who overcame her own alcohol addiction with Ayahuasca in 2012. The experience inspired her to live a better life more connected to nature and educating herself with meditation, yoga, and plants. She also has been a practicing ayahuasca curandera for over 10 years.
Matt Sabatino
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.
Bruno Ramos Gomes
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.
Jared Iorillo
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.
Ben Victorin
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.
To bring the power of nature and the authenticity of indigenous practices into the rehab industry.
A world where ibogaine and psychedelic medicines are the first treatment for addiction and brain repair.
Lives transformed
“The Nekawa crew has been instrumental in helping me reclaim my divinity. I met Charles a little over ten years ago when I was a hopeless, homeless heroin addict. In just one night my life was forever changed for the better, and he has been one of my best friends ever since! - Completed Ibogaine in 2014”
“For years, I struggled to come to terms with the death of my father and to break free from the cycle of substance use. Under Charles and Tatiana's guidance, I was finally able to confront those painful emotions and begin to release them. Their presence, wisdom, and understanding made all the difference. I'm deeply grateful — this experience helped me reconnect with life in a way I hadn't thought possible. - Completed Ibogaine in 2015”
“Ibogaine with Charles in 2014 truly saved my life. It gave me a kind of freedom I never knew was possible. Charles has remained a mentor, friend, and guide for over a decade — compassionate, wise, and deeply committed to healing. He's helped not only me, but my family and friends as well. I'd give him 10 stars and more. -Completed Ibogaine in 2014”
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.
Let’s connect.
No pressure — tell us a little about what you’re going through.