Jamaal Snell, MD
Anesthesiologist
Meet dr. J
Meet Dr Jamaal T Snell, board-certified Anesthesiologist with a passion for helping & healing. Dr J has over 15 years of experience as a physician as well with using Ketamine. After years of working in the hospital systems with those undergoing surgery and labor, he felt his ability to take of patients was becoming more and more limited by red-tape, insurance companies and hospital bureaucracy. He believed the only way to provide care to the best of his ability was to work independently. So he started Vigilant Sedation working with many of the top plastic surgeons in the DMV area.
"Hospitals should be sterile,
therapy shouldn't..."
His personal & spiritual life were also calling him to dive deeper and he began journey work with the help of psychedelic medicine several years ago. The experience was life-changing to say the least; finding freedom from recurrent patterns and unhealthy habits and more joy in relationships and connections, especially his faith and spiritual connection.
As colleagues and friends began to notice his transformation and zeal for journey work, many began to ask for his assistance and advice about ketamine for psychotherapy. Although a large volume of information is out there to research, Dr J sought out training by one of the most well-respected KAP training institutes - The Polaris Insight Center. With the help of the highly experienced therapists and physicians there he gained a much deeper insight and relationship with the medicine; much different from the sterile understanding of ketamine taught to physicians.
There are many ketamine websites, clinics and training facilities out there that make "business" out of Ketamine. The are more about "pushing drugs" and less about inner healing and the importance of high quality psychotherapy.
During his training Dr J discovered he could offer something unique to the space...the support of anesthesiologist, with many years of experience with ketamine as a physician...who also could empathize with patients on a deeper level due to his own journey. So he entered the world of KAP with the help of trusted psychotherapists and friends.
Dr J is a southern gentleman at heart and originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He did his medical training at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX and his Anesthesia Residency at NYU in Manhattan.
Since moving to the DMV area, he has held positions as Chief and Chair of the Anesthesia Dept at Providence Hospital, various hospital committees and has worked in affiliation with Sibley Memorial Hospital as well as Kaiser Permanente. He 2025 he was voted a Washingtonian "Top Doc" by his peers.
Dr J strongly believes in including prayer, meditation, breath work, acupuncture and all forms of homeopathic medicine into the healing process...even into the operating room.
A self-proclaimed "home chef", in his spare time he enjoys cooking and teaching his boys the southern cuisine and the culinary arts, along with LEGO projects and chess & UNO tournaments.
Faith is an important part of my life, and I enjoy reading the Bible and sharing devotionals and study time with my wife, family and friends. He is a member of Alfred Street Baptist Church & Catalyst Church.
Well, when there are so many "Dr. Snells" in your family, it can get confusing! Dr J lives in Bethesda, Maryland with his beautiful wife, Dr Sarika Snell, and their 3 kids Kaiden, Talon and Ari. She is also a physician; a dermatologist practicing in DC. He is also an identical twin and his brother and his wife are, you guessed it, also an anesthesiologist and dermatologist! Drs. Jamey & Brittany Snell live in Detroit, MI with their two little ones, Genevieve and Jamison