Dr. Alberto Pertusa on Flow States, Metabolic Health, and Mindgevity

After 20 years of treating patients, what's the most important lesson you've learned about what people really need?

The most important lesson is that the “real deal” we all seek is flow.  Society has created a world of instant gratification around us through our phones, social media, snacks, cigarettes, and so on. I call this “cheap dopamine,” because you get a dopamine spike that helps you kill time but leads to emptiness.

Real flow takes effort and drive, and brings deep and lasting satisfaction. It has benefits for physical health and longevity, and that’s what I call Mindgevity.

When we’re in a state of flow, we’re fully present and engaged in the moment, whatever we’re doing. We feel most like ourselves, with little or no interference from the inner critic, that voice in our heads that so often spoils the moment by commenting on the things we do, how we feel, worrying about what others think, etc.

There’s infinite ways to get into flow, just like there’s varying degrees of intensity of flow states, from soft flow during a conversation to full-blown flow during an activity that requires physical coordination like playing the piano or doing sports.

What made you decide to expand beyond traditional psychiatry into areas like metabolic health and body sculpting?

My interest in longevity began for personal reasons. Gradually, I became fascinated by the connection between metabolic health and mental wellbeing, especially how ketogenic diets can support mental wellness. After conversations with Dr Chris Palmer from Harvard, who pioneered ketogenic therapy in psychiatry, I launched KetoMind, a medically supervised ketogenic diet programme for mental health at the London Psychiatry Clinic.

Since my teenage years, I’ve struggled with chronic back pain due to scoliosis, which has shaped my journey. Discovering body sculpting technologies that strengthen core and back muscles was genuinely transformative. It reduced my pain, improved my posture and energy, and enhanced my overall quality of life. That experience motivated me to explore this field further and help others appreciate its benefits for not only aesthetics, but for feeling strong and pain-free.

You've built multiple clinics with very different approaches - what drives your work and what are you most passionate about right now?

I'm driven by helping people experience more flow in their lives. I'm developing a Mindgevity framework centered on a technique I call 'dopamining,' a gamified approach to mindfulness. Mindgevity is about the will to live, and to me it's as vital as physical longevity. It describes our capacity to stay resilient, curious, and connected as we age.

A breakthrough in my Mindgevity work has come through experiencing how ExoMind can enhance our ability to access flow states on a day-to-day basis. What excites me is that we now have tools to directly influence brain circuits governing focus, emotional regulation, and motivation. These aren't just treatments for illness; they're interventions that can help optimise how we think, feel, and engage with life.

At the London Psychiatry Clinic, we integrate conventional psychiatric care with innovative approaches like Exomind and metabolic interventions. 

At Reshape, we focus on non-invasive technologies that build physical vitality. My own experience with EMSculpt Neo healing my lifelong back pain drove me to explore how EMS technology can reverse muscular aging and help people feel stronger as they age. Physical strength is essential for flow experiences involving movement, and being pain-free opens up possibilities that were previously closed.

Experience EMSculpt & ExoMind

To help people access more flow in both mind and body, we now offer two advanced treatments: EMSculpt Neo and ExoMind.

At Reshape, EMSculpt Neo is used not only for body contouring, but also to build strength and support functional movement. It can help improve core stability, posture and overall physical confidence. We’ve also introduced EMSculpt workouts, using the technology in a more dynamic way to take muscle training and performance to the next level.

At the London Psychiatry Clinic, ExoMind is our newest addition: a non-invasive brain stimulation treatment using advanced TMS technology. It targets key brain areas to enhance mood, focus, emotional balance, self-control and reduce brain fog. A standard course includes 6 sessions, each lasting 25 minutes. The treatment is pain-free, walk-in walk-out, requires no recovery time or medication, and includes a consultation with a psychiatrist as part of the programme.

ExoMind is a brand-new machine and the newest technology of its kind, with only 17 machines currently operating in the whole of the UK, making our clinic a truly pioneering place to access this treatment.

For more information and to take advantage of current offers:

• Reshape Clinic: https://www.reshape.clinicAll treatments currently have 25% off with the code: ELEVATE25

• Vita Pilates & Glow Hair Salon (Fresha): https://www.fresha.com/a/vita-glow-hair-salon-head-spa-london-vita-31-sloane-square-m2ugagnf offers 25% off EMSella and EMSculpt treatments. The code is valid from today for 3 months.

  
  

Both codes are live and ready to use on their respective sites.