TESTIMonials

Justin Feinstein, PhD*

Editors note: this testimony was written during Justin’s time working as the Director and principle investigator of the Float Research clinic at LIBR

To whom it may concern,

I write this testimonial in the midst of conducting a research study examining whether floating can help reduce the deleterious effects of stress in individuals who are suffering from mental illness.  We are studying a range of different conditions that all feature high levels of anxiety including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Panic Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Major Depression.  Thus far I have been truly inspired by the results, with patients reporting significant short-term improvement in depression and anxiety after floating.  More than simply reducing symptoms of mental illness, the float experience seems to enhance mental wellness, allowing patients the opportunity to experience life in a peaceful and serene state.  It should be noted that many of these patients have tried other forms of treatment, including medication and psychotherapy, and unfortunately none of these other treatments have provided much in terms of relief.  What has been truly remarkable is that many of these treatment-resistant patients have found that Floataway’s circular pool provides them with a level of relief that has been unobtainable through other methods.

Floataway's Open Floataround, which we call our “Tranquility Pool”, is the only float pool in the world with a round circular design.  The 8-foot circular pool is extremely spacious, and the open-air design completely removes all feelings of claustrophobia.  I cannot overemphasize the importance of having an open pool for anxious populations.  Without the open-air design, many of our patients would have refused to even try floating.  One must recognize how difficult it can be for anxious patients to confront their fears.  However, as soon as our patients see the Tranquility Pool, all barriers to entry are removed, and the patients become visibly excited to try floating.  Each day I become more and more convinced that the positive clinical benefits we are witnessing in our research are enhanced by Floataway’s masterful engineering.    

Colin Stanwell-Smith, founder and owner of Floataway, is without a doubt the most innovative and skillful engineer in the float industry.  Since receiving his degree in mechanical engineering, Colin has spent his entire career building new inventions and solving complex engineering problems.  He is a true renaissance man in every sense of the word, with an extremely wide-breadth of knowledge and experience.  His ability to customize the design and features of each float pool have allowed Floataway to maintain its status as the only manufacturer capable of building float tanks in every shape, size, and style.  Moreover, Floataway is a true family operation.  Gini, Colin’s wife, understands customer service better than anyone in the business.  She will help guide you through the whole process of building your float center, and knows about all of the nuances that go into a successful installation.  And even years down the road, if a problem should ever arise, you can always count on Gini to help you find a solution.  The truth is, once you are part of the Floataway family you have nothing to worry about!

Over the past few years I have had the pleasure to work very closely with the Floataway family as they helped me build the Float Clinic & Research Center (FCRC), the world’s first research laboratory dedicated to studying the neurobiological and clinical effects of floating.  Located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the FCRC’s mission is to investigate the effects of floatation on both the body and the brain, as well as explore its potential as a therapeutic treatment for promoting mental health and healing in patients who suffer from anxiety.  Our laboratory aims to develop a science of floating, and as with any science, precision is paramount.  As Director of the FCRC, I searched all around the world for a manufacturer capable of achieving this level of precision, and ultimately all roads led to Floataway.  

Floataway’s mission is to create the “perfect” float experience, and Colin and his son Toby are always striving to improve the design and calibration of their pools.  Floataway’s heating system maintains our water and air temperature at precise levels throughout the float (+/- 0.1 °F).  Floataway’s vibration isolation pads have allowed our laboratory to conduct completely silent float sessions, even while nearby high-powered MRI scanners shake the foundation of our building.  Floataway’s UV-peroxide disinfection system with reverse osmosis water filtration assures completely sterile water, something that is imperative when testing patients with OCD.  The truth is, there has never been a single instance where I have needed something that Floataway could not provide: an intercom system to communicate with the patients during the float, an infrared wave detection system so that patients could turn the lights on and off simply by waving their hands, circulation of fresh HEPA-filtered air that does not disturb the floater.  The list goes on and on, and each time I have been repeatedly impressed by how robust and reliable Floataway’s system has been, able to withstand the rigors of a research laboratory, while also providing patients with a perfectly calibrated float experience.  

Based on the clinical effects we are witnessing in our research studies, I believe that Floataway has succeeded on every level of its mission.  Rarely does one have the opportunity in life to work with a company that is capable of making your dreams come true, and I consider myself extremely lucky to have joined the Floataway family.  More information about our research program can be found on our website, as well as in a recent TIME magazine article featuring Floataway’s circular Tranquility Pool.

Sincerely,

Justin Feinstein, PhD

Former Director, Float Clinic & Research Center

Laureate Institute for Brain Research

*Dr. Feinstein has no financial interest or investment in Floataway.  In addition, Floataway is not directly involved in any of the research being conducted at LIBR and has no role in the study design, study funding, data collection, data analysis, or reporting of results.