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About Float Therapy Medical Education Initiative
Advancing Float Therapy in Medical Practice
Bringing Scientific Rigor to Float Therapy Integration
Dr. Rebecca N. Harris founded the Float Therapy Medicine Institute to address a critical gap in integrative medicine: despite robust published evidence supporting float therapy, most healthcare professionals remain unaware of this therapeutic option.
Research & Academic Background
Dr. Harris earned her PhD in Physiology from East Carolina University and completed post-doctoral research at Duke University in Molecular & Cellular Physiology within the Department of Dermatology.
Dr. Harris served as Clinical Research Coordinator at Heart Rhythm Associates for three years, managing the BIOLibra medical device study for BIOTRONIK. She coordinated nearly 50 subjects through the complete protocol, handling patient enrollment, compliance monitoring, data management, and IRB regulatory documentation. This experience provides practical insight into clinical trial design and FDA regulatory requirements for medical device approval.
Her research on cellular signaling pathways was published in Cancer Research, one of the most prestigious oncology journals. She has presented findings at national conferences including the Society of Investigative Dermatology, FASEB, and the American Association of Cancer Research.
As a member of Sigma Xi (The Scientific Research Society) and peer reviewer for the American Physiological Society's journal Advances in Physiology Education, Dr. Harris maintains active engagement with the scientific community.
Educational Excellence
For over 15 years, Dr. Harris has taught anatomy and physiology across multiple institutions including East Carolina University, Pitt Community College, Wilson Community College, and American Military University. She served as Course Lead for Anatomy & Physiology and advised hundreds of pre-professional students pursuing careers in medicine, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, and nursing.
As a Subject Matter Expert for Pearson and McGraw-Hill Publishing, Dr. Harris has reviewed and developed content for major anatomy and physiology textbooks used by thousands of healthcare students nationwide.
Clinical Innovation
In 2018, Dr. Harris founded Kairos Float & Wellness Studio in Greenville, North Carolina. Through providing thousands of float sessions, she observed remarkable clinical outcomes—yet found that most referring physicians were unfamiliar with the published research supporting float therapy. This disconnect inspired the Float Medicine Institute, where she leverages her research credentials, teaching expertise, and clinical insights to educate healthcare providers and facilitate research partnerships.
Upcoming Events
Stay updated with our upcoming events and educational workshops focused on integrating float therapy into medical care. Join us in advancing the understanding and application of floatation-REST for better patient outcomes and holistic healthcare.
*EVENTS COMING SOON*
Common Questions from Healthcare Professionals and Clinical Investigators
For Healthcare Professionals:
Q: Is float therapy FDA approved?
A: Float therapy is not a device requiring FDA approval—it's a form of hydrotherapy and environmental therapy. Individual float tanks may have FDA registration as medical devices. The therapy itself has been studied in clinical trials and has an excellent safety profile.
Q: What are the contraindications?
A: Primary contraindications include: uncontrolled epilepsy, open wounds, active skin infections, recent surgery, severe kidney disease, uncontrolled psychosis. Claustrophobia is often cited but rarely problematic given modern open tank designs and patient control of environment.
Q: How do I document float therapy recommendations?
A: We provide documentation templates that frame float therapy as complementary therapy for [specific indication], similar to how you might document recommendations for physical therapy, acupuncture, or meditation. Our clinical toolkit includes sample language for medical records.
Q: Is it covered by insurance?
A: Coverage is currently limited but growing. Some patients can use FSA/HSA funds with a provider prescription. We're actively working toward broader coverage and provide advocacy resources. Many float centers offer package pricing and payment plans.
Q: How many sessions are typically needed?
A: Research protocols vary, but common therapeutic courses include:
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Single session: Acute stress, anxiety spikes, athletic recovery
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3-5 sessions: Initial pain assessment, trial period
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8-12 sessions over 6-8 weeks: Chronic pain, anxiety disorders, sustained benefit
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Ongoing: Maintenance for chronic conditions, typically 1-2x monthly
Q: What should I tell patients to expect?
A: First-time floaters may experience initial adjustment (5-15 minutes), then progressive relaxation. Many report a meditative state, time distortion, and deep physical relaxation. Effects vary individually but commonly include reduced muscle tension, mental clarity, and sustained calm. We provide patient education handouts.
Q: How do I find a reputable float center?
A: Look for centers that: maintain rigorous sanitation protocols, use proper filtration systems, have trained staff, offer comfortable facilities, provide thorough orientation, and ideally participate in outcome tracking. We maintain a directory of research-partner facilities.
For Clinical Investigators:
Q: What makes a float center "research-ready"?
A: Key elements include: standardized protocols, IRB compliance capability, systematic outcome measurement, consistent environment control, trained staff, appropriate privacy protections, and willingness to collaborate with academic requirements.
Q: What outcome measures are commonly used in float research?
A: Common tools include: VAS pain scales, GAD-7, PHQ-9, STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), PSS (Perceived Stress Scale), sleep quality measures, blood pressure/heart rate, cortisol sampling, and neuroimaging protocols. We can advise on measure selection.
Q: Are there funding opportunities specific to float therapy research?
A: While float-specific funding is limited, relevant funding sources include: NCCIH grants (R21, R03, R01), pain research initiatives, mental health research funding, and foundation grants for complementary medicine. We provide grant resources and can connect researchers for collaborative applications.
Q: What's the current state of float therapy research?
A: The field has evolved from early exploratory work (1950s-1990s) to more rigorous RCTs and neuroimaging studies (2000s-present). Recent systematic reviews show consistent benefits for stress, anxiety, and pain. Current research frontiers include: long-term outcomes, mechanisms of action, optimal dosing, population-specific applications, and integration with other therapies.