Customizing Your Mental Wellness in the New Year

Dr. Stefani Reinold is a board-certified integrative psychiatrist and women’s mental health expert. She is author of the bestselling book, Let Your Heart Out, podcast host of the show, The Dr Stefani Show and It’s Not About the Food. She’s founder of Wholehearted Integrative Psychiatry in Dripping Springs, Texas and the Creator of the HEART Method: a self-led therapy tool helping with emotional self-awareness and resiliency.

In this episode, Dr. Reinold discusses the innovations being made in integrative psychiatry and how to customize a mental wellness toolkit for YOUR unique brain.

Download and listen here or find wherever you get podcasts.

Continue reading “Customizing Your Mental Wellness in the New Year” →

Innovations in Psychiatry for ADHD, Depression, PTSD, and Anxiety

Recent estimates show that one in five Americans takes a psychiatric medication for depression or anxiety. Studies also show that two-thirds of people don’t respond to or have negative effects from current psychiatric treatment options. Another recent study highlighted the fact that SSRIs only work in 15% of people with depression, when you take away the placebo effect. I have written much on the topic of the “chemical imbalance” theory of depression, and where it falls short in application.

All this information can make the task of seeking help for your mental health extremely daunting and discouraging – especially when you are in crisis. This podcast interview with Dr. Brent Turnipseed is devoted to breaking down the innovations in holistic psychiatry.

Dr. Brent Turnipseed is the Co-Founder of Austin-based Roots Behavioral Health. Dr. Brent Turnipseed, Roots’ Medical Director, is a board-certified psychiatrist with a deep interest in innovative approaches to providing behavioral healthcare. Brent is on the Scientific Advisory Board for Ninnion Therapeutics and previously practiced psychiatry in clinical and law enforcement settings in Texas.

Download and listen to this episode here, or find wherever you get podcasts.

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Why Are Our Kids So Anxious And How Can We Help?

I have been so ready for this latest episode of the podcast to air! If you are a parent, caregiver, teacher, or if you have any proximity to kids at all – download this episode ASAP!

Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge is a mental health trailblazer who Forbes has called “The leader in children’s mental health.” She has helped thousands reverse the most challenging conditions, such as ADHD, anxiety, mood, autism, learning disability, Lyme, and PANS/PANDAS using proven holistic therapies.

In this episode, we discuss the anxiety epidemic affecting our children, why it has been happening, and what we can do about it.

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Nutritional Psychiatry: Your Brain on Food

“People don’t make the connection between how they eat and how they feel emotionally through the brain. They don’t realize there is a connection to food and the brain and emotional well-being.”

Dr. Uma Naidoo is a board certified psychiatrist, professional chef, and nutrition specialist. She is the director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and also on faculty at Harvard Medical School.

In this fascinating episode, we discuss her exciting new book, This Is Your Brain On Food, which I highly recommend. Listen to the entire episode and subscribe wherever you get podcasts or listen here.

Key topics of our conversation include:

Dr. Naidoo’s journey as a psychiatrist and professional chef
How what we eat affects our brain
The origin of the gut/brain connection
The rise of mental health concerns
Food to avoid for mental well-being
Inflammatory foods
Orthorexia and food obsession
How to add more diversity in your diet
The impact of caffeine and alcohol on mental health
So much more!

Learn more about Dr. Naidoo here.
Follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @drumanaidoo

Find her book on Amazon or your favorite bookstore. This book is so helpful and needs to be part of your mental health library!

Normalizing Mental Health Care with #SameHere

What do you do when your mental health is suffering and nothing you try helps? Are there options beyond the traditional treatment plans? Where can you find support?

#SameHere is an organization founded by Eric Kussin after he experienced 2 and a half years of suffering from a mental health crisis that briefly interrupted his career as a sports executive.

In this episode, you’ll learn Eric’s story in detail, and you’ll also hear from psychiatrist Dr. Andrew Pleener, who is the leader of the Same Here Psych Alliance and advocates for multiple healing modalities when it comes to psychiatry.

Listen here or listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

Key Topics:

Eric’s story and how he got to the root of his issues after digging through his trauma
How mental health is a continuum and the problem with using phrases like “stop the stigma”
The non-medication healing modalities that Same Here brings awareness to
The STARR exercises that improve mental fitness, as the “gym for the brain”
The importance of creating community support and awareness for mental health
Why you can’t use the same tool over and over to improve mental health – you need more!
Mental health treatment shouldn’t be a one size fits all plan.
The work Same Here is doing with schools and businesses
How you can get involved

To learn more, go to https://samehereglobal.org

Follow on Twitter: @samehere_global

Follow on Instagram: @samehere_global

An Integrative Approach to Mental Health – Interview with Dr. Noshene Ranjbar

The field of psychiatry is changing as new discoveries about the brain are made. There are many pioneers using evidence-based medicine to seek out different treatments beyond traditional methods and prescription medication. While meds are definitely helpful for some and are one helpful tool in the toolbox, according to Dr. Ranjbar, “we are asking them to do what they were not made to do.”

Dr. Noshene Ranjbar is Harvard trained and board certified in General Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Integrative Medicine. She serves as medical director of the Integrative Psychiatry Clinic at Banner – University of Arizona Medical Center in Tucson.

In this episode we discuss the changes in mental health approaches in the last 20 years, how integrative psychiatry is different, nervous system dysfunction, common underlying issues that impact mental wellness, as well as Dr Ranjbar’s work with refugee and American Indian communities.

Click here to listen on the show page or here on iTunes. Continue reading “An Integrative Approach to Mental Health – Interview with Dr. Noshene Ranjbar” →

The Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 – Interview with Psychiatrist Dr. Amelia Villagomez

I’m so thrilled to share that we have surpassed the ONE MILLION download mark on the Sparking Wholeness podcast! So what better way to celebrate than with an episode featuring an integrative psychiatrist who discusses the mental health impact of COVID-19!?

Dr. Amelia Villagomez is an integrative psychiatrist at Progressive Psychiatry in Fort Worth, Texas. She attended medical school at Texas A&M, completed her training in General Psychiatry at Yale, and did a fellowship in Child/Adolescent Psychiatry at Harvard. To further her education in holistic healing methods, she completed a fellowship for integrative medicine at The Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and is certified in mind-body techniques. In this interview, Dr. Villagomez addresses the top mental health concerns during this pandemic and its aftermath.

Download the episode here or subscribe on iTunes here.

Topics addressed:

How children and adolescents may actually be seeing a decrease in mental health concerns during this time, which poses the question: is an international pandemic less stressful than going to school?
How the pandemic is forcing us to rethink current paradigms.
Managing uncertainties and expectations.
The increase in insomnia, its causes, and what to do about it.
How the abundance of information may be negatively impacting us, stages of disaster, and potential trauma resulting with the current season.
The importance of mindfulness and staying in the current moment with self compassion and self awareness.
Nutritional support for mental health and why your brain needs 7-9 different fruits and veggies a day.
Why the gut-brain connection is something we should all be talking about.
Why the concept of PLAY is so important for mental wellness and holistic health.

Continue reading “The Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 – Interview with Psychiatrist Dr. Amelia Villagomez” →