Functional & Integrative Psychiatry Consultations
The Core Clinical Structure: Foundational Approaches
Our treatment model is built upon five essential pillars. These foundations work together to create a panoramic view of your health:
1. Genetics
We examine your unique genetic blueprint to understand predispositions that may affect neurotransmitter production, metabolism, and stress resilience. This “personalized map” helps us tailor interventions that work with your biology rather than against it.
2. Functional Medicine Testing
To identify biological roadblocks, we use specialized laboratory testing. This investigation includes:
- Nutritional & Metabolic Issues: Identifying deficiencies or dysfunctions in how your body produces energy.
- Hormonal Imbalances: Evaluating the endocrine system’s impact on mood and stability.
- Inflammatory & Infectious Factors: Looking for systemic inflammation or underlying infections that impact brain health.
- Toxins: Assessing environmental factors that may be hindering recovery.
3. Nutritional & Metabolic Psychiatry
The brain is a high-energy organ that requires specific nutrients to function. We focus on “food as medicine,” ensuring your brain has the raw materials (amino acids, vitamins, and minerals) necessary for optimal cognitive and emotional health.
4. Neurodiversity
We embrace neurodiversity by recognizing that every brain is wired differently. Our approach is not about “fixing” a brain to meet a standard norm, but about optimizing your unique neurological profile so you can thrive in your environment.
5. Medication Side Effects & Deprescribing
Integrative psychiatry is about expanding your toolkit, not necessarily removing essential support. However, we also focus on:
- Managing Side Effects: Using integrative tools to mitigate the burden of necessary medications.
- Safe Deprescribing: When appropriate, we work collaboratively under strict medical supervision to safely and gradually reduce medication dosages as root causes are addressed.
FAQ’s: Functional & Integrative Psychiatry
How does this differ from traditional psychiatry?
Traditional psychiatry primarily focuses on naming a disorder and prescribing medication to suppress symptoms. Functional psychiatry views symptoms as clues to systemic imbalances. We use a “What’s your story?” approach, investigating how factors like lifestyle, gut health, inflammation, toxins, genetic factors and stress load contribute to your mental state.
What kind of testing is involved?
To get a panoramic view of your health, we use Functional Laboratory Testing to identify and correct biological roadblocks. This includes investigating:
- Nutritional & Metabolic Issues: Identifying deficiencies or metabolic dysfunction.
- Genetic & Hormonal Imbalances: Evaluating how your unique blueprint and endocrine system affect your mood.
- Inflammatory & Infectious Factors: Looking for systemic inflammation or underlying infections that impact brain health.
- Toxins: Assessing environmental factors that may be hindering your recovery.
Does this mean I have to stop my current medications?
Not necessarily. Integrative psychiatry is about expanding your toolkit, not removing essential support. For many, this approach allows medications to work more effectively. For others, as the root causes are addressed and the body stabilizes, we can work together to safely and gradually reduce medication dosages under medical supervision.
Our Approach to Healing
- Root-Cause Discovery: We look beyond the diagnosis to find out why you feel this way.
- Personalized Biology: We use advanced testing to tailor a plan to your unique genetic and biochemical makeup.
- Comprehensive Toolkit: Treatments may include nutritional optimization, lifestyle medicine, and mind-body practices alongside conventional options.
- Collaborative Care: You are an active partner in your health journey, working with us to co-create a sustainable path to thriving.
Here are a selection of videos that help explain how a Functional and Integrative testing and approach can help with just a few conditions.