Integrative Mental Health

Discover simple, holistic ways to improve your mental health to reignite your body’s natural ability to cope with challenges, times of depression, anxiety or emotional fatigue.

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Mental health conditions have steadily been rising in the United States –  it’s important to observe why these issues are so common, what contributes to increasing emotional well-being problems, and why a naturopathic integrative medical approach to improving mental health can help.

What Is Integrative Mental Health, And How Can It Help?

Integrative mental health is a highly individualized topic and each person will require a unique approach.

Our approach to mental health involves getting to the root cause and may require testing in order to uncover.

We offer different types of testing depending on what is indicated for each patient i.e. neurotransmitter, hormone, gut, genetic, micronutrient testing and more.

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Conditions We Treat At Our San Diego Clinic:

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Our doctors are highly trained at helping people with mental health conditions and we assure you that you can feel better.

We take an extensive history of each patient and combine that information with specific testing in order to come up with the best course of action.

  • Anxiety
  • OCD
  • Social Anxiety
  • Depression
  • ADHD
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • PTSD

Factors contributing to rising rates of mental health issues:

  • Poor nutrition
  • Digestive dysfunction
  • Lack of exercise
  • Toxins in food system and environment
  • Physical and emotional trauma
  • Stress
  • Social media
  • Overuse of electronic devices
  • Lack of time in nature
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Reach Out And Improve Your Mental Well-being Naturally

Contact Our Wellness Experts »

Book a discovery call with one of our experienced naturopathic doctors to learn how we can help.
Book your appointment in San Diego today!

Integrative Mental Health Treatment Strategies:

We Help Find The Right Care Solution For You

Here’s what you can expect when you work with us..

  • Optimizing the microbiome and gut health: Many of our neurotransmitters like serotonin are mainly produced in the gastrointestinal tract.
    • The bacteria in the gut affects the production of neurotransmitters including dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA. Also, proper absorption of nutrients from the GI tract provides the building blocks for our neurotransmitters.
  • Optimizing neurotransmitters: Neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, GABA, and acetylcholine are intricately related to mental health status.
san diego naturopathic doctors connection arrow from 3d gut leading to brain cross section
  • Optimizing the microbiome and gut health: Many of our neurotransmitters like serotonin are mainly produced in the gastrointestinal tract.
    • The bacteria in the gut affects the production of neurotransmitters including dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA. Also, proper absorption of nutrients from the GI tract provides the building blocks for our neurotransmitters.
  • Improving adrenal health: Chronic stress and high cortisol levels takes a toll on our adrenal health which can negatively affect sex hormone production and lead to worsening mental health symptoms.
san diego naturopathic doctors 3d render of gut flora bacteria in persons gut
  • Balancing hormones: Hormones like testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone have a large effect on neurotransmitters in our brain like dopamine or GABA.
    • When our hormones are out of balance, our neurotransmitters will also be imbalanced.
  • Optimizing exercise and physical activity: Exercise plays a crucial role in the production of the ‘happy chemicals’ also known as endorphins.
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  • Lifestyle interventions: Activities like mindfulness, meditation, or yoga.
  • Decreasing inflammation: This plays a large role in improving mental health conditions such as depression. Inflammation is extremely common and is brought on by stressors, a history of concussion, environmental toxicity, and our diet.
    • Inflammation also activates microglia, which are cells within the brain that can worsen mental health symptoms when overactive.
san diego naturopathic doctors inflammation red glow in persons knee bone
  • Optimizing Omega 3 Index: Our western diets promote an imbalance of omega 3 and omega 6 fats.
    • Omega 6 fats are generally pro-inflammatory, while omega 3 fats are anti-inflammatory and can help support the growth and repair of the nervous tissue.
  • Optimizing methylation: Pathways and B vitamin status (ie. COMT, MTHFR, MAO). Methylation plays an important role in the production and conversion of key neurotransmitters that play an important role in mental health.
san diego naturopathic doctors plate of foods on table rich in omega 3
  • Optimizing key amino acids: In each persons daily diet for healthy neurotransmitters balance. Tryptophan is an amino acid that gets metabolized into serotonin and the amount of serotonin in the brain is related to the amount of tryptophan in your diet.
    • Tyrosine is an amino acid that is formed from the ingestion of phenylalanine that plays an important role in the treatment of depression.
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2 Reasons Why Mental Health Issues Are Increasing

  1. There are many factors that contribute to mental health issues like the standard american diet (SAD), chronic increased levels of stress, lack of exercise and physical movement, lack of time spent in nature, social isolation, and overuse of electronics and social media to name a few.
  2. Our brains are not accustomed to the many changes that have been taking place in our modern society and many people are suffering as a result.

The good news is that there can be significant improvement in most mental health conditions by modifying factors that are within our control.

Naturopathic Medicine Is A Supportive Approach To Personal Health Care That Blends Natural Forms Of Medicine With The Most Up-to-Date Scientific Knowledge

Neurofeedback As A Integrative Mental Health Treatment Option

One service that we will be offering that is excellent for many mental health conditions is called neurofeedback. Neurofeedback is essentially training the brain’s neural pathways to fire in a more coherent and balanced pattern, thus helping you to feel much better.

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We start by doing a brain map, a simple and easy procedure where your brain wave activity is measured.

Once this is completed, we review the findings with you and decide on the specific type of neurofeedback training that is right for you and unique to your brain.

Rebalance Your Mood And Mental Clarity
With The Right San Diego Naturopath

The Future Of Care Is Integrative Mental Health

Typically, neurofeedback training sessions are offered in a series of 20 sessions with another brain map at the end of your treatments in order to measure your progress.

We have seen remarkable changes in people with conditions such as ADHD, Generalized Anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Social Anxiety.

Neurofeedback can be a great stand alone treatment, however the best results include a full naturopathic approach.