​​How my approach developed

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Over my years as a psychotherapist, I began to notice a pattern: while many clients made strong progress through psychological work alone, a smaller group remained persistently “stuck” despite what appeared to be a strong commitment and therapeutic relationship.  Gradually I realised that what these clients had in common was poor physical health and significant nutritional challenges: often linked to disordered eating, long-term reliance on processed or takeaway foods, or highly restrictive diets.  These nutritional difficulties appeared to be causing disproportionate mental health difficulties which often presented as deep-set depression, suicidal thoughts, heightened anxiety, panic attacks and OCD.

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Around the same time, I noticed how much difference nutrition made to my own wellbeing. I had spent years in psychotherapy as part of my training, yet I was surprised to find that diet could have an equally powerful effect on how I felt day to day. When I ate more whole foods, increased plant diversity, and reduced sugar, my energy and mood improved significantly making me calmer and more resilient. This reinforced what I was already seeing in the therapy room.

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My understanding of the mind–body connection broadened further as I learned about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and their long-term impact on physical health. Donna Jackson Nakazawa’s Childhood Disrupted helped put language to something I was already observing: that early trauma shapes physical as well as emotional life. In clinic, I had supported several women who had lived through significant childhood adversity and then, in early adulthood, developed autoimmune conditions. Seeing this several times left me with a growing feeling that it couldn’t simply be coincidence.  Reading about the health impact of ACEs confirmed this. I was shocked to discover what a devastating, far reaching affect trauma could have on people's lives, particularly women (who make up nearly 80% of people living with an autoimmune disease).

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I have also discovered that integrative support can be very helpful for neurodivergent clients. While it has a strong genetic component, environmental, nutritional, and biochemical factors also play a significant role creating additional challenges that can me modified. Neurodiversity often comes with differences in nervous system regulation, sensory sensitivities that shape eating patterns (including restricted diets and “safe foods”), appetite and interoception challenges, and a greater vulnerability to gut disruption. Individual genetic variation can also influence nutrient requirements and stress resilience.  

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Rather than viewing neurodivergent struggles as an inevitable, Integrative Psychiatry focuses on addressing the underlying imbalances that may be exacerbate symptoms, addressing the underlying biochemical, nutritional, or and genetic environmental factors that may be exacerbating difficulties.

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My understanding of mental health is now very different from when I first began in the profession. I see that difficulties can be primarily psychological, primarily body-based, or -very often - a combination of the two, each feeding into the other. I have found that when the underlying physical factors are identified and supported appropriately, the emotional picture can shift dramatically. When this doesn’t happen, some people can end up staying in therapy for years enduring prolonged distress and paying for support that does not address the root cause of their difficulties.​