Holistic Psychiatry Podcast
Courtney Snyder MD
courtneysnydermd.substack.com
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Top 10 Holistic Psychiatry Podcast Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Holistic Psychiatry Podcast episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Holistic Psychiatry Podcast for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Holistic Psychiatry Podcast episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Beyond Identity & the Stress of the Self
Holistic Psychiatry Podcast
12/30/24 • 10 min
Recently, I was having a conversation with my daughter - who’s 19 - about the mental changes in a family member with memory loss. I commented that it can feel like a long goodbye, as they seem less like themself. Even as I said that, it didn’t ring true. She quickly responded, “When are we ever ourselves? It seems like we’re always changing.'“
Her comment, which did ring true, got me thinking a lot this week about the elusive “self.”
Who Am I? Who are You?
My genes and early life experiences have shaped me. The arrival of hormonal changes around puberty changed me. My friendships changed me. After puberty, hormonal cycles played a role in changing my personality throughout the month. My education changed me. Love, marriage, and motherhood changed me. My work changed the way I make sense of things. For example, I’m sure optimizing my zinc level changed me into someone more comfortable around people. Addressing mold toxicity increased my energy, so everything wasn’t so hard. Addressing methylation lifted an apathy that came with toxicity. When I was in the throes of mast cell activation and inflammation, I was different. For 3 days at a time, feelings of “doom” and head and neck pain colored my world. When the flare passed, “I” was back.
Sickness changed me into a more compassionate person. Despite this, I was determined to return to who I was before chronic illness. No one tells you that’s not possible. We may heal, but we don’t going back to a former self. Sickness forced me to let go of certainty and let go of identity so I could approach life with greater ease.
Menopause lessened my intensity, possibly because less estrogen would have increased the ability of COMT and MOA-A to better clear catecholamines (which increase tension and, for some, hyperfocus). The need to go - go - go softened.
I miss how much I could once do. I don’t miss believing that everything mattered more than the present moment.
Even on a given day, our “selves” change. “Morning Me” is calm, has plans, and sticks with a routine. The “3-4:30 pm Me” is slower and less sharp. I’ve come to design my schedule to take care of both. “Me on Too Many Carbs” is self-conscious and judgmental and looks for things to complain about, while “Me on Less Carbs” is more at peace with what is.
The challenge, of course, is to accept whatever perceived “self” shows up at a given time of day and not banish the moment with judgments about who we think we are. When we can do this, we can extend that grace to others.
Who Is This Person?
If you are a parent or have a partner or spouse, you’ve likely noticed the changing personalities of those you love. When my daughter was three, she was struggling with episodic cognitive and mood changes, as well as some developmental regression. Though not apparent to most people, in my mind, she was “herself” only about one out of four days. This was evident in her clear thinking, playfulness, humorous comments, and ability to draw a stick figure. This was who I perceived “her” to be. I felt connected to her.
But for three of the four days (for a good part of the year), she was forgetful and didn’t engage in imaginative play. She was irritable and anxious. Her speech was slurred, and she couldn’t draw a circle. It was as if I had repeatedly lost her to an imposter with whom I found connecting more challenging.
Ideally, I would have been more present and better connected to all her “selves.” But that’s not often who shows up when we’re in survival mode. I am grateful to my analytical, driven, and detail-oriented left brain, which ultimately found the help and answers that allowed her to return to her developmental path. I did, however, have to let that part of me go (in our relationship), for her and my well-being.
There is No Fixed Self
With these recent thoughts of the elusive “self” came a need to rekindle my relationship with one of my favorite mystics - Leonard Cohen. Though I’ve heard the interview (quoted below) several times, I was surprised at how different it resonates at this stage in my life.
After commenting on how he no longer struggles with chronic depression, he explains why that is.
“We don’t determine what we are going to see next, or hear next, or taste next, or think next, or feel next. Yet we have the sense that we’re running the show. So if anything has relaxed in my mind, it’s the sense of control, or the quest for meaning. My sense is there is not a fixed self. There is not one whom I can locate as the real me. And, dissolving the search for the real me is relaxation, is the content of peace....But these recognitions are temporary and fleeting, and, you know, .......we go back to thinking we know who we are.”
The Right &...
Lowering Our Exposure to Toxins
Holistic Psychiatry Podcast
12/18/24 • 9 min
In the last podcast, I discussed sources of toxins and how they can impact the brain and development.
In this podcast, I’ll focus on ways to reduce exposure. I say reduce because there is no way to completely eliminate our exposure to toxins. This reality can be liberating for those who struggle with perfectionism.
If you’re new at this, feel good about starting. Avoid feeling bad about what you haven’t done yet. (Negative thoughts aren’t great for detoxification;)
For me, lowering exposures has been a stepwise process. When I began, I had to avoid overwhelm and resist trying to do everything at once.
Though I’ve familiarized myself with the most researched toxins and their specific health impacts, I try to focus more on what I can do to avoid them so I can get on with life and not think about them.
Some of the most researched toxins (last I checked) include mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, PBDEs, organophosphates, glycerophosphate, BPA, BHA, BHT, PCBs, sodium benzoate, butane, tartrazine dye, potassium bromate, ADA, BVO, yellow food dye number’s 5 and 6, red dye number 40, bovine growth hormone, synthetic hormones, ractopamine, phthalates, parabens, phenylenediamine, oxybenzone, acrylic, DEA, triclosan, PFAS including PFOS, benzene, chlorine, chloramine, ochratoxin, trichothecenes, aflatoxin, chaetoglobosin, gliotoxin, and zearalenone.
Electromagnetic fields, though not “toxins,” are considered toxicants, which have similar impacts on our bodies and brains. I’ve previously shared how we can start to assess and lower those.
To learn more about the root causes of brain symptoms and the consultations that I offer, visit courtneysnydermd.com
Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment for yourself or others, including but not limited to patients you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your physician for any medical issues that you may be having.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit courtneysnydermd.substack.com
Recognizing the "Root Causes" of Brain Symptoms in Children
Holistic Psychiatry Podcast
12/26/24 • 19 min
In previous podcasts, I’ve discussed the more common underlying factors that can drive brain-related symptoms. These factors, or “roots,” each have their constellation of symptoms and traits.
Because children’s brains and bodies are still developing and because they don’t have the same degree of hormonal influences, some of their symptoms and associated psychiatric diagnoses will differ from adults with the same imbalances. As you’ll see, inattention and hyperactivity and the diagnosis of ADHD can be the manifestation of a number of these root causes.
Though I’ll discuss these common imbalances separately, more than one can be present. Below are the most common imbalances I see in my work. Teenagers’ symptoms tend to resemble those of adults.
Each of these topics is linked to a more in-depth description if needed.
Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity
Food sensitivities can be present and result in a range of symptoms; however, one or more imbalances are also usually present and underlying the food sensitivities.
To learn more about the root causes of brain symptoms and the consultations that I offer, visit courtneysnydermd.com
Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment for yourself or others, including but not limited to patients you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your physician for any medical issues that you may be having.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit courtneysnydermd.substack.com
How We Can Assess & Lower Our EMF Exposure
Holistic Psychiatry Podcast
04/09/24 • 25 min
As with toxins, EMF (a “toxicant”) can impact the brain in a number of ways. It contributes to inflammation, oxidative stress, disruption of the micro-biome, and interferes with our innate electricity. Anything we do to decrease it will benefit our health.
EMF exists on a spectrum, which includes UV light, the visible spectrum, and infrared among other types. Most of the interventions discussed will relate to radio frequencies (RF), which are rabidly increasing around us.
Completely eliminating exposure to EMF is not possible. In this episode, I’ll walk through a checklist to help you assess and already start to lower your own exposure. This is not an all or none endeavor. Some will find a couple of ways that have the biggest impact for them and others will want or need to go deeper into the list. You might find it helpful to print this off the checklist and mark the situations that apply to your circumstances and even rank your priorities.
This newsletter can found at:
https://courtneysnydermd.substack.com/p/how-we-can-assess-and-lower-our-emf
To receive the weekly Holistic Psychiatry Newsletter (text and audio) in your mailbox each week, subscribe at: https://www.courtneysnydermd.com or
on Substack at:
https://www.courtneysnydermd.substack.com
Medical Disclaimer:
This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit courtneysnydermd.substack.com
Intermittent Fasting & Brain Health
Holistic Psychiatry Podcast
07/08/24 • 20 min
In this newsletter and podcast episode, I share the simple yet powerful tool of intermittent fasting. Here, I discuss:
The types of intermittent fasting with a focus on “time restricted eating,” in which fasting is extended to 12-16hours a day (from the more typical 8-10 hours).
Why it makes good sense from an evolutionary standpoint.
What it has to teach us about our metabolism and our brain’s use of energy.
The health conditions it is has been shown to be beneficial for.
The many mechanism by which is impacts the brain.
My experience with intermittent fasting.
When fasting can become problematic.
If you have experience with intermittent fasting (or questions), please consider adding to the discussion.
Have a great week,
Courtney
P.S. For paid subscribers watch out for a midweek post on other ways we can work with our body’s metabolism and rhythms to improve blood glucose regulation, which is particularly important when it comes to brain health.
Additional Resources:
The Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Brain and Cognitive Function
Related Content
Exercise & the Brain - 10 Ways Exercise Improves Our Mood, Lowers Anxiety & Protects Our Brain.
Medical Disclaimer:
This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit courtneysnydermd.substack.com
What Skin Symptoms Can Tell Us About Brain Symptoms
Holistic Psychiatry Podcast
08/26/24 • 10 min
Skin conditions are common in those with brain-related conditions. Most of what you’ll find about this relationship is the suggestion that one is causing the other. It is believed, for example, that the stress of having a skin condition can cause depression and anxiety, which makes sense.....or that the stress of the mental health condition is causing an increase in stress hormones or inflammation that then leads to skin symptoms. This also makes good sense.
In this podcast, I’ll argue that skin and brain symptoms have shared common roots - one in particular. By brain symptoms, I’m referring to depression, anxiety, panic, OCD symptoms, brain fog, inattention, hyperactivity, mood swings, psychosis, and cognitive decline.
I’ll address:
the many ways zinc (important in brain health) impacts the skin
skin symptoms associated with specific “roots” of brain symptoms, including:
low zinc and high pyrroles
high copper
mast cell activation
candida and mold
methylation imbalances
Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS)
Bartonella
how traits such as flushing, early graying, or a pale complexion can suggest vulnerabilities to the brain symptoms (Obviously, not everyone with these traits has brain symptoms, but for those who do, these traits can point to likely underlying contributing factors)
how certain acne treatments can worsen mental health conditions
the importance of understanding shared root causes
If you’d like to add to the discussion, I always appreciate your questions and comments.
Have a great week,
Courtney
For information about non-patient consultations and treatment, visit: CourtneySnyderMD.com
Related Content:
What Physical Symptoms Tell Us About Brain Symptoms (paid)
Zinc & The Brain (free)
Labs For Evaluating Brain Symptoms (paid)
Medical Disclaimer:
This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment for yourself or others, including but not limited to patients you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your physician for any medical issues that you may be having.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit courtneysnydermd.substack.com
When the Left Brain & Undermethylation Meet Beauty Filters
Holistic Psychiatry Podcast
01/06/25 • 11 min
Recently, an interview by Christiane Amanpour caught my attention. It was with Coralie Fargiat, the director of “The Substance.” Though I haven’t seen this 2024 body horror movie (nor do I intend to), the story brings up several teaching points about the left brain, undermethylation, neuroplasticity, and our collective obsession with beauty.
The movie is about an actress, Elizabeth, who loses her job hosting a fitness television show when she turns fifty. She has “aged out.” While in the hospital after a car accident, someone directs her to a product - the substance - a neon green liquid that will allow her to bud off a younger version of herself - Sue. The rule is that Sue can only go out into the world for one week at a time, alternating each week with Elizabeth while the other lies dormant. Not surprisingly, Sue has more advantages in the world (that Elizabeth inhabits), including replacing Elizabeth on her former TV show. Increasingly, when it’s time to switch, Sue breaks the one-week rule. This results in part of Elizabeth’s body becoming increasingly deformed. The culmination is a grotesque battle of gore between the two, who initially were instructed to remember, “You are one.”
In the interview, the director, Coralie Fargeat, discusses her personal experience:
“I turned 40 and was more impacted than ever about what it’s like to be a woman, the feeling that if I wasn’t young and pretty and sexy, I would be totally erased from the surface of the earth. So there was this kind of emergency, this vitality to the things I speak about in my film.”
Research supports this thinking that beautiful people are treated better and thus have more advantages. With the use of photoshopping, social media filters, and even plastic surgery, many teens and young adults are experiencing neuroplastic changes that are making real people, including themselves, appear increasingly off or even grotesque.
Left Brain
“The Substance” is a left-brain nightmare. It shows us the self-destructive path the left brain can take us on, especially in a world that tells it exactly how things should look.
Elizabeth, the main character in the movie, is rigid in her thinking, addicted to an image of herself, perfectionistic, and highly competitive. In some ways, these left-brain attributes have served her, but unchecked, they destroy her.
If the left brain were a person, it would have the following traits and perspective on appearance: (These traits are oversimplified and pulled from Dr. Iain McGilchrist's work) -
Detail-oriented, narrow focus of attention - “That doesn’t look right.”
Prefers what it knows and prioritizes what it expects - “I should look this way.”
Has difficulties disengaging - “I can’t stop thinking about this and how to fix it.”
Sees parts (as opposed to the whole)
Sees the body as a sum of parts
Doesn’t have a whole image of the body (as found in those who have damage to the right hemisphere)
Is competitive - “I need to look better than they do”
Fears of uncertainty and lack of control (As you can imagine, this is a problem for anyone human and thus who will age)
The left brain will set its sights on beauty, success, titles, money, objects, or anything else that feeds the “I.” Because the left brain can’t see the “big picture,” it has a hard time pulling back far enough to see how its way of thinking may be getting in the way.
The Right Brain
Our ability to feel embodied is a job for our brain’s right hemisphere. When the voice in the movie reminds Elizabeth, “You are one,” it may as well be speaking on behalf of the right hemisphere.
Our right brain allows us to have compassion, including self-compassion. It honors diversity and differences. It can see the bigger picture of our lives that involve multiple developmental stages. It can sit with uncertainty. It knows that our imperfections and differences promote connection with actual humans.
Undermethylation
Left brain tendencies strongly overlap with undermethylation traits.
Methylation is a biochemical and cellular phenomenon that serves many important functions. If we “undermethylate,” we can have more difficulties breaking down histamine, more difficulties detoxifying, and lower serotonin activity. Methylation is impacted by a number of genes, the most well-known being MTHFR.
Undermethylated traits include perfectionism, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, being highly competitive, having ruminations, and addictive tendencies. <...
Lowering Brain Inflammation
Holistic Psychiatry Podcast
03/18/24 • 16 min
The last newsletter, I addressed how our hormonal stress response can trigger mast cells and microglial cells, thereby interfering with neuronal communication in the brain and causing symptoms. Such symptoms can include brain fog, fatigue, depression, anxiety, mood swings and, for some, hallucinations.
We live in a world that is increasingly inflammatory - more toxins, more insults to our microbiome, and more insults to our sense of self from marketing and media. Add to this the reality that many things that lower our stress response and thus inflammation, are being diminished - less human connection, less silence, solitude, stillness and time in the natural world. But, we have choices. Supporting our brain and well-being is really about getting back to the basics of our humanity and getting back to the things most of us long to do anyway.
We can approach the below list with an openness to ideas (of which one or two may resonate) ...or we can approach it like a to-do list - one that reinforces the notion that we need to fix ourselves to be worthy. My hope is the former. We’re already worthy and deserving of feeling healthy.
This list will generally move in the direction of what I think most of us can benefit from (1-3), additional considerations that may be helpful for those with brain symptoms (4-7) and, lastly, I’ve included tools for those who are dealing with very high immune reactivity and/or mast cell activation syndrome (8-10). This list will not be complete. Perhaps you’ll share what is helpful for you.
To receive the newsletter (text and audio) in your mailbox each week, subscribe at: https://www.courtneysnydermd.com or
on Substack at:
https://www.courtneysnydermd.substack.com
Medical Disclaimer: This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit courtneysnydermd.substack.com
Mental Health, Media & the Election
Holistic Psychiatry Podcast
07/01/24 • 16 min
My purpose in this video is to remind us to protect our mental health, our physical health and our relationships this election season.
We have a natural impulse to pay attention to danger. News networks and social media take advantage and profit from this instinct.
Here in the US, we are facing five months of what can be highly stressful. Some will have an increase in anxiety, depression, anger and addictive behaviors including news addiction and internet addiction.
If we care about lowering toxic exposures, lowering our stress response and thus inflammation, then these next five months offer a great opportunity. If we care about setting healthy boundaries between ourselves and the negative or self-serving energy of others, these next five months are a great time to strengthen our boundaries.
In this video, I discuss:
What is happening in our body and brain when we engage with fear-inducing content.
Media literacy to remind us what we easily forget when we’re under the influence of media that aims to get and keep our attention.
How the echo chamber of news and social media is rewiring our brains, and reinforcing left brain tendencies.
What we can do to lower our exposure and it’s impacts, and..
How we can call in the right hemisphere while doing our part to better the world we’re actually living in.
If you’d like to add to the discussion, please....
Have a good week,
Courtney
To learn more about this and other factors contributing to brain symptoms or to receive these newsletters in your mailbox each week, visit www.CourtneySnyderMD.com
Related Content:
Left and Right Brain: Knowing When to Call in the Other Half
Undermethylation & Strengthening the Right Brain in a Left Brain World
Medical Disclaimer:
This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit courtneysnydermd.substack.com
Pyrrole Disorder & Low Stress Tolerance
Holistic Psychiatry Podcast
06/23/24 • 20 min
In this video and podcast episode, I discuss pyrrole disorder - one of the most common nutrient imbalances in brain-related conditions affecting adults and children. Elevated Hydroxyhemopyrrolin-2-one (HPL) in the urine, often referred to as “pyrroles,” has been associated with depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, ADHD, learning disorders, substance use disorders, and violent behavior. Here, I address:
How pyrrole disorder relates to other “root causes.”
What we know, what we don’t know, and why this topic is controversial.
Causes.
Zinc and B6 depletion and how these impact brain health.
Brain and physical symptoms and traits.
Treatment.
How low-stress tolerance can impact one’s ability to pursue meaningful education, work, and relationships.
As always, I welcome your questions and comments.
Have a good week,
Courtney
To learn more about this and other factors contributing to brain symptoms or to receive these newsletters in your mailbox each week, visit www.CourtneySnyderMD.com
Related Resources
Pyrrole Disorder Symptoms List
Zinc & the Brain
https://courtneysnydermd.substack.com/p/zinc-and-the-brain
Discerning the Mauve Factor, Part 1
Discerning the Mauve Factor, Part 2
RCCX Theory, Hypermobility, Mental Health & Complex Chronic Illness
https://courtneysnydermd.substack.com/p/hypermobility-rccx-theory-mental
Medical Disclaimer:
This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit courtneysnydermd.substack.com
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FAQ
How many episodes does Holistic Psychiatry Podcast have?
Holistic Psychiatry Podcast currently has 102 episodes available.
What topics does Holistic Psychiatry Podcast cover?
The podcast is about Health & Fitness, Mental Health and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on Holistic Psychiatry Podcast?
The episode title 'Lowering Brain Inflammation' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Holistic Psychiatry Podcast?
The average episode length on Holistic Psychiatry Podcast is 22 minutes.
How often are episodes of Holistic Psychiatry Podcast released?
Episodes of Holistic Psychiatry Podcast are typically released every 8 days.
When was the first episode of Holistic Psychiatry Podcast?
The first episode of Holistic Psychiatry Podcast was released on Jul 11, 2020.
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