- Individuality is important
It’s what makes you, you. All minds function and work in different ways that require different approaches or treatments. We recognize imperfection and allow forgiveness for failure. We understand you have preferences in your treatment. These preferences matter and should be considered when deciding what safe and effective therapies would be best. - Knowledge is empowering (Docere)
One of the tenants of an ‘integrative provider’ is to educate our patients. We call it Docere, or ‘doctor as teacher’. We believe that providing you with education about your illness empowers you to make informed decisions and lets you take charge of your health. - Optimal wellness and quality of life are what matters
As integrative providers we believe that it is not only the absence or remission of disease that matters, it’s your quality of life. Absence of anxiety or depression is not our end-all be all. You may not have anxiety, but are you sleeping well? Are you eating well? These things matter. - Relationships have a healing power
Cultivating relationships and creating a good social support network, in addition to the relationship you have with yourself, are crucial to your overall health and wellbeing, as is the relationship you have with your doctor. Patients often tell us that they benefit from our visits because they feel heard and care for. This kind of relationship with a provider you trust is extremely important, and we honor that. - Prevention is Key
There’s rarely a visit where we won’t talk about your diet, sleep, and energy because your health isn’t about waiting until things happen. It’s about taking charge to create a healthy mind. It’s about building you up to be able to handle stressors in a capacity that won’t completely knock you down and hopefully prevent problems all together! - Context is Fundamental (mind, body, environment operate together)
As an integrative mental health provider, we want to know WHY you feel the way you do. If you don’t know, we investigate! Is there something at work, home, your relationships… your neurotransmitters? Context is key to understanding why you feel the way you do and how we can best approach it. - The body has an innate ability to heal
We believe the body, if given the opportunity, will do what it needs to do to heal. Our natural state of being is healthy, not sick. This means you only need to identify the obstacles to wellness that are keeping you from healing and address them. - The best treatment is not biased
Integrative mental health combines the strategies of naturopathic medicine and conventional treatments. There is no shame or failure in needing medication. Treatment is always individualized and could be herbs, medication, or a combination of the two. A true integrative practitioner will recognize the strengths in all evidence-based treatments and be able to provide you with the best option for you without personal bias getting in the way. - Personal responsibility is recognized
To an extent, we must “choose joy”. An integrative provider recognizes that sometimes you must accept the happiness that is offered to you, take ownership in your feelings, and work hard to maintain them. It is something no pill, herb, or therapist can provide. You must decide that your goals are worth working for and be willing to let go of negative habits to get them. - Life is the ultimate teacher
Integrative medicine understands that all life experiences are learning opportunities. We learn from the good, but mostly the bad. All experiences, especially the uncomfortable, should be honored instead of ignored. Again, we must decide to take those opportunities and learn from them. Changes won’t happen without effort.
Integrative mental health is not about crystals, spiritual retreats, and hot yoga! It’s about recognizing the strengths of many forms of treatment, not just pharmaceuticals or herbs. It’s an approach for remission and mental wellbeing.