How Naturopathic Medicine Supports Mental Health

This past weekend, I had the privilege of attending CNDA’s Merging Medicine 20 Conference, where the focus was on psychiatry and its connection to naturopathic medicine. I learned fascinating new insights on sleep science and from Dr. Amen’s talk about his work with SPECT scans.

While I mainly focus on hormonal imbalances in my practice, I’m always expanding my skill set because many of my patients, both women and men, also experience mood imbalances. Naturopathic medicine is uniquely equipped to support mental health, and I’ve seen great success helping patients in this area.

Too often, conventional psychiatry compartmentalizes disorders and overlooks the fact that anxiety or depression can stem from hormonal or nutritional imbalances. These are the cases where naturopathic medicine tends to shine helping patients achieve meaningful improvement without immediately resorting to pharmaceuticals.

The Overlap Between Naturopathic Medicine and Psychiatry

One of the most exciting aspects of this conference was seeing how naturopathic medicine complements the field of psychiatry. In my practice, I’ve helped many patients with anxiety, depression, and other mood imbalances by taking a whole-body approach.

Conventional psychiatry often treats mental health as a “brain-only” issue, but as naturopathic doctors, we know the mind and body are deeply connected. For example:

• Low progesterone can contribute to anxiety.

• Thyroid imbalances can mimic depression.

• Nutrient deficiencies (like B12 or magnesium) can trigger mood changes.

By addressing these root causes, we can often help patients experience relief naturally and sustainably.

Why Naturopathic Medicine Excels in Treating Mood Imbalances

The strength of naturopathic medicine lies in its whole-person perspective. Instead of isolating the mind from the body, we integrate them, an approach that often leads to real breakthroughs in mental and emotional wellbeing.

This includes:

• Identifying hormonal imbalances underlying mood swings or depression

• Correcting nutritional deficiencies that might be overlooked in conventional care

• Supporting lifestyle changes like sleep hygiene, stress management, and movement

These holistic tools often allow for significant improvements in mood and quality of life, and in some cases, can reduce reliance on pharmaceuticals with collaboration from a patient’s healthcare team when appropriate.

Key Takeaway

The conference reaffirmed my belief that naturopathic medicine offers effective, natural support for anxiety, depression, and other mood-related conditions—especially when these are linked to hormones or nutrition.

By expanding my understanding beyond hormonal health and exploring how naturopathic care intersects with psychiatry, I can better serve the whole person.

If you or someone you love is struggling with mood imbalances, consider exploring naturopathic medicine as a complement to conventional care. The body and mind are deeply connected—and true healing often begins when both are addressed together.