If you’ve been taking mental health medication for months or even years but still struggle with depression, anxiety, or brain fog, this episode is for you! There’s a critical piece missing from traditional psychiatry that could finally help you feel like yourself again. And it’s not another prescription.
In this episode, Dr. Will Van Derveer, founder of the Integrative Psychiatry Institute, reveals why conventional antidepressants often fall short and how addressing root causes like inflammation, gut health, hidden infections, and addressing unresolved trauma in a new way can transform your mental health. If you’re tired of feeling stuck on medications that aren’t working or you’re curious about integrative approaches and ketamine therapy, this conversation could change everything for you.
Listen now to understand may really be causing your symptoms!
Dr. Van Derveer shares his journey from traditional psychiatrist to integrative mental health practitioner after witnessing the limitations of conventional treatments. He also explains how most ketamine clinics are missing the mark by treating symptoms instead of root causes, and why combining functional medicine with psychedelic therapy creates lasting transformation for people who haven’t found relief anywhere else.
Chronic inflammation can be a hidden driver of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Dr. Van Derveer explains how poor diet, gut issues, and past trauma elevate inflammatory markers in your body, making you more vulnerable to mood disorders. This inflammation creates a vicious cycle where you crave junk food for quick dopamine hits, which further worsens your mental health symptoms regardless of how many antidepressants you take.
Many people struggling with depression that won’t respond to medication have underlying issues that no one’s checking for. Gluten sensitivity, celiac disease, tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease, and mold toxicity can all manifest as psychiatric symptoms. Dr. Van Derveer shares powerful patient stories where identifying and treating these hidden root causes brought relief after years of failed treatments.
Unlike traditional antidepressants that take weeks to work, ketamine can spark rapid changes if accompanied by the right therapeutic process. However, Dr. Van Derveer warns that many ketamine clinics operate like “drive-by” clinics, pumping up your tire without patching the hole. Effective ketamine therapy requires proper preparation, integration work, and addressing both trauma and lifestyle factors like diet, sleep, and exercise.
Mental health sypmtoms rarely have a single cause, which is why treating just one issue often fails. Dr. Van Derveer uses functional medicine principles to look at the whole map: nutrition, inflammation, trauma, infections, hormonal imbalances, and lifestyle factors. By addressing multiple root causes together rather than just masking symptoms with medication, lasting healing becomes possible.
Listen now to understand may really be causing your symptoms!
Dr. Van Derveer is the founder of Integrative Psychiatry Institute and co-host of the Higher Practice Podcast. His institute trains doctors and therapists in how to address the root causes and not just the symptoms of mental illness, using integrative medicine and psychedelic therapy
X: https://x.com/willvanderveer
IG: https://www.instagram.com/will.vanderveer.md
LI: linkedin.com/in/will-van-derveer-md
Website: www.psychiatryinstitute.com
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Beyond Serotonin: Debunking SSRIs for Depression and Mental Health, with Dr. Miles Nichols
Optimize Your Brain, with Dr. Patrick Porter
Heal the Gut-Brain Connection, with Dr. Will Cole
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