How Ketogenic Therapy Heals the Brain: Mental Health Recovery with Nicole Laurent

Jan 1, 2026

Ask episode

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

In this episode, I sit down with Nicole Laurent, LMHC—a licensed mental health counselor and leading voice in metabolic psychiatry—to explore how ketogenic therapy is helping people heal from mental illness, food addiction, and emotional dysregulation by addressing the brain’s underlying metabolic health.

Here’s what we cover in the episode:

• Nicole’s journey from traditional talk therapy, CBT, and EMDR, to becoming a pioneer in metabolic psychiatry

• How impaired glucose metabolism affects brain function, mood, and emotional regulation

• Why ketones can provide the brain with a cleaner, more stable energy source for healing

• The emerging science behind ketogenic therapy for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and binge eating disorder

• Why common fears around saturated fat and cholesterol are outdated and often harmful to recovery

• How ketogenic therapy can support long-term remission in mental health conditions once considered “treatment-resistant”

• The future of mental health care—and why nutrition and metabolism must become part of the conversation

Nicole blends deep clinical experience with cutting-edge neuroscience to reveal how nutrition can literally change the brain. This conversation is a must-watch for anyone curious about the connection between diet and mental health, or those searching for new hope beyond medication and symptom management.

00:00 – intro

01:22 – Nicole’s journey into metabolic psychiatry

01:59 – Transition from traditional therapy to brain-based nutritional approaches

03:05 – How impaired glucose metabolism affects brain function and mood

05:12 – Why psychiatric medications often worsen metabolic health

07:02 – The science of ketogenic therapy for depression, bipolar, and schizophrenia

09:26 – Why ketones offer the brain a cleaner, more stable energy source

11:41 – Case studies: when metabolic therapy leads to psychiatric remission

16:00 – Ketogenic metabolic therapies as transdiagnostic

18:12 – Ketogenic therapy for binge eating disorder and food addiction

21:36 – How diet can stabilize mood and emotional regulation

27:30 – Does Keto make eating issues worse?

29:54 – How clinicians can integrate metabolic psychiatry in practice

32:18 – The future of mental health: nutrition, metabolism

34:47 – Final insights and where to learn more about Nicole’s work

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contact and learn more about Nicole: www.mentalhealthketo.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/nlaurent/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Follow Beyond Binge Eating Instagram: / https://www.instagram.com/BeyondBingeEating/ Website: https://www.BeyondBingeEating.com Newsletter: https://beyondbingeeating.com/Newsletter/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grab your FREE Eat-With-Awareness Bundle to slow down, stay present, and reclaim peace with food: https://beyondbingeeating.com/opt-in/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer: The information on this channel is for educational purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice or therapy. The views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Kristina Dobyns or Beyond Binge Eating.