90. Prescribers & Therapists: Integrating Mental and Physical Health

Heather Olsson, LCPC and Matthew Toman, APRN, both at Ellie Mental Health in Naperville, IL, join this episode to explore how some physical illnesses or issues can mask as mental health problems.

Heather and Matt share their experiences and insights on how to best support clients and the huge benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration in healthcare.

They also discuss the impact of physical health on mental well-being and the role of lab tests in diagnosing and treating various conditions. This conversation aims to empower therapists and healthcare professionals to better support their clients by understanding the connection between physical and mental health and collaborating with physicians.

OUR HOST:

Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for several years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, case manager, and the Director of Brand Content at Ellie Mental Health. Follow her on⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn.⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellie Mental Health⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of thriving by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.⁠⁠

Ellie is a national mental health brand organized around community-based outpatient mental health clinics. It all began with a single office in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2015, and has expanded to an explosive number of locations nationwide after franchising our model in 2021. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to the Therapist Thrival Guide

00:31 Meet the Guests: Heather and Matt

01:27 The Importance of Medication Management

02:07 Personal and Professional Collaboration

05:13 Bridging the Gap Between Mental and Physical Health

05:40 Understanding the Role of Lab Work

11:05 The Impact of Thyroid Function on Mental Health

17:12 GeneSight Testing and Medication Management

24:18 Starting SSRIs and SNRIs: What to Expect

24:38 Overlap of PCOS and Mental Health Symptoms

25:45 Empowering Clients and Treatment Teams

26:01 Key Lab Tests for Mental Health

28:03 Alcohol's Impact on Mental and Physical Health

30:20 SSRIs and Sexual Dysfunction

37:39 Exploring Medication Alternatives

41:45 Final Thoughts and Takeaways