The MindHealth360 Show

Kirkland Newman, founder of MindHealth360, dives into transformative insights on integrative mental health. He reveals the surprising link between mitochondria and mental wellness, stressing the importance of morning light and movement. The conversation unpacks how childhood trauma affects immune responses and chronic illnesses. Kirkland discusses functional medicine's effectiveness and the daily habits that can yield powerful health benefits. The dialogue also showcases the upcoming integrative medicine conference and emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to mental health.

In this episode of the MindHealth360 Show, psychiatrist and trauma researcher Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score, joins Kirkland Newman for a powerful exploration of how trauma affects the brain, body and sense of self – and how healing can emerge through somatic, relational and neurobiological interventions.  Drawing from decades of clinical and research experience, Dr. van der Kolk discusses how trauma disrupts core brain functions, creates enduring physiological patterns, and limits a person’s ability to feel connected or safe. He emphasises the limitations of top-down, cognitive talk therapies alone, and highlights the critical role of bottom-up, body-based approaches to healing.  Bessel illustrates the value of experiential practices – including EMDR, neurofeedback, yoga, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and psychedelic-assisted therapy – as ways to improve self-regulation, brain integration, and emotional processing. He also reflects on the essential role of human connection, joy, rhythm, and relational safety in recovery.  This conversation will be especially valuable for clinicians, researchers, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of trauma and the integrative, whole-person approaches that can support healing.  In this episode, you will learn:  How trauma can create automatic patterns in brain and behavior, rooted in disrupted regulatory systems and rigid neural habits  Why bottom-up therapies (movement, rhythm, body awareness) are often necessary to complement verbal psychotherapy  How relational safety, rhythmic engagement, and movement can calm the nervous system and support healing  The significance of EMDR, neurofeedback, and IFS in reconnecting different brain regions and improving emotional regulation  Why trauma recovery is about restoring agency, self-awareness, and connection – not simply revisiting traumatic memories  How early neglect and lack of secure attachment affect development, social engagement, and physiological resilience  Why psychedelics (such as MDMA) show strong potential in expanding neuroplasticity and opening up new therapeutic possibilities  How creativity, play, and joy are central – not optional – to sustainable healing and growth  The importance of broadening trauma treatment beyond medication and talk therapy to include embodied, relational, and community-based approaches

In this episode of the MindHealth360 show, Dr. Sundeep Dugar – pharmaceutical scientist, inventor, and co-founder of Blue Oak NX – explores the foundational role of mitochondria in brain function, psychiatric and neurological health, aging, and chronic disease. With over 35 years of drug discovery expertise, Dr. Dugar breaks down the science behind how mitochondrial dysfunction may be a key root cause of many modern health conditions, as well as mental health symptoms – including anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, and fatigue. He shares how mitochondria generate ATP, the body’s essential energy currency, and how their decline over time and through lifestyle “insults” such as  pollution, poor diet, stress, and inactivity, and how their loss of function and resilience can impair everything from gene expression to inflammation, immunity, energy and brain health. Dr. Dugar also introduces the mission-driven work of his company Blue Oak NX, dedicated to affordable and unique therapies that support mitochondrial health and overall wellness. Deeply scientific yet accessible, this conversation explores how optimizing mitochondrial function through exercise, fat-based nutrition, and lifestyle changes may hold the key to longevity, mental clarity, and true cellular healing. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why mitochondria are essential to life – and produce 90% of the body’s energy (ATP), but also perform dozens of other key functions essential to health and longevity. How mitochondrial decline begins around age 21 and accelerates with age. Why exercise is the most powerful intervention for mitochondrial health – and what happens on a cellular level when we move. The fundamental link between mitochondrial function and mental and neurological health symptoms such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, poor focus and poor memory. Why diet is “fuel” for your mitochondria – and how fats (not sugar) provide more sustainable energy. Why pollution, stress, ultra-processed food, and sedentary living create “insults” that impair mitochondrial function and overall health. How mitochondrial dysfunction may drive inflammation and underlie conditions like diabetes, cancer, and psychiatric and neurological illness. Why some people are more vulnerable to disease due to genotype and epigenetic responses to environmental insults. What “hormesis” and the “cell danger response” mean – and how they relate to mitochondrial resilience. How supporting your mitochondria can help shift the body from chronic illness to healing (salutogenesis). The groundbreaking molecule developed by Blue Oak NX which has been found to boost mitochondrial function in a way that only exercise can do, and its profound implications for people who cannot exercise.  

In this insightful discussion, Ashok Gupta, an internationally renowned health practitioner and creator of the Gupta Program, delves into the power of brain retraining to combat chronic illnesses like ME/CFS and fibromyalgia. He shares his personal journey from chronic fatigue to recovery, emphasizing neuroplasticity and the mind-body connection. Together with Kirkland Newman, they highlight how chronic stress and environmental triggers can keep individuals stuck in illness, while Gupta's innovative program offers a hopeful path to healing mental and physical health.

In this captivating online presentation from the IMMH 2023 conference, board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Achina Stein reveals how the intersection of functional medicine, gut restoration, and psychiatry can lead to lasting healing for depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges. She explains why the journey takes dedication and time, why psychiatry provides an ideal setting, and why it’s worth the effort. She also delves into very concrete clinical advice on the basics of how to implement functional medicine psychiatry.    Dr. Achina Stein is a board-certified psychiatrist with over 25 years of clinical experience and serves as the Clinical Director of the Healing Depression Project. Also a certified practitioner with the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFMCP) and a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, Dr. Stein was awarded the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Author of the best-seller What If It’s Not Depression, she explains how diet and lifestyle changes - including gut restoration and the 5R protocol - can significantly improve depression, anxiety, and mental health. In this comprehensive presentation, Dr. Stein reveals why standard psychiatric care often falls short by relying on a “silver bullet” approach, the limitations of medications, and why functional medicine offers a revolutionary path forward in psychiatry and mental health treatment.   In this episode, discover: Who benefits most from functional medicine and why it’s ideal for patients open to diet and lifestyle changes. Why functional medicine analyses food diaries, bowel movements, sleep patterns, exercise, toxin and mould exposure and physical exam/gait analysis in evaluations alongside more conventional  psychiatric care. Why a diagnosis isn’t always needed for treatment, and why changes to diet and lifestyle can treat conditions before they fully manifest. The link between complex chronic illness and mental health symptoms. The intrinsic connection between depression and inflammation. Other often overlooked root causes of depression and anxiety, including certain medications (e.g., Chantix, Accutane), low cholesterol, low Omega-3, low Vitamin D, thyroid issues, lupus and other autoimmune conditions, and hypoglycemia. Why antidepressants may not always improve symptoms and the potential downsides of their use. The importance of addressing infections, toxins, oxidative stress, hormone imbalances, digestive issues, blood sugar levels, and circadian rhythm in treatment. The 5R protocol (Remove, Replace, Reinoculate, Repair, Rebalance) and its role in restoring gut health for better mental health. Insights from the Dr. Hyman Questionnaire on how chronic toxicity impacts mental health. Why the gut-brain axis is a crucial missing link in treating depression, the mental health risks of gut permeability (leaky gut), and the critical role of diet in maintaining gut and brain health. Ways to strengthen the gut-brain connection and increase BDNF levels through HIIT, fasting, and cold exposure for mental health benefits. The crucial role of exercise in detoxification. Top dietary recommendations for improving depression, anxiety and mental health, including foods to add (vegetables, eggs, beef, fish, quinoa, nuts, seeds, fermented foods) and foods to avoid (caffeine, sugar, dairy, gluten).  

Dr. Nicole Cain is a leading expert in resolving anxiety and has helped thousands of patients break free from panic and build lasting mental wellness. In this insightful interview for the MindHealth360Show, she shares the powerful methods behind her revolutionary approach to treating anxiety.     Author of the book Panic Proof: The New Holistic Solution to End Your Anxiety Forever, Dr. Cain brings a unique and multidisciplinary perspective to mental health. With a degree in clinical psychology, training in EMDR, and a license as a naturopathic physician, she incorporates medical, psychological, and holistic approaches to healing, and successfully bridges the gap between biochemical and psycho-spiritual factors to address anxiety from multiple angles.   In this compelling and complex conversation, Dr. Cain introduces the 9 distinct types of anxiety (thought anxiety, chest anxiety, gut anxiety, depressive anxiety, nervous system anxiety, anger anxiety, endocrine anxiety, trauma anxiety, and immune system anxiety), emphasising that our different experiences of anxiety require tailored treatments. She highlights the importance of identifying the root-causes of anxiety for sustainable and effective healing and reminds us that anxiety is not caused solely by a stressor, but by how we respond to it in states of sympathetic activation. She outlines her ‘panic proof’ strategies that focus on mind, body and soul for healing from anxiety and panic attacks, and explains why focusing on our bodies, sensation, touch and connection is so important. With real warmth and optimism, Dr. Cain reassures us that we are designed to heal, offering a message of hope: recovery from anxiety is not only possible – it’s within reach.   In this episode you will learn: How anxiety and panic coexist on a spectrum, with panic at one extreme and generalised anxiety at the other. Why a trauma and biology-informed approach is essential, and how addressing both the biochemical and psycho-spiritual aspects of anxiety leads to deeper healing. Why anxiety originates in the body, and how thoughts are attached to those physical sensations – rather than the other way around. How to identify early “canary” warning signals of anxiety and why each person’s experience is unique. Why we can’t simply “talk” ourselves out of feeling anxious, and ways that trauma is stored in non-verbal parts of our brains, influencing anxiety in ways we might not consciously recognise. Why anxiety becomes maladaptive when it is not proportional to a threat, and ways maladaptive behaviours are those that stop you from adapting to new or difficult circumstances.  The neurophysiology of anxiety – understanding anxiety as a stress response that results from the nervous system getting "stuck” in a heightened state - and why it’s rooted in the reaction, rather than in the stressor.  The root-causes of anxiety, including environmental toxins, moulds, infections, hormone, nutritional and neurotransmitter imbalances, inflammation, trauma, and adverse childhood experiences - and how these biochemical and psycho-spiritual factors interplay. The 9 types of anxiety – thought anxiety, chest anxiety, gut anxiety, depressive anxiety, nervous system anxiety, anger anxiety, endocrine anxiety, trauma anxiety, immune system anxiety – the typical symptoms of each, and how each type informs targeted treatment strategies. How the brain’s salience network contributes to anxiety, and why excessive sensory stimuli (screens, social media, blue light, toxins) can trigger panic. How to shift from asking “how do I make the anxiety stop?” to “what is my body telling me I need” - and why listening to our bodies informs healing strategies.  How experiencing physical touch and building meaningful human connections play a vital role in recovery. Why asking “how can I become more of myself?” rather than “how do I fix myself?” can be a powerful tool reframes how we accept and heal from anxiety. 3 key foundational strategies that build resilience and adaptability; 1: meeting core human needs (prioritising connection, proper nutrition, hydration, warmth) 2: removing obstacles to healing (toxic relationships, unfulfilling jobs, and unhealthy environments) 3: strengthening brain/body health (herbal medicine, detoxification, micro-dosing, targeted nutrition, movement, bodywork, sauna therapy, and massage) A practical demo of the “3 minute hack” ,tips for panic attack prevention, and why self-compassion and care transform our experiences of anxiety.

In this fascinating interview, Dr. Matt Bernstein explains the groundbreaking and fast developing field of metabolic psychiatry, and outlines the ways diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors can radically transform mental health outcomes. He explains why metabolic dysfunction is  common to all manifestations of poor mental health, and why metabolic intervention can have profound benefits to all mental health disorders. Dr. Matt Bernstein is Chief Medical Officer at EllenHorn Clinic, where he pursues alternative ways to help individuals achieve their best levels of functioning and happiness without relying solely on traditional psychiatric approaches, instead focussing on metabolism, nutrition, circadian-rhythm, biology, mind-body and exercise, He is also Chief Executive Officer at Accord, a residential clinic implementing metabolic psychiatry approaches to mental health, and is  one of the leading voices in the emerging field of metabolic psychiatry.  Dr. Bernstein received his medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He then trained at the MGH McLean Psychiatry Residency Program, where he served as chief resident and psychiatrist-in-charge, and later as assistant medical director of its schizophrenia and bipolar inpatient programme.  In this episode, learn why metabolism and mitochondrial health is at the core of our mental health, why merely reducing symptoms is not the desired outcome, and how Dr. Matt Bernstein helps his patients function at their best and happiest in everyday life. Discover why diet is the most powerful intervention, and why behavioural choices, such as exercise, mind-body practices and circadian-rhythm alignment, deepen healing by improving metabolism.    In this episode learn about: How Dr. Matt Bernstein discovered metabolic psychiatry and why it is so effective  in treating  mental health conditions, including psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, addictions, eating disorders, OCD, ADHD, and more. How metabolic psychiatry works without traditional psychiatric approaches, and why mainstream medicine often falls short in addressing the root-causes of mental health issues. Why the treatment goal is for patients to thrive in everyday life, rather than merely reducing symptoms. The link between metabolic dysfunction and mental health: how metabolic imbalances contribute to depression, anxiety, and treatment-resistant chronic disorders. How lifestyle interventions can reverse metabolic dysfunction: the role of ketogenic diets, exercise and circadian rhythms in improving metabolic and mental health. Key data and case studies that highlight the potential of metabolic psychiatry to transform mental health, and ways evidence is beginning to reveal that metabolic treatments outperform pharmaceuticals. How improving mitochondrial function boosts neurotransmitter function, BDNF, GABA-glutamate ratio, while reducing neuroinflammation and decreasing oxidative stress. Why mitochondrial health is fuelled by ketosis, and why good mitochondrial health profoundly improves our metabolism and mental health symptoms. Ways a ketogenic diet is a ‘miracle drug’, and how it can cure treatment-resistant mental health disorders and reduce anxiety and depression. What a ‘clean’ ketogenic diet looks like: the importance of high-quality whole foods and the targeted roles of fibre, proteins, cholesterol, and fats in optimising brain health. How to reach ketosis as a vegetarian or vegan, and practical guidance for those following plant-based diets. Root causes of poor mitochondrial health: how childhood trauma, toxins, pollutants, nutrient deficiencies, ultra-processed foods, sugar, and circadian rhythm dysregulation impact metabolism and mental health. An overview of Dr. Matt Bernstein’s 4-week minimum residential programme Accord, and how the programme uses diet, mind-body practices and circadian rhythm alignment to improve metabolism as the main intervention for improved mental health. Why over testing and over supplementing can become part of the problem, and is avoided in the programme. How treatment strategies are tailored to the individual: why personalised interventions require ongoing support, why the process can be challenging, but why the effort can be incredibly rewarding.

In this vital and technically complex presentation, Dr Scott Antoine explains why PANS (Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) and PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptoccocal Infection) are common and overlooked root cause of psychiatric symptoms in children (such as OCD, restrictive eating, anxiety, emotional distress, depression, dramatic mood swings, psychosis and suicidal ideation). In doing so, he encourages physicians to explore mental health in an entirely new way, especially in the treatment of children.    Dr Scott Antoine completed his undergraduate training at the University of Scranton, after which he completed his doctorate at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He later served in active duty with the United States Army as an Emergency Physician and worked as an Emergency Physician at St. Francis Hospital until 2019. In addition to his board certification in Emergency Medicine, he achieved board certification in Integrative Medicine and holds certifications in Functional Medicine through the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) and A4M. His book The Comprehensive Physicians Guide to the Management of PANS and PANDAS was released in February 2024 to excellent reviews.    He discovered his calling when he and his wife Ellen, also a Functional and Integrative Medicine physician, battled to correctly diagnose the root-cause of their 12 year old daughter’s sudden-onset OCD, insomnia, rage, as PANS. Since then, he has helped hundreds of children recover from PANS and PANDAS, and in 2019 helped to pass a law which prohibits insurance companies in Indiana from denying coverage for medical care (including IVIG) for children with PANS and PANDAS.   In this richly informative personable interview, he presents an evidence-based outline of the successful ways to both diagnose and treat PANS and PANDAS, and stresses that they are not nearly as rare as mainstream medicine seems to believe. He decodes complex medical expertise, referencing over 300 clinical studies and peer-reviewed medical literature, that identify biological mechanisms and the root causes that underlie PANS and PANDAS. In this episode, Dr Antoine unravels why PANS/PANDAS can have such a profound, often sudden impact on Children’s psychiatric health, and demands that PANS and PANDAS be considered more broadly in psychiatric diagnoses. In this episode you will learn how infections, toxins and the immune system interplay in the expression of harmful psychiatric symptoms, why they cause PANS and PANDAS, and how they can be successfully treated.   In this episode learn about: Why PANS and PANDAS are hidden and common root cause of OCD, violent mood swings, depression, anxiety and suicidality, how they are diagnosed, and the role of testing. Why physicians routinely overlook and even deny PANS and PANDAS as a cause of mental health symptoms. Why toxins and infections can trigger PANS and PANDAS and their associated neuropsychiatric symptoms. How Strep is related to autoimmunity and why to treat it even if strep tests are negative.   Why a range of infections - not just strep or Lyme borrelia - can trigger neuropsychiatric symptoms (OCD, attention issues, hallucinations, psychosis, depression, suicidal ideation), including other tick-borne co-infections, influenza, Epstein Barr, chlamydia pneumonia and Covid. Ways environmental chemicals, heavy metals, pesticides and mycotoxins (mould) can lead to inflammation and autoimmunity. The concrete link between rheumatic fever and OCD, ADHD, mood issues and psychosis. Other causes of autoimmunity, including genetics, intestinal permeability, infection/T-cell activation and molecular mimicry  (the mechanism by which microbes can induce autoimmunity). The 4 vital components of treatment: 1) find and treat infections 2) find and remove toxins 3) re-regulate the immune system 4) break neurological loops (OCD, anxiety). How to treat infections using prolonged use of antibiotics, and which antibiotics to choose. Why herbs (isatis, baicalensis, cat’s claw etc) can reduce the duration of antibiotic use, and the studies that prove it. The binders (activated charcoal, zeolites, humic acid) and bitters that help remove toxins. Ways medications (naltrexone and steroids) can help re-regulate the immune system. Why and when IVIG is used for the treatment, why it can relieve and cure symptoms (OCD, anxiety and tics) quickly. How Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) and hypnosis outperforms medications in breaking neurological loops (OCD, anxiety, intrusive thoughts) Other helpful interventions that assist healing; nutrients, diet changes and probiotics.

In this captivating live event for The MindHealth360 Show and Alternatives, Dr. Dan Siegel discusses his upcoming book, Personality and Wholeness in Therapy, released in November 2024. It gives practitioners insight into different types of personality, and shows how this understanding can be used to help clients live happier, more harmonious lives, and have better relationships. Presenting a revolutionary new way to incorporate neurobiology and its impact on personality into therapeutic practice, Dr. Siegel reveals his theory of developmental pathways. In doing so he addresses a key oversight in conventional therapy training: personality - both what the personality is scientifically, and how to work with it therapeutically. Dr. Seigel’s ground-breaking understanding of personality encourages therapists to unlock the neurological underpinnings of personality, and to help adjust ‘stuck’ personality patterns - often formed through poor childhood attachment or trauma - transforming it from a prison into a playground, to ultimately improve states of wholeness and wellness in patients. In this episode you’ll learn about: ·        What personality is and what it’s for. ·        Dr. Siegel’s nine Patterns of Developmental Pathways (PDPs) in relation to the enneagram types, showing therapists the neurological basis of personality patterns as applied in therapy. ·        Ways temperament and attachment interact in the formation of personality, and what that has to do with childhood development as well as long-term relationships, our brains and our mental health. ·        The four key factors that shape temperament: sensitivity (activation of the nervous system), intensity (size of response), novelty (how reactive a person is) and tone (manner of response). ·        Why parental responsiveness to children’s temperaments is key to the outcomes of child development and well-being. ·        Why the in-utero experience is of being and wholeness, while being born is about surviving, and how this shapes personality. ·        Dr. Siegel''s three ‘vectors’ that mirror the enneagram; 1) agency 2) bonding 3) certainty, and how these impact a sense of wholeness, as well as the influence of ‘inward’ and ‘outward’ energies. ·        How therapists can use Dr. Siegel’s nine Patterns of Developmental Pathways (PDPs) to improve the mental health of their patients, and why seeking ‘wholeness’ is the goal. ·        Why there is no such thing as a personality ‘type’ but rather why there are personality patterns. ·        Ways temperament and life experiences intensify our adaptive strategies, which can then become a prison of behaviour and feeling. ·        What personality imprisonment is and how therapists can identify negative dominant personality patterns (such as fear or sadness) and identify their root causes (often poor attachment or trauma); and how awareness can help us find our deeper self and free us from these personality prisons. ·        Why every measure of wellbeing is predicted by the interconnection of neurological pathways, how this is damaged by developmental trauma and non-secure childhood attachments, and ways to increase/repair pathways to enable them to flourish. ·        How mindfulness and therapeutic psychedelics can open neuroplasticity potential to alter seemingly fixed neurological patterns of behaviours. ·        Why personality structures become inflexible, how to find harmony between chaotic and rigid states, and why integration and attachment security are key. ·        Why modern society is traumatising, and what this means for the ‘Self,’ the personality, and our mental health.

In this episode, Silvia Covelli, a former social science researcher at Harvard University, successful business woman, single mother, and now founder and CEO of The Healing Depression Project, talks about her recovery from 25 years of treatment resistant depression. During this time, she explored over 60 different treatment modalities which failed to provide lasting relief, until she hit on a formula that worked. Drawing on her vast personal experience of suffering in silence while trying to find solutions, and her eventual recovery, she put together a groundbreaking programme to offer sustainable relief to those suffering from treatment resistant depression called “The Healing Depression Project” with a fantastic team of functional medicine psychiatrists, including Dr. Kat Toups and Dr. Achina Stein.  Silvia reveals the surprisingly simple yet transformative practices that helped her overcome years of depression. She offers actionable insights into her programme’s treatment plans and emphasises why identifying common biochemical root-causes of depression (such as toxins, poor gut health, hormone imbalance, and nutritional deficiencies) as well as making lifestyle changes (to include better sleep, diet, exercise, and meditation) are key to successful healing.    Silvia assures us that depression is not a life sentence and explains how those suffering from depression can sustainably heal. Now, her life mission is to share this programme and help others achieve sustainable and lifelong mental wellness. In this episode learn about:  Silvia’s four simple pillars for successful healing; 1) exercise 2) meditation 3) nutrition 4) prioritising sleep.   Why conventional treatments, including psychiatry and medications, not only failed to address Silvia’s symptoms (such as fatigue, poor cognition, anxiety, lack of connection, apathy, etc), but worsened them and created new ones.   Why you don’t have to accept medication for life – and where to find support as you de-prescribe.   How and why depression isn’t “just in your head” but has roots in biochemical imbalances.   Why mental trauma should be viewed in the same way as physical trauma.    The science of habit and how to embed lifestyle changes into daily life.   Why talk therapies, life coaching, somatic work, psychodrama and yoga are integral to finding Peace and Purpose.   What The Healing Depression Project is, how it’s underpinned by functional medicine psychiatry and how to apply for it.