Holistic Mental Health Guide

I am not a licensed mental health worker, this is not meant to be used in place of professional psychiatric
help, only a guide to be used alongside it. These are my suggestions based on my own experiences and
studies. Depression is something I have struggled with consistently in my life and I have tried many
different modalities to work with it. I have taken many courses with a holistic, whole-body approach and
read many books. This is what I’ve learned, I hope it helps in some form.

Our mental health is intricately woven from every aspect of our daily lives from our environment, to
what we eat, to what we watch, to how our body is functioning. It is comprised of our mental, physical,
emotional and spiritual bodies. I believe that the body, mind, and spirit are not separate but one
communicating organism that feeds off of one another. Quick and easy fixes have become customary in
all aspects of life. However, it often takes a lot longer to put something back together again than it did
to break it. Holistic methods take time and dedication, but the results are life changing.

Every single body is different, we are all our own culmination of our lived emotional and physical
experiences, our bodies are products of our unique environment. What works for some may not work
for others. I think it is important to listen to your body and what works for you. Your body is your home,
it is your temple, it is your friend, take care of it, nurture it, love it. Let your body feel, emotions are good
they help us regulate our experiences. We spend so much time distracting ourselves from our problems
and emotions, it creates so much turmoil in the body later on. Connect with your body, listen to what
it’s telling you, it will tell you what it wants and what it needs if you listen. So many people have
completely lost connection with their body and what it needs. This lack of connection is one of the main
reasons why we are faced with such a big mental health crisis in the US and around the world. We need
to bring this connection to ourself and our body back. Our bodies are so wise, and they want to be
healthy we just have to help them and give them the space to do their job.

I remember being in therapy when I was in high school and maybe 4-5 sessions in, my therapist was
ready to prescribe me medication, when she barely knew me or my history, at 15 years old! Simply
because it was easier and quicker than getting to the root cause of my issues. This happened again later
in life with another therapist. I believe that medication is very helpful and necessary in some cases and
definitely for more extreme psychiatric disorders, but I also think that it is overprescribed and should be
a short-term, last resort option, after all other resources have been exhausted. I also am aware that
holistic methods of treatment are a privilege that not everyone has access to. Medication is cheaper and
quicker than the various therapies and supplements and amount of time it can take to heal naturally.
This is thanks to our medical system and pharmaceutical companies. Hopefully in the future this will
change. There are a lot more holistic practitioners starting to offer their services on a sliding scale basis
and there are some holistic clinics that offer weekly free services to low-income and at-risk populations.
I will also say that some of the best aids in mental health are, sunshine, nature, fresh air, moving the
body, connecting with others and these are all free.
 Things I Wish I Knew a Lot Sooner:
Neurotransmitters: I suggest getting your neurotransmitters tested which can be done through a
urine test at your doctor’s office or naturopath. Applied Kinesiologists can do this as well.

Our brain communicates with our body through chemicals called neurotransmitters which send signals
to our cells and muscles. Balanced neurotransmitters are essential to our mental health, and Dopamine
and Serotonin are the two of the most crucial.

Dopamine is the “happy hormone” it regulates mood, muscle movement, drives our motivation and is
in charge of our pleasure and rewards system. Low dopamine can look like, low motivation, feeling
helpless, loss of interest in things you enjoy, memory issues, insomnia, lack of focus, and overall lethargy.

Serotonin is created in the gut, that is why a lot of gut imbalances can lead to depression because it
knocks serotonin production out of balance. Serotonin helps you wake up in the morning, regulates
digestion, helps with wound healing, stabilizes mood, and body temperature. Low serotonin levels can
lead to anxiety, appetite issues and eating disorders, sleep issues, and has been linked to other major
mental health disorders like bi-polar and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Imbalances in neurotransmitters is not a chemical imbalance in the brain people are destined to live with
forever, they can be correctable. There are many natural supplements and activities that activate
increased production. Mucuna Pruriens are a tropical bean processed into powder that contains an
amino acid called L-dopa aids in the production of dopamine. Lifting weights is also known to boost
dopamine. L-Tyrosine is an amino acid that is a precursor for dopamine and eating foods that contain
this can also help, apples, avocados, bananas, beans (legumes), beets, chocolate, green leafy vegetables,
nuts, oats, olive oil, oregano, peanuts, rosemary, sea vegetables, sesame and pumpkin seeds, soy
products, turmeric, watermelon, and wheat. Meditation has also been shown to boost dopamine.

Mood Stabilizing Herbs & Supplements

*If you are on many medication please check to make sure these supplements will not interfere with
those medications.

I suggest doing your research on where you are buying these supplements from before-hand and make
sure they are pure and organic. I use the brand Organic India for a lot of my supplements. You can also
buy many of these herbs whole and in bulk and grind them down and put them into capsules yourself.
You can also grow them yourself.

• St Johns Wart- A medicinal plant that has been used for centuries to treat mild t- moderate forms
of depression. It is known to boost neurotransmitter production without the side effects of anti-
depressants. It improves mood and decreases nervousness and tiredness.
 • Skullcap- This plant is commonly used in traditional Chinese and Native American medicine. It is
known to positively impact mood and decrease anxiety by stimulating gamma-aminobutyric
acid which calms the nerves.
• Ashwagandha- An ancient ayurvedic herb and adaptogen that helps to regulate the
neurotransmitters. It is anti-stress, anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, boosts energy and aids with
sleep. It is known to block stress pathways in the brain.
• 5HTP- A naturally produced amino-acid, which is a precursor to serotonin, your body needs 5HTP
to create serotonin. 5HTP is converted in the body into serotonin, so increasing your intake can
help to boost serotonin production.
• Passionflower- This plant also aids in calming anxiety and relieving insomnia. It stimulates
production of gamma-aminobutyric acid to calm the nerves
• Lemon Balm- Lemon Balm contains powerful essential oils that help to stimulate digestion. The
chemical compounds in lemon balm help to soothe muscle tension and heightened senses which
takes us out of fight or flight mode and calms the nervous system. Because it brings the stress
response into balance it helps with anxiety and improves mood. It has shown promise as a brain
restorative herb because it helps the body manage its response to stress and tension.

Get a Blood Test: Just google blood test near you and a ton of places will pop up. This will tell you
so much of what is going on in your body. Depression is often thought of as emotionally rooted, but
nutritional factors play a significant role in our mental health. Our bodies declining ability to regulate its’
psychological well-being can often be attributed to vitamin deficiencies.
Magnesium, Vitamin D, B Vitamins, Zinc, Iron, Amino Acids, and Omega-3’s, are the top nutrient
deficiencies that can lead to declining mental health.

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in the body and for the brain, it boosts dopamine
production, and aids in calming the body down. If you are deficient in magnesium you can take a
supplement or eat magnesium rich foods like nuts, and leafy greens. Pumpkin seeds have a very high
amount of magnesium!

Vitamin D is important for healthy brain function and bone strength and also helps with cell growth and
benefits the immune system. We get it primarily through sun exposure, dairy, salmon and animal fats.
This is why many people who live in areas with less sun can become more depressed. In places like Alaska
where the sun barely shines all Winter, they have Vitamin D tanning beds to help people with
deficiencies. It’s hard because when you’re depressed and you have little energy and don’t want to do
anything, so going outside won’t always sound ideal but it can do loads for your mental health

B Vitamins help give us energy so when we are deficient in them, especially B12, we can feel low and
lethargic and unmotivated. You can take a B12 supplement now these days you can get injections and
intravenous for severe deficiencies, and also through meat and dairy products and nutritional yeast as
well. I had to stop being vegan due to not being able to get enough B12. I think veganism is important
but taking care of your body is even more important. Listen to your body.
Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein and help your brain function properly. Not enough amino
acids can make you sluggish, foggy, unfocused, and depressed. You can take amino acid supplements
and also beans, nuts, seeds, eggs, and fish are all good sources of amino acids.

Iron is one of the main deficiencies that causes fatigue and brain fog that will make you feel like you are
depressed. You can take an iron supplement and for severe cases red meat.

Zinc is crucial to many of our systems. It activates our digestive enzymes so we can break down food and
works to prevent food allergies, which a lot of depressive symptoms can be triggered by food allergies.
It also helps our DNA repair and produce proteins. You can supplement or it is also found in seeds, nuts,
whole grains, shellfish, and meat.

Iodine and Selenium are both very important for regulating our thyroid, which regulates our hormones,
metabolism, growth, immune function, and brain performance. An out of balance thyroid can have major
impacts on your mental health. You can supplement for iodine or eat kelp and seaweed and shrimp. For
selenium you can supplement, or brazil nuts are a great source.

Omega 3’s are big contributors to memory and mood. Our body does not make them, so we have to
either supplement or consume it through food. Flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, fish oil and Salmon all
contain Omega 3’s.

Birth Control and Mental Health: This is a whole topic within itself that I will not go so in
depth with here. Birth control at one point was a huge contributing factor to my depression. It took me
months to recover and get back to normal after getting off of it. I know that it is necessary and even
helpful for some women who struggle with PCOS and other reproductive symptoms. I know that there
is some good that has come out of birth control. However, if you don’t need to be on it, I would suggest
getting off of it. It messes with your hormones in an unnatural way that can cause imbalances in your
neurotransmitters. Not to mention the long list of side effects that are listed on most birth control
prescriptions. There are countless articles and stories of women suffering from depression and who have
even become suicidal from birth control. If you’re single, get off of it, be responsible, track your cycle,
and since you should be using a condom when you have sex with people who aren’t your partner it
shouldn’t be a problem. If you’re having consistent sex, there is natural birth control. A lot of apps and
tracking devices can be used to track your cycle so you know when you can get pregnant. For the most
part women can only get pregnant when they are ovulating and the five days leading up to ovulation. So
why put an unnatural substance in your body that is only useful for about 6 days a month?
Avoid
• Alcohol – Alcohol is a depressant and while it can increase mood while intoxicated it usually
results with increased states of depression and anxiety afterwards. Also, it’s fine while you’re
doing it, but you really just don’t feel good afterwards and if you are already prone to depression
this can really be harmful.
• Drugs- I just feel like this goes without saying but in general they mess with your brain chemistry.
THC and CBD can be beneficial but make sure you are using them medicinally and not
recreationally while working on your mental health.
• Refined Sugar- It is addictive and wreaks havoc on our nervous and digestive systems. It messes
with our dopamine and can lead to crashing. It also affects nutrient absorption and feeds the bad
bacteria in our gut.
• Excessive Meat/Dairy Intake – the hormones in meat in dairy can affect our own chemical
makeup and they are also hard to digest so consistently consuming them slows everything down
in the body and makes it harder to repair things.
• Caffeine – caffeine is a stimulant it can make you anxious and sends the body into overdrive. I
would avoid it as much as possible at least while managing your depression and ideally
afterwards as well. Or at least switch to lower forms or caffeine like green tea.
• Processed Foods – I feel like this is just a given, but all that processed crap, and chemicals and
extras is just not natural and not good for our bodies, it also is hard to break down and slows
everything down in the body. It is also usually loaded with sugar.
• Gluten- depending on your body, if you have a gluten intolerance it can cause depression.

Do
• Eat Whole Foods/Fruits and Vegetables- What you put into your body on a daily basis is so
important. I strongly suggest a plant focused diet. limiting your meat and dairy intake and
consuming mostly whole foods and leafy vegetables. Limit processed foods. Try and cook at home
as much as you can so you know exactly what you are putting into your body. There is countless
data to back the link between a whole food, plant-based diet and good mental health. I’m not
saying go vegan but be conscious of what you consume. There are some studies and books, such
as “The World Peace Diet” on how when we eat animal products, we are also ingesting their
energetic suffering. Not to mention the hormones in meat and dairy mess with our own
hormones. Also, meat takes a lot of time to digest, and so consistently eating meat can impair
the body’s ability to regulate itself and get rid of toxins and buildup because it is wasting so much
energy on digesting the meat. In general, if you eat potent and healthy foods on the daily, you’re
going to feel better on a physiological level and also knowing you are taking care of your body
will help boost your mood.
• Consistent Sleep- GET ENOUGH SLEEP. 7-8 hours. Go to bed at the same time and wake up at the
same time, getting your body on a schedule is soothing to the nervous system and allows the
body to get into a routine. We are cyclical beings, we need consistency. There are so many studies
to show how sleep is imperative to our mental and physical health. When we don’t get enough
sleep or brain actually starts to deteriorate.
 • Intermittent Fasting/24-Hour Fasts- This gives your digestive system a break so your body can
work to restore any imbalances without constantly digesting. Digestion is the most energy
draining function in the body, so while we are digesting it makes it difficult for the body to process
much else. When we are in a state of fasting, it allows the body to go in and restore balance, rid
ourselves of cell-buildup, and repair what’s necessary. I believe a big cause of disease in our
culture is due to over-eating and not giving the body enough time to process in between meals.
We have only become so food secure in the last 100-150 years however it takes hundreds of
thousands of years for our bodies to evolve, so our bodies are used to functioning on a lot less
food and this constant eating is obstructing our bodies natural healing processes.
• Colonics – Through poor diet we can often create build up within our digestive system. This
buildup can become a breeding ground for bacteria, can cause fatigue and sluggishness, difficulty
digesting, contributes to anxiety and depression.
• Detox- There are so many detox programs out there now, choose one that works for you and you
know you will stick to. A juice fast, smoothie fast, soup fast, fruit or veggie fast. Anything that
helps to detox the body and gives the digestive system a bit of a break.

Find/Try
• Mental Health Therapist (with a whole-body approach)
• Health/Life Coach
• Naturopath or Applied Kinesiologist
• Osteopath
• Herbalist/Flower Essences
• Hypnosis/Past Life Regression
• Somatic Practitioner- for trauma release
• A Micro Dosing Practitioner- to coach you through micro-dosing safely
• Massage
• Acupuncture
• Aromatherapy
• Reflexology
• Chinese Medicine
• Ayurveda Therapy
• Dance Movement Therapist
• Art Therapy
• Theta-Healing
• Reiki
• Sound healing
• Craniosacral therapy
• Polarity Therapy
• Yoga Therapist
• EMDR
• Tapping
 • Breath Work
• Structural Integration/Rolfing
• Shaman
• Energy Worker
• Nutritional Therapist

Practices To Do
• MOVE YOUR BODY- dancing, walk, run, yoga, lift weights something that is fun to get you loving.
Find what works for you and makes you feel good and try and do it every day. This is so important
for moving stuck energy yet it’s so hard to do when you are depressed. But if we don’t move
nothing will change, we have to create movement physically and, in our lives, to overcome
depression.
• Gratitude List- Gratitude is scientifically proven to boost our happiness, just by being thankful for
what we have.
• Breathwork- very quickly helps to release stuck emotions and energy in the body.
• Journaling- Letting your thoughts and emotions out so they aren’t just rolling around in your head
making you crazy.
• Self-Love Practices- staring in the mirror and saying I love you, writing out all the things that are
good about you, massaging your body saying I love you, giving yourself a hug and telling yourself
you are safe and loved.
• Be Creative – draw, write, paint, sculpt, take photos, make jewelry. Getting into a creative flow
of expression does wonders for our mental health.
• Grounding- Meditation, walking barefoot, hugging a tree, focusing on the body.
• Mindfulness
• Mindful cooking
• Reading/Learning- It makes us feel like we are accomplishing something when we read (which
we are).
• Hobbies- finding a new hobby to try can incite excitement and make you feel more confident and
productive for trying something new. Start gardening, make your own herbal supplements, join
a team, make jewelry,
• Get out of bed and make the bed (is probably the hardest part sometimes)
• Clean/Cleanse your house
• Yin/Restorative yoga
• Nature- Spend time in nature, preferably barefoot to connect with the Earth. Swim in the ocean,
climb a try, roll around in the grass.
• Women’s/Men’s circles- connect with other like- minded men or women committed to growth
and self-transformation.
• Cold showers- boosts the immune system and metabolism.
 Something Things That Changed My Life
• Seeing my applied kinesiologist- If you can find one, they are so amazing and can give you so
much insight into what is going on in your body. If you are in the Southern California area reach
out to me and I can share mine with you.
• Seeing a psychic medium- This truly changed my life. A lot of them can be phonies and it is hard
to decipher the real deal from a fake but when they are able to tell you things about yourself,
life, and lost loved ones that they have no possible way of knowing you will see how truly
interconnected the universe is. And there are people who know and see things beyond our
wildest dreams. It opens you up to all the possibilities of life and death and the universe. I am
more than happy to share mine with you who is also in the Southern California area.
• Doing Kambo (cannot be on anti-depressants, must wean off)- Kambo is a secretion taken from
frogs in the amazon rainforest. It is a non-psychoactive plant-medicine that works on the physical
body. It is administered through the lymphatic system by burning the top layer of the skin with a
match or something like it and then placing the medicine on the exposed layer. It cleanses the
physical and energetic body and brings on a purge often with puking, and sometimes diarrhea. It
is so powerful and so beneficial to the immune system and is known to help with anxiety,
depression, addiction, autoimmune issues, and so much more.
• Psylocibin can be really beneficial when done with intention and within ceremony. It helps to
create new neural pathways in the brain, breaking habits and old ways of being to forge a new
path. This is why micro-dosing can be beneficial. This is the extent of my experience with plant
medicines. I think that things like Ayahuasca, Iboga, 5-MEO-DMT, can be beneficial but you have
to be prepared for them, they are not just something you do because you are a little depressed,
there is no going back from them and you have to have done some of the inner work and be
prepared to do a lot more afterwards. They have some beautiful benefits but they are not
recreational and should be respected for the sacred medicine that they are.

Books to Read
• The Body Keeps the Score- Bessel Vander Kolk
• Many Lives Many Masters- Brian Weiss (and all Brian Weiss books)
• Transcending the Levels of Consciousness- David R Hawkins
• Loving What Is- Byron Katie
• Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy- Sadhguru
• A New Earth- Eckhart Tolle
• Untethered Soul- Michael Singer
• Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind- Yuval Noah Harari
• Be Here Now- Ram Dass
• Man’s Search for Meaning- Viktor Frankl
• Celestine Prophecy- James Redfield
• The Yama’s and Niyama’s- Deborah Adele
• Big Magic- Elizabeth Gilbert
• Ask and it is Given- Esther and Abraham Hicks
 • Psychotherapy East and West – Alan Watts
• Tuesday’s with Morrie- Mitch Albom
• Waking the Tiger- Peter Levine

Books I Haven’t Read That Were Recommended

• Becoming Supernatural- Joe Dispenza
• Mind Gut Connection- Emeran Mayer
• It Didn’t Start with You- Mark Wolynn
• You Can Heal Your Life- Louise Hay
• Wherever You Go There You Are- Jon Kabat-Zinn
• How to Change Your Mind- Michael Pollan
• The Seat of the Soul- Gary Zukav
• Love, Freedom, Aloneness- Osho
• The Obstacle is the Way-Ryan Holiday
• Behave- Robert M. Sapolsky
• Conversations with God- Neale Donald Walsch
• Declutter Your Mind- S.J. Scott
• The Gifts of Imperfection- Brene Brown
• The End of Your World- Adyashanti
• Gratitude Diaries- Janice Kaplan
• The One Thing- Gary Keller
• The Artist’s Way- Amy Cameron
• Divergent Mind- Jenara Nerenberg
• Women Food and God- Geneen Roth
• The Wisdom of the Enneagram- Don Richard Riso
• The Wisdom of Insecurity- Alan Watts

Movies
• Heal
• Samsara
• Happy
• The Last Shaman
• RAM Dass Going Home
• The Call to Courage
• The Peaceful Warrior
• The Pursuit of Happiness
Music
• Chanting- look up mantras, yoga chants, kundalini chants find a Kirtan group near you. Chanting
inspires devotion and reactivates certain parts of the brain to boost mood.
• Shamanic Drumming
• Native American Flute Music- calming to the mind and nervous system
• Disney Playlist- it is really hard to be sad while listening to Disney songs.

Instagram
• The Holistic Psychologist
• Minaa_B
• Notesfromyourtherapist
• Lisa Olivera
• Millenial.Therapist
• Therapyforwomen
• Thebraincoach
• Parsleyhealth
• Femalecollective

Please reach out with any or all questions you have regarding any of this. I am here to facilitate holistic
mental health. If you would like suggestions on treatments or information on them, I can help. If
there’s something you don’t understand or just want more information, I will try my best to clarify.