There is no health without mental health.
Mental and emotional wellness are essential for living a happy, fulfilling and productive life.
Mental wellness includes positive self-regard, fulfilling social relationships, meaningful work, productivity, goal achievement, good physical health, and proactive stress management.
Mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety, are not brain-based phenomena. They are a result of multiple factors, including the health of our bodies and brains, our home and work environment, our mindset, personal beliefs and experiences, and our social relationships, among others.
Therefore truly addressing mental health concerns involves taking whole-body, person-centred view.
How I Approach Mental Health Conditions:
Case taking: I am interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of how you are as a person. We spend over 60 minutes together at each appointment to form a therapeutic relationship and make sure we both have a thorough understanding of all the pieces that influence your health.
Diagnoses are valuable they remind us that it’s not because there is something wrong with us. They make us feel less alone. In addition to knowing what is going on with you, I talk with you to understand how the diagnosis occurs in your life.
Uncovering Root Causes: I look at mental health conditions as symptoms, rather than disease. Together we try to understand what biological, psychological, social and environmental factors may be influencing your mood and mental functioning.
Digestion: The digestive system is often at the seat of mental health conditions. We look at the health of your microbiome, and rule out any gut infections, inflammatory gut conditions, like leaky gut, and food sensitivities.
Nutrition: Ensuring that the proper building blocks are in place for optimal mental and emotional health.
Counselling: I have additional training in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing.
Stress and Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) Axis: We talk about stress, burnout and how cortisol, the stress hormone may be contributing to your symptoms.
Hormones: Our hormones have the ability to profoundly impact our mood. From our blood sugar, to our stress hormones, to the hormones that impact our fertility and mentstrual cycles, I look and test for signs of hormonal imbalance.
Amino acids and Nutritional Supplementation: To help balance neurotransmitters in the brain.
Mitochondrial Health: Our mitochondria are the energy-generators of our cells. Impaired mitochondrial function in the brain may contribute to mental health symptoms, and chronic inflammation.
Herbal Therapies: Herbs are particularly helpful for improving hormonal, mitochondrial, and neurotransmitter balance, for lowering inflammation, improving stress resilience, and healing the digestive system.
Research: Mental health research is an exciting field. I stay on top of current and emerging therapeutic tools, like heat therapy, mindfulness and self-compassion.
Conditions Treated:
ADD | ADHD | Addictions | Anxiety| Body Image | Bipolar Disorder | Depression | Eating Disorders | OCD| Panic Disorder | PMS | PMDD | PTSD | Self-Criticism | Self-Esteem| Stress Management | Children and Youth
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Mental Health Articles
The Therapeutic Order of Naturopathic Medicine
The Therapeutic Order is a tool that helps guide naturopathic treatment approaches. I explain how naturopathic doctors' healing philosophy might differ from the conventional medical model. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faUYM4xhi_E&t=3s Hi, guys, I'm Dr. Talia...
8 Foods for Mental Health
I talk about 8 functional foods that can help calm inflammation, boost neurotransmitter synthesis and restore common nutrient deficiencies that might contribute to low mood and mental health conditions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmBwhnpZItg&t=382s My name is Dr....
5 Tools for Emotional Wellness and Mental Health
I talk about 5 essential tools for caring for your mental and emotional health. These are powerful self-care practices that can help balance your mind and emotions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7Em4v2hoic Hello, everybody, my name is Dr. Talia Marcheggiani. I am a...
A Morning Smoothie Recipe for Mental Health
I often recommend smoothies as an easy way to manage mental health symptoms, balance blood sugar, reduce inflammation and increase energy. I discuss the types of foods I put into my morning smoothie and their benefits on the body and mind....
The 6-2-6 Breath for Stress and Overwhelm
The 6-2-6 breath is a yogic breathing technique that can help calm the mind, benefitting feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGV4QDf74kY&t=73s Hello. My name is Dr. Talia Marcheggiani. I'm a naturopathic doctor and mental health...
Alternate Nostril Breathing
Alternate nostril breathing is a yogic breathing practice that can help boost mental clarity and calm the mind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfgTIZNCZEo&t=173s Hello, everyone. My name is Dr. Talia Marcheggiani and I'm a naturopathic doctor with a special focus in...
A Naturopathic Doctor Prepares 7+ Meals in Three Hours or Less
The key to having healthy, delicious meals on the go is organization. I explain how I overcome a busy schedule by doing a focused grocery-shop, heating up the oven and batch-cooking seven or more whole-food, healthy meals in under three hours. You know the feeling:...
7 Ways a Naturopathic Doctor Can Help You Rethink Breakfast
As a naturopathic doctor, one of the first things I recommend to my patients is a breakfast overhaul. Adding healthy fats, protein and vegetables to the first morning meal can change your hormonal signalling and improve your energy and mood. When it comes to writing...
Gluten Sensitivity and Mental Health
Current research suggest that gluten can increase systemic inflammation, contributing to a worsening of mental health symptoms, as well as other inflammatory conditions, such as pain and autoimmune disease. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc8CH4KpW8I Transcript:...
Shinrin-Yoku: The Art of Forest Bathing
In this video I talk about the Japanese art of Shinrin-Yoku, or "forest bathing" and how incorporating this practice into your routine can set you up for improved mental health and stress management. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHs1P1zEx7s Hello, everybody, my...
Amino Acid Therapy for Mental Health
Certain amino acids, when taken therapeutically, can affect our body's ability to produce neurotransmitters that can greatly impact our mental and emotional health. These therapies can help treat depression, food addictions, alcoholism, psychosis and anxiety, among...
On Emotions and Eating
My mother tells a story about my childhood where she is standing in the kitchen, preparing dinner. I stand below her, tugging at her shirt, and begging for food. "I'm hungry", I say, according to her recollection of that moment and many others like it; she says that...