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Holistic Psychiatry | A New Paradigm for Mental Health Treatment

Last Updated on April 23, 2025 by Carol Gillette

Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by Dr Samuel Lee MD

We are optimistically observing how holistic psychiatry has taken hold in recent decades. The old paradigm of guesswork and blindly drugging patients after a 15 minute interview is fading. We are here to continue providing well-designed, exact, non-toxic mental health treatment programs that are tailored to each individual.

We believe we should “First, do no harm.” Drug-based treatment, even when well-intentioned, has resulted in much suffering. For many persons, drugging the problems just didn’t work — especially over the long term. If you are caught in the trap and need help, you will find it here.


Tired of being labeled, drugged, and abandoned?
holistic psychiatry for addiction recovery
There are good reasons behind our high rates of success and ATMC’s unique approach to recovery and holistic mental health treatment. We are not focused on labeling your symptoms, we are focused on getting rid of them! In order to do that, we investigate root causes and contributing factors relating to your symptoms. Then we apply science- and evidence-based treatment aimed at regaining natural mental health. We are leaders in the field, with a great track record of success for nearly 20 years now.
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Alternative Treatment for Mental Health — How is Holistic Psychiatry Different?

transformative holistic psychiatry Sedona drug rehabSome say that psychiatry has lost its way, and if truth be told, the drug industry may have much to answer for in that regard. Historically, the field of mental health has been hindered by superstitions, fears, and a wide swath of unknowns for a very long time. It is no wonder that simply drugging or anesthetizing the patient became the default treatment plan.

But in today’s world of research, we find diligent efforts to increase our understanding of human physiology, and the roles of nutrition, neuroscience, genetics, and how neurotoxins and trauma can adversely affect human health.

These are the areas that a holistic practitioner is interested in. A great debt is owed to Dr. Linus Pauling for his early research into orthomolecular medicine, and Abram Hoffer for his research on treating schizophrenia with nutrition rather than heavy psychotropic drugs. 1,2

Even where drugs are necessary, such as in a time of crisis, root causes can still be explored (rather than ignored) and thus can provide more opportunities for regaining and sustaining wellness. Advocates of “green mental health” include not only holistic psychiatrists, but many other health disciplines that can work in tandem.

Alternative mental health treatments can include:
  • Orthomolecular medicine, diet upgrades 3
  • Neurotoxin removal 4,5
  • Neurotransmitter rehabilitation
  • Environmental medicine
  • Physical therapies and physical exercise for relaxation 6
  • Psychological counseling 9
  • Social and peer support
  • Spiritual practices

Drug-based treatment may be necessary at times, but certainly does not preclude the benefits of holistic alternative treatments for mental health symptoms. Traditional psychiatry in its current state relies singularly on drugging the patient’s symptoms, which also can introduce further harm and injury if taken to the extreme.

Personalized Care in Holistic Psychiatry is Key

personalized mental health therapyOne of the most puzzling aspects of traditional psychiatry is the effort to find the “right” medication for the person’s symptoms. While this practice keeps the pharmaceutical industry coffers filled, it is a highly limited approach. Each person is a unique expression of life, with a body and mind that is more complex in more ways than can be counted. While there are literally thousands of medications on the market, and many more to come, the way they are presumed to work is NOT understood, and their long-term outcomes are understood even less so.

The best approach to holistic mental health treatment must be a personalized one, tailored to the profile of each unique individual. The goal of mental health treatment is to relieve symptoms by identifying and treating their root causes. The use of lab testing, dietary changes, neurotoxin removal, psychological counseling, and many other methods get these results.

Green Mental Health — Connecting With Nature

Spending time in a natural environment can be tranquilizing, yet also energizing and refreshing to both mind and body. In today’s busy, time-compressed lifestyles, screen-time has replaced outdoor life to a large extent. Getting outside the urban center and breathing fresh air and connecting to the beauty of nature can be a welcome change, with surprisingly effective therapeutic results. Some refer to this phenomenon as green mental health. We should not neglect its therapeutic power, as much clinical research has clearly shown.7

Examples of Alternative Mental Health Practices

Holistic psychiatry does not simply rely on drug-based treatment and then hope for the — very often elusive — relief of symptoms. There are many methods used for successfully treating symptoms and their root causes. Here is a list of some examples of treatments that have been clinically demonstrated to provide relief and healing. We encourage the reader to explore the links provided for more information, and also to study the clinical research literature, examples of which can be found at the end of the article.1-10

Examples of alternative mental health practices can include:

Where to Find the Best Holistic Mental Health Treatment

holistic, green mental health therapies Sedona drug rehabAt Alternative to Meds Center, a team of 40+ holistic practitioners and doctors were selected from a wide range of disciplines, allowing for the best of all practices to collaborate and provide comprehensive care for each client. If you or a loved one is looking for private, in-patient care, Alternative to Meds Center offers the best in holistic mental health treatment.

Call us today for more details on our programs, insurance coverage that you may be eligible for, and any other questions you may have about the holistic mental health treatment programs offered at the beautiful Alternative to Meds Center in Sedona, Arizona.

We understand that not everyone is a candidate for inpatient treatment, and there is a holistic practitioner registry, where you can search out the best holistic-minded practitioners close to your location.

Sources:


1. Reif, W, Linus Pauling: an inspirational and human genius, published in The Lancet, Volume 335, Issue 9201, 415-416 [cited 2025 April 22]

2. Hoffer, A. Nicotinamide and neutrophiliaNat Med 16, 23 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0110-23a  [cited 2025 April 22]

3. Muscaritoli M. The Impact of Nutrients on Mental Health and Well-Being: Insights From the Literature. Front Nutr. 2021 Mar 8;8:656290. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.656290. PMID: 33763446; PMCID: PMC7982519. [cited 2025 April 22]

4. Balali-Mood M, Naseri K, Tahergorabi Z, Khazdair MR, Sadeghi M. Toxic Mechanisms of Five Heavy Metals: Mercury, Lead, Chromium, Cadmium, and Arsenic. Front Pharmacol. 2021 Apr 13;12:643972. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.643972. PMID: 33927623; PMCID: PMC8078867. [cited 2025 April 22]

5. Genuis SJ. Toxic causes of mental illness are overlooked. Neurotoxicology. 2008 Nov;29(6):1147-9. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2008.06.005. Epub 2008 Jun 24. PMID: 18621076. [cited 2025 April 22]

6. Smith PJ, Merwin RM. The Role of Exercise in Management of Mental Health Disorders: An Integrative Review. Annu Rev Med. 2021 Jan 27;72:45-62. doi: 10.1146/annurev-med-060619-022943. Epub 2020 Nov 30. PMID: 33256493; PMCID: PMC8020774.

7. Meredith GR, Rakow DA, Eldermire ERB, Madsen CG, Shelley SP, Sachs NA. Minimum Time Dose in Nature to Positively Impact the Mental Health of College-Aged Students, and How to Measure It: A Scoping Review. Front Psychol. 2020 Jan 14;10:2942. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02942. PMID: 31993007; PMCID: PMC6970969. [cited 2025 April 22]

8. Chawla V, Brems C, Freeman H, Ravindran A, Noordsy DL. The Future of Yoga for Mental Health Care. Int J Yoga. 2023 Jan-Apr;16(1):38-41. doi: 10.4103/ijoy.ijoy_25_23. Epub 2023 Jul 10. PMID: 37583539; PMCID: PMC10424272. [cited 2025 April 22]

9. Fordham B, Sugavanam T, Edwards K, Hemming K, Howick J, Copsey B, Lee H, Kaidesoja M, Kirtley S, Hopewell S, das Nair R, Howard R, Stallard P, Hamer-Hunt J, Cooper Z, Lamb SE. Cognitive-behavioural therapy for a variety of conditions: an overview of systematic reviews and panoramic meta-analysis. Health Technol Assess. 2021 Feb;25(9):1-378. doi: 10.3310/hta25090. PMID: 33629950; PMCID: PMC7957459. [cited 2025 April 22]

10. Blum K, Han D, Baron D, Kazmi S, Elman I, Gomez LL, Gondre-Lewis MC, Thanos PK, Braverman ER, Badgaiyan RD. Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) and Enkephalinase Inhibition (IV1114589NAD) Infusions Significantly Attenuate Psychiatric Burden Sequalae in Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in Fifty Cases. Curr Psychiatry Res Rev. 2022 Jul;18(2):125-143. doi: 10.2174/2666082218666220527114427. Epub 2022 Jun 21. PMID: 36118157; PMCID: PMC9474872. [cited 2025 April 22]


Originally Published April 22, 2025 by Diane Ridaeus


This content has been reviewed and approved by a licensed physician.

Dr. Samuel Lee

Dr. Samuel Lee is a board-certified psychiatrist, specializing in a spiritually-based mental health discipline and integrative approaches. He graduated with an MD at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and did a residency in psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. He has also been an inpatient adult psychiatrist at Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital and the primary attending geriatric psychiatrist at the Auerbach Inpatient Psychiatric Jewish Home Hospital. In addition, he served as the general adult outpatient psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente.  He is board-certified in psychiatry and neurology and has a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Religion from Pacific Union College. His specialty is in natural healing techniques that promote the body’s innate ability to heal itself.

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