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Therapy in a Nutshell

Keto and Metabolic Treatments for Mental Health w/Dr. Chris Palmer

Therapy in a Nutshell

Therapy in a Nutshell -Emma McAdam

Mental Health, Education, Health & Fitness:mental Health, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness

4.8 • 658 Ratings

🗓️ 30 June 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Learn the skills to Regulate your Emotions, join the membership: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership The speaker discusses the metabolic theory of mental health, suggesting that brain disorders classified as mental illnesses are largely metabolic conditions. Traditional treatments—like therapy and medication—can benefit from an understanding of brain metabolism, potentially leading to new strategies, including weight loss drugs, dietary changes, exercise, and sleep improvements. They emphasize the value of the ketogenic diet for serious conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, referencing positive study results and personal testimonies. They also debunk the chemical imbalance theory of mental illness, proposing that medications work by improving brain metabolism. For those with severe mental illnesses, working with a professional on a metabolic treatment plan, such as a ketogenic diet, is recommended. The script concludes with a positive note on the potential benefits of new weight loss drugs like Ozempic for various mental health conditions and addiction treatments. Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books  Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger Institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction. And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome back to another episode of the Therapy in a Nutshell podcast. I'm Emma McAdam and I'm a licensed marriage and family therapist.

0:07.0

And this podcast is all about taking the life-changing, but usually kind of complicated topics of therapy and boiling them down into simple, easy to understand concepts that you can use in your daily life.

0:19.0

If you find today's episode as helpful to you, please pass it on to someone else who could benefit from it as well.

0:23.6

Each podcast episode comes from a corresponding video you can find on the Therapy in a Nutshell YouTube channel.

0:28.6

Also, these podcasts are educational and don't replace the advice or direction you may be receiving from a therapist or other health professionals.

0:36.6

Now please, enjoy the episode.

0:38.3

So many people are taking their pills, they're doing their therapy, they're doing everything

0:43.3

in their power, and they're not getting better.

0:45.3

They are not getting fully better.

0:47.3

Yeah.

0:48.3

And they are struggling.

0:49.3

And what I'm here to say is there is hope.

0:51.3

There is hope for those people, for you. If people understand the

0:56.5

metabolic theory, the metabolic basis of brain disorders, we can help people heal and recover.

1:02.7

And as we talk, so it helps us understand current treatments a little better, but it also opens

1:08.7

up entirely new possibilities in terms of new medications we might think about,

1:13.1

weight loss drugs, maybe for your brain health as well, but also dietary interventions

1:19.6

like the ketogenic diet or other exercise, sleep, and other things.

1:25.2

Hey, everyone, I'm really excited to have a special guest on today.

1:28.7

It's Dr. Chris Palmer.

1:30.0

He's a Harvard psychiatrist who's been researching the connection between metabolic disorders

1:34.3

and mental health disorders.

...

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