The medical model commonly found in psychiatry focuses heavily on categorizing a constellation of symptoms into mental health disorders. This is a useful approach when a person needs medication to reduce those symptoms in order to function in their lives. However, where this model falls short is in truly identifying the root causes of mental suffering. Many links have been made to brain chemistry, genetics, and family of origin dynamics but these don’t usually present a holistic perspective that’s curative in nature. In this episode, Dr. Will Van Derveer, the Integrative Psychiatry course director at the University of Colorado School of Medicine explores the root causes of mental illness. He discusses how many aspects of mental illness are viewed as imbalances in the body created by a number of factors that are easily treatable but often overlook.   In this episode you’ll learn: The functional medicine movement and mind-body medicine approach Integrative psychiatry initial assessments and evaluations Psychiatric symptoms are not caused by diseases...they are root imbalances What happens in the brain during early childhood attachment A new view on mood disorders versus personality disorders The future of medicine-enhanced psychotherapy Visit www.higherpractice.com/podcast to get the show notes for this episode and to learn more about Dr. Vanderveer’s full course in the Higher Practice Institute.