About Dr. Parks

Ron Parks, M.D., M.P.H., is a consultant and specialist in Integrative Psychiatry and Holistic Medicine. His work includes teaching, writing, mentoring, and supervision from an integrative and holistic perspective.

Read the recent book by Dr. Parks, COVID-19/Mental Health Crises: Holistic Understanding & Solutions. The Timely book offers practical information and wisdom addressing mental health challenges and needs during crises and tragedies.

Dr. Parks is the medical director and psychiatrist for the Center for Spiritual Emergence and Katharos Sanctuary in Asheville, NC – programs for treating resistant depression and substance use disorders.   He is a well-trained and diversified physician, specialty-trained in psychiatry, internal medicine, nutrition, and preventive medicine, and is Board Certified in Psychiatry. In the past, he has directed both inpatient and outpatient treatment programs. Dr. Parks is well respected for his talents and abilities in understanding and working with the most complex psychiatric and medical issues from an integrative, holistic, and enlightened point of view. He continues to write, blog, and publish on social media and his website at https://parksmd.com/ and Mind Wise Substack blog/newsletter at www.inmindwise.com.

Dr. Parks’ health interests began as a child growing up in rural Maryland. After developing a high fever and stiff neck, he was diagnosed with polio and rushed to City Hospital for Children. He was holistically treated with the conventional and natural approaches of the day until his health returned. This illness and successful treatment gave him a deep respect for integrating natural and traditional therapies.

Later in Dr. Parks’ childhood, he watched as his family grieved the loss of a family member to depression and addiction. As an adult, when his brother was struggling with diabetes and obesity, he realized that he had to find a better way to help people with impairing or threatening illnesses. Dr. Parks’ search began to find better options and holistic approaches for mental and physical health issues.

Dr. Parks enjoys using his skills and talents as an educator and consultant to help others with physical and emotional problems. 

Dr. Parks’ Experience and Training 

• Trained in psychiatry, internal, family & preventive medicine, with further training in nutrition and other natural healing arts and holistic therapies
• His healing interests include mental, physical, and spiritual health, holistic medicine, psychology, psychotherapy, ASD, yoga, nutrition, environmental medicine, and more
• The mental health focus of his work includes depression, anxiety, mood swings, panic attacks, bipolar disorder, PTSD, addictions, Autism Spectrum, ADHD, relationship, and family issues
• Dr. Parks is an advocate for an integrative approach to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of physical and emotional illnesses.
• His efforts have always been to bridge the best of conventional Western medicine and the innovative approaches of integrative medicine and psychiatry.

Past Positions and Credentials Include:

• Dr. Parks was the director and founder of Macro Health Medicine, a comprehensive and holistic consultative and treatment service. His direct care services practice closed in 2014, and he now continues to work in education, writing, consulting, and mentoring.
• M.D. from the University of Maryland
• Master’s Degree in Public Health & Health Service Research from UCLA
• Specialty training in Internal Medicine at George Washington University, Preventive Medicine at UCLA, and Psychiatry at the University of Maryland
• Past Assistant Professor at The Albany & University of Miami Medical Schools and Chief of Internal Medicine at the Homestead Air Force Base Hospital in Florida
• Former Director of the Center for Preventive and Nutritional Health Care in Baltimore, MD
• Former consultant and part-time physician at the JFK-ADATC drug and alcohol treatment center in Black Mountain, NC
• Current Medical director at the Center for Spiritual Emergence and Katharos Sanctuary (a facility for the treatment of resistant mood and substance use disorders)
• Trained as a yoga teacher and in nutrition
• An avid swimmer and advocate of an active, healthy holistic, and spiritual lifestyle

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