Tag: integrative approaches

Collage of pictures of people with the theme of entrapment in patterns of ideas and beliefs and journey to peace of mind and well-being.

Stinking Thinking Revealed and Getting Unstuck

Written by Ron Parks, MD on February 18, 2026. Posted in ACT, CBT, Dreamwork, Happiness, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Holistic Views on Mental Health Issues, Integrative Therapies, Meditation/Mindfulness, Personal Growth, Recovery, Schema Therapy, Spirituality & Health. No Comments on Stinking Thinking Revealed and Getting Unstuck

Mindfulness, CBT, and Holistic Strategies for Lasting Mental Wellness

The chill of winter, the news, and politics

It was midwinter, with a chill in the air and sleet and snow steadily falling, coating the roads enough to form a treacherous layer of black ice and making travel precarious. Those of us caught indoors often turned on the TV to get the latest weather report, searching for how long our forced winter hibernation would last. On TV, news reports featured recurring stories about outlandish things the president or his party representatives were doing to upset the applecart of democracy. The more dramatic the reporting of threatening changes to the status quo of established institutions and our way of life, the greater the weight on our minds and emotions. Our emotions balanced between worry, fear, and some anger. As the final reports grew more ominous, they predicted more frigid weather, icy rain and sleet, impassable roads, and the closing of businesses and events. My wife lingered to catch the final news and reports. Still, I scurried away to enjoy my nighttime herbal tea and routine of yoga and meditation to shake off the negativity and emotional burden of my earlier exposure to network news, some articles I’d read, and the reported climatic changes, both environmental and political.

Collage of pictures with the themes of mind, body, spiritual, healthy lifestyle, and connectedness for transformation

Lifestyle Psychiatry: A New Paradigm for a Holistic Approach to Mental Health and Well-Being

Written by Ron Parks, MD on January 11, 2026. Posted in Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Integrative Therapies, Mental Health.

Cultivating Lifestyle, Connectedness, and Embodiment for Sustainable Change and Transformation

A Beginning and the Foundation

Early in my career, I completed a residency in internal medicine and then in psychiatry. The most notable aspect was the teaching and academic component, which required absorbing a large volume of information and concepts about the practice and administration of care and treatment, based on the consensus of the day’s educational and scientific community. The second component, initially interwoven with the first, involved working with patients, practicing the art of diagnosis and care, and setting up treatment plans—mostly centered on the psychotherapies considered mainstream at the time, and prescribing medication and other physical-oriented therapies.

There was hope and intention on the part of the residency programs and senior faculty that the teachings, concepts, and wisdom from experienced teachers would be incorporated into our memories for future application. It was further expected that the blending of the remembered with hands-on experience would be more deeply embodied and shaped into remembered, actionable, and ethical behavior to best serve future patients.

Collage of pictures with the theme of renewal and healing from depression, the flowing river, joy, and wisdom.

Don’t Push the River: A Father’s Awakening to Nature’s Reality

Written by Ron Parks, MD on December 10, 2025. Posted in Depression, Dreamwork, Grief and Loss, Happiness, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Meditation/Mindfulness, Mental Health, Mood, Personal Growth, Spirituality & Health. 1 Comment on Don’t Push the River: A Father’s Awakening to Nature’s Reality

Embracing Life’s Ebb and Flow

A Father’s Journey Back to Himself

My father, then in his seventies, was sitting a short way off from me on the sandy, gravel-like beach that bounded a wide, rapid-flowing river that ran from the mountains through the bottom of the national park where we were staying. The impressive, mighty flowing river absorbed all your thoughts into its splendid displays of power, freedom, nature’s natural beauty, and almighty presence. The morning light emanating from the sky, awakening the senses to the river’s enormity and nature’s presence, seemed to softly filter through curtains of mental fog and preoccupations, like a whisper. He appeared for the first time in weeks to release his tension and despair, the sense of loss, and hopelessness. Now he radiated the spirit of someone who had found his soul and regained his footing and sense of purpose.

Collage of pictures about difficulties with brain fog, fatigue, and focus, the understanding and solutions.

Lost in the Fog: The Search for Focus and Energy in an Era of Stimulants

Written by Ron Parks, MD on August 30, 2025. Posted in ADD/ADHD, Brain Fog, Concentration, Creativity, Fatigue, Getting Things Done, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, Integrative Therapies, Mental Health.

Brain fog, fatigue, focus, ADHD, and stimulants: Lessons from Life and Medicine

My worst fear, the crush of reality, and holistic medicine

During my childhood in Washington, DC, and nearby rural Montgomery County, I experienced a deeply traumatic yet eye-opening event. It occurred in the early 1950s during the frightening polio epidemic, before the polio vaccine was available.

Understanding Brain Fog, Fatigue, and Concentration Issues

Written by Ron Parks, MD on August 20, 2025. Posted in Brain Fog, Concentration, Fatigue, Getting Things Done, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Integrative Therapies, Mental Health, Mood, Nutrition, Sleep.

Finding sensible solutions to common cognitive complaints that could otherwise lead to problematic treatments or substance misuse behaviors¹

Above lead in photo collage is captioned: “Answers for brain fog, fatigue, and focus—RRP design with Canva and stock photos”

Brain fog, fatigue, and poor concentration

Brain fog, fatigue, and poor concentration are overlapping symptoms that can range from mild and transient to severe and chronic, impacting daily functioning, productivity, and overall quality of life. Their underlying cause may stem from a combination of lifestyle, medical, psychological, and environmental factors, which can help recognize, address, and potentially prevent these unpleasant or impairing symptoms.

A collage of pictures representing the theme of Wise choosing & collaborating to ensure health & longevity and all being in balance.

An “Ensurance Plan” for healthy aging, productivity, and vitality.

Written by Ron Parks, MD on February 22, 2024. Posted in Depression, Disability, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Holistic Views on Mental Health Issues, Integrative Therapies, Meditation/Mindfulness, Mental Health, Mood, Personal Growth, Spirituality & Health.

How can a practical and sensible plan be structured to maintain or enhance physical and mental health, longevity, and well-being?

There are reasonable choices for promoting health and longevity and preventing future disease and disability.

A collage of picture about the sleep experience and ways to improve restorative sleep and health.

Sleep is the best guide for health, longevity, and productivity.

Written by Ron Parks, MD on November 30, 2023. Posted in Anxiety & Panic, Commentary on Health and Well-being, Getting Things Done, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Recovery, Sleep.

Monitoring sleep quality can be an invaluable tool in choosing your priorities and be an early warning sign of impending difficulties.

Attention to sleep cues is essential for preserving or restoring health and vitality. Disruptive and perturbed sleep or anxiety dreams and nightmares can portend problems ahead. Dilemmas, indecisions, and conflicts are impediments to productivity and well-being. Disruptive sleep is an indicator of distress levels and a warning that critical life areas need attention. Ignoring unhealthy sleep patterns can have dire consequences now or in the future.

Collage of pictures on theme of being stuck in a dilemma to surmounting to flow and creativity.

Surmounting dilemmas and conflicts to free productivity and flow

Written by Ron Parks, MD on November 14, 2023. Posted in Anxiety & Panic, Commentary on Health and Well-being, Dreamwork, Frauds, Scams, Criminality, Getting Things Done, Holistic Views on Mental Health Issues, neuroscience, Personal Growth, Podcasts, Trauma.

Indecision and fear are the roadblocks to success and well-being!

Getting stuck in a dilemma

A dilemma is when one gets stymied in choosing between two unsuitable alternatives. It is frustrating to be stuck and unable to move forward to completing a project or task. The desirable ending might be as significant as survival or as minor as making a healthy decision for something that will be positive or sustaining for one’s health and well-being.

Collage of six picture of peoples journey from midlife crisis to vitality and thriving.

Finding the way from a midlife crisis

Written by Ron Parks, MD on September 28, 2023. Posted in Commentary on Health and Well-being, Death and Dying, Depression, Grief and Loss, Happiness, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Mood, Post by Guests, Spirituality & Health, Trauma.

Navigating from a life-challenging period of depression and suicidal thoughts to purpose and vitality—strategies to help.

My father’s surprising revelations.

When I was a teenager, my father shared with me, as we were walking one day, that he was amazed at an encounter earlier that day with a friend of his who had come to him for support and guidance. The friend told him he had been having suicidal thoughts and was very upset with what he thought were significant losses and challenges in his life. I don’t know what my father told him, but his friend felt relieved and left in an improved mental state, feeling that he had been listened to, supported, and unburdened by his deepest worries and fears.

Collage of pictures of dream catchers from the Native American tradition and pictures representing dreams

Dreams and journaling – Part One & Two – for mindfulness, insight, and well-being

Written by Ron Parks, MD on September 1, 2023. Posted in Commentary on Health and Well-being, Creativity, Dreamwork, Happiness, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Holistic Views on Mental Health Issues, Integrative Therapies, Meditation/Mindfulness, Personal Growth.

Dreams are a valued resource for getting unstuck, aware, inspired, insightful, and more organized and productive.

Welcome to the Mind Wise podcast and newsletter, presenting perspective and information about mental health, holistic health care, wellness, neuroscience, psychiatry, philosophy, and spirituality. I am your host, Ron Parks, M.P.H., M.D., writer, teacher, and consultant.

Today I begin a 2-part series exploring a readily available phenomenon that occurs in your slumber and sleep world—dreaming.

Tag: integrative approaches

Stinking Thinking Revealed and Getting Unstuck

Mindfulness, CBT, and Holistic Strategies for Lasting Mental Wellness

The chill of winter, the news, and politics

Lifestyle Psychiatry: A New Paradigm for a Holistic Approach to Mental Health and Well-Being