The Good Mood Podcast

What happens when we know what we need to do to improve our health, but don’t have the capacity to do it?In this episode, I speak with Dr. Marnie Laplante, ND, founder of Gather Wellness, about capacity medicine, an approach to health that recognizes the physical, cognitive, emotional, and relational resources we have to meet life’s demands.We explore the relationship between stress, trauma, nervous system regulation and our ability to make meaningful changes. We also discuss why treatment plans need to meet people where they are, the importance of recovery and human connection, and how to recognize the difference between what we think we should be able to do and what is actually possible for us.Marnie also introduces her work with brain balancing, her eight-week capacity program, and some simple ways to begin checking in with our own capacity.A thoughtful conversation about healing, self-awareness, personalized healthcare and making space for change.Learn more about Dr. Marnie Laplante and Gather Wellness at https://gatherwellness.ca.Please note: We experienced unexpected technical difficulties during recording, which caused occasional audio interruptions. Thank you for listening through them! Get full access to This Might Help at drtaliand.substack.com/subscribe

Have you ever felt like the person responsible for keeping your family together? The mediator, the fixer, the responsible oldest daughter, the one everyone turns to when things fall apart?In this episode of The Good Mood Podcast, we explore family roles, boundaries, and what happens when we begin to step outside the roles we’ve been assigned.Drawing on Bowen’s Family Systems Theory, Adlerian psychology, and concepts like parentification, triangulation, and enmeshment, we examine how family dynamics shape our identities, relationships, and sense of responsibility.We also discuss differentiation of self: the ability to maintain our own thoughts, feelings, needs, and values while staying emotionally connected to others. What happens when we stop fixing everyone else’s problems? Why does setting boundaries bring up so much guilt? And how can we break intergenerational patterns without necessarily breaking relationships?Ultimately, this episode is about becoming ourselves within the relationships that shaped us.After all, a relationship needs two selves.Read the accompanying article, Family Roles, Boundaries, and Becoming Yourself, for more on these concepts, practical examples, and references. Get full access to This Might Help at drtaliand.substack.com/subscribe

What do estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, insulin, thyroid hormones, and melatonin actually do, and how do they work together?In this lesson from my Rhythm & Flow course, I provide a practical overview of the body's major hormones and their essential roles in mood, energy, metabolism, stress, sleep, reproduction, and overall health.You'll learn:What the major hormones do and how they communicateWhy the menstrual cycle is considered the "fifth vital sign"The four phases of the menstrual cycle and the physical and emotional changes that often accompany each phaseHow hormones change throughout life—from puberty to the reproductive years, perimenopause, and menopauseHow to begin recognizing your own hormonal patternsRather than thinking about hormones in isolation, this lecture introduces a systems-based framework for understanding how hormones interact and why symptoms often occur in patterns.This video is one lesson from my comprehensive online course, Rhythm & Flow.If you'd like to dive deeper into hormones, metabolism, menstrual health, perimenopause, nutrition, lifestyle medicine, and the root causes of hormonal imbalance, you can learn more here:https://goodmood.thrivecart.com/rhythm-and-flow/The course includes 10 modules and over 50 lessons covering:Hormone foundationsMenstrual cycles and circadian rhythmsPMS, PMDD, PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, and fertilityPerimenopause and menopauseHormone replacement therapy (HRT)Blood sugar, insulin, thyroid health, stress, sleep, inflammation, and gut healthNutrition, supplements, herbal medicine, and lifestyle interventionsA downloadable workbook and integration toolsI'm Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, a naturopathic doctor and registered psychotherapist. I create evidence-informed educational resources to help people better understand hormones, metabolism, mental health, and whole-person health.If you enjoyed this lesson, consider subscribing to more videos, podcasts, and educational content. Get full access to This Might Help at drtaliand.substack.com/subscribe

In this lecture, Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, Naturopathic Doctor and Registered Psychotherapist, introduces hormone testing as one part of understanding hormonal health, while emphasizing that symptoms, history, and lived experience are more important than lab values alone. She explains that testing is meant to support care, not replace clinical context.Dr. Talia describes hormones as signalling molecules that communicate between organs and act through receptors, feedback loops, and endocrine axes such as the HPT, HPA, and HPO systems. The lecture focuses mainly on reproductive hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and cortisol, and how they relate to mood, sleep, stress, fertility, and metabolism.A major topic is the timing of testing in the menstrual cycle. Dr. Talia explains the follicular, ovulatory, luteal, and menstrual phases and why days 3 and about 7 days after ovulation are key times for bloodwork. She notes that progesterone is best assessed in the mid-luteal phase and that cycle regularity and ovulation matter more than relying on a fixed calendar day.The lecture reviews the main hormones individually. Estrogen is described as important for the uterine lining, skin, mood, libido, and long-term brain, bone, cardiovascular, and metabolic health. Progesterone is presented as calming, sleep-supportive, and protective against estrogen’s growth effects. Testosterone is discussed in relation to libido, motivation, muscle, and androgen excess patterns such as acne, hair loss, and insulin resistance. Cortisol is covered as a circadian stress hormone that affects immune and metabolic regulation.Dr. Talia also explains what testing can and cannot show. Blood testing can help assess ovulation, rule out other causes of symptoms, and guide treatment, including hormone replacement therapy safety. She contrasts serum testing with saliva and Dutch urine testing, stating a preference for serum because it is standardized and more clinically useful.We close by reviewing patterns seen in conditions such as PCOS/PMOS, perimenopause, menopause, PMS, and PMDD, and by stressing that hormone care should also consider gut function, liver clearance, methylation, nutrition, sleep, stress, and insulin.Join the 5-Part Decode Your Bloodwork Free course here: https://goodmood.thrivecart.com/decode-your-bloodwork/For more on hormone health, join Rhythm & Flow: The Integrative Hormone Mastery Course. Learn more here: https://goodmood.thrivecart.com/rhythm-and-flow/ Get full access to This Might Help at drtaliand.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, an Ontario naturopathic doctor and registered psychotherapist, explores the complexities of thyroid function in a five-part series on understanding blood work.She emphasizes that thyroid health cannot be assessed through TSH levels alone, sharing her own experiences with hypothyroidism to illustrate the gap between lab results and patient symptoms.Dr. Talia details the thyroid's roles in metabolism and hormonal regulation, the significance of the HPT axis, and the need for comprehensive testing beyond standard metrics. The session also covers the prevalence of autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and discusses factors that influence thyroid hormone conversion. She stresses the importance of individualized treatment approaches and the connection between gut health and thyroid function, encouraging patients to be proactive in managing their health through informed discussions with healthcare providers.0:05 Introduction to Thyroid Labs2:29 Importance of Comprehensive Testing5:16 Understanding Thyroid Function9:46 Hypothyroidism Explained16:20 Hyperthyroidism Overview19:54 Testing and Blood Work Insights21:25 Interpreting Thyroid Panels29:02 Autoimmunity and Thyroid Health30:36 Role of T4 and T335:30 Conversion and Metabolism41:28 Addressing Autoimmune Factors48:54 Nutritional Support for Thyroid Health52:30 Retesting and Monitoring Thyroid Levels56:11 Conclusion and Next StepsLearn more: taliand.comSign up for the full free Bloodwork Course at goodmood.thrivecart.com/decode-your-bloodwork/ Get full access to This Might Help at drtaliand.substack.com/subscribe

In this lecture, Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, naturopathic doctor and registered psychotherapist, emphasizes the critical role of insulin testing in assessing metabolic health, arguing that it offers more insight than glucose readings alone.As part of a series on blood work interpretation, she highlights the complex relationship between insulin levels and various health issues, including fatigue, weight gain, and hormonal imbalances, which often go unnoticed in patients with normal glucose levels.Dr. Talia critiques the tendency in conventional medicine to overlook insulin testing and discusses its implications for conditions such as obesity, cognitive function, and reproductive health.She introduces the Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) as a tool for evaluating insulin resistance and shares practical strategies to lower insulin levels through lifestyle modifications.The lecture calls for greater awareness of and advocacy for insulin testing to empower individuals to manage their metabolic health.taliand.comgoodmood.thrivecart.com Get full access to This Might Help at drtaliand.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of the Good Mood Podcast, I, Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND, RP, examine the critical link between iron levels and health issues such as anxiety, depression, and muscle pain. As a naturopathic doctor and psychotherapist, I emphasize that low iron can profoundly affect both mental and physical well-being. I encourage listeners to check their iron and ferritin levels if they experience symptoms like fatigue and mood changes.I break down the science behind iron's role in energy production and cognitive function, highlighting its impact on mood regulation. Practical advice on iron supplementation, dietary considerations, and monitoring ferritin levels is also provided. My goal is to inspire a holistic perspective on health and urge listeners to proactively engage with their healthcare providers to improve health outcomes.taliand.com goodmood. thrivecart.com Get full access to This Might Help at drtaliand.substack.com/subscribe

This episode clarifies cholesterol complexities, debunking myths about high levels. A naturopathic doctor discusses lipid measures, challenges the "bad" cholesterol narrative, and shares heart health tips to empower patient-provider conversations.In this episode, Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND, RP clarifies the complexities of cholesterol and the misconceptions surrounding high cholesterol levels. As a naturopathic doctor and psychotherapist, I explain the significance of various lipid measurements such as total cholesterol, HDL, and LDL, and their implications for cardiovascular health. I challenge the notion of cholesterol as solely "bad," emphasizing its essential role in our bodies.Listeners will learn about lifestyle changes for heart health, the potential benefits of advanced testing like ApoB, and the importance of personalized health management. This podcast aims to empower patients by providing the knowledge needed to engage effectively with healthcare providers about their cholesterol health.Learn more about Rhythm & Flow: The Integrative Hormone Mastery Course here: https://goodmood.thrivecart.com/rhythm-and-flow/ Get full access to This Might Help at drtaliand.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Jessica Eastman, a naturopathic doctor and psychedelic-assisted therapist, shares her integrative approach to trauma recovery and mental health. She emphasizes the significance of preparation and integration in psychedelic therapy, highlighting that healing occurs during the integration of insights gained. Dr. Eastman discusses the need for emotional readiness and a curious mindset and addresses the risks of poorly guided experiences. She advocates for a holistic, patient-centred approach and stresses the importance of foundational health and patient autonomy. She also announces her upcoming online trauma recovery program and offers ongoing support and education resources.Find her at: https://www.drjessicaeastman.com/https://www.instagram.com/drjessicaeastman/Chapters0:34Introduction to Psychedelics and Mental Health1:23Niche of Trauma Recovery Coaching2:45Exploring Safe Psychedelic Practices6:55The Importance of Preparation8:37Understanding Psychedelic Experiences11:33The Power of Perspective Shifts14:06Emotions and Connection15:10The Healing Process20:11Risks of Untrained Guidance22:01Managing Post-Psychedelic Dysregulation25:12The Complexity of Memory and Trauma27:08Navigating Expectations in Therapy28:19Organizing the Mental Closet30:03Gaining Control Over Emotions32:29Foundations of Healing36:00Integration of Psychedelic Experiences40:23Balancing Medication and Self-Care43:47Building a Therapeutic Relationship46:01The Role of Nutrition in Mental Health48:58Empowering Patient Agency54:28The Dynamics of Patient-Provider Relationships57:29Understanding Resistance in Healing1:03:17The Importance of Curiosity1:06:34Medication Misconceptions1:10:56The Art of Prescribing1:13:32The Role of SSRIs in Treatment1:16:35The Process of Learning1:19:31Alternatives to Medication1:24:01The Evolution of Medical Practice1:29:52Humility in Healthcare1:33:39Accessibility in Mental Health ServicesTranscript[0:01] All right welcome dr jessica eastman a fellow ccnm colleague and so we recently connected over um yeah well i guess like topics around psychedelics and mental health and uh some cult psychology and spiritual bypassing and um but i think what we want to talk about today is like mental health and maybe some psychedelics and trauma and because that's a big part of what you do and what your practice is in BC.[0:34] And yeah, maybe you could introduce yourself and tell me a little and tell the audience a little bit about your practice. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. So I am a naturopathic doctor licensed in British Columbia. I've been practicing there for almost 10 years.[0:49] And I also am a psychedelic assisted therapist and as I call it, a trauma recovery coach. Um, so I kind of mashed together, uh, integrative psychiatry and, um, integrative mental health work with trauma-informed primary care and, uh, some psychedelic, um, assisted therapy, like prep and integration work. I don't do the actual medicine sessions because it's not in my scope of practice, um, but. I could do that if I was like working[1:19] under another like field trip or a numinous or something like that. But I get a ton of value in doing like harm reduction discussion and prep and integration. And I have a little niche of people who come to see me when they've gone to do psychedelic assisted therapy, usually with an underground therapist who wasn't super well trained and they had a bad experience.[1:38] And then they are looking for somebody to like help them sort that out. Also because a lot of psychiatrists and psychotherapists and psychologists and medical doctors don't have a whole lot of training or understanding about psychedelics and so these people sometimes come to me they're like in inpatient psych and their psychiatrist is saying like you've broken your brain and there's nothing we can do to help you and then they call me kind of like as a last-ditch effort to be like hey is my brain really broken and I get to say like no it isn't actually we can heal this and we can work through this so that's a really fun little niche that um is is developing there's like more and more need for that um and then i do some trauma recovery coaching specifically both in my practice and separately um so i get to kind of weave a whole lot of mental stuff together that's really cool that's really really really interesting i know bc has a more expanded scope than ontario when it comes to um like i think i Dr.[2:37] Ray St. Arnall about ketamine therapy and like that's in scope or like legal for therapeutic use. But yeah, how did you get into the and what maybe you can describe some really interested kind of like what the prep would be like in a in a responsibly administered sort of psychedelic session, like what kind of prep is usually involved and what's the integration like afterwards if someone's really going about it in like a.[3:04] Yeah, totally. Yeah, safe way. Yeah, so the prep work is actually done from, you know, anywhere from one to multiple, like three or four, you know, up to like six months worth of sessions before you do the actual medicine sessions.[3:25] And what's involved in prep work is really variable from person to person. The kind of universal things that are involved in prep work is having a discussion with the client or the patient about what they are expecting. And a big part of the prep work is helping them to get clear on what their goals are and helping to work away from a bunch of expectations and toward like intentions and an opening to the possibility of whatever the medicine is going to take you into. Um as a lot of people go into these sessions understandably like hoping that they're gonna you know be a cure-all because they've been struggling with you know depression or PTSD or OCD or whatever it is for a long time and um, psychedelic medicine is a unpredictable in certain ways and so it doesn't it's not linear in the way that like when you give this dose of a of an ssri we generally have this response and when we increase the dose we have an increased response and so psychedelics are a more unpredictable, world they kind of um work often by teaching you how to surrender and and exposing you to, feelings and or stuff that you want to work through or that you maybe need to work through.[4:47] But going in the most likely things that are going to create a bad time or a bad trip is if you go in with a whole bunch of expectations or you go in with the expectation that you're going to be able to control the experience. And so like a classic example is like people who come And they say, OK, I want to go into this session to heal my relationship with my father. And that sets you up for a challenging session, potentially, because there's a whole bunch of expectations built into that concept. And so what we often work that into is something more open ended is like I my intention for this session is to be curious and to understand more about my relationship with my father because we don't put expectations on like healing or outcome necessarily because a the medicine doesn't do that for you. It illuminates things and helps you to do that work on your own and be surrendering or being able to like relinquish control to the experience is a big part of how the medicine works and how it helps you to allow for neuroplastic change and perspective updating.[6:01] So, yeah, that's a big part of kind of like universal prep work with anybody who's doing it well. And then there are some other things that some people need more support in than others. Like some of the things that I personally would, you know, like more or less require would say like this is a prerequisite to being able to do this work is... Decent amount of experience and tools in being able to manage uncomfortable emotion and knowing that you understand like how to know where your edge is in terms of like I can handle this and this is where my overwhelmed edge is and when I need to ask for help and then also having the skill se… Get full access to This Might Help at drtaliand.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I reconnect with couples therapist Melissa Johari, MSW, RSW, to discuss the power of healthy relationships and the Gottman Method. We explore how nurturing connections enhance individual well-being and family dynamics, and she shares insights from her recent couples retreat focused on communication and conflict resolution. Listeners will gain practical tools, including Melissa's ILEAAD communication framework, to strengthen their partnerships and navigate challenging conversations with empathy.Connect with Melissa at: https://thecouplewellnessexperts.com/https://www.instagram.com/couplewellness/ Get full access to This Might Help at drtaliand.substack.com/subscribe