Effects of Nutrition on Clinical Disorders

CE Credit Hours: 5
APA, BBS, BRN

Research demonstrates that many common mental health disorders, including major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, autism, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are associated with nutrient deficiencies. Essential vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids are often deficient in the general American population and are remarkably deficient in patients suffering from mental disorders. Studies have shown that supplementing vital nutrients and amino acids can effectively reduce symptoms of mental health disorders. This course will provide a brief overview of the metabolic processes and the micro-/macronutrients involved in the production of the “classic” neurotransmitters and review the relationships between neurotransmitter imbalances and specific mental health disorders. Next, the course will review the emerging scientific evidence for the use of nutritional supplementation in the treatment of a wide range of mental health disorders. Lastly, an overview of complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) treatments that may be efficacious in managing mental health disorders will be provided.

Instructor: Amanda Hull, Ph.D.
Dr. Hull is the Integrative Health and Wellness (IHW) Program Director at the War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) in Washington DC. Along with developing and directing the IHW Program, she teaches the integrative health education course, facilitates iRest yoga nidra, and conducts research assessing the program. She completed both her predoctoral and postdoctoral training, specializing in neuropsychology, at the Washington, DC VA Medical Center. She received a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Palo Alto University, and her graduate research focused on cognitive functioning in veterans at an outpatient polytrauma clinic. Additionally, she is currently completing a Post-Masters Certificate in Nutrition and Integrative Health at Maryland University of Integrative Health. Her research interests include: nutritional psychology/neuropsychology, the influences of complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) on cognition and well-being, traumatic brain injury, and neuropsychology of PTSD. Dr. Hull’s clinical experiences also include training in iRest yoga nidra and individual, group, and family therapy.

Instructor: Alyssa Adams, PsyD
Dr. Alyssa Adams graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from the Schreyer Honors College at the Pennsylvania State University. She completed her master’s and doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from Marywood University in Scranton, PA. She completed an American Psychological Association (APA) approved internship at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VA) in Washington, D.C. and a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in clinical and research neuropsychology at the War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) at the VA Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Her research and clinical interests include the impact of nutrition on mood and cognition, the role of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases, adjustment to illness and injury, preventive health behaviors, and environmental/toxin exposures. Additional clinical experiences include training in psychotherapy and neurocognitive rehabilitation. Dr. Adams completed the Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice educational program through the Institute for Functional Medicine. She is currently a psychologist in the Pain Clinic at the VA Medical Center in Washington, DC, where she specializes in both health psychology and neuropsychology. She is also enrolled in the Post-Master’s Certificate Program in Nutrition and Integrative Health at Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH). She is licensed in both the District of Columbia and Virginia.

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