Holistic Approach to Mental Health: An Interview with Therapist Alexandria Turnbow

Therapists like Alexandria Turnbo blend traditional counseling with practices from yoga, meditation, and sound healing to help clients regulate emotions more effectively. Simple techniques – deep breathing, gentle movements and mindful sounds – work “under the radar” of the nervous system. Research shows that controlled breathing and meditation activate the vagus nerve (the body’s “brake” on stress) and boost parasympathetic relaxation. For example, daily 5‑minute breathwork routines were found to improve mood and sharply reduce anxiety, even more so than standard mindfulness alone. Similarly, expert sources note that **slow, deep breathing and meditative practices lower stress hormones and increase feel-good brain chemicals**. A Harvard review reports that yoga and meditation “calm and center the mind,” reducing anxiety and depression by enhancing the nervous system’s “rest-and-digest” response. In session, Alexandria might have a client inhale slowly through the nose and hum on the exhale – a simple exercise shown to stimulate the vagus nerve and ground a racing mind. Studies confirm that even humming or singing (as in Tibetan singing-bowl meditation) can lower tension, anger and fatigue after one session.

Breath and Vagus Activation: Slow, controlled breathing (often with long exhales) increases vagal tone, triggering relaxation. Patients learn exercises like “4-7-8” breathing, humming or chanting. Research links these to reduced heart rate, lower blood pressure and calmer moods.

Mindfulness and Movement: Gentle yoga, tai chi or seated meditation practices bring awareness to the present. These enhance self-regulation: studies show yoga raises GABA (an anxiety-reducing neurotransmitter) and thickens brain regions for attention. Over time, clients report feeling steadier and more able to handle stress.

Sound Healing: Resonant tones from singing bowls or nature sounds can induce the body’s relaxation response. In one study, participants lying down and listening to Tibetan bowl meditation felt **significantly less tension, anger and depressed mood**. Techniques like guided imagery or gentle drumming work similarly by engaging the body’s innate sense of rhythm and calm.

By combining these mind-body tools with talk therapy, Alexandria helps clients build an “inner toolbox” for emotional balance. Rather than just talking through problems, clients learn to **feel** their way out of stress: slowing a panic with breath, or releasing tension with mindful sound. This body-based work is especially helpful in calming the nervous system before or during therapy, so clients can engage more fully. In practice, research-backed breathing and movement exercises become coping skills that clients can use anytime they feel overwhelmed – a skillset that traditional counseling alone does not always teach.

Childhood Roots: How Early Stress Shapes Adult Life

Our early years lay the groundwork for adult identity and habits. “Anything that exceeds our ability to cope” in childhood – from overt abuse to chronic family chaos or neglect – can leave deep imprints on the developing brain. The CDC warns that toxic stress in childhood can literally “change brain development” and alter stress responses. Even relatively common experiences (parental separation, household turmoil or emotional neglect) count as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). These ACEs are strongly linked to adult mental health issues: people who had tough early years face far higher rates of anxiety, depression, substance problems and even physical illnesses later on. In fact, experts estimate that preventing ACEs could cut adult depression by nearly 44%.

Clinically, this means behaviors we see in therapy often trace back to childhood. For example, someone with chronic anxiety may have grown up in a hyper‑critical home; a person who struggles in relationships may have learned unhealthy patterns from parents. Research confirms that coping styles born in youth often persist: children exposed to adversity tend to develop avoidant or survival-focused habits, leading to more depression, panic or low self-worth down the road. One study notes that those with childhood trauma often use emotion-focused coping that fails later, manifesting as “anguish, panic attacks, and feelings of worthlessness” in adulthood.

By gently exploring a client’s family history and early experiences, therapists can connect the dots between past and present. Addressing these roots can lift burdens that “seem to come out of nowhere” – like unexplained anger or chronic sadness. Clients often find it empowering to see that their reactions are not personal failures but learned survival patterns. When these patterns are identified in therapy, new options emerge.

Signs that childhood stress may influence you: Research shows adults with early adversity often face anxiety, depression, or chronic stress. They may also struggle with identity, relationships or feelings of shame. For example, emotional neglect is particularly linked to adult depression.

From history to healing: In therapy, exploring childhood helps illuminate “why” certain problems persist. Learning that, say, panic episodes have roots in early fear can make them feel more manageable. Research supports this approach: it finds that therapy aiming at core traumas (even mild ones) can improve overall outcomes and life satisfaction.

Real-life benefit: As Alexandria observes, understanding one’s past can unlock progress in the present. When clients see how their childhood shaped them, they often achieve lasting change instead of repeatedly treating symptoms alone.

Family Ties: Healing Within Relationships

No one lives in isolation. Family systems theory – the foundation of marriage-and-family therapy – reminds us that individuals are deeply connected with their relatives. A leading overview notes: “Family system theory suggests that individuals are inextricably interconnected to their relationship networks”. In other words, a person’s struggles often reflect patterns in the family. As Alexandria found in her work with children and teens, treating a “problem” child alone may have limited impact if the parents’ own stress or communication issues go unaddressed.

Family therapy brings relatives into the conversation to break harmful patterns. This might involve educating parents, improving sibling communication, or helping partners resolve tension. The goal is to strengthen the family “team,” so members support one another’s mental health. For example, a teen acting out might calm down when parents learn new ways to listen and respond. Or a couple’s conflict can ease once each partner understands the other’s background and coping style.

Research backs this approach. Studies find that family-based interventions can alleviate many issues that individual therapy alone sometimes misses. In fact, systematic reviews show family therapy works for depression, teen behavior problems, substance abuse and relationship distress. Key benefits include better communication, clearer boundaries and more empathy all around. One review summarizes: family therapy “helps prevent long-term problems by supporting families during challenges and changes,” leading to “healthier communication,”“stronger relationships,” and increased “resilience”.

Why it helps: Problems like anxiety or addiction often tie back to home dynamics. Family therapy lets the whole system shift. For instance, a parent’s own anxiety can “project” onto a child; recognizing this (a classic Bowen concept) can unlock better coping for both.

Real examples: Parents learn skills like active listening and conflict-solving. Couples learn to share differing perspectives. Family members gain insight into each other’s roles (birth order, enmeshment, etc.) and work to change unhelpful roles.

Proven impact: Engaging the family often accelerates healing. By coordinating with everyone involved, therapists can achieve deeper change. Patients typically report greater understanding and fewer relapses when loved ones are part of therapy – a finding consistent with the research on family systems effectiveness.

Therapy and Psychiatry Together: A Collaborative Care Model

Alexandria practices in an integrative setting where therapy and psychiatry go hand-in-hand. From the first session she reviews any psychiatric history: “Are you seeing a psychiatrist? On medication? How’s that going?”. This holistic intake ensures clients get the right balance of support.

Open communication about meds: If someone has been on a medication for years but still struggles, she gently suggests consulting a psychiatrist for a second opinion. If a client has never tried meds, the topic comes up only if problems persist despite skill-building. In either case, Alexandria stresses that **therapy and medication are not adversaries but partners**. She might say: “Let’s try these strategies, and if you’re still stuck we can explore medication to boost your progress,” always respecting each person’s comfort level.

Complementary strengths: Indeed, evidence shows therapy and drugs often work best together. Meta-analyses find combination treatment can yield _faster and higher remission_ in depression than either approach alone. As one review puts it, medication may give quick relief so clients can “engage more fully” in psychotherapy, while therapy helps patients stick with meds and build long-term coping skills. For example, a landmark study of chronic depression found 48% remission with combined therapy–medication, versus 29–33% with either treatment alone.

Client-centered referrals: Alexandria’s approach is tailored. Some clients strongly prefer no medication; she honors that choice and focuses on non‑drug tools first. Others welcome medication’s help. Research shows that even in severe cases, starting an antidepressant or ADHD med can jump-start improvement, which therapy then amplifies. Ultimately, clients hear that we have many options: therapy alone can often lift mood (as she notes, “everyone can benefit from therapy”), but medication can be added or tapered as needed.

Integrated care evidence: This mirrors broader trends in mental health. The collaborative care model where therapists, psychiatrists and doctors coordinate consistently improves outcomes and even reduces stigma compared to fragmented care. A major psychiatry association highlights that integrated behavioral health and medical services lead to better patient results and lower costs. In practice at Lotus Integrative Psychiatry, this means clients benefit from having a multidisciplinary team: therapy provides insight and skills, while psychiatric input keeps brain chemistry in balance.

By the end of therapy (and any medication trials), clients usually feel more in control of their lives. They gain tools to manage anxiety or depression, often achieving results that neither therapy nor medication could deliver alone. As the research suggests, using all the resources – talk, body-mind techniques and, when appropriate, medicine – gives the best chance at sustained healing. For anyone seeking help, this integrated approach means personalized care: you walk in with a problem, and walk out equipped with strategies and support from a whole team of care providers.