Feeling stuck on psychiatric meds and wondering if there's another way?

This episode will change the game.

Today I’m joined by Dr. Amy O’Donnell, a brilliant integrative psychiatrist who specializes in psychiatric deprescribing and women’s mental health. She’s helping clients move from surviving on scripts to thriving in mind, body, and spirit.

Amy and I get real about the limits of traditional psychiatry, the risks of long-term medication use, and how integrative care offers hope and healing—especially for women navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, and reproductive life stages.

This conversation is a must-listen for therapists, Christian clinicians, and women in their 20s and 30s who are done with the one-size-fits-all model and ready for faith-informed, evidence-based alternatives.

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 What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• What deprescribing actually means—and how to do it safely

• Why psychiatric meds should be a last resort, not the first step

• The risks of benzos, SSRIs, and antipsychotics—especially long term

• How trauma, pregnancy, and meds interact (and what most providers miss)

• Why faith and science aren’t opposites—they can work together

• Practical, affordable holistic strategies (backed by research!)

• What to ask your psychiatrist if you’re considering tapering

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 Quotes to Remember:

“I was trained to prescribe—no one taught me how to deprescribe. That’s what woke me up.” — Dr. Amy O'Donnell

“Just because you’re on medication now doesn’t mean you’ll be on it forever.” — Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP

“Some clients tell me, ‘I’ve been on meds since I was 13, and now I want to have a baby—what do I do?’ That’s why this conversation matters.” — Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP

“We don’t just treat brains—we treat people with stories, trauma, and purpose.” — Dr. O'Donnell

“Small steps lead to big shifts. Start with what you can do today.” — Dr. O'Donnell

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 Holistic Tools & Resources Mentioned:

• Open Path Collective – Affordable online therapy options

• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) – National support and education

• The Emotion Wheel PDF – For emotional regulation

• [Fish Oil & Multivitamins] – Evidence-based support for depression/anxiety

• Mind-body practices: yoga, tai chi, breathwork, grounding

• Functional nutrition: real food > processed, healthy fats, protein balance

• Apps: Insight Timer, Headspace for mindfulness

• Conscious Clinician Collective 

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 Related Episodes You’ll Love:

• Ep. 18 – Radical Truths in Mental Health with Dr. Roger McFillin

• Ep. 58 – How Scripture Gets Weaponized & How to Heal with Rebecca Davis

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 A Faith-Informed Mental Health Lens

We also explore how the faith community often misunderstands mental illness, labeling it as weakness or even demonic. Amy and I unpack the damage that causes and why holistic, Christ-centered care is about empowerment, not shame.

“Your biology, psychology, and theology are all divinely connected. You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” — Diana

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 Connect with Dr. Amy O’Donnell:

• Website: naturesplowpsych.com

• Licensed in: Florida & Pennsylvania

• Offering virtual services and relocating to Northeast Florida in 2026

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 Support the Mission:

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@theholisticcounselorpodcast | @throughthevalleytherapy | @transformedmindcc