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Lifestyle Medicine for Depression and Anxiety

samanthahuntmsw

Updated: Oct 12, 2024

What is Lifestyle Medicine?

Lifestyle Medicine uses lifestyle factors and habits to help improve medical and mental health conditions. 


This can include:

  • Nutrition (eating whole foods vs. ultra processed foods)

  • Exercise (including walking and daily movement)

  • Consistent sleep of 8-10 hours

  • Work-life balance

  • Stress Management Techniques

  • Social support and time for fun

  • Setting goals for yourself and overcoming challenges


How might this help me?

Many studies show a wide variety of lifestyle factors that can help improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.  Some of these have been shown to be as effective as pharmaceutical intervention!  By making small and sustainable changes to your daily living you can start to feel fewer or less intense symptoms.  Making changes in your lifestyle not only helps your mental health, but has positive physical impacts too!  That sounds pretty great to me!


How does Samantha Hunt Therapy practice this?

I stay on top of current evidence based research to help clients understand the importance of various lifestyle changes and how they can implement these changes. I start by learning what my client is currently doing in their day to day life, what they want to change, and where they are willing to start to change.  I work with clients to set goals that will help them make these changes in ways that they can actually achieve, and then help them with accountability and problem solving as they work toward achieving their goals.  I also help clients by measuring starting points and then seeing how these change as they make changes to their daily life.  Think of me like your coach, cheerleader, and play caller!  I want to set you up to win in your life!


This is the foundation of the Lifestyle Group Course. The benefits of the group course is a learning component, practical application, and therapist and group support as you are practicing these new habits!


I find that social media and popular culture has shown us extreme forms of health behaviours, ie. fad diets and excessive exercise routines.  I look at the scientific findings and balance this with our need to live our lives in order to help clients make changes that are sustainable ie. that you can actually do day in and day out for the long term!  Health isn’t a quick fix; we don’t have a workout so good or a meal so healthy that we don’t need to worry about these things again!  So how can we create lifestyle changes that fit into your lifestyle?!


I’d love to help you explore this! Connect with me today through the contact form to discuss how this might apply to you!


Exercise, the outdoors, and accomplishing hard things all help support our mental health!

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