As a psychiatrist, I’ve witnessed firsthand the mounting mental health crisis of our modern world. The statistics are staggering: currently fifty million Americans are struggling with mental health concerns, anxiety diagnoses are skyrocketing, and in the last year a shocking twenty percent of adolescents experienced major depression. As frightening as these numbers might be they don’t tell the whole story. Even individuals not meeting the criteria for a clinical diagnosis of depression are increasingly reporting that something feels “off” – they’re overwhelmed, disconnected, and struggling to thrive in our modern world.
I suspect you’ve seen many of these statistics and felt the impact of the mental health epidemic in your own life. So, what do we do? I wrote my new book Healing The Modern Brain for three reasons:
First, we desperately need a new approach to mental health. For too long, we’ve thought about mental health in terms of crisis management – waiting until symptoms become severe enough to warrant intervention. We’ve focused on single-molecule solutions targeting neurotransmitters like serotonin, searching for that one magic bullet that can fix everything. But the latest research shows this approach is far too simplistic. Our brains are incredibly complex organs, and their health depends on a wide range of factors that we are now understanding better than ever. Healing the Modern Brain posits that this new science gives us more power than ever over our mental health – and provides the specific tools necessary to thrive in our modern environment.Second, I needed this framework myself. My own journey took me from being a Manhattan psychiatrist to living with my parents on a farm in rural Indiana To practicing in the shadow of the Tetons in Wyoming. It has taught me something profound about mental resilience. As I write this, it’s -5 degrees outside my Wyoming window. The isolation and extreme conditions here are a far cry from my former city life overlooking the Hudson River. Each transition demanded not just adaptation, but a complete reimagining of how to maintain my mental health in a radically different environment. These personal challenges deepened my understanding of what we all need: evidence-based, practical tools for building mental fitness that we can trust to help us better navigate the challenges of the modern world.
Third, and perhaps most urgently, I’ve watched people miss the most meaningful parts of their lives while searching for solutions in all the wrong places. Between endless social media scrolling, manipulative marketing tactics, and conflicting mental health advice, we’ve overcomplicated something fundamental: how to build and maintain a healthy brain well into old age. People are spending precious time and energy on quick fixes and trendy solutions while missing the evidence-based practices that actually work.
What we need is a framework for Mental Fitness – a proactive, science-based approach to building psychological resilience. Just as physical fitness helps prevent heart disease, Mental Fitness can help prevent and minimize mental health crises. But it’s more than prevention – it’s about optimization.
The science is clear: we can build stronger, more resilient brains. Through the nine core tenets of Mental Fitness outlined in Healing the Modern Brain– from nutrition and movement to connection and purpose – we can protect and enhance our mental health. These aren’t just theories; they’re practical tools backed by cutting-edge research in neuroscience, epigenetics, and mental health.
Whether you’ve been diagnosed with a mental health condition or simply feel overwhelmed by modern life, your brain deserves more than crisis management – it deserves the chance to thrive. In an age of unprecedented mental health challenges, building Mental Fitness isn’t just an option – it’s essential. And it’s within reach.
These nine tenets of Mental Fitness didn’t emerge from theory alone – they came from two decades of witnessing what actually works in clinical practice. My patients have been my greatest teachers. I’ve watched people transform their mental health through small, consistent changes in how they eat, move, connect, and engage with the world.
This book isn’t just a call to action – it’s a lifeline. Healing the Modern Brain is your guide to reclaiming your mental health, bolstering your mental fitness, and finally thriving in a world that can oftentimes feel overwhelming. The science is clear and the tools are here. The rest of your story starts now. Click the button below to pre-order Healing the Modern Brain now.
