An Unorthodox Look at Mental Health with Ellen Vora

Ellen Vora is an unconventional psychiatrist. She’s been fascinated by the vague and complicated inner workings of humanity, and she followed that passion with an M.D. from Columbia University. But when she got into the world of psychiatry she saw that the primary approach to mental health wasn’t working for most people, and it certainly didn’t resonate with her. She offers a different approach to mental health and anxiety—one that doesn’t rely on overmedication and myriad unwanted side effects. We talk about her boundary-pushing philosophies and what she believes is at the root of America’s mental health epidemic. It’s not what you think. In This Conversation We Cover: [02:12] How Ellen managed to graduate from one of the best schools in the world with an English degree while struggling with a reading disorder [07:38] Exploring the complexities of being human [11:05] Ellen’s surgery rotation story [14:48] Why our medical system is set up to treat rather than prevent [16:54] How we diagnose mental conditions [22:05] How your neighborhood affects your health [30:36] The importance of prioritizing “enough” [35:07] The role of conventional medicine [42:12] America’s mental health problem [47:52] Hope for life after Big Pharma [51:36] Thinking independently from your peers [55:05] Rapid-fire questions Resources: ellenvora.com Instagram: @ellenvoramd Read: The Anatomy of Anxiety Mastermind: workhardplayhardpodcast.com/mastermind Connect with Rob on Instagram: @robmurgatroyd Connect with Kim on Instagram: @kimmurgatroyd To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: workhardplayhardpodcast.com