“It’s Not Just in Your Head: The Power of Root Cause Reflection in Mental Health”
- Yvette E. McDonald, LCSW-QS, CMNCS
- May 31
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 28
A part of the Integrative Approach in Action blog series by Yvette, LCSW, CMNCS
Welcome to the Integrative Approach in Action blog series. As a Certified Mental Health and Nutrition Clinical Specialist (CMNCS), I often find that lasting emotional wellness requires more than talk therapy alone. This series is designed to help you understand how nutrition, nervous system regulation, and practical lifestyle changes can support your mental health at a deeper level.
Each post explores a specific element of my integrative approach. This post is about root cause reflection: the process of exploring how biology, history, environment, and unmet needs shape emotional patterns. When you’ve tried everything and nothing sticks, this is often the missing piece.
“Why Am I Like This?” Is a Valid Question
Most of us have moments when we feel broken. Maybe you keep repeating the same relational patterns. Maybe you swing between emotional shutdown and overwhelm. Maybe your anxiety flares in totally “safe” situations.
You’ve read the books. Tried the apps. Pushed through.
But nothing really shifts.
That’s often because the surface behavior isn’t the problem: it’s a symptom of something deeper. And until we slow down and ask why your brain and body are reacting this way, you’ll just keep managing symptoms rather than healing them.
What Root Cause Work Actually Means
In therapy, root cause reflection is about becoming a compassionate detective in your own story. Together, we explore how:
Blood sugar crashes or nutrient gaps might be fueling mood swings
Chronic stress, trauma, or masking have reshaped your nervous system
Hormonal shifts are amplifying emotional triggers
Old attachment wounds are reenacting themselves in your current relationships
Environmental toxins, gut imbalances, or sleep debt are making you feel like a stranger in your own body
This is not about assigning blame or endlessly excavating the past. It’s about making meaningful connections that give you insight, language, and relief.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Root cause reflection often includes:
Symptom mapping: looking at when, where, and how certain symptoms show up
Layer peeling: exploring how physical, emotional, and sensory inputs may be converging
Body-brain storytelling: giving you a clearer narrative of why your system reacts the way it does
Customized journaling or pattern tracking to uncover invisible cycles
Reframing coping behaviors (like emotional eating, numbing, or isolation) as adaptive strategies—not failures
The goal is not to “diagnose” you deeper—but to offer clarity that empowers your healing path.
A Personal Note
For years, I thought I just needed more willpower. I blamed myself for emotional reactions, shutdowns, or energy crashes assuming they were signs I wasn’t trying hard enough.
But the more I studied the brain, body, and nervous system, the more I realized I wasn’t failing, I was operating without the full picture.
My symptoms weren’t random. They were deeply rooted in nervous system exhaustion, sensory overload, nutrient depletion, and trauma patterns. Once I could see that clearly, I stopped fighting myself and started supporting myself.
Reflection Questions
What’s a symptom I’ve been managing that might have a deeper root?
Have I been blaming myself for something my body is actually trying to communicate?
What patterns keep repeating, even when I “know better”?
If I believed my symptoms were messengers, not malfunctions, what might they be saying?
Resource Suggestions
Books:
Tools:
Symptom-tracking worksheet
Body-memory timeline (available in session)
Personalized food-mood journal
Healing Begins With Understanding
When you stop trying to force yourself into someone else’s idea of “normal” and start asking what your symptoms are trying to show you, healing becomes possible. Not perfect but more aligned, more sustainable, more you.
Explore therapy that helps you connect the dots—not just manage the symptoms.
Next in the series: Psychoeducation & Pattern Mapping
I am a psychotherapist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), and Certified Mental Health and Nutrition Clinical Specialist (CMNCS) who takes a holistic, neuroscience-based approach to mental health.
I integrate psychology, nutrition, and lifestyle strategies to support clients in identifying root causes of emotional distress: from gut health to hormone shifts to nervous system overload. Through my practice at Traveling Light Counseling, I offer concierge services for neurodiverse individuals, couples, and those seeking integrative support.
Curious about how your nutrition and nervous system may be affecting your emotional well-being? Explore services or schedule a session today.
