KELLY BROGAN: THE HOLISTIC PSYCHIATRIST

Redefining Mental Health and Female Empowerment

COURTNEY MCGEE

2025

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Kelly Brogan, a holistic psychiatrist, NY Times bestselling author, and host of the Reclamation Radio Podcast, is challenging everything we thought we knew about mental health, women's empowerment, and pharmaceutical dependency. Brogan sat down with TereZa Hakobyan-Lolli and Anthony Lolli, Editors-in-Chief of longevity and wellness platform Biohack Yourself, for an interview for the influential upcoming women’s health documentary, “sHEALed,” to share her journey from being a conventionally trained psychiatrist to becoming an outspoken advocate for de-prescribing, self-healing, and reclaiming female sovereignty.

The sHEALed Documentary is the sister documentary to Biohack Yourself, which became a massive success after exploding on the scene in December 2024 and ignited a firestorm of interest in information focused on health and longevity. Biohack Yourself features 114 prominent and respected high-profile politicians, doctors, bestselling authors, Ph.D.s, M.D.s, scientists, chemists, inventors, biotech investors, and world-renowned academics. Stemming from the success of Biohack Yourself, TereZa Hakobyan-Lolli and Anthony Lolli have grown Biohack Yourself Media to become the number one resource for health news, publishing over 500 articles ranging from breaking news to peer reviewed content.

The Awakening: From Conventional Psychiatry to Holistic Healing

Brogan’s shift in perspective didn’t happen overnight. As one of the first 300 reproductive psychiatrists in the world, she specialized in prescribing psychotropic medications to pregnant and breastfeeding women.

"One in four women of reproductive age were entering pregnancy on medication—typically an antidepressant, mood stabilizer, or benzodiazepine. It was believed that discontinuation was dangerous because their ‘underlying mental illness’ would resurface," she explained.

However, it wasn’t until Brogan experienced her own health crisis—a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis—that she began questioning the system she had dedicated her career to. "I didn’t want to be on medication for life, so I saw a naturopath. Within eight months, my condition was in full remission—just by changing my diet."

Rather than feeling relieved, she was enraged. "I had never been told that you could put a chronic illness into remission. In my Ivy League medical training, I had exactly one hour of nutrition education—and I was never taught that diet mattered."

This revelation set Brogan on a 15-year journey into holistic medicine, eventually leading her to de-prescribing, publishing the bestseller A Mind of Your Own, and becoming what she describes as a former pharma activist.

Are Women Being Misdiagnosed with Mental Illness?

Brogan believes that many women diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder are actually suffering from undiagnosed physiological conditions—like thyroid dysfunction, nutritional deficiencies, or toxic overload.

"I was treating women for depression, but the symptoms—flat mood, weight gain, brain fog, constipation—were identical to my own Hashimoto’s diagnosis," she said. "The body does not make mistakes. What we call ‘autoimmune disease’ is often just the body responding to toxicity—whether that’s fluoride in tap water, environmental chemicals, or synthetic hormones."

Her advice? "Before accepting a psychiatric diagnosis, rule out physiological root causes."

The Hidden Dangers of Birth Control & Synthetic Hormones

Brogan spent 12 years on continuous-cycle birth control, unaware of its long-term effects. "Birth control is marketed as ‘freedom,’ but it’s really hormonal hijacking. It affects mood, mate selection, cognition, and metabolic health—but women are rarely told the full story."

She began noticing patterns in her practice: Women diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder often had a history of long-term birth control use.

"Pharmaceuticals are never an isolated intervention. You start with birth control, then develop mood swings, so you’re prescribed an antidepressant. Then you have fatigue, so you get a stimulant. Before you know it, you’re on multiple medications—all stemming from a single synthetic hormone."

Brogan believes that women’s psycho-emotional development is also affected. "When you’re disconnected from your natural hormonal rhythms, it influences how you experience intuition, relationships, and personal power."

Her message? "Women need to reclaim sovereignty over their bodies—starting with informed consent."

Mental Health: A Crisis of Control, Not Chemistry

For years, Brogan followed the biochemical model of mental illness—that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance. Now, she believes the real issue is a crisis of control.

"Women are conditioned to believe that their **bodies are broken, their emotions are dangerous, and they need an external savior—whether that’s a doctor, medication, or an expert. But true healing begins when you reclaim authority over your experience."

She teaches women to disrupt the ‘victim-rescuer’ dynamic in conventional medicine. "The system tells you: Your body is attacking you. You’re broken. We have the cure. But what if there is no villain? What if your body is just asking you to listen?"

The Role of Trauma & Emotional Suppression in Illness

Brogan sees chronic illness and mental health struggles as deeply linked to unresolved trauma.

"Women are taught to suppress emotions. But emotions are messengers. Your anxiety, depression, and even physical symptoms are invitations to heal."

Her method starts with nervous system regulation through lifestyle interventions:

Dietary detox: eliminating sugar, gluten, dairy, and processed foods
Daily contemplative practice: meditation, journaling, or breathwork
Movement & nature exposure
Emotional integration: learning to process and express emotions

"Once you send the nervous system a signal of safety, your perception shifts. You stop seeing your body as broken and start understanding what it’s trying to tell you."

Reclaiming Feminine Power in Relationships

Brogan also explores how modern relationships are disconnected from biological polarity.

"Many women are drawn to ‘safe men’—partners who don’t challenge them but also don’t inspire deep attraction," she explained. "Birth control alters mate selection, pushing women toward partners who feel more like friends than lovers."

This, combined with generational father wounds, leads women to unconsciously seek control. "If you don’t feel safe, you become controlling, hyper-independent, and emotionally guarded. True healing comes from learning to trust yourself and surrender—not from forcing external security."

How to Take Back Your Health & Power Today

Brogan offers three key steps for women ready to reclaim their health and autonomy:

Get off autopilot. "Question everything—your diet, medications, relationships, and even your beliefs about yourself."
Rebuild self-trust. "Stop outsourcing decisions to doctors, experts, or even me. Learn to listen to your body."
Embrace emotions. "Every ‘negative’ feeling is an invitation. Instead of suppressing it, ask: What is this trying to show me?"

Healing is an Inside Job

Brogan’s ultimate message is empowerment: "No government policy, new medical discovery, or external savior is coming to fix you. The power has always been yours."

She believes the future of women’s health lies in self-ownership, radical honesty, and reconnection to intuition. "Healing isn’t about fixing a broken body. It’s about remembering who you are and learning to trust yourself again."

Through her books, podcast, and holistic health programs, Brogan is helping women across the world break free from outdated paradigms—proving that mental health is not about managing symptoms, but reclaiming sovereignty.

Check here for information about the upcoming spring 2025 edition Biohack Yourself Magazine, where the team at Biohack Yourself Media dives deeper into their insights on biohacking, longevity and cutting-edge wellness strategies. Biohack Yourself Magazine is the first peer-reviewed longevity publication with international distribution across the U.S. and Canada, bringing science-backed health optimization, functional medicine and performance-driven breakthroughs to a broader audience. Pick up a copy at major retailers, including Barber & Noble, Books-A-Million, Publix, Kroger, Indigo/Chapters, and select fitness gyms and pharmacies.