In the realm of mental health and personal growth, Dr. Andy Yarborough, PsyD, LCP makes an impact. With a compassionate heart and a deep understanding of the human psyche, Dr. Yarborough has dedicated his career to guiding individuals towards a life filled with hope, wellness, and fulfillment. As the founder of The Well Clinic, he has created a sanctuary for healing and self-discovery, where his holistic approach integrates the complexities of soul care and spiritual formation. His extensive training in trauma-informed and growth-oriented treatment methods, including EMDR and coaching psychology, empowers his clients to navigate the path of healing with confidence. In this interview, we delve into Dr. Yarborough’s insights and experiences, uncovering the profound impact of his work on the lives of those he serves.
Health Fitness Revolution: What drew you to the field of mental health and made you passionate about this work?
Dr. Andy Yarborough: An invitation to play basketball in India. I was there about 3 weeks, playing against India’s national team, junior national teams, and universities. We also put on clinics for lower, middle, and high schools. I had amazing experiences while there. I also witnessed suffering like I had not seen as a young man growing up in Mississippi. A burning question haunted me: “What does it mean to worship God even when we suffer?” I almost dropped out of college because I struggled to re-integrate into American culture. Psychology seemed to be the best option, particularly regarding a soul care that integrated spiritual formation…an integration that did not run away from suffering but towards it with compassion. The goal I realized is to move through suffering but not stay there. So the work I do is both trauma-informed and growth-oriented. We do not just heal from…we heal towards. And the rest is now a part of my journey…
Health Fitness Revolution: How can we, as a society, collectively prioritize mental health and cultivate a culture of overall well-being and resilience?
Dr. Andy Yarborough: This process cannot start with behavioral solutions. Cultivating a culture of well-being (and all that comes with it) requires that well-being be integrated as a core value, not an aspirational one. Patrick Lencioni talks about the difference here. If a value is not core, you will not be willing to sacrifice for it. Fostering well-being collectively means we must see it as a core value and be willing to sacrifice for it as we integrate it into family culture, vocational culture, etc. From the core value of well-being, we can work as a culture to collectively acknowledge, integrate, and practice the behavioral skills that foster it.
Health Fitness Revolution: How has your specialized training enabled you to make a meaningful impact in transforming lives and advancing mental health?
Dr. Andy Yarborough: My training helps me nuance people’s experiences and ask the right kinds of questions. Training does not give me all of the answers but having “right” answers is not the point. My training helps me ask the right questions. Educated curiosity and partnership with those whom I guide help foster a thorough understanding of the person’s struggles and strengths. Health and transformation are rooted in this process.
Health Fitness Revolution: What trends in the field are you most excited about or see having promising potential to transform care?
Dr. Andy Yarborough: I am most excited about the integration of the whole person (bio-psycho-socio-spiritual elements) into the psychotherapeutic process. In fact, I believe that psychiatry (especially positive psychiatry), neurology, affective neuroscience, psychology and counseling (especially trauma-informed approaches), neuropsychology, functional and lifestyle medicine, nutrition, exercise science, skills from therapy services like MNRI, and spiritual formation will form an integrated advanced post-graduate degree or certification. My practice, The Well Clinic, is already moving in this direction. We are implementing many of these into our practice and partnering with like-minded organizations to provide these services in areas our expertise is lacking.
Health Fitness Revolution: Which books on mental health have significantly influenced you or are your personal favorites?
Dr. Andy Yarborough: My most influential books (and authors) tend to connect soul care and spiritual formation, whether it is directly or indirectly. A few of them include:
- Reaching Out by Henri Nouwen
- Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun
- Anything by Dr. Curt Thompson
- Internal Family Systems Therapy (2nd Ed.) by Richard Schwartz and Martha Sweezy
- The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel Van der Kolk
- The Strength Switch by Lea Waters
- Positive Psychotherapy by Tayyab Rashid and Martin Seligman
Health Fitness Revolution: How do you perceive the interplay between mental and physical health, considering the CDC’s stance on their equal significance? For instance, the CDC highlights the link between conditions like depression and the increased risk of long-term physical health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. What are your thoughts on this important connection?
Dr. Andy Yarborough: As noted earlier, I highly value the interplay. Attending to this is crucial for proper diagnosis and treatment. To illustrate, I did an initial intake with a client who presented with “bipolar disorder.” A psychiatrist had seen her, noted the lability of her mood, diagnosed her with Bipolar I Disorder, and medicated her accordingly. When I asked about her family medical history, she denied anything significant. Her mood lability seemed atypical for a bipolar diagnosis, so I requested she have blood work drawn to rule out any underlying medical conditions. Turns out, she had untreated hypothyroidism. When she told her mother, her mother stated, “Oh baby, your grandmother had that too…in fact, they took her thyroid out.” My client did not have bipolar disorder; she had hypothyroidism. The mood swings were real. She needed to address them, and therapy helped build those skills. But she needed medical treatment first and foremost. So…I agree…the interplay is crucial. And at risk of belaboring the point, trauma wreaks havoc on the body. In those who have experienced abuse, for example, we see increased systemic inflammation, an increased prevalence of autoimmune diseases, blood pressure issues, and on and on. Paying attention to the whole person is crucial.
Health Fitness Revolution: Many of us think that mental health is solely related to mental illness, however, it is possible to have a mental health condition and be mentally fit. Can you provide further insight on this notion?
Dr. Andy Yarborough: Yes. Mental health, mental illness, and mental fitness are related but different. Mental health encompasses the well-being of our mind, will, and emotions, affecting how we think, feel, and act. Mental health also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions—disorders that affect your mood, thinking, and behavior. Examples include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors. Mental fitness involves having a positive state of well-being and functioning, much like physical fitness relates to physical health. It includes the capacity to maintain and enhance one’s mental health through various practices.
So, an individual can struggle with anxiety or depression, especially if the symptoms have a biologically-based etiology, and at the same time have strong mental fitness connected to resilience, grit, gratitude, and so on. We see this in athletes, for example. An athlete can perform well under pressure due to mental fitness but struggle with bipolar disorder (for example) as a part of life.
This brings up an interesting point to consider. I believe that soul health is less about the absence of a struggle and more about our authority over it. If anxiety is present, I lean into the anxiety, learn from it, and operate from courage rather than fear. The anxiety may still be present, but my authority over it fosters resilience, grit, agency, and hope…all related to mental health and mental fitness.
Health Fitness Revolution: In what ways do you envision future AI technologies having the potential to enhance the treatment and management of mental health imbalances?
Dr. Andy Yarborough: I needed some time (and help) to think through this. I do believe that the future of AI in mental health treatment and management holds promise, especially in how we understand, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions. A few, big picture areas (and this is far from exhaustive) include:
- Early detection and diagnosis.
- I think AI’s capacity to analyze large datasets will give us an edge on detecting early warning signs of mental illness and mental health.
- Tailored intervention and treatment plans.
- Considering a person’s personality traits, genetic factors, and sociocultural factors, AI can help generate plans that are specific to individuals and family systems.
- Therapeutic support
- AI can provide helpful information and direction for individuals dealing with mental health issues, especially related to empirically supported, workbook-based interventions (e.g., cognitive-behavioral interventions for specific struggles). Additionally, I use AI to help with tailored client interventions that I may not have considered. By typing in symptoms and my current ideas for a treatment plan, AI helps generate treatment considerations, acting much like a clinical executive assistant for support.
- Monitoring and maintenance
- AI-integrated wearables can help monitor neurophysiological correlates to mental health. For example, a watch can help monitor heart rates to assess the efficacy of deep breathing skills.
- Accessibility and reach
- I do a good bit of cross-cultural and international work. AI has the potential to help with real-time language interpretation. Additionally, AI can likely help with scalable solutions to mental health needs in underserved areas, giving people access to mental health services who are typically disconnected from them.
- Obviously, with all of this, ethical considerations and challenges need to be considered. Monitoring is needed to be sure correct, evidenced based information is provided. Algorithms need to be as bias free as possible, and human oversight needs to be integrated into the process.
- And yes…I used AI to help me answer this question…
Health Fitness Revolution: How do you perceive the unique ways in which each generation approaches and addresses mental health concerns? Please elaborate on the distinct factors and trends that shape the mental health landscape across different generations.
Dr. Andy Yarborough: As a disclaimer, my answer here is a fairly broad generalization. Older generations tend to ignore mental health as a legitimate variable impacting our lives. Again, this is likely mediated by both geography and socio-cultural factors, along with exposure to mental health concerns. My generation (I am almost 45 years old), tends to be aware that mental health is a concern but often does not know how to address the issues. Younger generations are open to addressing mental health, talking about it often. Many young adults post mental health issues on-line for everyone to see. The issue with younger generations is a preoccupation with mental illness with a lack of skills to actually engage mental health and fitness. Younger generations live in chronic anxiety, talking about mental health, but not knowing how to get authority over it. The threads running through each generation that transform these issues from mental illness to growth and mental fitness are intentionality, authority, and the courage to put our hands in the soil of our own souls. We must understand the concept of mental health while having the courage to face ourselves and move with vision towards a life of well-being.
Health Fitness Revolution: Young adults are the first generation to grow up fully immersed in technology- how has this affected their mental health?
Dr. Andy Yarborough: From a positive perspective, technology has provided access to information and resources never really experienced in previous generations. This includes access to mental health resources. Additionally, young adults enjoy a greater level of real-time communication in social support networks. With this however, young adults experience an increased sense of anxiety, depression, social pressure, and cyberbullying. Additionally, face-to-face interactions have decreased, a desperately needed skill and experience to combat the growing epidemic of loneliness. Sleep disruption in young adults due to technology has negatively impacted mental health, and the addictive nature of certain online activities is sabotaging young adults.
Health Fitness Revolution: What is your vision for the state of humanity in the year 2050?
Dr. Andy Yarborough: I live according to a clearly stated mission and vision. My mission: Guiding people into hope, wellness, and life. Each one of these words means something to me. According to Dr. Mark Rutland, vision is mission extended into the future. If I accomplish my mission, the brokenness in people’s lives is healed, people move towards wholistic health, and each person is engaged in a purpose bigger than themselves. So, my vision for humanity by 2050 is that each person and family system is whole, healthier, and engaged in a mission that positively impacts their communities.
Health Fitness Revolution: What are your thoughts on General Surgeon Vivek Murthy’s assertion that loneliness has developed into a significant public health concern in America? I’d like to hear your perspective on this matter.
Dr. Andy Yarborough: When considering the assertion of “public health concern,” one must think about the physical, psychological, and socio-cultural implications on the individual and on society. I agree with Dr. Murthy’s assertion. Loneliness is linked to negative physical health (including increased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, weakened immune functioning, and higher mortality rates); negative mental health (including increases in anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline); negative social health (decreased social support and community engagement); and behavioral consequences (substance abuse, overeating, and a decline in self-care). While several factors play a role in fostering loneliness, I think several solutions exist. The first is personal responsibility. The reality: loneliness is yours…it is mine. No one can “take away our loneliness” if we are not willing to let it go and connect. But the community can play a role as well. By having public health initiatives, engaging healthcare integration methodologies like screening, tapping into technological solutions like social media and on-line based video conferencing, and encouraging community based organizations like churches, communities can give individuals the knowledge and opportunities to connect.
Health Fitness Revolution: What are three practical tips or recommendations you would provide to Americans seeking to prioritize and improve their mental health?”
Dr. Andy Yarborough: A therapist named Bob Hamp said something that has stuck with me for years. “What you seek first organizes the rest of your life.” We can’t foster mental health if we are focused on overcoming mental illness. With this in mind, consider the following:
- Build sustainable rhythms of health in four core areas: spiritual formation, soul care, physical health, and relational health. I know this is broad but if you look up ideas to foster each, pick one that is a sustainable next step for you. What is more important than outcomes here is consistency.
- Learn how to self-lead. Richard Schwartz developed a form of therapy called Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS). He observes that we all have parts, and ideally, these parts are led by our Core Self. When we learn how to lead these parts well, we get authority over our soul. Keep in mind: our authority over unwanted experiences is more important than the absence of those unwanted experiences in our lives.
- Foster curiosity and connection. As you get curious about your own life and experiences, you get curious about the life and experiences of others. This fosters empathy and compassion, helping us connect with those around us in an authentic way. Two great resources: Henri Nouwen’s Reaching Out and Cavanaugh James’ Read the Room.
