Functional Medicine Psychiatry:
Whole Person Healing
Integrative and Functional Medicine Psychiatry
Metabolic Psychiatry
Ketamine Assisted Therapy
Dr. Erica Burger, DO MPH
Integrative Psychiatrist
A New Path to Mental Wellness
Where brain science meets whole-person healing
Are you looking for more than symptom management?
If you've been told your anxiety, depression, brain fog, or mood swings are "just chemical imbalances," yet medication hasn't brought the relief you hoped for—you're not alone.
Many of my patients arrive after years of treatment that addressed their symptoms but never quite reached the root of their suffering. They often share stories of being told their physical symptoms—digestive issues, fatigue, pain—are "just stress" or unrelated to their mental health.
I believe there's a better way.
Meet Physician and Integrative Psychiatrist, Dr. Erica Burger
A little background:
Four years of medical school at Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Four year residency in Psychiatry at Hennepin Healthcare and Health Partners in Minneapolis, MN
*learn more here
Rotations in perinatal psychiatry at Hennepin Healthcare, advanced training in perinatal psychiatry through Mass General and Postpartum Support International
Certified in integrative psychiatry through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute, as well as completion of training in Precision Psychiatry and The Institute for Functional Medicine
Certified in Ketamine Assisted Therapy through Phil Wolfson, MD at The Ketamine Training Center
Advanced training through the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), ketogenic diet for mental health through psychiatrist Dr. Georgia Ede, Mast Cell Masterminds, ISEAI, Walsh Research Institute, Dr. Neil Nathan, MD, and mentorship with integrative physician Dr. Laurie Radovsky, MD.
I'm your grounded, astrology-loving, research-reading psychiatrist, passionate about helping you feel better and being your trusted mental health advisor and advocate.
Integrative Psychiatry: Where Mind and Body Reconnect
Welcome to a practice that honors the profound connection between your mental health and your physical wellbeing.
Here, we recognize that:
The anxiety keeping you awake might be connected to inflammation in your body
The depression that won't lift could be linked to metabolic changes affecting your brain's energy
The brain fog interfering with your work might share roots with your digestive symptoms
The mood swings medication hasn't helped might improve when we address underlying immune dysfunction
The psychosis or thought disturbances you experience may be influenced by inflammatory processes in the brain
This isn't speculation—it's science. Groundbreaking research is revealing how our immune system, gut health, and metabolism directly impact our mental wellbeing.
Beyond the Standard Approach
Are you experiencing:
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Mental health symptoms alongside autoimmune or inflammatory conditions?
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Persistent anxiety or depression that hasn't fully responded to medication?
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Brain fog, fatigue, or mood changes that began after an infection or illness?
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A sense that there's something physical contributing to your psychological distress?
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Frustration with treatments that address only one piece of a complex puzzle?
If so, you've found a practice that speaks your language.
How We Work Together
My approach integrates the best of conventional psychiatry with cutting-edge insights into the complex relationship between the brain, mind, and the rest of the body. While often categorized as functional medicine, this approach goes beyond labels and one-size-fits-all protocols.
I take a personalized, science-driven approach that moves beyond cookbook medicine, grounding functional medicine principles in a deep understanding of each individual’s unique biology, preferences, and needs.
We'll explore:
The Immune-Brain Connection:
Gut health and brain inflammation play a key role in mental well-being. I address microbiome imbalances, immune dysregulation, and environmental triggers to support mood and cognition.
Metabolic Psychiatry:
Applying principles from Dr. Chris Palmer's "Brain Energy" approach to improve your brain's energy production, potentially resolving symptoms that haven't responded to traditional treatments including ketogenic diet, improving gut microbiome balance, and addressing nutritional deficiencies.
Underlying Contributors:
How nutrient deficiencies, infections, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, microbiome disruption, thought patterns, trauma, and hormonal imbalances may be impacting your mental health from beneath the surface.
Transformative Therapies:
Including ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, which works both by calming inflammation and creating opportunities for deep psychological healing and insight.
Why Patients Choose This Approach
My patients often tell me they've chosen this practice because:
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They finally feel seen as whole people, not just collections of symptoms
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They appreciate having their intuitions about mind-body connections validated by science
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They're relieved to find a psychiatrist who understands conditions like Lyme disease, autoimmune illness, chronic fatigue, mold illness, Long COVID, traumatic brain injuries, or persistent digestive issues in relation to mental health
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They value the combination of conventional psychiatric training with non-pharmacologic options, and innovative, evidence-informed approaches
Is This Approach Right for You?
This practice might be a good fit if you:
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Sense there's more to your mental health challenges than neurotransmitter imbalances alone
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Have tried conventional treatments with limited success
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Experience both mental and physical symptoms that seem connected
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Are interested in a non-siloed approach to mental health, addressing root causes, not just managing symptoms
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Value a collaborative approach where your insights and experiences are respected and honored!
Conditions & Symptoms I Treat
Depression, including treatment-resistant depression
Anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety, panic attacks, and social anxiety
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Bipolar spectrum disorders
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and complex trauma
Dissociative symptoms and depersonalization/derealization
Psychotic disorders and early psychosis
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Autism spectrum conditions, particularly in adults and women
Sleep disorders related to mood and brain function
Core Psychiatric Conditions:
Neuroinflammatory and immune-mediated mental health symptoms
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) with psychiatric manifestations
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and related dysautonomia
Chronic Lyme & co-infections affecting mood, cognition, and emotion regulation
Mold-related illness and mycotoxin exposure with psychiatric symptoms
Post-viral syndromes, including Long COVID and chronic fatigue
Gut-brain dysfunction, including IBS, SIBO, and food sensitivities impacting mental health
Hormone-related mood symptoms (PCOS, PMDD, perimenopause)
Medication-related mood instability, withdrawal, or side effects
Brain fog, executive dysfunction, and cognitive changes with psychiatric overlay
Psychiatry-Informed Complex & Overlapping Conditions:
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