About this course

Learning Objectives

• Explain the gut-brain connection and its role in mental health, including how gut microbiota influence mood, cognition, and emotional regulation.
• Assess nutritional and lifestyle factors that contribute to gut health and their implications for mental well- being in diverse populations.
• Apply ethical and culturally competent strategies to integrate gut health and nutrition-based interventions into clinical practice while maintaining scope of practice and client autonomy.
• Identify chakra-based nutrition principles, including foods, herbs, and practices that support energy balance and emotional resilience.

Learning Levels

• All levels

Course Instructor(s)

• 

  Vanessa Holliman, LCSW

  Vanessa Holliman, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, founder of BEing Wholistic LLC, and practices Integrative Mind-Body-Spirit Social Work. Her work is rooted in the belief that healing trauma, especially the niche of adult sexual trauma, requires addressing the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. With training in psychotherapy, holistic nutrition, functional movement, astrology, and energy modalities like Usui & Holy Fire Reiki, she’s developed an integrated approach to help beings reconnect with their true self. and her mission is to help beings navigate life’s transitions, break free from limiting beliefs, and align with the life they’re meant to live.

  Vanessa has spent over 10 years working within community mental health and county correctional health systems. Her experience spans managing Supportive and Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams serving the Seriously Mentally Ill, acting as a Preceptor within correctional mental health departments, and was an peer and leadership auditor for the county's Regional Behavioral Health Authority for 3 years, ensuring both ACT and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration SAMHSA services met standards of care and were documented appropriately. In both 2024 and 2025, Vanessa's psychotherapy practice passed insurance including Medicaid documentation audits utilizing the methods she teaches.

Disclosure

References

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