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Whole-Person Psychiatry & Psychology

Understand why you
feel, think, and behave
the way you do.

🧠 Psychiatry 🧬 Psychology ⚡ Whole-Person Care

I'm Dr. Fiona Mao, a dual-certified psychiatric and family nurse practitioner. I explain mental health through psychiatry, psychology, medicine, and the whole-person factors — including nutrition, hormones, sleep, and inflammation — that can shape how you feel and function. The goal isn't to label you. It's to help you understand you.

Your symptoms tell a story. Your biology may hold clues. Understanding comes first.

17+
Years Experience
Board Certified NP
DNP
Doctoral Degree
TX
Licensed in Texas
Grounded In Peer-Reviewed Research Evidence-Tiered Claims Dual Board Certification
Not Sure Where to Start?

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"I want to understand my symptoms."
Watch Brain Check →
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The Signature Process

Let's Run a Brain Check

Your symptoms tell a story. Your biology may hold clues. A Brain Check looks at the psychiatric, psychological, medical, medication, sleep, stress, hormonal, nutritional, and metabolic factors that may be contributing.

Your body is always talking. Your brain is listening. Let's run a Brain Check.

🧠 Free · No Payment Required

A Yearly Mental-Health &
Brain-Function Self-Check

Annual Brain Check™ is a yearly self-reflection tool. Brain Check is Dr. Fiona Mao's educational process for examining mental-health questions and popular claims.

Seven questions. Five minutes. Your personal reflection summary — free, right here, right now.

For self-reflection — not diagnosis.

One day, I hope checking in on mental health becomes as routine as an annual physical.

✓ 100% Free · No Payment Required
Dr. Fiona Mao

The Annual Brain Check™

Your free 5-minute mental-health and brain-function self-check

A yearly self-reflection tool — seven quick questions and an instant snapshot. No diagnosis is made.

⏱ 5 minutes
🧠 7 questions
📊 Instant results
FM
Dr. Fiona Mao
DNP · PMHNP-BC · FNP-C

Want the full workbook with trackers, journaling prompts, and a 5-year tracking system? See the Complete Workbook →

This tool is for educational and self-reflection purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, does not diagnose or treat any condition, and does not create a patient-provider relationship. Bring any concerns to your own licensed healthcare provider. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.

The Annual Brain Check™

Free Version · Dr. Fiona Mao

1 of 7
Question 1 of 7 · Sleep

How has your sleep been over the past few months?

Sleep is when your brain restores itself. It's the single highest-leverage input into your mood system.
5
Sometimes restless, sometimes okay
1 — Very poor10 — Excellent
Question 2 of 7 · Energy

How is your energy and vitality day to day?

Low energy can be influenced by sleep, mood, medical conditions, medications, stress, nutrition, and metabolic health.
5
Some good days, some depleted days
1 — Chronically depleted10 — Strong & consistent
Question 3 of 7 · Enjoyment

Are you finding pleasure and meaning in daily life?

Reduced enjoyment can occur with depression, chronic stress, burnout, grief, medication effects, and other psychological or medical contributors.
5
Some enjoyment, but not as much as usual
1 — Very little10 — Rich & engaged
Question 4 of 7 · Mood

How stable and manageable has your mood been?

Mood stability can be influenced by psychiatric symptoms, relationships, stress, sleep, hormones, medications, medical conditions, and metabolism.
5
Mostly stable with occasional rough patches
1 — Reactive/low10 — Stable
Question 5 of 7 · Concentration

How sharp and focused does your thinking feel?

Difficulty concentrating can occur with ADHD, anxiety, depression, trauma, poor sleep, medication effects, and medical conditions.
5
Some brain fog, some clarity
1 — Significant fog10 — Sharp & clear
Question 6 of 7 · Connection

How connected do you feel to the people in your life?

Feeling disconnected may reflect depression, anxiety, trauma, burnout, relationship strain, social conditions, or physical depletion.
5
Some connection, some isolation
1 — Isolated10 — Well-connected
Question 7 of 7 · Overall

Overall — how is your brain doing compared to a year ago?

Year-over-year comparison is the most valuable data point in this check-in.
5
About the same as last year
1 — Worse10 — Better
🧠

Your Brain Check is ready

Enter your email to see your personal reflection summary — plus get reminded to do your next Annual Brain Check in 12 months. No spam, ever.

By submitting, you'll join Dr. Fiona Mao's email list for brain health education and an annual reminder. Unsubscribe anytime. Your information is not sold. See privacy practices.

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Your Brain Check Results

A quick snapshot of where things stand today.

Go Deeper

The Annual Brain Check™ — Complete Workbook

You just got a snapshot. The Complete Workbook gives you the full picture — trackers, journaling prompts, and a system to follow your brain health for years, not just one quick check-in.

All 7 domains with deep-dive journaling prompts
Metabolic snapshot — blood sugar, sleep, stress, labs
Medication & supplement tracker
Sleep, mood & brain fog trackers
One-year action plan + 5-year tracking system
60+ pages · beautifully designed · printable
Get the Complete Workbook →
Just $29 · one-time · yours forever
Important Reminder This is a self-reflection tool for educational purposes only. It does not diagnose any condition or constitute medical advice. If you noticed low scores in any domain, bring these results to your own licensed provider. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.

Want the full system — journaling prompts, weekly trackers, and 5-year tracking? See the Complete Workbook ($29) →


Free Download

5 Labs That May Be Worth Discussing

A guide to selected metabolic and nutritional markers that may be considered when symptoms, history, medications, or treatment response suggest they could be relevant. Download the free guide and bring it to your next appointment. No payment required.

Get Free Guide →

Dr. Fiona Mao may financially benefit from purchases made through this page. Some external links may be affiliate links. Educational recommendations are not a substitute for individualized medical care.


The Framework

The Brain Battery & the Six Drivers

Feeling drained does not mean you are broken.
Psychiatric symptoms can have psychological, relational, medical, medication-related, environmental, and biological contributors. The Brain Battery helps explain some of the changeable inputs — not the whole diagnosis.
"Charge or Drain?"
When biological or lifestyle contributors may be relevant, we ask: which driver, if any, may be charging or draining the system?
🥗

Nutrition

What actually reaches your cells. Blood-sugar stability, protein, and the gut-brain connection shape energy, cravings, focus, and mood.

star mechanism: blood sugar
🔥

Inflammation

Inflammation can affect neurotransmitters, motivation, pain, fatigue, and mood. Symptoms can be biological signals, not character flaws.

the "brain on fire" throughline
😴

Sleep

Sleep is not optional maintenance. It is a core treatment target for mood, anxiety, memory, and resilience.

the overnight recharge
🧬

Hormones

Cortisol, thyroid, and reproductive hormones set the tone for how you feel. Shifts across the month or a life stage can change everything.

the messengers of tone
🏃

Movement

Movement is how the body signals the brain to build, adapt, and regulate mood — one of the most reliable levers we have, and one of the most overlooked.

a lever you control

Stress

Chronic stress physiology — and the weight of past stress — can keep the alarm system switched on. Whether it ever powers down shapes mood, sleep, and focus.

the alarm system
Metabolism isn't a seventh driver — it's the battery itself. The six drivers are the inputs you can move; the metabolic battery is what they charge or drain. Metabolic psychiatry doesn't replace standard psychiatry — it expands the lens by asking which driver your brain needs supported.

The Whole-Person Picture

What May Be Affecting How You Feel?

Mental health rarely comes from one place. These are the categories a Brain Check moves through — and every explanation ends with something practical you can use.

🧭

The Psychiatric Pattern

Anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, burnout, compulsive patterns, medication effects, and relationship stress may overlap.

🧬

The Whole-Person Contributors

Sleep, hormones, nutrition, inflammation, illness, medications, metabolism, environment, and life load may all matter.

🧩

The Practical Next Step

Every explanation ends with a therapy-informed skill, a question to bring to your provider, or guidance on when professional evaluation may help.

"The people who need this information the most are often the ones sitting in fifteen-minute appointments that leave them with more questions than answers. That changes here."

— Dr. Fiona Mao, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC · FNP-C


Weekly YouTube Show

Ask Dr. Fiona

Every week I answer real questions from real people about mental health, medication, whole-person psychiatry, and the connection between your body and your mind. Questions are presented without identifying details and answered with evidence-informed education in plain language.

Submit a Question → Watch on YouTube →
Latest episode: We Get Annual Physicals — Why Not Annual Brain Checkups?
Why Stress Can Make You Snap at the People You Love
Why You Feel Anxious Every Afternoon
About Dr. Fi

The Clinician Behind the Voice

DrFionaMao.com exists to make the biology of brain health accessible, actionable, and routine — before crisis, not after.

I am a Doctor of Nursing Practice with dual board certifications — Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner. I own Clarity Mind and Integrative Wellness in Texas, where I provide whole-person psychiatric care that includes medication management, supportive and therapy-informed interventions, and consideration of relevant medical, metabolic, hormonal, sleep, nutritional, and lifestyle contributors. Metabolic psychiatry is one part of that broader clinical approach.

My clinical background spans private practice, long-term care, telehealth, psychiatric consultation for oncology patients, surgical nursing, COVID-19 frontline work at Jacobi Hospital in New York City, a locked psychiatric unit, and correctional facility nursing. I have also served as academic faculty. I am the co-author of the bestseller The Gap.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Psychiatric Mental Health NP — Board Certified (PMHNP-BC)
Family Nurse Practitioner — Certified (FNP-C)
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
Licensed in Texas · Clarity Mind and Integrative Wellness
Whole-Person Psychiatry · Mind, Body & Behavior

I built this platform because of a gap I kept seeing in clinical practice. Patients who had been trying to get better for years — trying medication after medication, going to appointment after appointment — and still not feeling well.

I kept seeing patients whose care focused on one piece at a time — medication without enough context, therapy without medical contributors being considered, or laboratory findings without attention to the psychiatric experience. My approach brings together psychiatry, psychology, medication, relationships, behavior, sleep, hormones, medical conditions, nutrition, and metabolism.

I am a Black woman who has also watched my community suffer in silence around mental health for too long. The distrust of the medical system in Black communities is historically grounded and completely understandable. What I am building is a bridge — between the clinical evidence and the communities that have been most failed by the gaps in standard care.

This platform is for people whose symptoms have persisted despite treatment and who want to understand the broader psychiatric, psychological, medication-related, medical, relational, and lifestyle factors that may deserve discussion with their care team. For the women whose mood changed at forty and were told it was just stress. For the families who handle their problems inside their four walls because that is what survival required.

I am here because you deserve a full clinical picture. And you deserve someone who will explain it clearly.


Clinical Background

Where I Have Practiced

Present

Clarity Mind and Integrative Wellness

Owner and clinical provider · Whole-person psychiatric practice · Texas

Present

Long-Term Care Psychiatric Provider

Psychiatric mental health NP services for long-term care facilities

Prior

Locked Psychiatric Unit

Charge nurse · Inpatient psychiatric care · High-acuity clinical environment

Prior

Jacobi Hospital — COVID-19 Frontline

New York City · Critical care frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic

Prior

Correctional Facility Nursing

Mental health and primary care in a correctional healthcare environment

Prior

Psychiatric Consultation — Oncology Setting

Psychiatric mental health support for patients in oncology settings

Prior

Surgical Nursing

Nursing care in surgical settings prior to NP practice

Prior

Academic Faculty

Nursing education

"My family — Miles, Faraja, Faiza, and Fae — is the dedication of everything I build. This work is for them first."

— Dr. Fiona Mao

Clinical Services

Clinical Care

Direct clinical services at Clarity Mind and Integrative Wellness — separate from the educational content on this site. Brain Check, the Annual Brain Check™, and the Six Drivers framework are educational tools; they are not part of, and do not replace, individualized clinical care.

Conditions Treated

Anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, trauma-related symptoms, perinatal and perimenopausal mood changes, insomnia, and related psychiatric concerns.

Services

Medication management
Supportive, therapy-informed care alongside medication management
Integrative evaluation, including consideration of relevant medical, metabolic, hormonal, sleep, and nutritional contributors when clinically appropriate

Insurance & Payment

Cash-pay and select insurance options — confirm current details when booking.

States Served

Clinical services are available only in states where Dr. Mao currently holds the appropriate license, has prescribing authorization when required, and is actively accepting patients. Eligibility varies by state — currently Texas. Confirm current availability when booking.

Ages Seen

Adults, children, and teens — confirm age eligibility when booking.

Not Appropriate For

Emergencies or urgent medical concerns. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911.

Important: Brain Check, the Annual Brain Check™, and all educational content on this site are for educational purposes only. They do not diagnose or treat any condition, do not create a patient-provider relationship, and are not a substitute for the clinical care described on this page.

Book Appointment →
Press · Speaking · Clinicians

Other Ways to Connect

Press · Speaking · Media

Press & Speaking

Media appearances, expert commentary, podcast interviews, conference speaking, and entertainment industry consulting inquiries.

fiona@drfionamao.com
Send Email →
Clinicians · Partnerships

Clinician Inquiries

Clinical education partnerships, CE course licensing, CME collaboration, and clinician referral network inquiries.

fiona@drfionamao.com
Send Inquiry →
Clinical Resources · Stan Store

Tools to Take to Your Provider

Free guides, educational condition guides, and provider-discussion resources covering the psychiatric, psychological, medical, and lifestyle factors that may be relevant to your care. Start with the Annual Brain Check™ or the free lab guide — then go deeper.

Free Downloads
🔬
Free Download

5 Labs That May Be Worth Discussing

Selected metabolic and nutritional markers that may be worth discussing with your provider, depending on your symptoms, history, and treatment response. Fasting insulin, high-sensitivity CRP, full thyroid panel, vitamin D, and more. Download it. Print it. Bring it to your next appointment.

Download Free →
Free Download

The Anxiety Checklist

Ten questions to help you discuss possible medical, medication, sleep, hormonal, nutritional, psychological, and metabolic contributors with your psychiatric provider — covering pharmacogenomics, inflammation, thyroid, blood sugar stability, and hormone evaluation, and whether selected testing may be relevant. Plain language. Ready to use.

Download Free →
Only the two resources above are free
Educational Condition Guides

Looking for More?

Educational guides covering Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, and Bipolar Disorder are available in the Stan Store — questions viewers may discuss with their clinicians, lab-discussion guidance, and more. These guides do not provide individualized diagnosis, medication changes, laboratory orders, or supplement treatment plans. For Bipolar Disorder specifically, supplement, dietary, and medication decisions should be coordinated with your treating psychiatric clinician.

Browse Guides →
The Metabolic Lab Panel

Depending on your symptoms, medical history, medication use, and previous treatment response, your clinician may consider selected laboratory testing as part of a broader evaluation. The markers below are commonly discussed in that conversation.

Lab Test What It Measures Why It May Be Relevant to Mental Health How Clinicians May Interpret It
Fasting InsulinInsulin resistance (early marker)May be relevant to mood and cognitive symptoms in some patientsInterpretation depends on lab method, history, symptoms, medications, and clinical guidelines
HbA1c3-month average blood sugarChronic blood sugar elevation may affect neurotransmitter functionInterpretation depends on lab method, history, symptoms, medications, and clinical guidelines
High-Sensitivity CRPSystemic inflammationElevated inflammatory markers may be associated with treatment response in some patientsInterpretation depends on lab method, history, symptoms, medications, and clinical guidelines
Full Thyroid PanelTSH, Free T3, Free T4Thyroid dysfunction can present with mood and cognitive symptomsInterpretation depends on lab method, history, symptoms, medications, and clinical guidelines
Vitamin D 25-OHVitamin D statusDeficiency has been associated with mood and cognitive symptoms in some studiesInterpretation depends on lab method, history, symptoms, medications, and clinical guidelines
B12 + HomocysteineNeurological nutrient statusDeficiency can affect mood and cognition; elevated homocysteine has other health implicationsInterpretation depends on lab method, history, symptoms, medications, and clinical guidelines
Fasting LipidsTriglycerides + HDL ratioMay reflect broader metabolic health relevant to some treatment discussionsInterpretation depends on lab method, history, symptoms, medications, and clinical guidelines
Magnesium (RBC)Cellular magnesiumMay be relevant to stress-response and neurological function in some patientsInterpretation depends on lab method, history, symptoms, medications, and clinical guidelines

Note: This lab guide is for educational purposes only and does not replace individualized interpretation by your treating clinician. It does not indicate that abnormal results explain any specific psychiatric symptom. Lab interpretation requires clinical context — work with your own licensed provider to order, interpret, and act on any results.

How This Content Is Made

Editorial Standards

A plain-language explanation of how Brain Check, the Annual Brain Check™, and the educational resources on this site are researched, reviewed, and corrected.

How Sources Are Selected

Peer-reviewed research, clinical practice guidelines, and established textbooks are prioritized over single studies or preliminary findings.

How Claims Are Evidence-Tiered

Each claim is labeled as established (broad clinical consensus), emerging (promising but still developing evidence), or uncertain (mixed or limited evidence) wherever that distinction matters.

How Supplements & Products Are Reviewed

Any supplement or product mentioned is evaluated against the same evidence-tiering standard as any clinical claim before it is discussed or recommended.

Conflicts of Interest

Dr. Fiona Mao may financially benefit from products linked on this site, including through Stan Store and affiliate links. This is disclosed near relevant links throughout the site.

Corrections

Medical evidence evolves. If an error or important omission is identified, the content is reviewed and corrected. Significant corrections are noted on the page.

What This Content Is — and Isn't

Educational content on this site does not replace individualized clinical care. Patient-style stories referenced in videos or articles are fictionalized composites, not real patient cases.

Questions about a specific claim or source on this site? Reach out via the contact options on the Clinical Care page.

Mood · Metabolism · Mental Health

The Clarity Journal

Evidence-informed explanations for the questions people ask when their mood, focus, sleep, hormones, medication, stress, and physical health begin to overlap. Written to help you understand patterns, prepare better questions, and know when to seek individualized care.

Get new Clarity Journal articles by email.

One useful article at a time. No daily inbox clutter.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Your information is handled according to the site's privacy practices.


Featured Article
Brain & Cognition

Brain Fog Is a Symptom, Not a Diagnosis

“Brain fog” can describe slowed thinking, poor concentration, forgetfulness, word-finding difficulty, or feeling mentally detached. The phrase is useful—but it does not identify the cause. This article shows how to think through the psychiatric, medical, medication, sleep, hormonal, nutritional, and post-infectious possibilities.

By Dr. Fiona MaoJuly 23, 20268-minute read
Read the Article →

Next in the Journal

More questions worth clarifying

Anxiety · ADHD

Anxiety or ADHD? Why the Two Are Commonly Confused

Restlessness, racing thoughts, procrastination, and difficulty focusing can occur in both. The pattern and timeline matter.

Upcoming issue
The High-Functioning Mind

High-Functioning Anxiety: When Success Hides Distress

Achievement can conceal chronic tension, reassurance-seeking, perfectionism, and fear-driven productivity.

Upcoming issue
Women’s Mental Health

PMDD Versus PMS: When Monthly Mood Changes Need Attention

How timing, severity, impairment, and symptom tracking help distinguish ordinary cycle changes from a more serious pattern.

Upcoming issue
Medication Clarity

What Psychiatric Medication Should—and Should Not—Feel Like

A practical framework for discussing benefits, side effects, emotional blunting, expectations, and follow-up with your prescriber.

Upcoming issue
ADHDAnxietyDepressionWomen’s Mental HealthTherapy SkillsMedication ClarityTeen Mental HealthSleep & Metabolism
Weekly Mental Health Q&A Show

Your Question.
An Evidence-Informed Educational Answer.

Every week I answer real questions from real people about mental health, whole-person psychiatry, medication, and the connection between your body and your mind. Questions may be submitted without a name and are edited to remove identifying details before public discussion. No judgment. Clear education. I explain the psychiatric, psychological, medical, medication, and lifestyle factors that viewers may discuss with their own clinicians.

Submit Your Question → Watch on YouTube →

How It Works

Three Steps to Your Answer

01

Submit Without Your Name

Fill out the short form in my bio. You may submit without including your name — please don't include information that could identify you or another person.

02

I Answer It

Every Thursday a new episode answers two questions with an evidence-informed explanation plus a Clinical Pearl takeaway.

03

Take It to Your Provider

Use what you learn to ask better questions and advocate for a more complete evaluation. This show is educational — not a substitute for your care.


Submit Your Question

Submit Your Question

You may submit without including your name. Please do not include information that could identify you or another person. Submissions may be edited, combined, or paraphrased for educational use.

✍️

Submit Your Question

Fill out the short question form. Your name and email are optional. Please do not include details that could identify you or another person. Include as much or as little detail as you are comfortable sharing. The more context you provide the more useful my answer will be on the show.

Your email address is optional and will not be used for marketing through this question form. It will be handled according to the site's privacy practices.

By submitting, you give permission for the question to be paraphrased, combined with similar questions, and discussed publicly in educational content. Do not submit names, dates of birth, workplaces, addresses, medical-record documents, or other identifying details. Submitting a question does not create a patient-provider relationship and is not appropriate for emergencies or urgent medical concerns.

Open Question Form →

What Makes a Great Question

Specific beats general — "I've tried three antidepressants and none worked, what might I be missing?" is more useful than "How do I treat depression?"
Include context — age, diagnosis if known, medications tried, symptoms, and what you have already attempted.
Cultural and family mental health questions are especially welcome — this show is built for communities historically underserved by mental health care.
I cannot review your specific medical records or provide a clinical consultation. For clinical care, see the Clinical Care page for current states served and eligibility.

Important: Ask Dr. Fiona is an educational show. Nothing answered constitutes medical advice or creates a patient-provider relationship. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 immediately.


Topics We Cover

Your Question Belongs Here

Anxiety
Depression
ADHD
Sleep
Perimenopause
Bipolar Disorder
Medication Questions
Gut-Brain Health
Insulin Resistance
Inflammation
Treatment Resistance
Panic Attacks
Postpartum Depression
Addiction
Cultural Stigma
Family Systems
GLP-1 Medications
Burnout vs Depression
Lab Interpretation
Supplements
Black Mental Health
Faith & Psychiatry
Clinical Care · Press · Speaking

Other Ways to Connect

Ask Dr. Fiona is an educational show — not a clinical service. For direct clinical care, press, and speaking, use the contacts below, or visit the Clinical Care page for full details on services and eligibility.

Texas Patients

Become a Patient

Dr. Fiona Mao sees patients at Clarity Mind and Integrative Wellness in Texas. New patient inquiries and telehealth available for Texas residents.

Clarity Mind and Integrative Wellness
Book Appointment →
Press · Speaking · Media

Press & Speaking

Media appearances, expert commentary, podcast interviews, conference speaking, and entertainment industry consulting inquiries.

fiona@drfionamao.com
Send Email →
Clinicians · Partnerships

Clinician Inquiries

Clinical education partnerships, CE course licensing, CME collaboration, and clinician referral network inquiries.

fiona@drfionamao.com
Send Inquiry →