Could ketogenic therapy help people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders engage more successfully with CBT? A new conceptual framework explores this powerful adjunctive approach.

CBTp is considered a gold-standard treatment for schizophrenia spectrum disorders, but many patients struggle to initiate, participate in, and complete it. Cognitive deficits, sleep disturbances, low distress tolerance, and ongoing psychotic symptoms can all stand in the way. In this conversation, Dr. Bret Scher sits down with licensed clinical social worker Nicole Laurent to discuss her recently published paper in Frontiers in Psychology, exploring how ketogenic metabolic therapy could help bridge that gap.

In this conversation, you'll learn:

• Why CBTp is so cognitively demanding and where patients tend to struggle
• How ketogenic therapy may reduce key barriers like sleep issues, distress tolerance, and cognitive impairment
• What a conceptual analysis paper is and why it matters for shaping future research
• How clinicians and researchers can begin integrating these ideas into practice
• Whether this framework could extend to CBT for depression, OCD, and anxiety

This discussion opens the door to thinking about ketogenic therapy not only as a direct treatment for psychiatric symptoms, but as a powerful adjunctive tool that could help patients engage more fully with the rest of their care.

👉 Research focused on ketogenic therapy and schizophrenia continues to grow, check out the latest on our Schizophrenia Topic Page: metabolicmind.org/resources/topics/schizophrenia/

🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.

#KetogenicTherapy #MetabolicMind #Schizophrenia

Expert Featured:

Nicole Laurent, LMHC

• https://www.instagram.com/mentalhealthketo/
• https://mentalhealthketo.com/nicole-laurent-lmhc-about-me/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/nlaurent/

Experts mentioned:

Dr. Guido Frank

• https://www.instagram.com/ucsdfranklab/
• linkedin.com/in/guido-k-w-frank-b7b42172
• https://profiles.ucsd.edu/guido.frank

Dr. Albert Danan

Shebani Sethi, MD, ABOM

• https://www.metabolicmind.org/team/shebani-sethi-md-abom/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsethi/?_l=en_US
• https://x.com/ShebaniMD

Resources Mentioned:

• https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1775511/full

• https://youtu.be/vsk5kl5sa7M

Free CME Clinician Trainings:

Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.

Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits: https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/?utm_medium=organic-social&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=cme-yt

Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.

Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/

About us:

Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.

Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.