Dr Hector Trauma Informed Psychiatry

Dr Hector Trauma Informed Psychiatry

What drives someone to seek a life shaped by both science and soul? This chat between psychotherapist Jeff Friedman and integrative psychiatrist Dr Hector gives you a front-row seat to that question.

A former fashion photographer in Miami, Dr Hector explains how years spent building trust with models laid the foundation for his current work: "For me, human connection is important." Now, as an integrative psychiatrist, he focuses on how the brain, nervous system, immune system and gut all interact, especially under trauma and chronic stress.

You’ll hear him describe patients whose skin rashes improved through calming the nervous system, prompting one to ask, "Are you like a magician?"—a moment he answers with science instead of mystique. The episode is especially useful if you're dealing with trauma, immigrant stress, or burnout.

Dr Hector talks about "the migrating brain" and immigrant trauma in Miami, seeing the city as a hub where people "are running away from that person or that system or that place that caused a lot of stress". He contrasts those who get stuck in PTSD with those who build resilience quickly by creating support systems and community.

You’ll also get practical ideas: he explains why movement, culture-specific dance, friendship and discipline matter more than motivation; why he loves tools like SPECT brain imaging, neurofeedback and peptides; and why simple supplements such as omega-3, tyrosine and GABA can be helpful for stressed, survival-mode brains. The tone stays relaxed and curious, with a mix of clinical knowledge, personal anecdotes and a bit of humour about Miami’s gym obsession and resistance to authority.

Anyone interested in trauma recovery, addiction, immigrant experience or holistic psychiatry will find plenty to think about and discuss later. Could shifting focus from symptoms to resilience and connection change how you approach your own healing?