MY STORY

Hello everyone.

I am Derrick Forsythe, a mental health counselor in suburban St. Louis and health coach trained through the Institute for Functional Medicine of the Cleveland Clinic.

My health and wellness Journey

I made the transition into healthcare from my previous career in the journalism field in June of 2015. At the time, I believed treating mental health patients was about using conventional medicine and coping skills.

But through a tremendous amount of independent research and reading, along with my own personal experiences, I have come to realize that healing and optimal health goes beyond treating the symptoms.

It starts with prevention.

During the summer of 2016 one of the student-athletes I mentored was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. In an effort to support him, I changed my own diet to simulate that of a diabetic. I had no intentions of personal benefit, but within a few months I began noticing dramatic changes in my health and quality of life. Without processed sugar and a few other damaging foods, I was no longer experiencing daily headaches, chronic back and neck inflammation, shin splints and fatigue. I was sleeping better, had more sustainable energy and enjoying better outcomes at work.

I was fascinated, so I began studying this.

forging a career path

A few years later I have consumed thousands of pages of literature and hundreds of hours of lectures on the topic. I have dramatically altered my diet, workout routine and sleep habits. In addition, I have taken control of my mental health through prayer, mindfulness, yoga and being well in-tuned with my body.

The biggest takeaway I have gathered is that man’s mistakes have gotten us into this conundrum we face today. People are living in a chronic state of pain, fear, misery, regret and remorse. It doesn’t have to be that way.

One of the most liberating understandings I’ve come to is how much control I have over my life — what I eat, how I feel, where I work, how I spend my time and money, who I influence and how, who influences me — and the list goes on.

Knowing that overall health is a reflection of how we are doing in many smaller areas of life has helped me realize it needs to be addressed from a holistic approach.

This is why I want to help people do more than treat the symptoms, but rather to get to the root cause of the problem. I want to help them understand that being well doesn’t just mean being free of disease or sickness. It doesn’t mean just getting by and staying within our comfort zone.

Instead, it means having the energy and vitality to blaze through the day accomplishing more than ever thought possible. It means having the discipline and will power to make the decisions that yield the best outcomes for your long-term health and life.

It is my hope that you will join me on this journey.

education and background

I am originally from Northeast Missouri, graduating from Paris High School.

I graduated with a Journalism degree from Hannibal-LaGrange College and spent my 20s working as sports editor at the Warren County Record.

I began mentoring student athletes during that time and decided to return to school to pursue my counseling degree, graduating from Missouri Baptist University in 2017. During that I was working at Compass Health Network, where I worked as a family assistant and integrated health specialist from 2015 to 2019.

Me as a Person

I am a Christian and believe faith and prayer are foundational elements of the healing process. I enjoy worship music and starting my day off with scripture reading and a “spiritual triathlon.”

I also believe in being a lifelong learner and have my own library of resources that I refer to daily. I am constantly reading, listening to podcasts and watching videos to expand my knowledge.

Fun Facts About Me

I enjoy fishing, hiking, traveling and meeting new people on my adventures.

I am a foodie and love creating in the kitchen, although I rarely use recipes.

I enjoy hot yoga, reading nonfiction, writing and photography.

I am progressively working toward becoming a minimalist.

I left social media in June 2020 and have not returned.

I have not owned a TV since 2015.

I have traveled to 48 states.

I do a cold-water plunge every morning.

I once ran a 52-mile race along Long Beach.

I have hiked across the Grand Canyon three times.

Favorite Places: Estes Park, Barathaven Lake, my patio early in the morning.

Favorite Workouts: Functional fitness at F45, hot yoga, hiking or running.

Favorite Books: Man’s Search for Meaning, Unconventional Medicine.

Favorite Music: Christian Worship, Country or DJ Dance Mixes.

Favorite Foods: Bison, Elk, Salmon.

Favorite Restaurant: St. Elmo’s Steakhouse.

Favorite Animals: Buffalo and Alligator.

Favorite Colors: Blue and Orange.