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Hi, I’m William Chu, PMHNP-BC.
I’m a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC) devoted to nutritional psychiatry. With deep experience in psychiatric care and seven years as a professional chef, I combine science-based mental health treatments with proper nutrition to achieve long-term mental well-being for my clients.What is MindSync Psychiatry?
MindSync Psychiatry is built on the foundation of nutritional psychiatry. It combines personalized medicine with nutrition to treat and prevent mental health imbalances. The food we eat has a huge impact on brain function, mood, and physical health, which is why nutritional psychiatry focuses using an appropriate diet to improve mental health outcomes.
I provide my clients with thoughtful, carefully considered use of prescription medications and nutraceuticals with nutritional services including personalized diet planning, closely intertwined with mental health care. I believe that effective treatment requires looking beyond just the symptoms and focusing on the person’s overall lifestyle and well-being.
In psychiatry, I recognize the difficulties many clients experience, such as medications providing only temporary relief, experiencing side effects, or fears of becoming reliant on medications. Unfortunately, nutritional guidance is rarely part of the conversation between patients and their healthcare providers, particularly psychiatrists. Medical education, from training to residency, often overlooks the importance of discussing dietary habits, leaving many doctors with minimal knowledge on how to incorporate nutrition into their care.
I believe in a holistic approach to mental health: I don’t just treat your symptoms—I treat you as a person. Of course, nutrition plays a crucial role in this, but so does lifestyle, stress management, and your overall environment. I take all of these factors into account, which means my treatments will help you find true mental wellness that actually lasts.
My Journey
I graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in 2004 and immediately began work as a professional chef. During this time, I gained valuable knowledge about both nutrition and the art of cooking. Creating nourishing, balanced, and delicious meals became second nature for me.
As I was pursuing this career, my passion for psychiatry and mental health began, sparked by the sudden rise in mental health issues in everyone from children to teens to adults. I noticed a strong correlation between the quality of dietary choices and the prevalence of mood dysregulations—and this all culminated in a deep interest in nutritional psychiatry and a fascination for how diet and nutrition can affect mental health.
After seven years working as a chef de cuisine (head chef) and chef consultant, I decided to follow this new interest in mental health: I completed a Master of Science in nursing at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania, officially becoming a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner.
After that, I decided to formalize my nutritional background as well, receiving a Certificate in Nutrition and Healthy Living from Cornell University.
My Philosophy
In 2024, the sad norm for most mental health care is a short consultation, an evaluation of immediate symptoms, and a barrage of medications that provide a temporary fix but fail to actually address the root of the problem.
My philosophy could not be more different: It’s rooted in something called nutritional psychiatry, which argues that mental health is actually downstream from diet. It’s pretty obvious that certain nutrients and eating habits can influence brain function, mood, and mental health conditions like depression and anxiety—for better or for worse. For instance, the wrong foods can affect neurotransmitter function, increase inflammation, and reduce gut health—all of which play roles in mental health. Nutritional psychiatry focuses on adjusting the diet in order to optimize brain function and mental health.
But my philosophy goes still a bit deeper than this. I believe in a holistic approach to mental health: I don’t just treat your symptoms—I treat you as a person. Of course, nutrition plays a crucial role in this, but so does lifestyle, stress management, and your overall environment. I take all of these factors into account, which means my treatments will help you find true mental wellness that actually lasts.
And unlike most practitioners today, my goal isn’t merely to administer treatments myself—it’s to give you the knowledge and tools necessary for you to improve your mental well-being on your own, through smarter dietary and life choices.
Why should you listen to me? Here’s a little bit about my background.
Services Offered
I’ve now spent over a decade in healthcare, working in a wide variety of clinical settings. Through that time, I’ve honed my skills particularly in the fields of psychiatry, neurology, and generalized medical care.
I offer three main services through MindSync Psychiatry:
If you don’t fit neatly into any of those three services, don’t let that stop you from reaching out. While these are my main offerings, my ultimate purpose is to lead you into a healthy mental life, and I’d be more than happy to connect with you, learn about your specific concerns, and do everything I can to meet your unique needs.
MindSync Psychiatry is also heavily invested in our local community here in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. We host a variety of community outreach programs for the purpose of educating individuals and families on nutrition, mental health, and how the two affect one another.
Looking for a provider who listens, treats you individually, and minimizes medication? You’re in the right place. Here’s why:
If you have enough reasons, you can do the most incredible things.
jim rohn