Written by Dr. Matthew Bernstein & Sophie Kwass, LICSW
Accord has officially been open for one year! Over the past twelve months, we’ve witnessed incredible transformations as our clients have embraced lifestyle changes that improve both metabolic and mental health.
From mastering new skills in the kitchen to building strength in the gym, practicing mindfulness, and aligning daily routines with natural circadian rhythms, our clients have built lifelong habits that support symptom stability, sharper focus, greater resilience, and deeper, more meaningful connections. These changes show up not only in daily life, but also in the measurable improvements we see in physical and mental health outcomes.
At Accord, our mission is to make metabolically healthy living both sustainable and enjoyable. Many of the best moments happen outside of formal sessions — sharing laughs on walks by Spy Pond, talking through challenges over meals, and celebrating victories when lab results confirm the progress clients already feel. Some of our proudest memories come from seeing clients light up when they cook a healthy meal for the group or master a skill they once thought was out of reach.
The Rationale Behind Our Approach:
The connection between metabolic health and brain health is not new. The ketogenic diet has been used to treat epilepsy since the 1920s, often succeeding where medications fail. In recent years, these principles — often referred to as metabolic psychiatry — have been applied to mental health with growing success.
In 2021, Dr. Bernstein began applying these strategies in private practice. Recognizing that strict ketogenic diets can be difficult in today’s food environment, he introduced incremental approaches — including low-carbohydrate eating, time-restricted feeding, MCT oil, and targeted exercise. Many clients achieved meaningful results; some adopted full ketogenic diets and saw even greater benefits.
Still, lasting change is hard — especially in a culture that uses highly processed foods for comfort and celebration. Yet when clients reached therapeutic ketosis, the benefits were profound: more energy, better focus, improved mood, reduced anxiety, and decreased inflammation. Food became not just nourishment, but a tool for healing — strengthening mitochondria, repairing the body, and supporting recovery.
Accord was founded to make these benefits accessible in an immersive, supportive environment — a place where clients could experience results within weeks and build the skills to sustain them long-term. Unlike medication, these lifestyle changes continue to generate benefits month after month.
Data That Inspires:
Because our approach is innovative, we make it a priority to track outcomes closely. Clients participate in regular screenings, body composition measurements, lab testing, and mental health assessments. This provides immediate feedback and helps clients see the mind–body connection in real time — like how anxiety impacts blood glucose, and how mindfulness or breathing can reduce both cortisol and glucose within minutes.
We also track weekly self-reported symptom scales, which help clients see their own progress and allow us to refine the program for maximum benefit.
The results from our first year are powerful:
- Functioning: On the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0), clients saw a 61% reduction in disability scores, with the greatest gains in household responsibilities, community engagement, and concentration.
- Quality of Life: Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) scores improved significantly in just weeks.
- Psychiatric Symptoms: DSM-5 Cross-Cutting Scale results showed meaningful reductions in mood, anxiety, and sleep disturbance.
- Physical Health: Clients saw reductions in weight, BMI, HbA1c, triglycerides, insulin resistance, and visceral fat — critical markers for long-term health.
Learn more about client outcomes at Accord here.
Moments That Stay With Us:
While the data is inspiring, some of the most meaningful changes are best captured in moments:
- A parent sharing that their child smiled for the first time in years.
- A client expressing a desire to live for the first time in a long time.
- Family members seeing their loved one’s true personality emerge again.
- Clients cooking their first healthy meal start-to-finish, then sharing it with pride.
These stories remind us why we do this work — and how much is possible when people are given the right tools, environment, and support.
Looking Ahead:
We are in awe of what our clients and staff have achieved in just one year — and we know this is only the beginning. The past twelve months have confirmed what we believed when we opened our doors: with the right guidance and environment, people can achieve life-changing improvements in both mental and physical health.
If you’re curious about Accord or ready to explore making meaningful lifestyle changes, we’d love to connect. Here’s to another year of transformation, health, healing, and hope.
