Meet Minh Nguyen | Child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Minh Nguyen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Minh, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I first started residency, I loved psychiatry — the people, the stories, the transformation that can happen when someone finally feels understood. But I quickly realized how much of medicine is shaped by systems that don’t always make sense. There were hierarchies where attendings told me what to do even when I was the one who actually met the patient. We’d discharge patients who were still suicidal because their insurance wouldn’t cover another day, or deny medication because a policy decided it wasn’t “appropriate.”
Over and over, I saw patients fall through the cracks. People who needed care, but were trapped in a system designed around efficiency, and profit, not healing. I created Cedar Integrative Psychiatry because I wanted to practice differently, to have the freedom to do what actually makes sense for each individual, to give people autonomy and time, to listen, and to address all the factors involved in mental health. To talk to their therapist and understand who they are, not just adjust a medication and wonder why they weren’t better at the next visit.
For me, Cedar is a way to practice psychiatry the way it was meant to be — slow enough to think, connected enough to care, and free enough to do what actually helps.

What should our readers know about your business?
Cedar Integrative Psychiatry grew out of a simple idea: psychiatry should feel human again. I wanted to create a space where people could actually take a breath, where appointments weren’t rushed, and where we could talk about all the things that make up mental health: sleep, food, relationships, identity, purpose, and the body. Sessions are intentionally longer and collaborative, with space to understand the full person, not just the diagnosis.
Starting this practice definitely wasn’t easy. I left the stability of traditional systems to build something that aligned with my values, and there were moments I doubted whether this slower, depth-oriented model could survive in today’s world. But I kept meeting patients who reminded me exactly why it had to exist and I learned that when you lead with integrity, the right people will find you. Cedar is proof that it’s possible to build a meaningful, sustainable practice without compromising your values.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was visiting, I’d want to give them a mix of Boulder favorites and a little Colorado adventure. We’d probably start at Common Threads for some thrifting, then head to Corrida or the rooftop at Avanti for a drink, good food, and a view of the Flatirons.
For a long weekend, we’d drive up to Twin Lakes or Leadville for hiking and camping — nothing elaborate or intense, but something beautiful enough to feel like a small feat. The kind of trail that helps you move out of your head and back into your body, out of work mode and into the grounded humans we forget we are.
Before they left, we’d stop at Acreage in for a cider with my dog. The view there is hard to beat, especially at sunset — the perfect way to end a week here: relaxed, beautiful, and exactly what Colorado does best!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ve been incredibly lucky to have mentors and colleagues who’ve modeled what it looks like to lead with integrity, people who reminded me that slowing down, asking better questions, and prioritizing humanity over protocol isn’t just allowed, it’s essential.
I also want to give credit to the therapists I collaborate with, especially those who’ve taken the time, even on long and busy days, to teach, share their perspective, and work together in service of the patient. That spirit of collaboration has shaped how I practice more than anything else.
And of course, my patients. They’ve taught me more about courage, honesty, and what it means to heal than any training program ever could.

Website: https://Cedarintegrativepsychiatry.com