Course
6

Stress & Cortisol

Overview
Identifying physiological and psychological stress patterns, that impact all healing processes of the body, allowing you to rebalance cortisol rhythms, nervous system tone, and recovery capacity.
Format
Online
Units
79
Recommended for
  • Burnout
  • Fatigue
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Insomnia
Stress & Cortisol

The learning framework

1
Why chronic stress is widely underestimated
Chronic stress is now recognised as one of the most significant contributors to hormonal imbalance, immune dysfunction, metabolic disruption, and accelerated ageing, yet most approaches treat stress as purely psychological, overlooking its profound physiological impact on cortisol rhythm, neurotransmitter balance, digestion, thyroid function, sleep regulation, and reproductive hormones.
2
The limitations of conventional stress management
Conventional care rarely investigates why the stress response becomes dysregulated or how chronic HPA axis activation depletes nutrients, impairs detoxification, disrupts blood sugar, and drives systemic inflammation, leaving practitioners unable to assess stress physiology, interpret cortisol patterns, or apply interventions beyond generic "reduce stress" advice.
3
A functional framework for restoring stress resilience
The Stress module trains you to understand how the stress response operates, how it becomes maladaptive, and how to support neuroendocrine restoration through functional assessment and evidence-based interventions that rebuild resilience and metabolic capacity.

What you'll learn

By the end of this module, you will be able to:
Understand the neuroendocrine pathways of the stress response
Including the HPA axis, sympathetic nervous system activation, cortisol secretion patterns, and feedback regulation mechanisms that govern adaptation and recovery.
Identify the systemic effects of chronic stress
Recognising how prolonged cortisol elevation or dysregulation impacts thyroid function, digestion, immunity, reproductive hormones, blood sugar regulation, and cardiovascular health.
Assess cortisol rhythm and adrenal output
Understanding normal diurnal patterns and interpreting disrupted rhythms using functional testing, symptom correlation, and validated screening tools.
Interpret functional markers of stress physiology
Using glucose, insulin, thyroid markers, inflammatory indicators, and nutrient depletion patterns to assess metabolic and hormonal strain.
Understand stress-related neurotransmitter depletion
Recognising how chronic stress depletes serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, contributing to anxiety, depression, brain fog, and sleep disturbances.
Apply targeted nutritional and supplementation interventions
Using dietary strategies to stabilise blood sugar, replenish stress-depleted nutrients, and support neurotransmitter production, alongside adaptogens and nervines based on stress stage and presentation.
Build phased stress recovery protocols
Sequencing interventions through acute stabilisation, adaptation support, and long-term resilience building,integrating sleep optimisation, movement programming, breathwork, and stress-reducing practices that support HPA axis regulation.

Why this matters

The ability to address the root driver of most chronic complaints
Plus icon, svg, dark
Chronic stress underpins fatigue, weight gain, hormonal imbalances, digestive issues, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and immune dysfunction.
Confidence in complex, multi-system cases
Plus icon, svg, dark
You'll assess HPA axis function, interpret cortisol patterns, and connect stress physiology to thyroid, gut, reproductive, and metabolic dysfunction.
Better client outcomes
Plus icon, svg, dark
Supporting nervous system regulation, adrenal recovery, and stress resilience creates measurable improvements in energy, sleep, mood, hormone balance, and quality of life.
Professional differentiation
Plus icon, svg, dark
Stress expertise positions you as understanding the mind-body connection at a biochemical level, not just motivational advice.
Plus icon, svg, dark
Stress Physiology
HPA Axis
Adrenal Health
Cortisol Dysregulation
Chronic Fatigue
Burnout
Sleep Disturbances
Anxiety
Neuroendocrine Health
Thyroid Stress
Your path to becoming a Certified Practitioner

How to get started

1st Step
Submit your Application
Apply online in just a few minutes. Our team will review your experience, education and goals to ensure this certification aligns with your professional path.
2nd Step
Join the IOH community
Once accepted, you’ll gain instant access to our global network of practitioners, mentors and resources that support your learning from day one.
3rd Step
Begin your first module
Start your studies inside the IOH learning portal — with guided mentorship, live calls, and access to the Oracle AI system that turns knowledge into action.

Expand your knowledge

All Courses
What does an Integrative Nutritional Therapist do?
Plus icon, svg, dark

An Integrative Nutritional Therapist utilises the latest evidence-based research to create an integrative approach to optimising each client’s health and wellbeing.

They design bio-individual nutrition plans, personalise supplementation where appropriate, and interpret functional laboratory data, including blood work, to gain deeper insights, achieve better accuracy and tailor every intervention to the individual.

How is functional medicine different from conventional medicine?
Plus icon, svg, dark

Conventional medicine often waits until a disease is clearly present before intervention begins. Treatment is focused on managing or suppressing a diagnosed condition.

Functional medicine looks upstream. It assesses the early drivers of dysfunction and works to prevent disease from developing in the first place, or restore balance in the body. It uses a whole-systems view of the body, then applies personalised, preventative nutrition and lifestyle interventions to support long-term health rather than only reacting once things have gone wrong.

What will be my scope of practice after completing this certification?
Plus icon, svg, dark

After completing the certification, you will be recognised and insured as a Integrative Nutritional Therapist inclusive of Nutritional Therapy and Functional Blood Work, with a clearly defined scope of practice.

You will be trained and insured to:

  • Design bio-individual nutrition plans
  • Recommend and prescribe over-the-counter supplementation up to safe, optimal intake thresholds
  • Utilise functional blood work from a wellness perspective to guide your reasoning and recommendations
  • Collaborate with and refer to medical professionals when red flags, pathology or out-of-scope conditions are identified

Our scope of practice has been aligned with nutritional therapy standards and externally audited, so you can work with confidence and clarity.

Is your course accredited?
Plus icon, svg, dark

Yes. Our certifications are accredited by multiple independent professional bodies, including the International Institute for Complementary Therapists (IICT) and the Complementary Medical Association (CMA).

To receive these accreditations, our curriculum undergoes forensic external auditing to ensure every component is up to date, evidence-informed, ethically delivered and aligned with recognised Nutritional Therapy and Functional Health standards. This includes rigorous evaluation of our academic content, assessments, delivery methods and scope of practice frameworks.

This external oversight gives you confidence that the qualification you are investing in is credible, robust and widely recognised within the industry, with clear pathways for insurance, professional membership and global practice.

Will I be able to practise internationally?
Plus icon, svg, dark

Yes. Our graduates are eligible for insurance through IICT that is recognised across 36 countries, including:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden & United Kingdom.

This allows you to work with clients internationally, including in online practice, provided you respect local regulations and the scope of practice defined by your insurer and professional associations.

Need help?
Get in touch with us
Clarity, confidence, and real results start with one conversation. Let’s map your next chapter — together.