EPISODE 34: Could My Symptoms Be Neuroplastic or Mind-Body?
What we’re talking about in this episode:
Why your symptoms are not “all in your head”… but your brain may be more involved than you realize
What “neuroplastic” (mind-body) symptoms actually are: real, physical, measurable, treatable—often without structural damage driving them
Common symptom patterns we see: chronic pain, migraines/headaches, IBS, pelvic pain, TMJ, fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, anxiety/panic sensations, POTS-like symptoms, sensory sensitivities
How the brain creates symptoms as “protection” when it learns to associate certain sensations, movements, emotions, or contexts with danger
The root patterns that often predict neuroplastic symptoms: chronic stress, emotional suppression, trauma (including sexual trauma), people-pleasing, perfectionism, hypervigilance, fear of movement, “internalizing”
Why these cases get missed: normal imaging/labs, symptoms that move around, flare with stress, improve with distraction, and don’t match a clean structural explanation
The big reframe: it’s rarely this OR that—many women have real biological issues + a nervous system running an old danger script
The pioneers and frameworks we reference: John Sarno (TMS), Howard Schubiner & PRT, Alan Gordon, Gabor Maté, Charlie Merrill (movement fear), Carden Rabin (felt sense), Kate Murphy
Tools that help retrain the danger circuits: pain reprocessing therapy, somatic tracking, emotional expression/journaling, nervous system regulation (breathwork/HeartMath/shaking/tapping), graded exposure to feared movement, trauma-informed inquiry
Resources + therapies to explore: key books, programs, and therapy modalities like somatic therapy, EMDR, trauma-informed work, mind-body coaching
In this episode, Jen and Melissa unpack a question that can completely change your healing journey: Could my symptoms be neuroplastic or mind-body? We explain how the brain and nervous system can generate very real physical symptoms—especially when chronic stress, trauma, and protective patterns like perfectionism and people-pleasing are in the mix. We also cover why these symptoms are often missed (and why being told “it’s in your head” feels so invalidating), plus the practical tools and resources that help retrain the brain’s danger response so symptoms can finally unwind.
Mind-body symptoms are real. Neuroplastic doesn’t mean “made up”—it means the nervous system is generating symptoms without ongoing structural damage driving them.
Your brain is always predicting and protecting. If it learns “this sensation/movement/emotion = danger,” it can create pain, gut symptoms, dizziness, fatigue, and more as a protective response.
Clues matter: symptoms that move locations, flare with stress, worsen with hyper-focus, improve with distraction, and don’t match imaging are strong signs the danger circuits may be involved.
It’s usually both biology + neurobiology. You can have real hormone/gut/nutrient issues and a nervous system that’s keeping symptoms stuck—treating both is where true resolution happens.
Awareness is medicine (and practice changes brains). Education alone can reduce symptoms for many people, and tools like PRT, somatic tracking, emotional expression, and graded exposure can retrain the system toward safety and relief.
Links and Resources:
📱 Dr. Mel's Social Media
Instagram: @blossom_integrative
Facebook: Blossom Integrative Health
YouTube: Blossom Integrative Health
📱 Dr. Jen's Social Media
Instagram: @healthinmotionwellness
Facebook: Health in Motion Wellness
Websites:
www.healthinmotion-wellness.com
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