#169 - Mind-Blowing Episode. The Deep Stress-Trauma that's Driving Your Persistent Symptoms with Neuroplastic Expert, David Clarke, MD
What if your chronic symptoms aren’t just “in your body”… but are being generated by your brain? In this episode of Pretty Well, I’m sitting down with Dr. David Clarke, MD—author, speaker, and president of the Association for Treatment of Neuroplastic Symptoms—to dive into a game-changing topic most doctors aren’t even talking about: how stress, trauma, and repressed emotions can drive real, physical illness.
We’re breaking down what neuroplastic symptoms are, how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) silently program your health later in life, and why you might feel terrible even when your lab tests are “normal.” (Fun fact: the brain can cause real pain, gut issues, migraines, and autoimmune symptoms—and no, it’s not "just in your head.")
You’ll learn why understanding the mind-body connection isn’t about blaming yourself—it’s about finally getting real answers that actually lead to healing. If you’re tired of dead-end doctor visits, bandaid treatments, and feeling like a medical mystery, this episode might be the lightbulb moment you’ve been waiting for.
Because healing isn’t just possible—it might be closer than you think.
LInks & Resources:
Join the conversation:
Share your thoughts with us on social media or in the comments!
Subscribe, Share & Review:
🎙If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people who need these insights. Thanks for tuning in to Pretty Well! See you next week!
Contact Lisa:
Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com
IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/
Disclaimer:
Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.
The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.
If you tune into any of the following shows, you'll like ours too!
The Dr. Josh Axe Show, Wellness Mama, Dr. Ruscio Radio DC, Pursuit of Wellness with Mari Llewellyn, Just Ingredients Podcast, Culture Apothecary with Alex Clark, Found My Fitness with Rhonda Patrick, The Model Health Show, Be Well By Kelly Leveque, The Freely Rooted Podcast with Kori Meloy, The Dr. Mark Hyman Show, Dr. Jockers Functional Nutrition
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com