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September 25, 2025 25 mins

In a world where chronic stress has become the norm, Dr. Valda Crowder delivers a powerful wake-up call: self-care isn't selfish—it's strategic survival. Join board-certified emergency medicine physician Dr. V as she breaks down the science behind "headline stress disorder" and reveals how constant exposure to polarized news, global conflicts, and digital overwhelm is literally rewiring our brains for fear and reactivity.

In this essential episode, Dr. V explains how chronic stress shrinks your prefrontal cortex while enlarging your amygdala, suppressing your immune system, disrupting sleep, and making you less capable of engaging constructively with the issues you care about most. But there's hope: she shares evidence-based strategies for rewiring your brain for resilience through simple daily practices.

What You'll Learn:

  • The neuroscience behind chronic stress and its impact on decision-making
  • How "headline stress disorder" affects your physical and mental health
  • Practical, science-backed self-care strategies that actually work
  • Why self-care is an act of resistance in our current climate
  • Quick daily practices to activate your parasympathetic nervous system
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