Episode 82: Beyond the Mental Health Label -- From Illness to Wellness
Dr. Christina Bjorndal, a naturopathic doctor and authority in the treatment of mental illness joins The Catalyst to speak about her own experience with depression, bulimia and suicidality, which, at one point, left her in a coma. Yet, in a stunning message of hope she reveals that it was this latter incident that set her on a trajectory of healing, a process she says is both individual and ongoing. As human beings we are divided into four quadrants: mental, emotional, spiritual and physical. Western medicine is limited, Dr. Christina explains, focusing only on the physical aspects of mental health. Naturopathy and pharmaceuticals can work together to better treat not only symptoms of mental illness but their root causes.
To get to those root causes we must be willing to dig into our own pasts. What underlying fear is the brain, which is designed to keep us safe, protecting us from? Do our problems stem from nature versus nurture, from genetics, epigenetics and/or intergenerational trauma? We often wear masks in public to hide our suffering, such as the one Dr. Christina wore throughout her time in the corporate world. However, the body will whisper that something is wrong until it yells in the form of a crisis.
Dr. Christina leads us through an exercise in which we have an honest conversation with our hearts. Join today’s discussion to learn more about how we can learn to check in on ourselves, starting in the smallest ways and the important difference between information and transformation.
About Dr. Christina Bjorndal, ND:
Dr. Christina Bjorndal, ND is considered an authority in the treatment of mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders and eating disorders using a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual approach. Having overcome many mental health challenges, Dr. Chris is a gifted speaker and best selling author who has shared her wellness philosophy with platforms such as Mariel Hemingway’s Out Comes the Sun show, the Jenny McCarthy show, the International Bipolar Foundation, and many health summits and docuseries. She is recognized as a top ND to follow by two independent organizations. Her book “Beyond the Label” is a comprehensive guide to naturopathic mental health.
In This Episode We're Talking About:
- There is an explanation for your experience/diagnosis/suffering and it is possible that everything that is “wrong with you” began as a compensation, as a survival mechanism in childhood.
- Diagnoses describe things but they don’t explain how you got there. There is only one YOU on the planet – and your situation is unique. No two people have the exact same path into the descent of depression, therefore, it takes an individualized approach to find the solution to your suffering – not a cookie cutter or pill for every ill approach.
- You can learn to manage your mind (ie thoughts) so you aren’t at the mercy of them. This takes awareness, compassion and a commitment to the healing process.
Quotes:
- “Anyone struggling with their mental health, suicidal ideations, depression – you’re really the furthest from love for yourself that you can possibly be.” (7:21 | Dr. Christina)
- “Labels help to explain a constellation of symptoms, your experience, but they don’t explain how you got there. And often, that explanation is rooted in some earlier experience that predates the diagnosis.” (10:31 | Dr. Christina)
- “As a human, you’re comprised of the physical level, mental, the emotional and the spiritual, and Western medicine is mostly focused on the physical level.” (13:35 | Dr. Christina)
- “I subscribe to the theory, a little bit more of epigenetics, which is that genes load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.” (23:09 | Dr. Christina)
- “Whenever you say you want something – lose 20 pounds, want to leave a relationship, job, change, whatever you say you want something, but you never do it is because you’ve got an unconscious sub commitment, you’re committed to something else. And that’s something else is often being safe, keeping you safe.” (28:51 | Dr. Christina)
- “That is what depression does to you. It really clouds your judgment. It’s like you’re in a dark cloud and you cannot see through that cloud. You’re pretty much immersed in it. However, the sun is actually still shining behind that cloud.” (34:25 | Dr. Christina)
Links for this Episode:
Connect with Dr. Christina Bjorndal, ND:
Website: drchristinabjorndal.com
Facebook: Dr. Christina Bjorndal
Twitter: @drbjorndal
YouTube: Christina Bjorndal
Instagram: drchrisbjorndal
Connect with Dr. Lara Salyer:
Website: https://drlarasalyer.com
Catalyst Kit: https://rightbrainrescue.com/p/catalyst_kit
Instagram: @drlarasalyer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drlarasalyer
Linked-In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlarasalyer/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrLaraSalyer
TikTok: @Creativity.Doctor
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About The Catalyst Host, Dr. Lara Salyer:
I worked as a family physician for 15 years until burnout changed the trajectory of my career. I realized I wanted to start a holistic functional medicine practice in my rural hometown and made it happen. In addition to practicing functional medicine, I now mentor practitioners who are looking to change their paths in healthcare by using what I refer to as the “Catalyst Roadmap”. I share each step of this framework with listeners so that they may apply it to their careers, relationships, personal goals, and projects.
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