What is the Mind-Body Connection? In this episode, Dr. Candace Lewis PhD guides us through the intriguing intersections of stress, trauma, epigenetics, and mental health. Beginning her research in an addiction lab, she explored early-life stress and its impact on addiction vulnerability. Her deepening interest in epigenetics led her to delve into how traumatic experiences can alter gene regulation in the brain, laying the foundation for her exploration of psychedelics and their potential for healing. Candice stresses the importance of distinguishing between drug classes, with a focus on the therapeutic potential of psychedelics that can induce positive behavioral changes. Her pivotal research includes a pilot study on MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, suggesting DNA methylation changes may contribute to treatment responses. The conversation extends to redefining trauma, the role of genetics and epigenetics in mental health, and the intriguing link between psychology, the brain, and the body. Candice also highlights ongoing studies on psychedelics, cognitive abilities and epigenetics, offering hope for cognitive decline prevention. Her lab initiatives encompass a social media drug education project and the Translational Research in Psychedelics (TRIP) team, both aimed at raising awareness and fostering informed discussions.

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