

673: Body-Mind Trauma with Dr. Aoife O’Donovan
May 21, 2025
41:14
Is it the chicken or the egg? Did your chemical imbalance lead to weight gain, or did weight changes trigger a hormonal shift? Did depression cause neurotransmitter imbalances, or did the imbalance spark depression—or both? This week, we speak with a psychiatrist who specializes in the physiological effects of mental health, and take a deep dive into trauma.
Listen and learn:
- The clinical definition of trauma
- What really happens when we "get over" past trauma
- The role of social support in healing
- Why physical exercise might be the most powerful mental health intervention of all time
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ABOUT OUR GUEST
Dr. Aoife O'Donovan is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and a Research Psychologist at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. She aims to identify biological and psychological markers of stress-related illnesses.
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