The Mind-Body Connection: Understanding Illness Through a Naturopathic & Somatic Lens

Healing begins not just with treating symptoms, but by understanding the deep and often unseen connections between the mind and body. Through my own medical journey, I came to recognize how unresolved trauma and emotional distress had manifested physically—impacting everything from my immune system to my energy levels. This personal insight led me to explore the field of somatic psychotherapy, which views the body as a vital part of emotional healing. In this approach, we begin to uncover how repressed emotions like anger or guilt can silently contribute to chronic health issues, including autoimmune conditions, chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. By looking through the somatic lens, we open the door to a more integrative path to wellness—one that honors the intelligence of both body and mind to true healing on a cellular and soulful level. 

Although my story begins much earlier, we’ll start in 2016 when I ended a 5-year-long abusive relationship with my ‘first love’, which, as one could imagine without going into details, was a traumatizing and horrific experience. A month later, my grandmother, my Mama, who was a second mom to me, passed away unexpectedly. The year following could easily be described as one of my life's loneliest, challenging, and earth-shattering times. The immense grief felt all-consuming and insurmountable. I was drowning in sorrow, remorse, trauma, and alcohol was my only reprieve from the suffering. While studying the following year, I rubbed my hands through my hair and felt a smooth, soft portion on the back of my scalp. With terror and confusion, I discovered that I had developed alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss from the scalp or other parts of the body, and it can range from small patches to complete baldness. I had two large patches, one the size of a fist and another slightly smaller, lying on the back of my head. I was fortunate to receive mental health and medical attention, which included hundreds of cortisone steroid shots into my scalp and hundreds of hours of therapy, and my emotional well-being was nourished enough for the alopecia to go into remission. Although I had begun the inner work to heal, I had immense unresolved trauma to address and an addiction to alcohol to reckon with. 

Which brings us to January of 2020, when I’m about 8 months sober from alcohol and was really struggling to survive without my longstanding coping mechanism.  Although I had struggled with my health before, I knew there was something seriously wrong. I was barely staying awake, even falling asleep in the middle of the day, my energy levels were all over the place, my emotional wellbeing was burnt out, struggling with skin conditions like eczema, and could barely think through all the brain fog. It was then that I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto's disease. Hashimoto's disease is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, leading to inflammation and often resulting in hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). Although I was diagnosed at that time, it’s very common and likely, in my case, that I had developed and was struggling with the symptoms long before my diagnosis. It was a whirlwind of emotions to be 26 years old and diagnosed with a chronic condition that I was told would be managed, but I would never fully recover from. This condition can cause symptoms like extreme fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, depression, and a rollercoaster of emotions because thyroid hormones are integral for metabolism, growth, development, body temperature, menstrual cycles, weight, and even help regulate your heartbeat! My Western primary physician wasn’t equipped to support my medical needs and haphazardly told me that I could wait another 6 months to see if it gets worse. I remember looking at my doctor like she was the most absurd person to have the audacity to propose that, while I was struggling immensely already. That’s when I decided that I needed to take control of my health, move away from sterilized Western medicine, and found a holistic naturopathic doctor to focus on an integrative approach to health. 

What makes integrative naturopathic approach different than traditional Western medicine? Well, integrative naturopathic health takes a holistic approach to wellness by addressing the physical, emotional, and environmental factors that impact well-being. By combining natural therapies with an emphasis on lifestyle, nutrition, stress reduction, and mental health support, it helps individuals restore balance and move toward long-term, sustainable health. The integrative naturopathic approach differs from traditional Western medicine, focusing on the root causes of illness rather than just managing symptoms. It emphasizes individualized care, preventive strategies, and natural therapies to support the body’s innate healing ability, while also considering emotional, mental, and lifestyle factors essential to overall health.

Why is it so important to have that integrative approach that includes the mind-body connection? Well, there are distinct correlations between our mental and physical well-being. For instance, there are clear correlations between women who suppress their anger and autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Women who don’t have a healthy emotional outlet for their anger—or who suppress it for long periods—are more likely to be physically sick. This trend also holds true for women who experience high levels of guilt. Research shows a strong connection between chronic guilt and weakened immune function. These women often struggle with frequent illness, slower recovery times, and a higher likelihood of chronic fatigue, autoimmune conditions, and mental health issues.

This connection between suppressed emotion and physical illness isn’t just anecdotal—it’s backed by an increasing body of research that supports the mind-body connection. Our emotional experiences, especially those we avoid or repress, don’t simply vanish; they live in our nervous systems, our muscles, and even our immune responses. For women in particular, societal conditioning often teaches us to be polite, accommodating, and agreeable, even when we’re hurt, angry, or overwhelmed. Over time, that internalized pressure builds, and without an outlet or safe space to process these emotions, it can manifest in very real, physical ways. To emphasize my point, autoimmune conditions are growing and a significant cause of disability in people in the U.S., predominantly affecting women. 

But this issue extends far beyond women. Men, nonbinary, and other gendered individuals are also profoundly affected by the disconnect between emotional and physical health—often in different, but equally harmful, ways. Many men are socialized to suppress vulnerability, avoid emotional expression, and “tough it out,” which can lead to chronic stress, cardiovascular issues, substance abuse, and a range of other health concerns. Similarly, nonbinary and other gendered individuals often face high levels of societal misunderstanding, marginalization, and emotional invalidation, which can increase the risk of mental health struggles and chronic illness. When mental health is neglected or emotional pain is ignored, the body absorbs the burden, regardless of gender. The truth is, unprocessed emotions—grief, rage, fear, shame—don’t discriminate. If they don’t have a place to be safely expressed, they will find a home in the body, often in the form of chronic pain, fatigue, immune dysfunction, or other persistent symptoms. Understanding this universal mind-body connection allows us to shift from a culture of suppression to one of compassionate presence—where healing becomes possible not just for individuals, but for communities.

Through traditional and somatic psychotherapy, I began to unearth and release those trapped emotions. This work wasn’t about “fixing” myself—it was about finally listening to my body’s cries for attention and care. I started noticing patterns: how my energy would plummet after emotionally charged conversations, or how my symptoms would flare after ignoring my own boundaries. Somatic therapy gave me tools not just to understand my trauma, but to feel it in my body, move through it, and begin to heal it on a cellular level. And guess what? I have not a spot of alopecia and my Hashimoto’s is almost in remission- something my Western doctors told me would be impossible. Yet, here I am with the medical lab receipts and the best physical and mental health of my life demonstrating otherwise. 

What I’ve come to understand is that healing isn’t linear, and it isn’t solely physical. It’s a layered, nuanced process that involves deep emotional excavation, lifestyle changes, and a willingness to meet yourself with compassion—especially in your darkest, most uncomfortable places. The integration of naturopathic care and somatic therapy created a foundation where true healing could begin for me—not by suppressing symptoms, but by honoring them as signals of deeper, more profound truths that needed attention.

This journey has transformed my life in ways I never imagined possible. And now, I share it not as a prescription but as an invitation to slow down, listen inward, and recognize the profound wisdom your body holds. Healing through a mind-body connection lens is not just a possibility—it’s a path home to yourself.