Why You Can’t “Think” Your Way Out of Anxiety (It’s Your Nervous System) | Dr. Nicole LePera

Mark Hyman

Feb 25, 2026

Episode description

If you’ve ever said, “I know my patterns — so why can’t I change them?” the answer may not be in your mind, but in your body. On this episode of The Dr. Hyman Show, I sit down with Dr. Nicole LePera, The Holistic Psychologist, to explore how early experiences become your body’s default state—shaping your stress response, your relationships, and your risk for chronic disease.

Watch the full conversation on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• How to recognize when your body is stuck in stress — even if your mind says you’re “fine”

• Why people-pleasing, overworking, or shutting down can become your default response

• What simple daily practices can calm your nervous system and support long-term health

• How creating safety in your body improves sleep, energy, and stress recovery

When you create safety in your body, you don’t just change your mood. You change your biology, your relationships, and your capacity to heal.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Questionnaire

View Show Notes From This Episode

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Mindsip insights from this episode:

Embrace slow, consistent habits for lasting healing

Trying to 'white knuckle' or get better quicker often leads to failure; real change requires the slow, steady, and consistent process of creating new habits.

#consistency

#healing

Reset neurochemical system with Ibogaine for healing

The psychedelic Ibogaine, from West Africa, can reset your whole neurochemical system and allow you to access and reparent old childhood wounds.

#healing

#psychedelics

Listen to your body’s signals before thoughts arise

The body often speaks first through physical sensations like a clutching chest or sinking stomach, which is the living memory of past experiences.

#awareness

Renew mitochondria with Mitopure for strength and resilience

The supplement Mitopure is the only clinically proven Urolithin A supplement that renews your mitochondria, helping you feel stronger and more resilient.

#mitochondria

#supplement

Recognize ACEs to predict future health risks

The Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) score is very predictive of later health consequences like autoimmune diseases, cancer, obesity, and diabetes.

#risk

#trauma

Create a safe body for effective health repair

You could be eating the healthiest foods, but if you're doing so in a body that's on edge, that's not going to create the safety your body needs to repair.

#recovery

#stress

Recognize ancestral stress adaptations in your body

Adaptations to stress from your ancestors can be passed down epigenetically, preparing your body for an environment of danger that may no longer exist.