The Mind-Body Bridge: Naturopathic Philosophy Meets Psychotherapy & Neuroscience

Dr. Soto
1 day ago
2 min read

“The mind as an emergent property of the body and relationships, is created within internal neurophysiological processes and relational experiences. In other words, the mind is a process that emerges from the distributed nervous system extending throughout the entire body, and also from the communication patterns that occur within relationships.”

-Daniel J. Siegel, The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are

We're Published in NDNR! Read the full article by Dr. Alina Soto here: https://simplebooklet.com/may2025volume20issue5n?mc_cid=3890372196#page=48

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"The greatest obstacle to Mental Health is the illusion of a disembodied mind. It affects not only how an individual looks at their own healing, but the process of healing in others as well. Without understanding the physicality of emotions, thoughts, and beliefs, an individual cannot effectively utilize the full power of the mind. Much of thought is non-verbal, an internal language of sensation processed through the entire nervous system.¹ I found that traditional therapeutic approaches neglected this understanding, therefore creating blindspots to crucial pieces of awareness (for both patient and provider) that would allow a patient to untangle the self from external events occurring in the present–or past.

Trauma can be defined as the past replaying in the present.² The thing about memory is that it captures an experience including all the senses. The meaning we derive from the full experience becomes our conscious narrative. This narrative shapes our beliefs and sense of self, which creates our personality. However, a belief in a disembodied mind leads to a focus on external interpretations, leaving much of the internal experience unconscious and unprocessed. This disconnect between physical sensations and psychological events can create a feeling of being out of control,² leading to an unstable sense of self and the belief that one's identity is synonymous with their trauma (or external events). Thus, the past remains trapped in the present."

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Alina Soto, ND, LMHCA

Owner and Founder of Terra Dusa Clinic & the Terra Dusa Academy for Integrative Growth. Co-Anchor & Co-Owner of The Unfolding of Joy Podcast. Creator of the Focal Neurocognitive and Physioemotional Integration ® (FNPI ®) & Provider First Methods. Dr. Soto is a leader in innovative healthcare design and aims to impact the healthcare system as a whole for the better. They are a passionate guide for those who choose change, teaching them to step out of Trauma Loop and into an unfolding of joy.