A Special Event for Lyme Awareness & Mental Health Awareness Month
Chronic Lyme Isn’t Just Physical. It Affects the Mind, Too
If you’ve struggled with anxiety, depression, OCD, or cognitive challenges as part of your chronic Lyme experience, you’re not alone—and you’re not imagining it.
For too long, the emotional and neurological symptoms of chronic Lyme disease have gone unrecognized or misdiagnosed. But emerging science—and the lived experience of thousands—makes it clear: stealth microbes can impact the brain, nervous system, and mental health.
Join Us for a Groundbreaking Conversation
In this live event, two leading experts—Dr. Bill Rawls and Dr. Robert Bransfield—will explore the often-overlooked connection between chronic infections and mental health symptoms.
Together, they’ll unpack how microbes like borrelia and bartonella may contribute to mood changes, psychiatric conditions, and feelings of isolation—and what you can do to begin healing. You’ll learn:
How chronic Lyme and co-infections can influence brain function and mood
Why anxiety, OCD, and depression are common in Lyme patients
What a more complete approach to healing really looks lik
The role of stealth microbes in triggering neuroinflammation
Dr. Robert Bransfield
Neuropsychiatrist and internationally recognized expert on the psychiatric impacts of chronic infections. Known for pioneering work on how tick-borne illnesses influence mental health.
Meet the Experts:
Dr. Bill Rawls
Author of Unlocking Lyme and The Cellular Wellness Solution, Dr. Rawls is a physician, herbalist, and creator of RESTORE180™. He is a wellness educator who brings lived experience and integrative insight to chronic illness recovery.
Why This Conversation Matters
Mental health challenges are one of the most isolating aspects of chronic illness. They often get overlooked—by providers, by loved ones, even by ourselves.
This event is about validation, education, and community. Whether you’re living with chronic Lyme, supporting someone who is, or seeking better answers—you deserve to be part of this conversation.
Presented by Dr. Robert Bransfield & Dr. Bill Rawls. Moderated by Liza Blas.
In my interview with Dr. Drew, I walk through the latest data linking COVID-19 mRNA shots to global surges in death and serious harm:
Among 184 Million Test Subjects, The Verdict Is Clear
The two largest COVID-19 vaccine safety studies ever conducted, involving 99 million (Faksova et al) and 85 million people (Raheleh et al), found that mRNA injections are not safe for human use. The shots significantly increase risks of the following serious adverse events:
Myocarditis (+510% after second dose)
Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (+278% after first dose)
Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis (+223% after first dose)
Higher rates of emergency room and doctor visits were observed among 105,726 Pfizer mRNA vaccinated 12–18-year-olds compared to unvaccinated controls — lasting for at least 6 months after injection. If we are serious about reversing the chronic disease epidemic—now affecting over 60% of Americans—the most obvious and urgent step is to remove chronic disease-inducing injections from the market. These products are still being administered to millions of children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly every year.
New study finds that mass COVID-19 vaccination not only failed, but made things worse — with the highest death surges in the most heavily vaccinated populations.
Karen Kingston is a biotech analyst and former Pfizer employee who is back with some grotesque news about what the US government knew about the CV19 bioweapon vax. They knew it was not safe at all, and the FDA also knew Pfizer committed fraud to get the CV19 injections approved. Kingston says, “This is the government’s words exactly: ‘The FDA was aware of the protocol violations.’ So, the FDA was aware of the fraud that was reported . . . before it granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for its vaccine. They were aware of the fraud. Second, the government said it ‘had continued access’ to the Pfizer vaccine clinical data, and ‘in the FDA’s view, Pfizer’s vaccine is effective.’ Notice they dropped the word ‘safe.’ The minimum bar is safe before effective, but they intentionally dropped the word safe. . . . They ignored safety.
Kingston says, “In 2020, they met and listed out Myocarditis. Pericarditis, neurological malfunctions, respiratory failure, multiple system inflammatory disease, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and they listed everything out except for cancer. So, they knew the CV19 vax would cause all those debilitating injuries, infertility and death.
Kingston points out they want to put so-called mRNA in everything to fight cancer, but all the studies for the past several decades on mRNA say it causes cancer. Kingston says:
“Pfizer is telling us we are putting in faulty genes. We are debilitating you. We are disabling you. We are sterilizing you, and we are killing you. We are directing the evolution of human beings to become more weak and more dependent on us. . . . To survive, you will need us. It’s on their website. It’s called ‘directed evolution.’ They are directing the extinction of our species. That is what this is. They are playing God. . . .You can call it eugenics. You can call it depopulation, but the new word is ‘directed evolution.’ It’s mRNA technology or personalized medicine, it’s all the same thing.”
(Go to link for article and interview)
_______________
**Comment**
Kingston came out early that the COVD clot shots are bioweapons. She hasn’t changed her tune but has in fact been continuously outspoken. The attorney for another whistleblower, Brook Jackson, revealed that Pfizer argued the court should dismiss her lawsuit alleging fraud in Pfizer’s COVID clinical trials because the government knew about the fraud but continued to do business with them.
Introduction: COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are known to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and could potentially cause a myriad of unintended adverse effects. The purpose of this study is to explore potential associations between vaccination and neuropsychiatric conditions. Methods: Data were collected from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The CDC/FDA Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) was queried from January 1, 1990, to December 27, 2024, for adverse events (AEs) involving neuropsychiatric complications following COVID-19 vaccination. The timeframe included 420 months for all vaccines except COVID-19 vaccines which have been available to the public for only 48 of the 420 months (from January 1, 2021, to December 27, 2024). Proportional reporting ratios (PRRs) were calculated by time comparing AEs after COVID-19 vaccination to those after influenza vaccination and to those after all other vaccines. The CDC/FDA stipulates a safety concern if a PRR is ≥ 2. Results: Comparing COVID-19 vaccination to influenza vaccinations, the CDC/FDA’s safety signals (PRR, 95% confidence interval, p-value, Z-score) were breached for the following combinations: 47 AEs associated with cognitive impairment (PRR: 118, 95% CI: 87.2-160, p < 0.0001, Z-score: 30.9); 28 AEs associated with general psychiatric illness (PRR: 115, 95% CI: 85.1-156, p < 0.0001, Z-score: 30.8); and 11 AEs associated with suicide/homicide (PRR: 80.1, 95% CI: 57.3-112, p < 0.0001, Z-score: 25.7). Likewise, when comparing COVID-19 vaccination to all other vaccines except COVID-19, the safety signals were also breached for the following: 47 AEs associated with cognitive impairment (PRR: 26.8, 95% CI: 19.8-36.1, p < 0.0001, Z-score: 21.5); 28 AEs associated with general psychiatric illness (PRR: 28.6, 95% CI: 21.2-38.6, p < 0.0001, Z-score: 21.9); and 11 AEs associated with suicide/homicide (PRR: 14.0, 95% CI: 10.3-19.0, p < 0.0001, Z-score: 16.8). Conclusions: There are alarming safety signals regarding neuropsychiatric conditions following COVID-19 vaccination, compared to the influenza vaccinations alone and to all other vaccinations combined. These data raise concerns about long-term consequences, including continued cognitive decline, dementia, and neuropsychiatric morbidity and mortality. An immediate global moratorium on COVID-19 vaccination is warranted.
Dr. Dhand reports that Big Pharma and researchers obtaining government grants are panicking due to fears of HHS daring to collect information about funding for research into mRNA technology.
Anyresearch utilizing public funds should have oversight about funding information!
But, true to form Big Pharma and these deluded researchers are making this political by stating that Trump-appointed officials are being driven by misinformation and conspiracy theories.
Please remember that the CDC changed the definition of a ‘vaccine’ so mRNA would fit in the category. It is asinine to expect an mRNA platform to work like a traditional vaccine, and it’s purposely called a platform for drug delivery because new drugs are needed for variants, creating a endless market.
Dr. Dhand states that one of the best things he ever did for his health was to refuse the clot shots. He states he will continue refuse any mRNA product. He’s not alone:
“I Have Absolute Faith That mRNA Vaccines Will Kill You” ~ Dr. Sucharit Bhakdi:
MEDICAL DETECTIVE: The complex role of Bartonella in chronic illness, part 1
This article was originally posted on Dr. Richard Horowitz’s Medical Detective Substack. It is Part 1 of a 5-part series. You can find more helpful content by subscribing here.
Bartonella is the third “B” of the triad found in the vast majority of my chronically ill patients who suffer from chronic Lyme disease/PTLDS, along with Borrelia and Babesia.
A gram-negative intracellular bacteria, it’s controversial and misunderstood and has been throwing a monkey wrench into my treatments for decades.
I barely remember learning about it in medical school, except when they were teaching me about cat scratch fever in children that would cause small, localized rashes (papules) at the site of the scratch with swollen lymph nodes and fevers.
It would be treated with a short course of antibiotics like azithromycin. These images show classical cat scratch disease before and after treatment when the lesions are starting to crust up.
[From: Mazur-Melewska K, Mania A, Kemnitz P, Figlerowicz M, Służewski W. Cat-scratch disease: a wide spectrum of clinical pictures. Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2015 Jun;32(3):216-20. doi: 10.5114/pdia.2014.44014. Epub 2015 Jun 15. PMID: 26161064; PMCID: PMC4495109.]
Unfortunately, Bartonella infections rarely resemble this one particular manifestation, or the general medical community would be diagnosing and treating it a lot more often.
It is a very tricky bacteria, and, like Lyme disease, has found a way to not only avoid immune recognition, but change its clinical characteristics so it resembles a broad range of other diseases.
Immune Evasion by Bartonella
Bartonella is referred to as a “stealth bacteria” because it evades the immune system by living inside red blood cells (intraerythrocytic persistence), blood vessel walls (inflaming them, causing vasculitis), endothelial cells, fibroblasts, epithelial cells of the skin (causing the classic Bartonella rashes described below), macrophages (immune cells that play a critical role of initiating and maintaining an inflammatory response, as well as potentially resolving inflammation) and bone marrow cells.
So it can hide throughout the body in areas where the immune system doesn’t easily penetrate and recognize the bacteria, not to mention, it can exist under biofilms in persister forms like Borrelia. Biofilms protect the bacteria from immune recognition and the effects of antibiotics.
Bartonella can manipulate host cell interactions to hide from immune detection by altering its surface proteins to avoid recognition (like Lyme disease), and possesses unique fat and sugar molecules (lipopolysaccharides) that minimize immune response activation; this often leads to prolonged, asymptomatic infections that can be difficult to diagnose with standard tests (it can hide in the body for years in some patients without symptoms), and then reactivate under certain conditions.
The patient below was in remission for one year after doing an 8-week course of double dose dapsone combination therapy (DDDCT), and then reactivated after being treated with antibiotics for a skin infection. This skin rash emerged when he got treated for cellulitis, which had nothing to do with his initial Lyme infection. You can see the classical Bartonella “stretch marks.”
[From: Horowitz, R.I.; Fallon, J.; Freeman, P.R. Comparison of the Efficacy of Longer versus Shorter Pulsed High Dose Dapsone Combination Therapy in the Treatment of Chronic Lyme Disease/Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome with Bartonellosis and Associated Coinfections. Microorganisms 2023, 11, 2301. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11092301%5D
Reactivation often happens when the immune system is unable to control the infection, due in part to the immunosuppressive nature of the bacteria.
I’ve found multiple species of Bartonella in our sickest patients leading to chronic variable immune deficiency (CVID), just as I’ve found Borrelia causing immune suppression, along with mold toxicity and Long Covid affecting immune functioning.
The multisystemic nature of Bartonella infections
When we see patients with Bartonella, as I mentioned, it has no resemblance whatsoever with the classical cat-scratch disease I learned about in medical school. Bacteria like Bartonella cause similar symptoms to those seen in chronic Lyme disease, presenting as a “great imitator.”
It can result in chronic fatiguing, musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, neuropsychiatric illness and can cause fevers, chills, fatigue, headaches, muscle/joint and nerve pain, cognitive difficulties, insomnia, depression, anxiety, and cause inflammation in every body system imaginable, just like Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, does.
There can also be inflammation in the eyes (optic neuritis, conjunctivitis, uveitis, arterial and venous occlusions); the brain, surrounding structures and spinal cord (meningitis, encephalitis, transverse myelitis, seizure disorders), with associated Bartonella “rage” and psychosis (Bartonella, like Lyme disease, can cause a broad range of psychiatric manifestations, including but not limited to severe depression, anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia with psychosis).
It also can cause inflammation in the muscles (myalgias), joints (arthritis, osteomyelitis), nerves (neuropathy) and blood vessels (vasculitis), as well as the heart valves (endocarditis, including culture negative endocarditis), heart muscle (myocarditis), and sac surrounding the heart (pericarditis) causing chest pain with masses in the chest (mediastinum) and lymph nodes resembling non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
Even the gastrointestinal tract can be affected (nausea, vomiting, weight loss, bleeding), as can the liver (hepatitis), spleen (splenitis, enlargement), and skin, which oftentimes shows signs of inflammation (stretch marks, i.e. striae; granulomas, hard fibrous areas over the knuckles, elbows, and Bacillary angiomatosis, which are tumor-like masses, raised dark areas, papules, nodules, and lesions in the skin, bones, and organs).
Bartonella is a frequently found infection in those suffering from chronic Lyme disease—I’ve seen it in up to 80-90% of all of my chronically ill patients these days and should be considered in any and all cases of FUO (fever of unknown origin).
[From: Cheslock, M.A.; Embers, M.E. Human Bartonellosis: An Underappreciated Public Health Problem? Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2019, 4, 69. https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed4020069%5D
Transmission of Bartonella
Part of the reason Bartonella has been a controversial topic in the Lyme community–at least among certain physicians and researchers–is because there has only been one study to date regarding tick transmission of the bacteria, and this was in European species of deer ticks (Ixodes ricinus) with one species, called Bartonella birtlesii.
The bacteria is, however, being found in ticks throughout the world, and other studies have shown the bacteria in different ticks and in chronic Lyme disease patients.
When I was co-chair of the HHS Tick-borne Disease Working Group (TBDWG) back in 2018, I had to fight to get Bartonella included as a co-infection of importance; whether all species are able to be transmitted by ticks or not, makes no difference.
Why? To date, the number of species able to transmit Bartonella keeps increasing over the years, and most of us are exposed to these vectors on a regular basis. The most common vectors transmitting the bacteria are fleas, mites, lice, keds (not the sneakers!), spiders, red ants, ticks (probable), sand flies, black and yellow flies, and mosquitoes.
Bartonella is showing up in a broad range of vectors, so it’s possible to get exposed from many different sources. That is why the vast majority of my sick patients are testing positive for it. In fact, for most of us living on this planet, I daresay we’ll all likely be exposed to Bartonella at some point during our lives. How we handle it, and whether we get symptoms, will depend on how our immune system is functioning.
Testing for multiple Bartonella species
The table below shows some of the most common species of Bartonella seen in human disease. This is not comprehensive, as there are now at least 45 species of Bartonella, and 18 of them or more are pathogenic [capable of causing disease].
Some of the most common ones are: B. henselae (Cat scratch disease, CSD; endocarditis, neuroretinitis, lymphadenopathy), B. quintana (Trench fever, endocarditis, bacillary angiomatosis [BA]), B. clarridgeiae (bacteremia, endocarditis, CSD, chest wall abscess), B. elizabethae (endocarditis, neuroretinitis), B. bacilliformis (Carrion’s disease), B. koehlerae (endocarditis, including culture negative endocarditis), B. vinsonii subsp (bacteremia, endocarditis, fevers, neurological symptoms), B. berkhoffi (endocarditis, bacteremia, neurological symptoms), and B. grahamii (neuroretinitis).
[From: Rebekah L. Bullard, Emily L. Olsen, Mercedes A. Cheslock, Monica E. Embers, Evaluation of the available animal models for Bartonella infections, One Health, Volume 18, 2024,100665, ISSN 2352-7714, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100665.%5D
How do we test for Bartonella?
As you can see from the above table, testing for just one species makes no sense, because we can be exposed to a broad range of Bartonella species during our lifetime. I started to test for Bartonella over two decades ago. This is from an abstract I presented at the 16th International Scientific Conference on Lyme disease in 2003:
You can see from this abstract, even 22 years ago, by just testing for Bartonella henselae, one of the most common species, we found that using an ELISA and IFA (Immunofluorescent Assay) was positive in less than 50% of patients–but using DNA analysis with a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) in the blood, we found 53% were positive when standard antibody assays were negative.
Which means the rule of thumb when testing for Bartonella is go as broad as you can. It is fine to start with local lab testing.
Level 1 testing
Using local labs like Quest, Labcorp, or Bioreference, you can send off antibody titers to B. henselae, B. quintana and B. bacilliformis, as well as PCRs and even a VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), an indirect marker of Bartonella exposure, indicating inflammation in the blood vessels (vasculitis). Often, however, you’ll want to use several specialty labs to prove infection.
Level 2 testing
If the above testing is negative, as it usually is, but you clinically suspect Bartonella, move on to the next level of tests. The three specialty labs include IgeneX laboratory (Bartonella IgM/IgG Immunoblots, Bartonella FISH [Fluorescent In-Situ-Hybridization test, an RNA test], T Labs (Bartonella FISH) with confocal microscopy, and Galaxy Laboratories, using their 4 species IFA antibody panel (for the most common species), and their ddPCR (direct droplet PCR) tests. The Bartonella Digital ePCR™ platform combines highly sensitive ddPCR technology with culture enrichment (BAPGM™).
I usually start with IgeneX laboratory and find that most of my patients have indeterminate or positive Immunoblots. Many times a negative Bartonella FISH test will turn positive later on during treatment, after the bacteria has been flushed out from the intracellular compartments where it’s been hiding.
I follow VEGF levels over time, as an indirect marker of Bartonella, when reactivation of infection is suspected. Keep in mind VEGF can be positive for other reasons (including Long Covid or cancer with metastases).
Level 3 testing
Skin biopsies can be done of the classical Bartonella rashes. Dr. Marna Ericson from T Labs has done this for me several times, and she found positive Bartonella in the skin, under biofilms, when it couldn’t be found through other methods.
I suspected Bartonella in two of my patients, but despite all classical testing, couldn’t prove exposure. The Bartonella fluoresces red under the microscope with this technique. I don’t suggest it as first level testing, but it can be very useful if you have looked for Bartonella using any and all of the above laboratories and methodologies.
Stay tuned for parts 2, 3, 4 and 5
In Part 2, I’ll discuss more about establishing a diagnosis as well as an overview of how other co-infections may overlap and affect Bartonella symptoms. Part 3 will discuss effective treatments, and Parts 4 and 5 go into more detail about these treatments.
Dr. Richard Horowitz has treated 13,000 Lyme and tick-borne disease patients over the last 40 years and is the best-selling author of How Can I Get Better? and Why Can’t I Get Better? You can subscribe to read more of his work on Substack or join his Lyme-based newsletter for regular insights, tips, and advice
The FDA has just released a briefing document for the December 12, 2024, Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) Meeting titled, Considerations for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine Safety in Pediatric Populations. The document revealed that, in July 2024, a Phase 1 trial assessing the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of two Moderna RSV vaccine candidates (mRNA-1365 and mRNA-1345) in infants aged 5 to 8 months was paused following reports offive severe to very severe cases of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) caused by RSV:
During the study, an imbalance in severe RSV cases was identified, based on a pre-specified study stopping criterion, among participants 5 months through <8 months of age who received the lower mRNA vaccine dose. In Cohorts 3 and 4, five (5) cases (12.5% of participants) of clinically significant (CS) severe/very severe RSV were identified in the vaccine groups (all of whom had received 1 or 2 doses of a 3-dose schedule), compared with one (1) case (5% of participants) in the placebo group. The percentage of participants with symptomatic RSV disease in Cohorts 3 and 4 who progressed to severe illness was 26.3% in the vaccine groups compared with 8.3% in the placebo group.
Of the six total severe cases (including one in the placebo group), five infants required hospitalization, and one required mechanical ventilation. (See link for article and tables)
According to Dr. Mary Talley Bowden, the RSV shots are also mRNA based. Further, and similarly to COVID shots, studies are not using mortality or even hospitalization as their end point but only reduction in symptoms. There were 12,000 adverse events. They only studied outcomes for 7 days.
“We are seeing the whole COVID shot fiasco all over again with RSV.” ~ Dr. Mary Talley Bowden
A leading cardiologist has warned that over 100 million Americans may now have irreversible heart damage after receiving Covid mRNA “vaccines.”
According to Dr. Thomas Levy, Covid vaccines are causing heart injury in at least 2.8% of people who receive the injections.
A minimum of 7 million Americans who took the Covid vaccine in 2021 now have severely damagedhearts, according to Dr. Levy.
However, the top doctor said that number is now likely to reach over 100 million people.
Dr. Levy is a renowned cardiologist and an attorney-at-law who also serves as the contributing editor for the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service.
Levy told MIT computer scientist and vaccine data expert Steve Kirsch that the spike protein’s effect on the heart is even worse than previously thought.
In an article, Kirsch, the founder of the Vaccine Safety Research Foundation (VSRF), highlighted the heart damage in vaccinated pilots.
As Slay News has previously reported, soaring heart damage among pilots was recently revealed in a change to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines.
Back in 2022, the FAA quietly changed the electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters for pilots to accommodate those with cardiac injury.
The update suggests the injections are causing an unprecedented amount of pilots to fail their screening.
According to Kirsch, this range wasn’t widened by a little, it was a lot.“
The cardiac harm of course is not limited to pilots,” Kirsch explained in his article. (See link for article and videos)
Important quote:
Meanwhile, secret official data from Santa Clara County has exposed a shocking surge in all-cause deaths among residents who received Covid mRNA “vaccines.”
The spike in mortality rates was revealed in the county’s official statistics after the hidden records were unsealed by a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
Radiologist, oncologist, and cancer researcher, Dr. William Makis states COVID shots destroy the immune system and that 2 year olds are having heart attacks.
Twelfth Amendment to the Declaration under the PREP Act for COVID-19 Medical Countermeasures
On December 11, 2024, Secretary Becerra signed the 12th amendment to the declaration under the PREP Act for COVID-19 Medical Countermeasures. The Secretary issues this amendment pursuant to section 319F–3 of the Public Health Service Act to extend the duration of the Declaration to December 31, 2029, and to republish the Declaration in full.
A PREP Act declaration is specifically for the purpose of providing immunity from liability, and is different from, and not dependent on, other emergency declarations.
The end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration does not automatically terminate PREP Act coverage. To learn more, view our COVID-19 PREP Act FAQs.
Breaking: Former Trump Administration HHS Senior Advisor Provides Affidavit: “mRNA nanoparticle injections, are in fact biological and technological weapons of mass destruction”
Former Trump Administration Health and Human Services (HHS) Senior Advisor, and epidemiologist, Dr. Paul Alexander, provided an affidavit stating that mRNA nanoparticle injections are biological and technological weapons. Dr. Alexander, a Trump loyalist, provided the affidavit in a new case in the State of Florida.
Case # 2024-CA-001977 initiated by psychotherapist, Dr. Joseph Sansone is seeking an injunction to prohibit Governor Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody from allowing the continued distribution of COVID-19 and mRNA injections in the State of Florida because they are biological weapons. The complaint also seeks declaratory judgements that the COVID 19 injections and all mRNA nanoparticle injections violate Weapons of Mass Destruction § 790.166, Fla. Stat. (2023); Fraud § 817.034 Fla Stat. (2023); and Florida Medical Consent Law § 766.103 Fla Stat. (2023).
PODCAST: Navigating trauma to heal from chronic Lyme
By Fred Diamond
Chronic Lyme disease often brings trauma that can worsen symptoms and hinder healing.
In this week’s Love, Hope, Lyme podcast, I bring on Sami Kirschbaum, who helps patients heal through techniques like Brainspotting and nervous system regulation.
Sami focuses on the body’s physical response to trauma and uses methods to help patients release stored trauma and regain balance.
She also emphasizes the importance of community support in the healing process, offering a holistic approach to help Lyme survivors heal both emotionally and physically.
Every chronic Lyme survivor must navigate trauma, either induced from years of poor medical care or unresolved childhood trauma that is inhibiting healing and recovery.
When I was writing my book “Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know,” I was surprised to see the word come up in almost every conversations. It came to a head for me when I watched a webinar with Dr. Richard Horowitz. At the 59-minute mark, Dr. Horowitz said:
“By the way, if you don’t resolve your childhood trauma, it’ll be very difficult to heal.”
Chronic Lyme disease is not just a physical battle; it often comes with emotional and psychological trauma that can intensify symptoms and hinder the healing process.
Sami Kirschbaum, founder of the Lyme Resilience Collective, focuses on helping patients navigate and heal from these trauma responses through specialized techniques.
Drawing from her personal journey with Lyme disease and her training in trauma-based healing, Sami integrates Brainspotting, nervous system regulation, and community support to provide holistic care for those dealing with the emotional toll of chronic illness.
Trauma in the context of chronic illness
Many people think of trauma as the event itself, but Sami explains that trauma is really the body’s response to a stressful or overwhelming experience.
“When we go through traumatic experiences, a lot of people think that the event itself is a trauma,” she says. “But actually, what trauma is, is the person’s physical response to protect itself in a traumatic experience.”
This distinction is key for those with chronic Lyme disease, where trauma often exacerbates physical symptoms or reactivates dormant illness.
Sami’s approach to trauma healing starts with the body because, as she notes, “We know that trauma is actually held within the body. It’s not in our rational brain.”
The physical response to trauma can cause the body to remain in a heightened state of stress, which interferes with healing. This is why addressing trauma in both the mind and body is essential for those with chronic illnesses like Lyme disease.
Techniques for nervous system regulation
A central technique in Sami’s trauma healing practice is nervous system regulation. Chronic illness often puts patients in a perpetual state of stress, which she describes as being either “stuck-on” or “stuck-off.”
“The stuck-on state looks like panic, hypervigilance, high anxiety, running around, never feeling rested,” Sami explains. On the other hand, “stuck-off can look like lethargy, being depressed, shutting down, disassociating.”
Both extremes prevent the body from finding balance, or homeostasis, which is crucial for the healing process. “It’s important to have nervous system regulation so that we can stay in that flow and continue functioning appropriately through life.”
Sami offers nervous system regulation support groups as part of her services, teaching patients techniques to bring their nervous system back into balance. These techniques help patients navigate between the extremes of being stuck in high-alert states or shutting down completely.
Brainspotting: a key modality for trauma healing
One of the most powerful tools Sami uses for trauma healing is Brainspotting, a technique developed by Dr. David Grand.
“Brainspotting is a top trauma-healing modality,” Sami explains. It works by using the client’s visual field to access where the trauma is stored in the body.
Sami breaks it down further: “Where you look affects how you feel.” During Brainspotting sessions, the client focuses on a particular spot in their visual field while wearing headphones that deliver bilateral sound stimulation. This combination helps the brain and body work together to process trauma that is stored at a deeper level than the conscious mind can access.
Unlike more commonly known trauma therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Brainspotting allows for more flexibility and creativity.
“We trust that the person’s brain and body knows what it needs to heal itself, and the therapist, we hold the space for the client,” Sami says. The process is guided by the client’s own responses, allowing them to access and release stored trauma at their own pace.
Sami has been trained in Brainspotting for several years and credits it as one of the most effective tools for helping clients process trauma related to chronic Lyme disease. Brainspotting allows the patient to access trauma stored in the body and release it in a way that promotes both emotional and physical healing.
Trauma held in the body: healing from the inside out
A major component of Sami’s practice is helping clients recognize that trauma is stored in the body, not just in the mind. “We can’t have trauma processing from our neocortex, which is the higher part of our brain,” she explains.
This is why traditional talk therapy is often insufficient for healing trauma—especially for those with chronic illnesses.
“Trauma held in the body doesn’t have language, it has no sense of time,” Sami explains. “It just has a memory of protecting ourselves, and it is strong and sometimes gets embedded.”
This can make trauma responses seem exaggerated or irrational, but they are the body’s way of holding onto that survival mechanism. Techniques like Brainspotting are effective because they address trauma at this deep, body-based level.
Healing trauma collectively
Another important aspect of Sami’s work is the recognition that trauma and shame thrive in isolation, but healing can occur collectively. She emphasizes the importance of community in the healing process.
“Shame happens between people and it needs to be healed between people,” Sami says. By creating group settings for nervous system regulation and Brainspotting, she provides patients with a space where they can connect with others who understand their experiences.
“Coming together as a community is so important, which is why I do the group work as well as the individual work,” she explains. Chronic illness can be isolating, and many patients feel dismissed by family, friends, and even medical professionals. In Sami’s groups, patients find a safe space where they can share their experiences without fear of judgment or dismissal.
Moving beyond trauma
Sami’s ultimate goal is to help clients move beyond their trauma responses and reclaim their lives. This is why she focuses not just on trauma healing but also on cognitive rewiring and neuroplasticity.
“We can literally have neuroplasticity at our fingertips,” Sami says. “We can unlearn those programmings that we had, and then have the real adult mature brain come online and say, ‘Whoa, I am lovable.’”
For patients with chronic Lyme disease, this can mean letting go of limiting beliefs tied to their illness, such as feeling unworthy of love or incapable of leading a full life.
“Even though I can’t attend all these family events because I have chronic illness, I’m still worthy of love, I’m still worthy of belonging,” Sami says. This cognitive shift, combined with trauma healing, can help patients find emotional and physical relief.
Fred Diamond is based in Fairfax, Virginia and can be contacted via Facebook. His popular book, “Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know” is available on Amazon. The e-version of the book is always free to Lyme survivors. PM Fred on Facebook or LinkedIn for your copy.
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**Comment**
Trauma is the six letter word nobody talks about; however, unless dealt with, a person will never truly heal and be whole.
Since Lyme is a brain infection, it has the ability to stir up emotions, thoughts, feelings, and memories like nothing else. It’s truly a mind-bender.
Madison Area Lyme Support Group 