<h3><b>About our Guest:</b> Brooke LaBarbera is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker specializing in addiction, trauma, and chronic illness. Based in Nashville, she utilizes EMDR and trauma-informed practices to help clients break their internal circuits of pain.</h3><p><b>Why do we keep doing things that hurt us, even when we know the consequences?</b> In this powerful episode of <b>MedNation</b>, host <b>Dr. David Farnan</b> sits down with Nashville-based clinical therapist <b>Brooke LaBarbera, LCSW</b>, to bridge the gap between physical medicine and mental health.</p><p>From her time on MTV’s <i>The Real World</i> to celebrating 10 years of recovery, Brooke shares her deeply personal journey and professional expertise on why patients with chronic illnesses—like diabetes and non-healing wounds—often get stuck in self-sabotaging loops.</p><h3></h3><h3><b>Notable Moments:</b></h3><ul><li><b>[00:00]</b> Intro: Why patients ignore medical advice.</li><li><b>[04:15]</b> Brooke’s story: From <i>The Real World</i> to 10 years of sobriety.</li><li><b>[09:30]</b> The patient dilemma: Is it self-sabotage or trauma?</li><li><b>[14:20]</b> Advice for burnt-out doctors: The power of being honest.</li><li><b>[22:10]</b> EMDR explained</li><li><b>[29:45]</b> What is Trauma-Informed Care? Simple tips for every medical practice.<p></p></li></ul><p><b>"Real recovery isn't just about the right medicine; it’s about having the courage to believe you deserve a better life."</b></p><p></p><h3><b>In this episode, we dive into:</b></h3><ul><li><b>The Shame Spiral:</b> How low self-esteem and "soul sickness" prevent patients from believing they deserve to get healthy.</li><li><b>The "Insight Gap":</b> Why logical knowledge doesn’t always lead to behavioral change.</li><li><b>Trauma &amp; Inflammation:</b> The connection between CPTSD, unresolved emotional pain, and physical flare-ups (including Brooke’s battle with Lyme disease and Dr. Farnan’s Type 1 Diabetes journey).</li><li><b>EMDR &amp; Healing:</b> How reprocessing trauma can literally reduce inflammation and allow the body to heal.</li><li><b>Trauma-Informed Care:</b> Advice for healthcare providers on being blunt, breaking through the "elephant in the room," and creating a safe space for patients to breathe.</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Connect with MedNation:</b> ✨ <b>Subscribe</b> for more deep dives into the intersection of healthcare and the real world. 📸 <b>Follow us on Instagram:</b> @CuttingEdgeFootAndAnkle</p><p></p><p>#MedNation #ChronicIllness #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealthMatters #TraumaInformed #DiabetesManagement #EMDR #PhysicalTherapy #MedTwitter #PatientCare</p>