Show Notes
In this episode of Autoimmune Alchemy, Dr. Russell Kennedy — physician, neuroscientist, and founder of "The Anxiety MD," who reframes anxiety as a felt alarm in the body rather than a problem to think your way out of. From childhood alarm quietly fueling autoimmune flares to a simple ABC framework (Awareness, Body, Compassion) that helps patients finally get out of their heads and into their bodies, this episode is packed with real clinical insight and practical tools you won't hear anywhere else.
Chapters and Time-stamps 00:31 Meet Dr Russell Kennedy 01:44 Origin Story and Sensitivity 03:53 Background Alarm Explained 05:33 Alarm Anxiety Cycle 07:52 LSD Insight Body Based Anxiety 10:08 Find Anxiety in the Body 12:52 Meditation and Thought Distance 16:08 Catastrophizing and Certainty Traps 19:10 ABC Method Get Into Body 24:13 Sensation Without Explanation 27:25 Adult Child Reunion and Autoimmunity 29:43 Autoimmune and Anxiety Link 30:45 ALARMS Childhood Triggers 32:44 Anxiety vs Depression Signals 33:51 Pain as a Lighthouse 36:55 Prayer and Trusting Life 40:56 Practicing Gratitude Daily 43:25 Why Medicine Falls Short 45:42 Group Healing and Patterns 49:52 Addiction Shame and Support 52:27 Surprised by Connection 55:01 Where to Find Dr Kennedy 56:36 Final Takeaway Connection Heals
Key Takeaways 🧠 Anxiety Isn't in Your Mind — It's in Your Body 🚨 Every Anxious Person Has a Background "Alarm" Running 👶 Your Anxiety Is Actually Your Younger Self, Waiting 🫁 Sensation Without Explanation — Feel It, Don't Fix It 🔄 The ABC Method: Awareness, Body, Compassion 🩹 Autoimmune Flares Can Be the Child Asking to Be Heard 🤝 Connection Heals What Pills Never Will
Guest Details & Links Guest: Dr. Russell Kennedy Specialty: Physician | Neuroscientist | Anxiety & Nervous System Healing Background: Grew up with a father who had schizophrenia and bipolar illness; developed his own anxiety disorder early in life; left traditional medicine after discovering healing comes through the body, not pharmaceuticals alone Education: Medical Doctor (MD); background in neuroscience Past Work: Practiced medicine for years before shifting fully into anxiety education, writing, and coaching Turning Point: A 2013 experience revealed his anxiety was held in his body (not his mind) — reshaping his entire approach to healing Known For: Bestselling, award-winning author of Anxiety Rx; creator of the ABC Method (Awareness, Body, Compassion) and the ALARMS framework Offers: Online course — Your Mind Body Prescription for Permanent Anxiety Healing; upcoming third book Also Known As: "The Anxiety MD" Links: 🌐 Website: The Anxiety MD 📷 Instagram: @TheAnxietyMD 📖 Book: Anxiety Rx
About Your Hosts Micah Yu, MD, MHA, MS, ABOIM, DipABLM, IFMCP Dr. Micah Yu is a triple board-certified integrative rheumatologist who blends conventional medicine with holistic, nutrition-based healing to treat autoimmune and chronic inflammatory conditions. A patient himself, Dr. Yu brings a deeply personal perspective to his work, having reversed his own autoimmune arthritis through lifestyle and integrative medicine. He is certified in internal medicine, rheumatology, integrative medicine, lifestyle medicine, and functional medicine. As the founder of MyAutoimmuneMD and co-founder of Dr. Lifestyle Clinic, Dr. Yu empowers patients to address the root causes of illness and reclaim their health from the inside out.
Melissa Mondala, MD, MHA, MS, DipABLM Dr. Melissa Mondala is a dual board-certified physician in Family and Lifestyle Medicine, with advanced training in Integrative Psychiatry and Integrative Medicine. As President of Dr. Lifestyle Clinic in Newport Beach—recognized by UC Irvine as a Public Health Site of Excellence—she pioneers a holistic, patient-centered approach to chronic disease. Dr. Mondala is a nationally recognized Lifestyle Medicine Intensivist, core faculty at Loma Linda University's Preventive Medicine Department, and a passionate advocate for plant-based nutrition, mental
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