On this episode of The Functional Edge, Dr. Julia Ward (Medical Director and Founder of Balanced Body Functional Medicine) sits down with licensed therapist Alyssia Anderson to explore the deeply interconnected relationship between trauma, anxiety, and whole-body health.
Alyssia shares how diet, hormones, sleep, environment, and trauma responses intertwine—and why emotional healing must include a functional approach that respects both the mind and the body.
You’ll learn how anxiety is amplified by poor nutrition, hormone fluctuations, mold exposure, and dysregulated sleep. Alyssia breaks down trauma in both its “big” and “little” forms, explains why the body often signals distress before the mind recognizes it, and shares powerful therapeutic modalities like DBT and EMDR for lasting emotional regulation.
This episode offers hope: healing is always possible when individuals understand their body’s signals, address root causes, and build a trusting therapeutic connection.
Alyssia Anderson is a licensed therapist specializing in anxiety, trauma, and self-doubt. With a social work background that emphasizes the whole person within their environment, she integrates functional perspectives—addressing nutritional, hormonal, environmental, and emotional factors—to support deep, root-cause healing.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssia-pyne-anderson-lcsw-44622b95/
Website: https://www.southernpinecounseling.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCczGlg34-aifr1ZX-mz33Bg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southernpinecounseling/
Connect with me:
Check out my website: https://drjuliaward.com/
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Follow Dr. Julia Ward, MD, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-ward-md-55b7672a/
Follow Dr. Julia Ward, MD, on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/balancedbodyfunctionalmed/
Follow Dr. Julia Ward, MD, on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPz2YJi8Lw43i6XwNQiS6wg
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