25. Rethinking Mental Disorders: From Diagnosis to Understanding Our Responses to the World - With Eva Henje, MD

Why are so many young people struggling with anxiety, depression and emotional distress — and are we looking for the problem in the right place?

In this episode, I sit down with Eva Henje, MD, PhD, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Umeå University, to explore what happens when we shift our focus from simply reducing symptoms to understanding what lies beneath them.

We talk about how trauma, chronic stress and early adversity can shape the developing brain, why some young people are more resilient than others, and how the environments we grow up in influence our mental health.

But this is also a conversation about hope.

Eva shares what neuroscience tells us about neuroplasticity, healing and our capacity for change, and we explore how approaches such as mindfulness and the TARA treatment model may support young people struggling with depression.

We also dive into the emerging field of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, including psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine — what the research is showing, why psychotherapy and proper clinical support matter, and the potential risks of psychedelic retreats outside clinical settings.

At the heart of our conversation is a question I believe matters deeply:

What if symptoms are not simply signs that something is wrong with us — but responses that make sense when we understand the life and circumstances they developed within?

An episode about trauma, the brain and mental health — but ultimately, about our remarkable capacity to change, heal and create a meaningful life.

Follow Eva and her work:

www.evahenje.com

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