The Mind–Body Connection: Mental Health, Vulnerability & Navigating Alzheimer’s with Dr. Emily Matis

In today’s episode, we sit down with licensed psychologist and our close friend, Dr. Emily Matis, for an honest, deeply human conversation about mental health, Alzheimer's, the mind–body connection, and how emotional experiences can manifest physically. Emily shares her personal journey navigating her father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, offering insight into grief, resilience, and what it’s like to witness cognitive decline in real time. She also discusses her evolving hypothesis around potential contributors to neurodegenerative disease beyond genetics alone. Somehow we still managed to giggle in between getting raw and vulnerable, because isn't that what life's about?! Together, we explore: How stress, anxiety, and trauma show up in the body The brain–gut connection and why mental health matters for physical healing How Alzheimer's can impact far more than the person experiencing it What vulnerability actually looks like in real life How to support your mind–body connection intentionally Therapists are human too EPISODE SPONSOR: TERRAHEALTH ESSENTIALS (use code "guttalkgirls20" for 20% off)