What if your chronic symptoms weren’t just something to manage, but signals pointing to where true healing can begin? In this honest and eye-opening conversation with Dr. Dickson Thom, a naturopathic doctor with decades of experience in environmental and energetic medicine, we unpack how stress, trauma, and toxins like microplastics might be blocking your body’s natural healing process. And more importantly, Dr. Thom shares simple, doable steps you can take at home to shift your environment, your energy, and your health back into balance.

How trauma and environment affect health

Many people look at chronic symptoms as isolated issues: migraines, gut troubles, anxiety, insomnia. But Dr. Thom invites us to zoom out and consider the larger picture. What if those symptoms were actually signals, indicators that the body is overwhelmed and struggling to regulate itself?

According to Dr. Thom, the root of disease often lies in what he calls “the terrain”: your physical, emotional, and energetic state, shaped over time by diet, stress, trauma, toxins, and environment. When the terrain becomes compromised, the body loses its ability to detoxify and heal efficiently.

The unseen influence of childhood trauma

One of the biggest pieces Dr. Thom focuses on in his clinical work is unresolved trauma, especially from childhood. He often begins his patient intake with a simple but powerful question: “Tell me about your childhood.”

Why? Because learned perceptions from early life experiences shape how the body responds to stress later on. For example, chronic digestive issues like IBS may trace back to stress experienced during ages 2 to 6, when the gut-brain axis is developing. These subconscious patterns live in the body and brain, often outside of our awareness.

The nervous system’s role in healing

Dr. Thom explains that the autonomic nervous system is like the conductor of the body’s symphony. When we’re constantly in fight-or-flight mode due to stress, unresolved emotions, or even environmental noise pollution, our brain has trouble regulating other functions like digestion, detox, and immunity.

The body’s healing response is not just physical. It also depends on how safe we feel mentally and emotionally. Chronic stressors, whether emotional (like trauma) or physical (like toxins), create a backlog that prevents the body from mounting an effective immune response. Healing, then, must involve calming the nervous system and restoring regulation.

Environmental load: Microplastics, mold, and more

From rubber-soled shoes that block grounding to apartment buildings that offer little access to nature, modern environments further challenge our body’s healing capacity. Dr. Thom warns about the cumulative toxic load we carry, especially from microplastics. Recent studies estimate that the average person may have a cup of plastic in their body already.

The body doesn’t have enzymes to break down plastic, so it stores it away in organs and tissues. Depending on where that plastic lodges, you’ll experience different symptoms—brain fog, digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, and more.

Add in heavy metals, mold exposure, EMFs, and stress, and it’s no wonder so many people feel unwell despite normal labs and clean diets.

Healing starts at home: Practical steps

So what can you do about it?

Dr. Thom emphasizes that healing doesn’t require elaborate protocols. It starts with the basics:

• Movement: Go for a 30-45 minute walk each day. Bonus if it’s outside and without your phone.
• Grounding: Spend time barefoot on grass or use a grounding mat.
• Nervous system support: Prioritize sleep, meditation, and time alone.
• Hydration: Drink clean water throughout the day.
• Home environment: Reduce clutter, use air and water filters, and create quiet, calming spaces.
• Reflection: Consider journaling or guided inquiry about your childhood, stress patterns, and triggers. These insights can be valuable, even without formal therapy.

Dr. Thom has also developed a system of healing based on homeopathy, color therapy, flower essences, and energetic medicine, outlined in his book Begin Again. He uses this to help patients uncover and release the stored emotional patterns that may be interfering with their health.

The power of understanding your story

One of the most powerful tools in Dr. Thom’s practice is self-awareness. He encourages patients to write their life story by decade, from birth through present day, and then observe patterns. When people understand their health timeline in context, they often have a breakthrough.

For example, a woman with monthly pelvic pain discovered through dreamwork that she was reliving an ancestral trauma each cycle. Once acknowledged and processed, the pain disappeared.

Final thoughts

Health is not just about fighting a diagnosis—it’s about understanding the bigger picture. Your symptoms may be clues. Your childhood may hold answers. And your home can become your sanctuary for healing.

Dr. Thom’s message is clear: Your body wants to heal. Your job is to give it the right environment to do so.

Biography: 

Dr. Dickson Thom has been practicing medicine for over 50 years and has lectured extensively for over 40 years throughout the world. 

His first post-doctoral degree was obtained from the University of Toronto, in the Faculty of Dentistry, in 1974. Following that, he received his first Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree from the Ontario College of Naturopathic Medicine in Canada in 1986. In 1989, he completed a second degree from National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland Oregon (now called the National University of Natural Medicine). He served as Dean of Naturopathic Medicine at NCNM and taught there full-time as a professor for more than 25 years.

In 2009, he received the prestigious honor from the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, called the Vís Award, for his commitment to the healing power of nature through his work, life, and community service.

He is the author of several books, most recently, the book called Begin Again: Trauma, Disease, and Healing with the Brain Protocol and Biological Medicine. He believes health is a reflection of physical, emotional, spiritual, and energetic balance.

A life-long Boston Bruins hockey fan, he is also the co-host of a podcast with his daughter, Julie, a trauma-informed movement specialist, called Connecting with the Thom’s.

He still practices medicine at The BioMed Center in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Resources Mentioned:

Podcast Connecting with the Thoms: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/connecting-with-the-thoms/id1616883094

Dr. Dickson Thom’s book Bioregulatory Medicine: An Innovative Holistic Approach to Self-Healing https://amzn.to/3TzshP8

Dr. Thom’s Website: drdicksonthom.com

The Biomed Center in Scottsdale: thebiomedcenter.com

The Brain Protocol Book: drdicksonthom.com/product/the-brain-protocol-book/

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Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services. The statements and views expressed are not medical advice and are not meant to replace the advice of your medical doctor. This podcast, including Jen Heller and her guests, disclaims any responsibility and any adverse effects you may experience from the specific use of the information contained herein. The opinions of guests are their own and this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for the statements made by guests. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you think you have a medical condition, consult your licensed physician.