Brain on Fire: Surviving Suicidal Psychosis, Misdiagnosed Schizophrenia, and Re-Wiring the Brain with Amy Stacey Curtis

Brain on Fire: Surviving Suicidal Psychosis, Misdiagnosed Schizophrenia, and Re-Wiring the Brain with Amy Stacey Curtis

What happens when an un-diagnosed tick-borne pathogen attacks the central nervous system? Today on Lyme+, Kenzie Bath sits down with celebrated installation artist, author, and musician Amy Stacey Curtis for one of the most raw, urgent conversations we have ever hosted. In early 2017, after completing a massive 18-year historic art opus, a switch flipped in Amy’s brain. Suddenly, she was plunged into 22 months of continuous, terrifying suicidal psychosis and a total head-to-toe loss of muscle control that confined her to a wheelchair and compromised her speech. Misdiagnosed with late-onset schizophrenia and tracked through eight heavy antipsychotic drugs, it was a dedicated primary care doctor and an open-minded specialist who finally uncovered the root cause: chronic, untreated neuroboreliosis (Lyme disease of the brain). Amy takes us through her grueling six-year physical recovery, her self-prescribed "uber-occupational therapy" using a Facebook Marketplace ukulele, and the launch of her brand new memoir, How My Brain Saved My Life Twice. Connect with Amy Stacey Curtis: * Website & Book: AmyStaceyCurtis.com [https://www.amystaceycurtis.com/] * TikTok & Instagram: @amystaceycurtis

The Art of Tick War: Radical Prevention with "Tick Man Dan" Wolff

Most people get the "heebie-jeebies" at the sight of a single tick, but for Dan Wolff (aka "Tick Man Dan"), they are a thirty-year obsession. Having survived an estimated 250 tick bites, Dan has turned his personal history into a masterclass on public safety and prevention. In this episode of Lyme+, we go deep into the "Art of War" against our least-favorite, eight-legged enemies. Dan breaks down the terrifyingly sophisticated biomechanics of a tick bite, from the numbing agents they spit to keep you unaware, to the "cement" they use to lock themselves into your skin. Whether you are an avid outdoorsman or just someone trying to protect your kids in the backyard, this conversation is packed with the "Tick Bits" you need to stay safe this season.

Is it Anxiety or Lyme? PANS/PANDAS, Neuroinflammation, and Pediatric Chronic Illness with Dr. Somer DelSignore

What happens when a vibrant, energetic child suddenly faces severe anxiety, mood changes, OCD, or physical tics? Today on Lyme+, Kenzie Vath and Dan Wagner sit down with integrative pediatrician Dr. Somer DelSignore to pull back the rug on a hidden epidemic: pediatric neuroinflammation. When a child's personality flips overnight, mainstream medicine frequently rushes to a purely psychiatric label. But as Dr. Sommer explains, the nervous system does not exist in a vacuum. In this episode, we dive into the clinical reality of PANS and PANDAS, why commercial laboratory blood tests miss up to 50% of active tick-borne pathogens, and how stealth infections like Borrelia, Bartonella, and Babesia can cross a child's vulnerable blood-brain barrier to trigger an autoimmune attack on the brain. We also break down the hard data surrounding congenital Lyme and map out a comprehensive, root-cause protocol to restore a child's health from the cell up. The views expressed by guests are based on their personal clinical experiences and research. This podcast is for educational and storytelling purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Global Lyme Alliance does not endorse specific alternative treatments, private laboratory facilities, or commercial health products. Always consult with a qualified, literate healthcare professional for pediatric diagnosis and treatment. Connect with Global Lyme Alliance Dr. Somer Delsignore: * Hudson Integrative Health [https://hudsonvalleyintegrativehealth.com/] * Instagram: @drsomerdelsignore [https://www.instagram.com/drsomerdelsignore/#] Connect with Global Lyme Alliance (GLA): * Website: GLA.org [https://www.gla.org] * Instagram: @GlobalLymeAlliance [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.instagram.com/globallymealliance]

The Bag of Toxins: Surrendering the Struggle and the Power of Proactive Coaching with Jake Mayers

What happens when your "Type A" drive to heal actually becomes a barrier to your recovery? Inside the Episode: * [09:21] The Perfect Storm: How a trip to India and a snowboarding accident triggered a decade of undiagnosed illness. * [14:40] Rock Bottom in Portland: The moment mold toxicity broke Jake’s "mind over matter" strategy. * [17:57] The Bag of Toxins: A look inside the apheresis process in Germany and the power of "visualizing" the detox. * [24:30] The 20% to 80% Jump: Why stopping treatment and surrendering to faith accelerated Jake's healing. * [33:10] The Mad Libs Framework: A tangible tool for communicating your struggle to doctors and loved ones without losing your power. * [37:30] Case Overviews: How to turn a four-inch binder of medical records into a one-page "strategic strike" for your next appointment. * [41:30] The Dental Connection: Why biological dentistry and "cavitations" are the missing piece for many chronic Lyme patients. * [51:50] The 2-Minute Rule: A simple digital wellness habit to protect your nervous system every morning. * The "Jubu" Path: How Jake integrated Eastern mindfulness (Tai Chi) and Western faith to find internal ease amidst physical chaos. * Self-Advocacy: Why you must be the "Driver" of your health journey, while practitioners serve as the "Support Crew." * Biological Dentistry: How hidden infections in the jawbone (cavitations) can constantly release toxins into your system, blocking recovery. Connect with Jake here: Lyme Warrior Workshop: https://calendly.com/jakemayerscoaching/from-invisible-to-heard Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakemayerscoaching/ [https://www.instagram.com/jakemayerscoaching/] Substack: https://substack.com/@jakemayers [https://substack.com/@jakemayers] Digital Resources (Daily Dose + Case Overview): https://www.etsy.com/shop/GoodDayGuides [https://www.etsy.com/shop/GoodDayGuides] Book a Free Consultation: https://calendly.com/jakemayerscoaching/chronic-illness-consultation [https://calendly.com/jakemayerscoaching/chronic-illness-consultation]

From Medical Gaslighting to Building a Healing Community: Sami Kirschbaum on Lyme Resilience

Episode Title:From Medical Gaslighting to Building a Healing Community: Sami Kirschbaum on Lyme Resilience Episode Description: Sami Kirschbaum was undiagnosed with Lyme disease for nearly a decade. Growing up in Wisconsin, symptoms started in elementary school. Stomach issues, constant trips to the health room. Things escalated when she contracted Epstein-Barr virus at 16, landing her on bed rest for four months. Every year brought something new: joint pain, migraines, neck pain, fatigue that never lifted. No one connected the dots. When a surgery during grad school sent her health into freefall, a doctor told her it was "just depression." Sami pushed for testing. Her Lyme test came back positive. Then they took the diagnosis away because she had four CDC bands instead of five. That experience lit a fire. In this episode, Sami shares how she found whole body hyperthermia treatment at Clinic St. George in Germany. A 6-hour procedure under anesthesia that heats the body to temperatures Lyme bacteria cannot survive. She was inpatient for 35 days, completed two rounds, and walked away with the thing she wanted most: her cognitive function back. Sami also gives a live demonstration of brain spotting therapy with host Kenzie Bath. She breaks down how the modality works and why "where you look affects how you feel." Unlike talk therapy, brain spotting accesses the subcortical brain where trauma is actually stored, making it especially effective for the grief, medical PTSD, and chronic pain that so many in the Lyme community carry. Sami is a licensed therapist in Minnesota, currently completing her training at the Brain Spotting Institute with graduation on May 7th, and working with the Rocky Mountain Brain Institute. We also cover mold illness: how it compounds Lyme symptoms, how to navigate testing and remediation, and the emotional toll of losing your home and belongings to a problem you didn't know existed. Sami lived in a camper for two years after mold forced her out of her house before relocating to Scottsdale, Arizona for dry heat, more vitamin D, and a fresh start. Today, Sami is the founder of the Lyme Resilience Collective, where she offers individual brain spotting sessions, a 4-week Nervous System Regulation Support Group, and free monthly community meetups. She partners with the Ticked Off Foundation to provide reduced-fee services for patients facing financial hardship and recently delivered her first presentation educating mental health therapists on the impacts of Lyme disease on mental health. Her message: healing takes time, the dark seasons don't last forever, and the fact that you're listening means a part of you already knows you can get better. CONNECT WITH SAMI Email: sam@lymecollective.com [sam@limecollective.com] Instagram: @lymeresilencecollective TikTok: @lymeresilencecollective MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Lyme Resilience CollectiveClinic St. George (Germany)Ticked Off FoundationEnvita Medical CenterBrain Spotting InstituteRocky Mountain Brain InstituteMold Finders (Brian Karr)