Nov 10
For years, Kalin Johnson was operating with a dysregulated nervous system and putting her body through unnecessary stress, and it was only once she started listening to her body’s needs that she realized how much easier things could be.
Kalin now combines her personal experience with her professional training as a healthcare provider to help others bridge the gap between mental and physical health. Through her work, she shows high-achieving, neurodivergent, and hypermobile individuals how to “unmask their health” and feel their best.
Join me in welcoming Kalin back onto the podcast (you can listen to her first episode here, #177) as she shares her knowledge on hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, the ways it impacts ADHD, why so many of us are stuck in fight-or-flight, and how to regulate our nervous systems and get our brains back online so we can start feeling our absolute best.
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"My brain was never quiet. I was always thinking, always going. It ended up being both kind of a blessing and a curse for me."
- Kalin Johnson
"I had built a life based off of an idea of who everyone else told me I was, but none of it was based off of who I actually was. So I really felt like I was an infant in curating a life that was really fit for me again, which was both daunting and a grief process, but then also really exciting. I feel like I'm an artist in my own life now."
- Kalin Johnson
"My life is completely different than what it was before. The grass is not only greener, it is a pasture and it is wonderful to live a life that is actually aligned with who you are, your brain, your body, every step of the way. It's brilliant. "
- Kalin Johnson
- Kalin was diagnosed with ADHD after seeking help for physical and mental health issues, despite previously working as a pharmacist and not recognizing the signs in herself or others.
- Kalin describes their experience with ADHD, including their brain never being quiet and developing coping mechanisms to manage their symptoms.
- Kalin suggests that ADHD individuals may be more productive on the external side as a way for their body to cope with the brain's stuck beta state, leading to a need for balance and rest.
[18:16 - 37:37] Autism, ADHD, and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome
- Kalin discusses Wonder's sensory preferences, emphasizing that they are specific and important to her. She finds that these preferences are closely related to her intuition.
- Kalin explains that hypermobility and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome can cause difficulty focusing and paying attention in school due to poor blood flow to the brain.
- Kalin discusses the intersection of ADHD and entrepreneurship, highlighting the benefits and challenges of hyper focus and the importance of finding balance.
- Kalin explains that the sympathetic nervous system is activated when the body perceives a threat, leading to increased heart rate and blood flow diversion away from the prefrontal cortex, which can impact decision-making and emotional regulation.
- Kalin explains that nervous system activation can cause physiological responses such as shallow breathing, feeling tired but wired, increased heart rate, and digestive issues like IBS and bloating.
- Kalin suggests doing something in the moment to release energy, such as yelling into a pillow or doing push-ups, to help process emotions and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system.
