Patricia S. Lemer is a pioneer in holistic neurodevelopmental care and a globally recognized authority on autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, and mental health conditions. With over five decades of clinical experience, she is best known for applying Total Load Theory to understand why children and adults become symptomatic—and how addressing root causes can restore function. In this episode, she joins Dr. Michael Karlfeldt to discuss her latest book and life’s work.
Together, they explore how accumulated stressors—from toxins, infections, and nutrition to trauma, sensory processing issues, and nervous system dysregulation—overload the body and brain. Patricia explains why symptoms are adaptive responses, how labels often obscure root causes, and why prioritizing interventions in the right order is critical. The conversation also covers nervous system regulation, vagus nerve health, sensory integration, vision, dentistry, environmental toxins, EMFs, and the emerging role of AI tools in personalized healing.
This episode is a powerful deep dive for parents, practitioners, and anyone concerned about the rising rates of neurodevelopmental and mental health disorders. It offers practical insights, systems-based thinking, and a hopeful roadmap for reducing total load, restoring balance, and supporting long-term brain and nervous system health across the lifespan.
Key Topics Covered
Learn more and get your copy of Patricia Lemer’s groundbreaking book, Total Load Theory, here: https://a.co/d/2Okb7Up