The Neuroscience of Soul with Helen Lavretsky, MD, MS

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The word "psychology" hides something in plain sight. It comes from "psyche"—the Greek word for soul. But somewhere along the way, we took the soul out of psychology. We’ve handed our well-being over to the brain, the hormones, the chemistry—and this leaves out our deeper quest of who we really are. Integrative psychiatrist and UCLA neuroscientist Dr. Helen Lavretsky invites us to rediscover the soul at the heart of psychology. Raised in a family of Moscow scientists, Lavretsky redirected her studies and life work when she had a spontaneous Kundalini Yoga awakening at forty-five. She now teaches a soul listening meditation that guides people into direct conversation with their own soul. She claims that this meditation is so moving that nearly ninety-five percent of participants weep when their soul offers them a hug. In this dialogue Lavretsky, explores ego, soul, spirit, heart-brain coherence, grounding practices like walking barefoot on sand; EFT and EMDR for releasing trauma; and cultivating intuition through stillness. She also weighs AI's promise and peril for mental health and why nature, beauty, and creative expression remain the soul's clearest languages, offering tools to become conscious creators of our own reality. (hosted by Justine Willis Toms)

Bio:

Helen Lavretsky, MD, MS is a medically trained integrative and geriatric psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and professor of psychiatry at UCLA. She directs clinical and research programs in integrative mental health and serves as a director of research for the UCLA Integrative Medicine Collaborative.

Dr. Lavretsky is the author of:

• Living From the Soul: The Neuroscience of Spiritual Awakening (Park Street Press 2026)

To be in touch with Helen Lavretsky go to: www.drhelenlavretsky.com

Topics Explored in This Dialogue

• What is Soul and how does it differ from Spirit
• What is the Soul Listening Meditation
• What is the importance of heart-brain coherence and breathwork
• Why it is important to ground ourselves on the Earth and have a connection with nature
• What is the release of trauma through EFT and EMDR
• How might we cultivate our intuition
• What are the promises and perils of technology and artificial intelligence for mental health
• What is the role of beauty and the expressive arts in mental health

Host: Justine Willis Toms    Interview Date: 7/17/2026   Program Number: 3867

Music Playlist

Album: Neurosphere
Artist: Eso-Terra

Track 02 Sacred Desert