Exclusive Interview:
How Catherine Oxenberg
Overcame PPD
About The Guest:
Award-winning actress, author and activist Catherine Oxenberg was admitted to Harvard, and transferred to Columbia, where she studied until her career took off as an actress. She appeared on the covers of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Glamour and Interview. Her breakout role was as Princess Diana in the CBS TV movie The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana. She then starred in the global hit television show Dynasty.
Catherine is a long-time advocate for women's issues and rescued her daughter India from a dangerous cult. In 2023, her non-profit funded a retreat for female sexual assault survivors, and she and India launched HEALIX 180, a website dedicated to offering resources for recovery from trauma. In 2022, she and India were honored with a “Champion Of Children'' Award by the Children’s Institute. Past honorees include Audrey Hepburn, Nancy Reagan, and Betty Ford.
Summary:
Dr. David Clarke and Catherine Oxenberg discuss Psychophysiologic Disorders (PPD), in which altered nerve circuits in the brain generate pain or illness in the body. They emphasize that this condition is common and that symptoms often are as severe as those caused by organ disease or injury. Unfortunately, few healthcare professionals have had formal training in evaluating PPD patients.
Catherine shares her personal journey of experiencing debilitating physical symptoms and her search for a diagnosis and treatment. She highlights the importance of understanding the connection between emotional trauma and physical symptoms. Dr. Clarke explains the role of triggers and the impact of adverse childhood experiences on PPD. They also discuss a range of effective treatments, and the potential value of ketamine and other psychoactive drugs in the future.
Key Takeaways:
Psychophysiologic Disorders (PPD) are common and can cause pain or illness as severe as those caused by any other disease.
Few healthcare professionals have had formal training in diagnosis or treatment of PPD.
Emotional trauma and adverse childhood experiences can contribute to the development of PPD in adults.
Understanding triggers and setting boundaries can help relieve symptoms and prevent flare-ups.
Quotes:
"The symptoms were being generated not where they were being felt, but actually generated by the brain because of anatomic changes in the nerve circuits in the brain." - Dr. David Clarke
"I realized in that moment, I'm like, I've never done that type of therapy where I go back and I get that frozen piece of myself that I rejected and apologize to her." - Catherine Oxenberg
"The more I understand about symptoms, the more I feel like so much of depression and anxiety is really, it's another symptom." - Catherine Oxenberg
"The fact that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that there is such a thing as a pain-free life and that is a reality, it's not delusional, is really important for people just to believe." - Catherine Oxenberg
Want to learn more?
Common PPD Symptoms Guide
Still curious? Browse our guide to common Psychophysiologic Disorders (PPD). It is important to recognize that PPD symptoms manifest uniquely in every individual; however, certain manifestations of PPD are more common than others and they are the subject of this page.