Brain, Neuroscience & Behavior

Explore physician-led conversations about brain health, neuroscience, memory, sleep, addiction, neuroplasticity, decision-making, and human behavior.

Learn how the brain and nervous system influence thoughts, emotions, habits, learning, and everyday life—and explore research and treatment approaches that may support cognitive health and long-term well-being.

PODCAST INTERVIEWS & CONVERSATIONS

Brain Health and Neuroscience Videos

Browse expert conversations about memory, sleep, addiction, neuroplasticity, neurological conditions, cognitive function, and the connections between brain health and human behavior.

Inside the Default Mode Network | A Different Look at Mental Health with Holly Hawkins

What if the voice in your head isn't telling you the truth?

Dr. John Sanders sits down with Holly Hawkins to explore a part of the brain most people have ...never heard of: the Default Mode Network (DMN). Drawing on years of experience in family medicine, he breaks down how this network shapes our sense of identity and the stories we tell ourselves. Whether it's anxiety, depression, or a nagging sense of not being good enough, the roots often trace back to patterns formed long before we were aware of them.

Holly opens up about the conditional beliefs around love she carried from childhood, her experience with ketamine therapy, and the ongoing work of rewiring thought patterns. Together, they make the case that healing the Default Mode Network isn't a one-time fix. It's a lifelong practice of awareness, courage, and compassion toward yourself.

Chapters
[Start] The Mental Game of Athletics: Dr. Sanders welcomes Holly Hawkins, and she reflects on how her self-worth became tied to performance and external validation.
04:18 The Default Mode Network: The neuroscience behind the DMN and how the brain works to form identity and inner dialogue.
15:30 The DMN and Mental Health: How mental health struggles are often symptoms of a deeper narrative problem, and that medication alone doesn't reach the root.
21:09 Ketamine Therapy: How psychedelic-assisted therapy can interrupt the DMN and create an opening for new beliefs to take hold.
31:10 Natural Tools for Rewiring the DMN: Accessible, non-pharmaceutical ways to loosen an unhealthy inner narrative and how to build them.

Links & Resources
https://voyageclinics.com/Show More

Inside the Default Mode Network | A Different Look at Mental Health with Holly Hawkins

What if the voice in your head isn't telling you the truth? Dr. John ...

What Making Art Does to Your Brain | The Neuroscience of Creativity with Katie Garner

Dr. John Sanders is joined by Katie Garner to talk about creative ...

Dr. Brian Nyberg | What Talking to AI Reveals About You | The Psychology of Technology

Technology is changing the game in every aspect of life, including ...

How Overprotecting Kids Can Increase Anxiety | Building Resilience with Jared Smithson

Health coaching, mindset, and resilience take center stage as Dr. John ...

Why Ketamine Alone Doesn’t Create Change | Intention, Therapy & Action

In this in-depth discussion, Dr. John and neuroscientist Dr. Kyle ...

In this in-depth discussion, Dr. John and neuroscientist Dr. Kyle Bills explore the concept of neuroplasticity—the brain’s remarkable ability to rewire and change through intention, experience, and biological modulation. They ...connect spiritual and scientific perspectives, noting that practices like repentance, reframing thoughts, and setting clear intentions align with measurable neurological mechanisms such as BDNF spikes, dopamine release, and mTOR activation. The conversation emphasizes that our mindset and the stories we tell ourselves (“I am” statements) can either limit or liberate our potential to change.

Dr. Bills expands on the science of neuroplasticity by describing how activities like exercise, cold plunges, and intentional therapy stimulate neurochemical changes that reshape brain circuitry. However, he cautions that neurochemical boosts alone—whether from exercise or ketamine therapy—are not inherently beneficial unless paired with positive context and deliberate action. The two discuss the role of intention-setting in clinical treatments, sharing moving examples of how combining ketamine-assisted therapy with purposeful goals, like becoming a more patient parent, can lead to real behavioral transformation.

The conversation culminates with Dr. Bills’ groundbreaking research into mechanical neurostimulation. He explains how specific vibrational frequencies applied to the spine can modulate dopamine circuits, producing measurable reductions in anxiety and improved cognitive function—without drugs or surgery. His NIH-funded trials using a noninvasive “vibration chair” show promise for treating conditions like opioid withdrawal, anxiety, and potentially even sleep disorders and Parkinson’s disease. Both doctors close with gratitude for science’s role in helping humanity refine itself, bridge mind and body, and grow closer to divine potential through understanding and intentional change.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

0:00 Introduction: Dr. Kyle Bills and the Science of Change
0:53 Dr. Bills’ Journey from Chiropractic to Neuroscience
6:10 Scientific Humility and the Limits of Medical Knowledge
9:48 What Brain Science Still Cannot Fully Explain
11:05 Biopsychosocial Care, Medication, and Polypharmacy
13:19 Neuroscience vs. Psychology
14:25 How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Changes Thought Patterns
18:02 Dopamine, Bias, and the Brain’s Prediction System
21:01 Your Brain Does Not Simply Record Reality
22:49 Repentance, Spirituality, and Neuroplasticity
28:30 Why Negative Experiences Affect the Brain So Strongly
32:40 BDNF, Exercise, Ketamine, and the Brain’s Ability to Change
36:17 Why Neuroplasticity Needs the Right Context
38:28 Setting an Intention Before Ketamine Treatment
40:12 Creating Lasting Change Through Small Actions
41:43 Dr. Bills’ Mechanical Neurostimulation Research
44:13 How Spinal Stimulation Influenced GABA and Dopamine
48:59 Testing Neurostimulation for Substance Use Disorders
50:49 Creating a Noninvasive Vibration Chair
52:40 Human Anxiety Trials and NIH Funding
54:23 How the Vibration Chair Works
56:42 How Long the Effects Last
58:23 Phase Two Trials, FDA Approval, and Clinical Availability
1:00:50 Potential Research for Sleep, ADHD, PTSD, and Parkinson’s
1:02:36 Closing Thoughts on Science and Intentional ChangeShow More

Dr. John with Dr. Jeremy Gardner | Seeing the Hidden Connections: Vision, ADHD, and Dyslexia

This podcast episode features Dr. John Sanders in conversation with ...

This podcast episode features Dr. John Sanders in conversation with Dr. Jeremy Gardner, a neurodevelopmental optometrist at Achieve Family Vision. Dr. Gardner explains that vision is far more than just ...achieving 20/20 eyesight—it's a crucial driver of attention, learning, and development from infancy through adulthood. He highlights how vision therapy, or what he calls “brain therapy through the eyes,” helps children and adults overcome challenges linked to conditions such as ADHD, dyslexia, autism, and even post-concussion recovery. He emphasizes the role of movement, outdoor play, and three-dimensional visual experiences in building strong visual and attentional skills.

The discussion moves into how current medical and educational systems tend to overlook these deeper aspects of vision. Pediatricians and schools typically screen only for clarity of sight, missing vision processing, tracking, and coordination issues that can mimic ADHD or dyslexia. Dr. Gardner explains that many children who struggle with reading, attention, or headaches are actually experiencing vision-related challenges, which can be identified through specialized testing. He also points out that vision difficulties can contribute to behavioral frustration, avoidance of reading, and overreliance on screens, as these require less visual effort than traditional learning.

Dr. Gardner shares that his practice uses comprehensive evaluations to uncover underlying causes of learning difficulties, pulling together insights from vision specialists, auditory experts, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and mental health professionals. Their collaborative goal is to eliminate preventable learning barriers for Utah students by 2035. Importantly, he stresses that dyslexia and attention difficulties are not permanent roadblocks but challenges that can often be retrained and improved with proper intervention. The episode closes with a call for greater awareness among parents, teachers, and medical providers—highlighting that early recognition and a holistic, team-based approach can dramatically improve children’s confidence, learning, and lifelong potential.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

0:00 Introduction: Dr. Jeremy Gardner and Neurodevelopmental Optometry
1:06 How Vision Guides Development, Attention, and Recovery
2:04 Dr. Gardner’s Path to Vision Therapy
3:22 Why 20/20 Eyesight Is Only Part of Vision
4:16 Eye Coordination, Focus, and Learning
5:10 How Movement Builds the Visual System
6:08 ADHD, Screens, and Reduced Outdoor Play
9:02 Vision Therapy as Brain Therapy Through the Eyes
9:29 Why Outdoor Play Supports Attention and Learning
10:26 Eye Tracking, Peripheral Vision, and Reading
12:00 Looking at the Whole Child
13:14 Homework Meltdowns and Reading Red Flags
14:16 Why It’s Usually a Brain-Control Problem, Not Weak Eye Muscles
15:09 What Comprehensive Vision Testing Measures
16:57 Has Your Child Had Vision Checked—or Only Eyesight?
18:33 Reading, Spelling, and Memory Warning Signs
20:53 Headaches, Eye Rubbing, and Reading Avoidance
23:00 High-Performing Kids Can Still Be Struggling
23:38 What Dyslexia Is—and Isn’t
25:00 Vision, Auditory Processing, Language, and Handwriting
27:56 Why Parents Ask, “Why Didn’t Anyone Catch This?”
29:49 The Dyslexia Processing Evaluation
31:51 What the Comprehensive Evaluation Includes
33:15 Bridging Gaps in Pediatric and School Screening
37:54 Hope and Intervention for Children With Dyslexia
39:38 Why Reading Aloud Builds Language Skills
41:19 Making Reading Visual, Creative, and Fun
44:34 Practical Tips for Parents
45:49 Why More Practice Is Not Always the Solution
47:12 Closing ThoughtsShow More

Dr. John and Amy Walker | Business, Balance & Brain Growth: How Entrepreneurialism Fuels Wellness

In this episode of the Voyage Clinic podcast, Dr. John Sanders sits ...

Dr. Sanders with Alina Fong, PhD | Healing Concussions

Dr. John interviews Dr. Alina Fong, a neuropsychologist specializing ...

Dr. John interviews Dr. Alina Fong, a neuropsychologist specializing in brain injuries, particularly concussions and post-concussion syndrome. Dr. Fong shares her journey, from growing up in Hawaii to earning her ...PhD and working with military veterans who suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBI) during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. She discusses how concussions are often misunderstood due to the invisible nature of the injuries and the neuro-metabolic energy crisis that occurs in the brain after a concussion. Dr. Fong emphasizes that concussions do not always result in loss of consciousness, making it difficult for some to recognize the severity of the injury.

The conversation delves into the common symptoms of concussions, which include cognitive, emotional, and physical challenges, such as brain fog, irritability, and sensitivity to light and sound. Dr. Fong discusses the outdated practice of "cocooning" patients in dark rooms, which has been replaced by recommendations for light physical activity and social interaction within 24 to 48 hours after injury. She stresses the importance of early intervention and encourages patients to seek medical attention if symptoms persist, to avoid the progression to post-concussion syndrome (PCS), which is diagnosed when symptoms last longer than six months.

Dr. Fong also discusses the innovative treatments available at her clinic, Cognitive FX, located in Provo, Utah. The clinic uses functional MRI (fMRI) to assess brain function and develop personalized rehabilitation programs for concussion and PCS patients. The treatment program is an intensive two-week schedule that includes cognitive therapy, neuromuscular therapy, and physical rehabilitation. Dr. Fong highlights the success rate of her clinic, with 90% of patients reporting significant symptom reduction after just one week of treatment.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.Show More

Dr. John Sanders with Derek Fairbanks and Eric Cheney | Placebo and the Power of Belief

In this episode, Dr. Sanders sits down with Derek Fairbanks and Eric ...

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Inside the Default Mode Network | A Different Look at Mental Health with Holly Hawkins

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