21 November 2025
452: Dancing with Discomfort: Re-train Your Brain to Conquer Illness | Ben Ahrens
Ancient Health Podcast
About
Can you re-train your brain to make it through illness or injury, and even improve your healing outcomes? Dr. Motley sits down with Ben Ahrens, a brain-retraining educator, to learn how neuroplasticity truly can help those battling chronic illnesses. Ben shares his story of how a debilitating Lyme infection left him bedridden for years, and how a few simple brain tools made a key difference for him, motivating him to help others.
Takeaways:
Limbic kindling, the concept of many imperceptible stressors leading to a nervous system crash, may explain why some people are beaten so hard by infections and others aren’t.
It’s possible to be strengthened by stress if we approach challenges with a sense of safety and a relaxed nervous system.
Breathwork and vision casting, focusing our brains on what brings us joy, made all the difference for Ben.
Reading List of Books Mentioned:
Positivity by Barbara Frederickson: https://shorturl.at/z0Zl1
The Brain that Changes Itself and The Brain’s Way of Healing by Dr. Norman Doidge: https://shorturl.at/7r5Ho
LiveWired by David Eagleman: https://shorturl.at/yVHXd
SuperBetter by Jane McGonigal: https://shorturl.at/05mdS
The Stress Prescription by Dr. Elissa Eppel: https://tinyurl.com/3wp4uaku
Chronic Pain Reset by Dr. Afton Hessett: https://tinyurl.com/avu95ezz
Want more of The Ancient Health Podcast? Subscribe to Doctor Motley YouTube channel.
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Follow Dr. Chris Motley
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook
Website
Follow Ben Ahrens + his work
Website: http://www.re-origin.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reorigin_official
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@re_origin
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahrensben
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*If you’re a health coach looking to advise parents and families, or even if you’re a hardcore health nerd who wants to dive deeper and take advantage of ALL Doctor Motley’s clinical experience, he has a membership to help you get the most out of your health and help the people you love. To poke around in there for free for 15 days, check out: https://www.doctormotley.com/15
*Coffee-lovers unite! Lifeboost Coffee is gentle on the stomach, clean - we’re talking third-party tested for mold and other toxins - and won’t spike your anxiety. Right now you can get 58% off at lifeboostcoffee.com/DRMOTLEY
Takeaways:
Limbic kindling, the concept of many imperceptible stressors leading to a nervous system crash, may explain why some people are beaten so hard by infections and others aren’t.
It’s possible to be strengthened by stress if we approach challenges with a sense of safety and a relaxed nervous system.
Breathwork and vision casting, focusing our brains on what brings us joy, made all the difference for Ben.
Reading List of Books Mentioned:
Positivity by Barbara Frederickson: https://shorturl.at/z0Zl1
The Brain that Changes Itself and The Brain’s Way of Healing by Dr. Norman Doidge: https://shorturl.at/7r5Ho
LiveWired by David Eagleman: https://shorturl.at/yVHXd
SuperBetter by Jane McGonigal: https://shorturl.at/05mdS
The Stress Prescription by Dr. Elissa Eppel: https://tinyurl.com/3wp4uaku
Chronic Pain Reset by Dr. Afton Hessett: https://tinyurl.com/avu95ezz
Want more of The Ancient Health Podcast? Subscribe to Doctor Motley YouTube channel.
------
Follow Dr. Chris Motley
TikTok
Website
Follow Ben Ahrens + his work
Website: http://www.re-origin.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reorigin_official
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@re_origin
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahrensben
------
*If you’re a health coach looking to advise parents and families, or even if you’re a hardcore health nerd who wants to dive deeper and take advantage of ALL Doctor Motley’s clinical experience, he has a membership to help you get the most out of your health and help the people you love. To poke around in there for free for 15 days, check out: https://www.doctormotley.com/15
*Coffee-lovers unite! Lifeboost Coffee is gentle on the stomach, clean - we’re talking third-party tested for mold and other toxins - and won’t spike your anxiety. Right now you can get 58% off at lifeboostcoffee.com/DRMOTLEY