July 26th marks the birthday of a brilliant scientist and inspired spiritualist, the late Dr. Candace Pert. She is considered to be the Mother of Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), having discovered key findings for a scientific basis of mindbody medicine. Her work has been profoundly influential to the study of consciousness and to complementary and alternative medicine. Dr. Pert discovered chemicals called neuropeptides which are the mediators of emotion, and found scientific evidence that we store emotions in our bodies. The notion that the path to wellness must incorporate modalities that unlock and release these neurochemical imprints has been foundational to my personal and professional life. In her seminal book The Molecules of Emotion, Dr. Pert describes her research as well as her experience as a woman in science. She is one of my personal (s)heroes and I was thrilled to learn that her work is being featured in a new documentary film, also titled Molecules of Emotion. The film is being produced through the efforts of Pert’s husband, Dr. Michael Ruff and The Institute for New Medicine (TIMN), a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the work of Dr. Pert. Check out TIMN to learn more about the project and view the film trailer.
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