Part II: Burnout, Breakdown, Breakthrough – A Complementary, Alternative Medicine Journey
- Brainz Magazine
- Sep 18
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 19
Catrina “Tri” Francis is the owner of LifeART Wellness Clinic in Glendale, WI, where she serves as an Integrative Frequency Specialist and Ayurvedic Practitioner. With deep expertise in energy medicine, neuroscience, and mobility, she is passionate about holistic healing and dedicated to creating welcoming, supportive spaces where clients can heal and thrive mentally, physically, and spiritually.
Studies show that prolonged stress can lead to inflammation, impaired cognition, and structural brain changes, particularly in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. In my case, a prolonged state of neuroexhaustion ultimately led to a stroke.
Back to me
By the time I was admitted to the ER, the entire left side of my body had gone numb. I was still coherent, barely, but brain fog teetered at the edges, ready to take over. In my lucid moments, I tried to keep a brave face for my husband, but, truthfully, my heart was breaking. Not for myself, I trusted I was guided, that the universe had my back. My heartbreak was for him. It felt like our family was going to be the death of him.
For the past three years, we had been navigating our daughter’s childhood cancer treatments. And just when we were finally settling into stability, this. (I won’t go down the rabbit hole of the trauma childhood cancer holds and the effect it had on my whole family. That is a story for another day. For now, I will stick to the current educational offering, a look at the physiological impacts of stress and burnout, and how I used Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or CAM, to reclaim my life.)
It felt like we waited forever in that hospital room, but, in reality, care came quickly. Still, when the doctor arrived, it wasn’t a person, it was a head on a screen. He was brisk, detached, methodical. It was clear that, to him, I was just a chart, a case number.
The TV didn’t waste time. It told us things were getting worse fast, that I had a small window to accept medication. Now, as a CAM practitioner (who, at that time, cared for others better than I cared for myself), my instincts kicked in. I asked what any informed patient would ask, “What are the side effects? And what happens if I don’t take it?” The TV screen didn’t flinch. “If you don’t take it, we can’t guarantee the progression of brain damage. And if you take the medication, there’s a chance you could die.”
Hell of a side effect, right? And the delivery was brutal. In addition, we still didn’t know if the meds would help.
Now, as a student of Neurofeedback therapies, I understand what I couldn’t fully grasp in that moment, once brain cells are gone, they’re gone. You have to rebuild. That’s where CAM practices like neuroplasticity come in. Even though I had been dealt a hell of a hand, I still had faith. I asked for a moment alone with my husband. I needed the space, the breath, to honor his presence in this with me.
But we didn’t really need to talk. We were already aligned.
To medicine or not to medicine
Ninety percent of my clients say the same thing in one version or another, and they’re adamant:
"I want to get off these medicines! I’m tired of the side effects. They’re not doing anything. The doctor isn’t helping me figure out how to get off of them! I’ma stop today, just give me a vitamin!"
I always take a deep breath, not out of frustration, but out of understanding and sadness.
Understanding, because I’ve been there. I’ll be 41 in July, and I spent 22 years on various medications for what I now recognize as side effects of chronic stress. I bounced between Neuroconfusion and Neuroexhaustion, which left me obese, hypertensive, chronically fatigued, and in constant pain. It became a vicious cycle, the longer I stayed on meds, the worse the side effects got, and then came the meds to combat those side effects. And so on.
I also understand the disconnect. Somewhere, many of us were led to believe that medicine is meant to cure, that there’s an endpoint. But healing doesn’t begin and end with a prescription. You have to address the root cause of your symptoms. In my case, hypertension and migraines were symptoms of chronic stress. I inherited the lifestyle, not the diagnosis. What I truly needed wasn’t more meds, it was a full body, full spirit downshift.
Sadness, because, as a CAM practitioner, I have to gently, and honestly, say:
“We can’t just take you off those meds. We need a plan. And that plan needs to include your doctor.”
Anyone who tells you otherwise either doesn’t understand how medication affects the body, or they’re more interested in selling you something than supporting your healing.
We’re often taught to take a reactive approach:
“I have a problem. I need a fix.”
But with holistic and CAM approaches, it’s the opposite. You have to be proactive. That means you build habits and systems that support long-term well-being:
Edema isn’t a problem when you have regular movement in your routine. Chronic stress doesn’t win when you’ve committed to mindfulness practices and self-regulation.
And no, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Gentle, lasting changes are more effective than quick, radical ones. But if someone isn’t in the headspace to hear that the cycle continues. And that breaks my heart.
Two years after having a stroke, and almost a year after being laid off from my IT project management job (the one I actually liked), I’m finally able to come off my meds. Because my life changed. Not just one part, all of it.
I only work on things I’m passionate about now. My CAM clinic, LifeART Wellness, where I help people build their wells of transformation. My foundation, LeenaSun Horizons, supports families through childhood cancer.
My daughter completed treatment. I move my body 3 to 5 times a week. I switched to a pescatarian diet (and barely even want fish anymore). I rarely drink, and I’ve faced my fears. I’m healing. And I’m different from who I was a year ago.
No, I don’t think everyone’s journey has to be this intense. I’m sharing mine so you can learn from my detours, and maybe take a more direct route. And, to be clear, in an emergency, like the stroke I had, Complementary Medicine alone would not have stabilized me in time.
When you’re in a neuroconfused or exhausted state, depending on the urgency and your lifestyle readiness, it might make perfect sense to take the meds until you’re back in balance. Once homeostasis returns, you can move forward with more naturopathic, CAM-based strategies.
So what’s CAM again?
According to the NHS (UK), CAM, or Complementary and Alternative Medicine, includes healthcare practices and products not typically part of conventional medicine. They can be used alongside conventional allopathic medicine or in place of it.
Many CAM modalities are rooted in African, Eastern, and Middle Eastern healing philosophies, where the mind, body, and spirit connection is treated as one unified system. For example, in the U.S., someone dealing with stress might need a therapist, gastroenterologist, and neurologist to treat migraines and gut issues. In Ayurveda, you’d work with one practitioner, someone trained to look at your constitution, your environment, and your energetic imbalances all together.
In addition to Ayurveda, other CAM treatments include sound therapy, herbalism, chiropractic care, neurofeedback, biofeedback, and acupuncture, just to name a few. I, myself, am certified in integrated functional medicine, Reiki, yoga, sound healing, and assisted stretching. I am also a Reiki Master Teacher and am currently in school for neurofeedback therapy. Why all of the things, you may ask? First, I like to learn, and CAM, specifically energy medicine and the brain, is my passion. But I noticed that the more I strengthened my mind and spirit, the more my body got left out. So (after the stroke) I learned integrated functional medicine, Ayurveda, assisted stretching, and yoga to bolster my physical wellbeing as well.
So, how did I use CAM to reclaim my life? Let’s get back to the story.
Read more from Catrina Francis
Catrina "Tri" Francis is no stranger to burnout and its negative effects on the body. After facing stress-induced health challenges, including high blood pressure, obesity, TMJ, and migraines, she experienced neuro-exhaustion in the form of a stroke. Determined to heal, she immersed herself in complementary medicine, developing a holistic system that integrates Ayurveda, Reiki, Sound Healing, Chakra Attunements, Yoga, Assisted Stretching, and Neuroscience. Today, she blends her expertise in wellness and project management to empower others on their healing journeys, helping them achieve balance in mind, body, and spirit.
References:
Costa, D. (2025, January 8). Empirical evidence. Encyclopedia Britannica.
Zunnash, K. (2024, March 14). Burnout exhausts brain function and physiology. BrainFacts.org.
LeWine, H. E., MD. (2024, April 3). Understanding the stress response. Harvard Health Publishing.
Francis, C. T. (2025). Author credentials: Certified practitioner in Integrated Functional Medicine, Yoga, Sound Healing, Reiki (Master Teacher), Assisted Stretching, and current student of Neurofeedback Therapy.
