Today we’d like to introduce you to Karla Mehlenbacher.
Hi Karla, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I always wanted to be a doctor. I was one of those four-years-old that knew what I wanted to be and never changed my mind. I didn’t even consider anything besides Healthcare. I’m the only one in my family that’s in the field so I don’t have much explanation as to why, but my parents will tell you I have been saying I want to help people for as long as they can remember.
I always had an innate knowledge that drugs were not the first answer so I set off to become an osteopath because that meant I would be a “real doctor” but with more holistic alternative treatment options. After about of my own health issues and shadowing numerous doctors and hospitals, I realized that being a DO is really no different than being an MD and that they spend most of their days filling prescriptions and doing paperwork while having no time for their friends and family.
It was around the same time that I really noticed my own health problems emerge. Severe chronic bronchitis, hives, rashes, extreme fatigue, hair loss, breakouts, terrible heavy periods, multiple blackouts and major temperature dysregulation. I remember planning my showers mid-day to be sure I could have a warm shower without blacking out. After six months straight of strep and chronic bronchitis my junior year, I visited an ENT who recommended I have my tonsils removed. I had three surgeries within three months that year. While removing the tonsils, my doctor pointed out a large nodule on my thyroid. I had never noticed. I didn’t know what the thyroid did. After further imaging and testing, it was concluded that I had a benign nodule the size of a golf ball on the left side of my thyroid. I remember the doctor repeatedly saying, “wow, this is very rare for a 21-year-old.” Lovely. At the same time, I had to have my wisdom teeth removed, which should go smoothly, but I ended up with a dry socket and infection to top it all off. They removed half of my thyroid, leaving the right side with the hopes that I would not need to be medicated after. This solution worked temporarily, but as soon as I returned from a year abroad and began grad school, all my symptoms returned and were worse than ever.
I joke that I had a quarter life crisis after starting Chiropractic school. I just wanted to be a holistic doctor, not treat back pain for the rest of my life. I knew there had to be more. Per usual, I dug my face into books and attended all the student discounted seminars I could find. I started meeting many very intelligent alternative doctors that work with chronic conditions and developmental delay. It was in this process that I found functional neurology. I began shadowing chiropractors who specialize in neurology. I was blown away watching the changes made doing mostly motor-sensory stimulation. I watched kids go from not being able to sit still to making straight A’s in only three months. Soon after, I was offered a job working with the Carrick Institute alongside very knowledgeable medical doctors and chiropractors treating Texas veterans returning from war with PTSD and traumatic brain injuries.
After my studies in Dallas, I set out for a new position in San Francisco working for one of the top functional neurologists and medical doctors in the country. It was there that I found out, or was told, that I probably had Lyme based on my history. I wrote my own test requisition and low and behold, after all these years I finally had an answer for my symptoms. My healing journey was parallel to my career journey. The knowledge I had gained over the years set me in a perfect position to heal. I know how the system works now. And it worked. I am the healthiest I have been in my entire life.
When I look around now in many ways, the world is a very sick place. People are sick, angry, hurting and there has been an epidemic rise in all chronic physical and mental illnesses as well as children with behavioral and social issues. The world needs help; people of all ages need help. 1 in 5 kids and adults have some mental diagnosis, childhood and adult ADHD have risen over 2000 percent in 20 years, Autism 30 years ago was one in 10,000, now it’s less than 1 in 50. Along with this, we see an epidemic rise of all chronic health issues, obesity, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, thyroid, autoimmune, Alzheimer’s, dementia, etc. As we see this, we see a rise in anger and division, relationships seem harder, people feel more isolated and alone. We are more divided than ever politically and socially. The whole world seems disconnected. Is this all a coincidence? What is the reason? Is there any one factor that we can look at to understand all this and in understanding it, can we change it? The answer is yes. There is one primary issue that can explain almost everything and that is the concept of brain imbalances. I look around and I see people hurting and I want to help. I want to do anything I can to ease the suffering in this world. I want to help others as I was helped. It made sense and explained everything and soon, my whole world changed. I helped myself and now I am on a mission to help others help themselves.
I am a board-certified Chiropractic Neurologist. I have two postdoctoral fellowships, one in mTBI and vestibular rehabilitation and one in childhood neurodevelopmental disorders. I have worked with a wide variety of neurological conditions ranging from complex movement disorders and autism to dysautonomia and chronic pain conditions.
I got very sick in college and was searching for answers. Why did this happen? What is the point of all this? I had no idea where the healing journey of life would take me nor who I would become as a result.
While I am still figuring this thing called life out alongside all of you, I have come to some core beliefs that I now live by:
* 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 – It happens no other way.
* There are only a handful of root causes that lead to chronic disease – 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 🌱 (terrain theory)
* 𝑴𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 – the only reason we have a nervous system is because we are moving creatures
* Your whole existence is based on feedback loops. Body listens to mind; mind listens to body. Awareness is the link. – 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓
* 𝑾𝒆 𝒑𝒉𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆 – When we’re safe, magical things occur ✨ (polyvagal theory)
As I continue to remain open, observe, nurture, and grow these concepts, I will continue to share my observations with the world.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Functional Neurology is a whole systems approach, looking at the fundamental underlying causes of clinical symptoms. Our work is non-invasive neuro rehabilitation based on a single scientific principle: the brain is capable of learning, changing and improving throughout a person’s entire life.
Improving the health of your brain and your quality of life is our primary goal, which all starts with understanding how the brain functions. We perform a very detailed neurological examination so we can have an extensive understanding of the physiology and anatomy of the brain, spinal cord, nerves and muscles that coordinate, move and balance our bodies.
At Take Root we do not cover up the symptoms, we get to the root of what is causing the problem. We then offer an individualized, targeted treatment plan specifically for your needs and the way your unique brain functions giving you the instructions about how you can change your life for good.
I use Functional Neurology and Functional Medicine to help people struggling with post-concussion syndrome, childhood developmental disorders, chronic pain and many other neurological and autoimmune conditions. My hope is to build a community where anyone suffering with chronic illness can seek wellness and feel supported by a wide variety of resources specific to the healing journey.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
So, you’ve been diagnosed with mental health/chronic condition…Now what?
To start, there are two things you should know:
1. You’re not alone. Actually, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older. Over 23 million Americans struggle with autoimmunity, too.
2. It is possible to HEAL your body holistically and calm/reverse these conditions!
Through the use of nutrition, energetics, bodywork, functional testing, movement, mindset and more, you can be on the fast-track to your healthiest self.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@takerootcn.com
- Website: www.takerootcn.com
- Instagram: @drkarlamehlenbacher
- Facebook: drmehlenbacher
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/take-root-brain-and-body-development-austin-3
Image Credits
Georges Schemagin: https://www.mr-photographer.com/ Danielle Webster: http://daniellewebster.com/
