A Review of Dr. Nicole Lepera’s How to Do the Work

Some books have the capacity to be life changing. This book has been that for me. Dr. Lepera has crafted a guidepost, an algorithm of sorts, to help readers regain their sense of purpose and live their best lives. 

In medicine, it is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routine and lose sight of our higher purposes. So many of us got into medicine, our calling, in order to help people. But who helps us when we lose our way? The answer lies in rediscovering how the mind, body, and spirit are interconnected. If one of these areas becomes dysregulated, it can affect the other two. If we can devote time to healing one of these areas, it can likewise affect the other two and allow us to find ourselves and our true passions again.

Dr. Lepera provides relatable examples of how past experiences shape our present. She beautifully interweaves these experiences into real world examples of how they can manifest later in life. Becoming aware of one’s patterns of thought and subsequent behavior is the first step. The brain is a fascinating organ; neuroplasticity enables us to essentially rewire our thought patterns into ones that can better serve us. Take, for example, the nocebo effect, which is basically the opposite of the placebo effect. The nocebo effect occurs when a person’s thoughts cause a worse outcome, rather than a better outcome, as a placebo would. Dr. Lepera describes an incident which occurred in the 1970’s in which a critical lab error occurred. The doctor told a patient that he had only three months to live due to esophageal cancer.  After the patient passed away a few weeks later, an autopsy revealed he had no trace of cancer in the esophagus. Everyone, including the patient, was convinced he was going to die. The power of our thoughts can sometimes manifest our future. 

Some of the sections may seem a little “new age” at first, and further reading provides more clarity into getting to know yourself better. Dr. Lepera provides readers with a crash course into inner child archetypes, getting to know your ego, and learning how one relates to certain situations due to past traumas.  “Trauma” is not what we, as clinicians, classically think of it as. Widening the definition of trauma to include emotional and spiritual trauma can encompass a vast array of deep-seated pain, which can affect us even years after the initial incident(s) occur.  This trauma, if unaddressed, can manifest as physical aliments for many people, including headaches, abdominal pain, IBS symptoms, and even syncope. Dr. Lepera offers a framework on how to address, heal, and move on from those traumatic experiences so readers can live their best lives. She encourages readers to fuel their bodies with nutritious foods, ensure adequate sleep to allow our bodies to heal, participate in breathwork and movement, do something enjoyable (play), and allow space to emotionally regulate in response to triggers which may arise anew.  Basically, the types of things we counsel our patients to do, without necessarily doing it ourselves. 

Unlike our schedules and sometimes even our day-to-day routines in the clinic or hospital settings, we still retain autonomy over ourselves. We can choose where to focus our energies. As harbingers of wellness, we appreciate that when we take care of ourselves, we are better equipped to take care of others. All of us have three basic human needs, “To be seen, heard, and (be free to) be our authentic selves” (Lepera, 2021).  What is one small step you can take today to get you closer to your authentic self?