In my mid-30s, I realized that I see the world differently from other people. I sought guidance from a variety of mental health specialists at top facilities like Mass General Hospital's Psychiatry Department, consistently ranked #1 in the country by US News & World Report, and the MGH Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders, but no treatment helped. After a decade of misdiagnoses and unhelpful treatments for depression, obsessive thinking, complex PTSD, and anxiety, along with dozens of medication trials, including ketamine, I was finally tested at UC Santa Barbara’s Koegel Autism Center. A week later, I was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder according to the DSM-V. A therapist also diagnosed me with ADHD. I exhibit symptoms of several neurodivergent conditions: alexithymia, anhedonia, aphantasia, dyscalculia, dyslexia, dyspraxia, severely deficient autobiographical memory, social anxiety disorder, and tinnitus. I felt the mental health field had failed me. I also finally felt seen.

Over that decade, I lost my career, my marriage, my family, my home, and anything else that was precious to me, except for my dogs, Cady and Lincoln (named for historical figures, not cars). We moved from Boston to Los Angeles with my carry-on and their crates (all that a car could fit) and settled in Ojai to build a new life, only to be traumatized by failure. The challenges of starting over, alone, in a town with different ethics, among people who gave me reason to be mistrustful, with my disabilities and my adverse experiences nearly killed me. I had to find my own new path. So, I turned to physics, ecology, history, music, literature, and art to guide me.

Pairing my neurodivergence with my understanding of neurobiology, I created a holistic framework for self-improvement that balances insights from psychology and philosophy, science and spirituality, and free will (objectivism) and faith (determinism). Learning to care for my body, my brain, and my heart helped me transform.

Eastern spiritual leaders and western theologians have noticed relationships between color, light, and wellness for a few millennia. Neurobiologically, we can influence our brain waves and body chemistry to improve our mental and physical health. It's not just diet, exercise, and rest; it's learning your brain and body and how to meet your unique needs.

Simplistically, we can use the rainbow to remind us how to feed mind, body, and soul.

When we take care of our brains and bodies, we build resilience and improve our performance.