The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast

By popular demand, I'm releasing this 3-part Self-Brain Surgery series from my YouTube channel covering Dr. Charles Stanley's 30 Life Principles. This is part 3 of a series connecting Pastor Charles Stanley's classic Principles for Living with Dr. Warren's Self-Brain Surgery to help you flourish with scripture and science working together. InTouch Ministries with Dr. Charles Stanley: https://www.i...

By popular demand, I'm releasing the other 2 episodes in the 3-part Self-Brain Surgery series from my YouTube channel covering Dr. Charles Stanley's 30 Life Principles. Go back to my neurosurgery training with me to the day I had my first experience of delivering a fatal brain cancer diagnosis. I had to learn to be empathetic, truthful, and realistic while noticing my own body’s fear response befo...

Dr. Lee Warren introduces Dr. Zach Clinton, Executive Vice President of the American Association of Christian Counselors, host of the Built Different podcast, licensed professional counselor, and Liberty University athletic counselor. This is a deep conversation at the intersection of neuroscience and faith. Clinton shares his background, struggles with identity and performance, and a pivotal 2019...

An incredible conversation with social media star, podcaster, and filmmaker Ryan Miller about his new book, " Meek as a Mustang ." This one will redefine an ancient virtue that many of us have misunderstood, and help you step into the character and power of the life God is calling you to. Order Ryan Miller's new book, "Meek as a Mustang": https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQP93D78?lv=shuf&channelId=...

The second part of a three-part series connecting Dr. Charles Stanley’s “30 Life Principles” with my Ten Commandments of Self-Brain Surgery. In this episode, I take you to Iraq, during my time there as a combat neurosurgeon to share the exhaustion I felt during mass casualties, how they made me question God about why suffering happens, and I argue that adversity is never wasted. You’ll learn that...

In this powerful episode, I share how chronic stress can make us respond to answered prayers with fear instead of gratitude, illustrated by a patient whose clear MRI still triggered anxiety and a father who anticipated his son’s relapse even after 90 days sober. I explain the neuroscience behind hypervigilance; elevated cortisol, negativity bias, and hedonic adaptation, and how the brain treats vi...

Trauma leaves a mark, on our minds, in our bodies, and all over our lives. My friend Christopher Cook, author of Healing What You Can’t Erase , returns to the podcast this week to discuss trauma, loss, and the role of faith and trust in our ultimate healing. This is one of the most powerful talks I’ve ever had on the show, and it will help you understand the difference in surviving and flourishing...

Dr. Derwin Gray on Trauma, Faith, and Renewing Your Mind Press play and let’s do the hard and holy work of healing. In this episode, I sit down with my friend Dr. Derwin Gray, a former NFL player, pastor and founder of Transformation Church near Charlotte, and author of the new book " It’s Time to Heal." We have a powerful talk about the unseen wounds we carry from trauma, relationships, and words...

In our finale to All-In August 2026, I share the true story behind Cortés “burning the boats,” quietly drilling holes to make retreat impossible, and why partial commitment usually produces no results, just guilt and exhaustion. I’ll show you how your brain, a prediction machine wired for the path of least resistance, can be reshaped through neuroplasticity as you choose the harder, better action...

Listen in as I explain why chronic pain can persist even after the scans look like the problem is “fixed,” using my early-career patient Denise as an example: her L4-5 disc herniation was surgically decompressed perfectly, yet her pain returned unchanged. I share research showing many pain-free people have abnormal lumbar MRIs, meaning the “picture” isn’t always the whole story. I discuss the conc...

"We don't need more information. We need transformation." That's what we're after in this powerful conversation with my friend Dr. Cook, renowned author and therapist who bridges spiritual formation and mental health. We explore why mental health is worsening despite unprecedented psychological awareness. Allison explains the soul as an “inner family” of parts (drawing on Internal Family Systems),...

In this episode, I give you ten more practical, high-impact ways neuroscience and scripture align to help you flourish, with self-brain surgery® tools you can start using today for more peace, clarity, resilience, and hope. We connect brain science and Bible passages through: Sleep (the brain’s glymphatic detox and a wind-down routine) Laughter (endorphins/oxytocin and lower cortisol) Naming emoti...

Hit play and join me as I sit down with my dear friend Susie Larson to talk about her new book, " More Than You Can Imagine: What God Does When You Trust Him" and why so many of us live as if God’s promises are for everyone else. Susie and I unpack what trust really looks like in scripture, why we settle for less, how fear and disappointment steal expectancy, and how to break free from false ident...

As a neurosurgeon, I see many patients who are struggling with chronic dizziness or vertigo despite normal medical scans. They're often scared, frustrated, and desperate for answers, and they've been told their diagnostic tests are normal. And although they've seen many doctors, they continue to suffer from debilitating migraines, tinnitus, or balance issues. That's where my guest today comes in,...

Release the offense you’ve been carrying against God and learn the five-step “self brain surgery” process I use when grief turns from honest questioning into an automated accusation. I share the story of operating on an 8-year-old boy shortly after my son Mitch died, and how saving someone else’s child intensified my anger and confusion. I explain why God doesn’t need our forgiveness, because He h...

Join me for an inspiring conversation with Taya Kyle, widow of "American Sniper" Chris Kyle. She shares how she led her family through the aftermath of her husband's murder, and learned the power of surrendered action. This is one of the most moving and transformative interviews I've ever done, and Taya's story will help you navigate any type of hardship.  Resources and Links ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

I share a 3:00 AM moment in Auburn, Alabama when I felt God, and my wife Lisa, calling me to write about what I carried home from the Iraq War, including trauma that became PTSD, but fear and doubt kept me frozen until I finally wrote one sentence: “No Place to Hide.” I explain the transformative power of surrendered action to work through the tension between waiting on the Lord and taking action...

Learn the basic “self brain surgery” procedure, using your mind to change the structure of your brain through neuroplasticity, so you can tackle anything from performance and finances to grief, trauma responses, anxiety, and other struggles. You’ll be reminded that you may need help from a therapist, pastor, counselor, or trusted friend, and that self-help isn’t self-reliance. Follow the core step...

Take a breath and stop letting anger drive. Today, I’m going to show you four practical self-brain surgery operations you can use immediately to move out of reactive brain management mode and into clarity, intention, and control. In this episode, I challenge the popular idea that you need to vent, smash things, or “let it out,” and I share research showing that high-arousal catharsis often increas...

In this episode, I encourage you for showing up to do the hard and holy work of self-brain surgery. I explain how we “get better at getting better” by practicing the thought biopsy. It works by creating a pause between automatic reactions and a more truthful, frontal-lobe response instead of fear-based reactivity. I emphasize that many automatic thoughts and feelings are disordered or false, and t...

In this powerful episode, I challenge you to re-examine what determines your quality of life and to notice where you’ve tightly coupled your peace, purpose, and happiness to external circumstances like money, health, marriage, or outcomes. From my research, my writing, what I’ve seen in patients facing the same diagnoses with very different responses, and my own grief after my son Mitch was killed...

This is a special Science Spotlight episode! I'm joined by Helen Christoni from Aquatru, to discuss a question that's vitally important to all of us: do you know what's in your drinking water? Aquatru filters every glass of water we drink in our home, and everything we cook. We've been using their filters for over two years, and they've been a great supporter and friend of the podcast. So, I wante...

In this episode, I share my origin story to explore why I’ve so often asked God, “Was this really necessary?” It will help you move from reactive “brain management mode” into reflective “self brain surgeon mode” through metacognition and tools like naming feelings and the thought biopsy. I share how all the things I've been through- church abuse, divorce, war, PTSD, and child loss- led me often to...

In this episode, I answer a listener question about whether self-brain surgery is the same as manifestation. You’ll learn that self-brain surgery is a biblical, God-centered partnership that applies legitimate neuroscience to mind renewal, not “law of attraction,” universalism, pantheism, or “name it and claim it.” I explain that reality is shaped by perspective and the brain’s filters (reticular...

In this episode, we cover ten fascinating places where neuroscience and scripture connect to help you unlock your flourishing life. Resources and Links ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The most important book you'll read this year (besides the Bible) is my new one, ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...