Our Clinic

Profile

John Smothers has 40 years of vast experience and knowledge in corporate sales engineering, corporate management, business development, functional and naturopathic medicine. He is founder of the Integrative Wellness & Research Center; a Tennessee-based integrative health clinic for all ages, promoting healthy lifestyle changes through targeted nutritional support. This clinic is proactive in reducing bio markers for disease and treating acute to degenerative health conditions through nutraceuticals, diet, exercise, and stress management. Dr. Smothers’ current areas of focus are: optimizing body composition, intestinal barrier function, neurobiology, tick-borne illness, modulating cellular immune response, and decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines. He is well versed in the dynamics and multitudes of Alternative Medicine. Our focus is a non-toxic approach to managing health care in the area of Functional Medicine.

Post Graduate Training

RGCC College, Oncology Course for Practitioner Accreditation, August 2023
CASA: Clinical Applications Scientific Conference, Orlando 2022 Long Haul Covid, Reducing risk for Cardiovascular Disease.
Institute for Functional Medicine: Certification in Gut Health, Nashville 2020
Integrative Approaches to Tick-Borne and Chronic Disease, California, 2011
Advanced Clinical Therapies for Women’s Health, Tennessee 2011
Therapeutic Lifestyle and FLT Health Care Provider Certification, Florida, 2010
Neurobiology of Mood and Cognitive Disorders, Illinois, 2006
Managing the Multiple Causes of Chronic Inflammation, Illinois, 2006
Enhancing the Quality of Human Lifespan in Anti-Aging Medicine, Illinois, 2005
Gourmet Raw Food Chief Training, Tennessee 2004
Meridian Stress Assessment and Biological Terrain Assessment, Utah, 2000
Biochemical Individualism and Enzyme Therapy, Texas, 2000
Bioresonance Therapy Training, Mexico, 2001
Allergy and Pediatric Clinic Internship with medical doctor, Tennessee 2001-2003
Mind Body Wellness Center Internship with medical doctor, Tennessee 2000
Back to the Garden Health Ministries, Tennessee 1996
Personal Growth and Ministry Training, PGMT, Tennessee 1994
Manufacturing Engineer Certification, Tennessee, 1987

Integrative Medicine Provider | Functional Brain & Mental Health Expert

Lea Brainerd is a fiercely compassionate and forward-thinking integrative medicine provider whose work bridges modern science, ancient wisdom, and deep inner healing. With credentials as a nationally certified Physician Assistant (PA-C) and a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Psychiatry, alongside training through the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), Lea brings extensive experience—from psychiatry and addiction medicine to functional medicine, ketamine-assisted therapy, and somatic healing practices—anchored in neuroscience, mindset, and quantum healing.

She specializes in integrative brain and mental health care, functional medicine, IV therapies, and lifestyle medicine, grounded in the belief that true healing happens when we treat the mind, body, and spirit as one. Lea works extensively with conditions such as depression, anxiety, chronic stress, PTSD, mood disorders, OCD, hormonal imbalance, autoimmune disease, and inflammatory disorders—offering both evidence-based and integrative care.

In her therapeutic work, Lea integrates DBT, CBT, mindfulness, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Jungian psychology to help clients deepen self-awareness, emotional regulation, and inner transformation. These frameworks are woven into her medical and coaching sessions, allowing clients to address both physiological and psychological root causes. She also offers stand-alone coaching sessions focused on emotional integration, self-leadership, and mindset transformation for clients seeking personal growth outside of medical care.

Lea’s approach blends root-cause diagnostics, bioidentical hormone therapy, gut and immune health optimization, peptide therapy, and lifestyle medicine with advanced modalities such as ketamine-assisted therapy and somatic integration. Her eclectic style is informed by quantum biology and energy medicine, emphasizing nervous-system regulation, consciousness work, and soulful self-connection.

She is the founder and lead provider of Learn Healing Brain, where she offers at-home and concierge ketamine integration therapy, and she collaborates on immersive group retreats with other like-minded facilitators. In these settings, she bridges medical safety and trauma-informed integration with a sacred, soulful approach—helping clients navigate expanded states of consciousness with reverence and clinical grounding.

Lea’s journey into integrative medicine began after her own experience with burnout and emotional wounding, following thirteen years as a medical assistant. That path awakened her passion for holistic, root-cause, and quantum-informed approaches to healing—allowing her to meet clients as both clinician and fellow traveler.

She is a certified professional life coach, human design coach, and Reiki Level 1 practitioner, and a lifelong student of energy medicine, trauma integration, and consciousness science. Whether through a ketamine journey, a functional medicine consult, or a soulful conversation, Lea creates a space where science meets spirit—and transformation takes root.

Outside of her practice, you’ll often find her dancing barefoot, caring for her cats, or leading embodiment practices that connect movement and emotion. Her philosophy is simple yet revolutionary: healing doesn’t have to feel clinical—it can be soulful, empowering, and freeing.

Conditions & Specialties

Mental Health

Depression, anxiety, chronic stress, PTSD, trauma recovery
Mood disorders (bipolar, dysthymia, cyclothymia)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Hormonal & Metabolic Health

Hormonal imbalance (thyroid, adrenal, reproductive)
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (HRT / BHRT)
Metabolic dysfunction & energy regulation

Immune & Inflammatory Disorders

Autoimmune conditions (Hashimoto’s, lupus, RA, etc.)
Inflammatory disorders (gut, joint, systemic)

Integrative Healing & Optimization

Regenerative peptide therapy
IV & nutrient therapies
Root-cause functional medicine protocols
Lifestyle & nutritional optimization
Somatic & energy medicine practices

Functional & Integrative Medical Modalities

Foundational Medical Interventions

Functional medicine diagnostics & root-cause assessment
Comprehensive lab interpretation (GI-MAP, DUTCH, OAT, thyroid, nutrient panels, etc.)
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT / HRT)
Targeted supplement & nutraceutical protocols
Prescription medication management (psychiatric, hormonal, metabolic, etc.)
Peptide therapy (e.g., Semorelin, IGF-1 LR3, BPC-157, Epitalon)
Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) therapy
Methylene blue cognitive & mitochondrial support
IV nutrient therapy & injectable micronutrient protocols (NAD+, glutathione, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, etc.)
Detoxification & mitochondrial support protocols
Environmental & toxic burden reduction (mold, metals, mycotoxins)

Lifestyle & Physiological Optimization

Nutrition therapy & metabolic rebalancing
Gut health & microbiome restoration
Immune modulation & inflammation management
Circadian rhythm & cortisol optimization
Exercise, movement, and nervous system balancing protocols
Sleep optimization strategies
Biohacking and longevity support (mitochondrial repair, red light, peptides, etc.)
Life & Mindset Coaching (Professional Certified Coach credentialed)
Integrative education programs (courses, retreats, and workshops)
Emotional regulation & daily rhythm training

Mind-Body & Psychiatric Modalities

Psychotherapeutic & Coaching Frameworks

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Internal Family Systems (IFS) / Parts Work
Jungian Psychology & Shadow Integration
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)-informed approaches
Somatic experiencing & body-based emotional awareness
Polyvagal-informed nervous system regulation
Attachment and relational repair frameworks
Narrative therapy & meaning reconstruction
Trauma-informed coaching and mindset transformation

Energy, Spiritual, & Consciousness-Based Modalities

Consciousness, Quantum, & Somatic Approaches

Reiki (Level 1 Practitioner)
Energy medicine and frequency-based healing principles
Quantum biology and vibrational medicine education
Jungian depth psychology and archetypal mapping
Guided visualization & meditative journeys
Conscious reprogramming and identity work
Breathwork (box breathing, 4-7-8, coherence techniques)
Movement & dance therapy-inspired embodiment
Tapping (EFT) and bilateral stimulation tools

Collaborative & Systems-Based Approaches

Multidisciplinary collaboration (therapists, MDs, NDs, coaches, nutritionists)
Hybrid medical-consciousness models integrating trauma care and exploration)
Personalized data tracking (symptom logs, supplement trackers, biofeedback tools)
Client empowerment through education and self-regulation practices