Think about the last time you had a stressful day. Maybe you snapped at someone you love. Or you rushed yourself and made a critical mistake. Our knee-jerk responses to stress and difficulties often turn into reactions we regret . . . . . . and that only compounds the problem. But here’s one strategy […]
How Brain Training Helps Regulate Emotions
What if your doctor’s brain felt your pain – from being pricked with a needle all the way to surgery? It might be tough for them to get anything done, huh? Jean Decety, PhD, and his colleagues from the University of Chicago wanted to see whether physicians empathized with pain differently from the general population. […]
Rewiring the Brain to Buffer Social Pain
Being excluded hurts. Whether it’s being the last pick for dodgeball in recess or missing an important social gathering, being left out can cause substantial emotional pain. But what can you do about it? It’s just part of life, right? That answer wasn’t good enough for Dr. Paolo Riva and his colleagues at the University […]
Why Optimism Is Good for Your Brain
Focusing on positive experiences is a reflex for some, but it’s a skill that all of us would be wise to adopt. Because not only can it be just plain enjoyable to mentally relive good experiences, it can actually rewire your brain. New findings keep showing us that everything we do affects our brain. But […]
Brain Science and Meditation: How to Improve the Brain
Stress is no joke. Aside from the sleepless nights and lots of tension, stress can also have a range of negative health effects. So how do you reduce stress? A team of researchers at the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine started looking for answers. They gathered 18 patients who had received diagnoses of breast […]
Everyday Neuroplasticity – Can Simply Paying Attention Change Our Brain?
It’s brain science – not rocket science. Although they’re built from complex mixtures of chemicals and nerve cells, our brains aren’t that difficult to change. Our everyday habits, interactions with other people, and even our diets can potentially rewire the brain. In fact, just by focusing on the words on this site, you could be […]
Can empathy change the brain’s response to pain?
As a psychologist, empathy is obviously important. When people feel like they’re getting compassion and understanding, they are much more likely to make the changes that up until now have felt all too scary. But can empathy change our experience of pain? Does it have any impact upon how the brain responds to pain? Researchers […]
Does fat help or harm the brain?
Well, it depends. There are many foods that can benefit brain power, including foods that contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. But what about foods that might harm the brain? Well, that’s also fat . . . . . . but of a different kind. The risk in this case is of developing dementia, […]
Unanimous: How We Knew This Was the One
For three years now (and counting), the staff and I have had a holiday tradition – one that seems to have become a favorite for all of us. We pick a charity to receive half the proceeds from our Holiday Special, and in the last blog I told you the three groups we’d narrowed it […]
One of My Favorite Office Traditions
We’re not too tied to tradition in this office. We’re actually always pushing ourselves to try new things. But there’s one annual tradition that I appreciate an awful lot. Every year, around mid-December, we gather the staff to choose a charity for our Holiday Special. And what always encourages me is the industrious and thorough […]