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, […]
How Mindfulness Works to Help the Brain Manage Pain
Can meditation help you feel less pain? What if one week of short meditation classes could change the way your brain perceives pain? Fadel Zeidan, PhD, and his colleagues at Wake Forest University wanted to find out how mindfulness meditation affects pain reception. Specifically, they looked the areas of the brain responsible for constructing the […]
Mindfulness Technology for the 21st Century: Have You Tried These Apps?
When I think of mindfulness, what often comes to mind is my early morning sitting practice . . . both the struggles and the benefits. My Droid smartphone and my laptop aren’t anywhere in the picture. And yet, perhaps they should be. Technology has given us computer programs and apps for just about everything, so […]