ARTICLES + PODCAST EPISODES
Facing uncertainty
Can we find a way to feel less fear in the midst of massive uncertainty? . . . How do we still be a role model to others when we have so much of our own doubt about what will…
How to prevent your brain from getting stuck in negative, fear-based patterns
Your brain builds circuitry based on what you ‘feed it’. This can be healthy or unhealthy. Your brain isn’t filtering out ‘bad’ input, or judging whether something is going to help you grow or keep you stuck. It just…
Why toxic media is bad for your brain – MNT 008
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Have you ever had a misunderstanding over text? Maybe you texted someone and they didn’t reply right away.. or their answer left you feeling rejected or frustrated? Do you know why you feel the urge to put an exclamation mark…
How to evolve your brain
The human brain depends on experiences to build its most evolved and dynamic circuitry. New experiences push the brain to light up new networks, rather than repeat old ones. The brain thrives on being challenged. It is designed…
Neuroscience Meets Social Emotional Learning Podcast Interview
In my guest interview with Andrea Samadi, we discuss: Why applying growth mindset proving to be so difficult—whether in the classroom, workplace, or even in the field of athletics How the brain re-wires itself using myelin and why patterned…
My TEDx talk… Humans: the most experience-dependent species on the planet
“One of the best TedX talks I have ever seen, practical & intellectual, there are even references at the end. Thank you Stefanie!” -Munir Rashid, Leadership Facilitator & Executive Coach, Berlin “Everyone needs to hear this. Period.” -Mikkel,…
How fear affects the brain
“We don’t passively forget that something is scary. We actively learn that it isn’t anymore.” -Robert Sapolsky, Stanford neurobiologist and primatologist https://youtu.be/oRP-HLyyJkU This video is definitely an over-simplification of the concept of stress and fear… it’s not meant to…
It’s a tragedy this isn’t taught in schools
“In order to change, people need to become aware of their sensations and the way that their bodies interact with the world around them.” – Bessel Van Der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score A couple of years ago, I spoke…
How to be brave in 3 steps: neuroscience-based ideas for boosting courage
Can we find a way to feel less fear in the midst of massive uncertainty? . . . How do we still be a role model to others when we have so much of our own doubt about what will…
The neuroscience of bravery: 3 keys to build brain circuits for courage and vulnerability
“In order for there to be courage, there needs to be risk. It doesn’t take courage to open up the refrigerator.” – Seth Godin Can we teach people how to be brave? Can we learn how to be brave?…
“Relational Minds”
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What matters is not how things are, but how they interact. – Carlo Rovelli, theoretical physicist, in his book, Reality is Not What It Seems Relationships are the key to building our most powerful mind. Our relationships with others…
We are the most nurture-dependent species that has ever existed
We are the most nurture and experience-dependent species that has ever existed on the planet. This means that our brains are not just hardwired from birth. They are literally, physically, neurologically, moment-by-moment, formed and built by our experiences. …
Why changing our brain is so hard: meet The Dip
Humans are the only species that can imagine a reality for themselves that does not yet exist – and then create new circuits to achieve that future reality. We can create a future version of us that is more ideal…
How to Develop a Growth Mindset – my interview with Maria Xenidou (part 2)
In part 2 of my interview with Maria, we do a deep dive on the four essential elements of growth mindset development. We also discuss the 3-step process we can follow daily to develop a growth mindset at any age….
Neuroscience of Growth Mindset – my interview with Maria Xenidou (part 1)
In this first part of our discussion, we explore my learning journey and why I decided to study psychology and neuroscience. We also talk about how experience-dependent learning helps us adopt a growth mindset. Later, we discuss why even identical…
How fear affects the brain and what to do about it
Fear is necessary for keeping us alive. Unfortunately, because humans live in a very metaphorical and symbol-based reality (using ‘sophisticated grunting’ as language, and words as symbols), our fear system can sometimes make us act as though our life is…
New Episode 3! The science most people keep using is wrong
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There’s a lot of ‘old science’ out there. Stuff we humans used to believe that has been de-bunked. Things like… ‘humans are more complex than other species, which means we have more genes.’ Before the Human Genome Project was completed…
Mindset Neuroscience Reading List for Enhancing Human Potential
The Mindset Neuroscience 2019 Reading List for Enhancing Human Potential These books and articles changed me. Everything listed here has had a profound effect on my understanding of the world and my role in it. These authors, researchers and scientists…
Are we better at ‘hearing emotions’ than seeing them?
Are we better at ‘hearing emotions’ than seeing them? With society’s current amount of time spent looking at screens, we are using our eyes to a degree that is out of proportion from our other senses. The other issue is…
Understanding Neuroplasticity is Today’s Moral Imperative: 5 Must-Read Books for 2019
Understanding Neuroplasticity is Today’s Moral Imperative: 5 MUST-Read Books for 2019 We are the most nurture-dependent species that has ever existed on the planet. This means that our brains are not just hardwired from birth. They are literally, physically,…
New Episode 2! Psychological Safety, Resilience and the Vagus Nerve
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“It’s not merely that we can’t be loving or creative when we’re scared; we can’t heal.” -Stephen Porges In order for us to access our most evolved neural and behavioral resources, we must be in a state of physiological…
This is the science we need to hear in these times of divisiveness
Did you know that if you condensed all of the matter of the universe, it would fill less than a teacup? The deeper into matter we go, the more space we find. That means even you. Your body is…
New Episode 1! Neuroscience of Growth Mindset
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Listen on iTunes Old, outdated science said that the human brain basically stopped developing in childhood and there wasn’t much we could do to change it. What we got was what we got. But we now know that that…
These 5 Micro-Movements are a sign of Trust & Safety – PLUS my interview with Danny Bauer
“Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives.” – Bessel Van Der Kolk (this is me many years ago in Ejura,…
The importance of sound: Our ears may be more powerful than our eyes – MNT 006
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Sound may be the most important sense we have for learning as well as for detecting others emotions. The human ability to hear ‘just noticeable differences’ is significantly more powerful than what our eyes are able to detect…
The Body is the Bridge
“In order to change, people need to become aware of their sensations and the way that their bodies interact with the world around them.” – Bessel Van Der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score I recently spoke at a symposium in…
The 5 Commitments of Growth Mindset
Download this poster as a pdf and make sure to share it!! 1. Ask not what to do differently, but how to see differently ALL human behavior starts with how we ‘see’ (perceive) a person or situation. If we want…
This is what happens to your brain when you add diversity to your life – MNT 011
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No two people ever experience reality in the same way: our senses and neural architecture are built up by our own lifetime of unique experiences. Our brain and senses are constantly narrowing down our world. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing: if…
Can you make people ‘willing’ to change their mindset? – MNT 010
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Most growth mindset interventions don’t work because they focus on: changing ‘other people’s’ attitudes rather than on the mindset of the person who is teaching or leading catchphrases & posters rather than relationship & trust specific results, like improving standardized test scores* *this is literally the…
How to be more authentic when you teach growth mindset -MNT 009
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In order to teach growth mindset, we need to be sure it’s coming from an authentic place. It seems that much growth mindset teaching is focused on changing the attitudes of others’, rather than looking at how we internalize and…
How fixed mindset leads to bias, stereotype and prejudice – MNT 007
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Earlier studies on fixed vs growth mindset reveal how we build bias and stereotypes. The original wording used by Carol Dweck and colleagues before they popularized ‘fixed versus growth mindset’ was ‘entity’ versus ‘incremental’ mindsets. Dweck’s research (included the idea…
Self-Regulation: the remarkable skill that will make you a better human – MNT 005
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“Feelings can annoy or delight us, but that is not what they are for […]. Feelings are for life regulation, providers of information concerning basic homeostasis or the social condition of our lives.” -Antonio Damasio, The Strange Order of Things…
A Sense of Purpose – MNT 004
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Summary: In this episode, we look at how neuroscience can help us explain: why so many people react to life unconsciously (not ‘on purpose’). Understanding this helps us get to the root of our issues, instead of repeating our reactions…
New 2018 Growth Mindset Goal Setting Booklet
I’m excited to share this updated 2018 Growth Mindset Goal Setting Booklet! I’ve added new pages, descriptions, and research articles! I also added the most important step to building growth mindset: Learn and Talk About Neuroplasticity. Why should we?…
Neuroscience for empowered mindsets slide presentation
Click on image above or on this link to view the Neuroscience for Empowered Mindsets Slide Presentation
