Podcasts about brain recovery

Send a text message to Rev. Ali.My feet went out from under me and I could not move the left side of my body. Parts of my brain had died. In less than one month I was home taking care of myself, resuming my life.  Recovery continues every day.This is how I did it.You may see allthe visuals on YouTube.Step off the merry-go-round of life. Wake up to who you really are.Download Rev. Ali's guide Step In A New DirectionClick Rev. Ali's link for a FREE audiobook of your choice and a 30 Day trial to explore Audible's vast adventures you will not find any place else.Peel. Place. Press. Contact Rev. Ali to eliminate whatever frustrates you physically, emotionally, spiritually or financially. Suffering is optionalWatch or listen to any episode and leave a review on our show site Discover how to communicate with the Universe, your guides and angels. Rev. Ali makes it easy.To listen to and follow transcript go here then click on the episode(s) you desire to follow Need someone to talk to about your spirituality who won't think you're nutsy? Join our Facebook group Some of the links may earn a small amount for Rev. Ali without adding to your costs.

Nate Pope is a Neurological Occupational Therapist specializing in innovative brain recovery techniques. As one of the founders of NCX Brain Recovery, he's helped pioneer multi-sensory integration therapy for concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and post-concussion syndrome. With over 20 years of experience, Nate helps listeners understand cutting-edge approaches to brain health and rehabilitation, offering hope and practical insights for those affected by neurological challenges, especially those dealing with post-concussion syndrome. His website  https://www.ncxbrainrecovery.com/

This episode of 'Let's Talk Brain Health' features an inspiring conversation with Johnny Crowder, a certified recovery peer specialist, mental health advocate, and the founder of Cope Notes. Crowder shares his personal journey from struggling with severe mental health conditions and surviving abuse to becoming a mental health advocate. He explains how art, music, and peer support played significant roles in his recovery, and how studying psychology and neuroscience helped him realize the potential for change in brain health. Crowder discusses the inception of Cope Notes, a text-based platform offering daily mental health support, and delves into the science behind its effectiveness in improving mental wellness. He emphasizes the importance of seeking help and maintaining patience throughout the recovery process, sharing powerful personal stories and the impact of Cope Notes on its users. The episode concludes with Crowder's advice for anyone struggling with their mental health and where to find more information about his work and Cope Notes. 00:00 Meet Johnny Crowder: A Journey from Survivor to Mental Health Advocate 01:10 The Power of Art and Music in Coping with Mental Illness 02:13 Sharing the Brain Story: From Enemy to Best Friend 04:34 The Long Road to Mental Wellness: Challenges and Triumphs 07:19 Innovative Therapies and Turning Points in Recovery 10:50 From Hiding Struggles to Embracing Advocacy 14:27 Introducing Cope Notes: A Digital Lifeline for Mental Health 16:49 The Science and Success Behind Cope Notes 23:57 Advice for Navigating Mental Health Challenges 29:22 Final Thoughts and Resources for Brain Wellness Explore the offer from Cope Notes    Learn more about Johnny and his offerings on his website.        Connect with Jonny on LinkedIn and Instagram. Explore our Season 1: Episode 10 conversation “Navigating Brain Health & Healing: Debbie Hampton's Story of Brain Recovery and Resilience” --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/virtualbrainhealthcenter/support

In this episode of the Medicine Girl Podcast, Robin Stebbins interviews the delightful Darlene Greene, a very accomplished women in her own right whose husband began to lose his memory, personality and spirit. This took her on a journey of discovery to find ways to heal him from the grips of the medical indsutrial complex. Having exhausted IV stem cells, hyperbaric chamber, ozone therapies and more to help her husband with his Early Alzheimer's, she FINALLY discovered an affordable technology that dramatically improved his symptoms within the first week, without drugs, without a prescription, and without any contra-indications to other treatments or therapeutic modalities.https://purifywithin.com  After experiencing the amazing results for herself, and watching family and friends have their own miracles, Darlene is passionate about sharing this technology with the world.  A driving force for her remains, “Why didn't I know about this two years ago… where would my husband be if we had started using this technology two years ago…and who out there needs to know about this right now?”   When an anesthesiologist says, “This is the most significant medical breakthrough in my lifetime…” and when over 300 Olympic Athletes use the technology in the 2008 Olympics, aren't you curious as to what it could do for you in addition to making you look and feel younger?   Darlene Greene has over 26 years of experience in executive leadership and senior management positions across diverse industries, including positions such as: Vice President of Strategic Technology Partner at McAfee (Intel), Dean of Culver Girls Academy, Director of Client Services for HyeTech Networks and Security, and Senior Director LifeWave Foundational Cell Activation Technology.  During her 20 years of military experience, she earned her MBA and held three Commanding Officer positions, including serving as base commander and overseeing over 1200 personnel in multiple departments.  Darlene created the Returning Warrior Weekend Workshop in 2006 to help military members and their spouses reintegrate successfully – a program still supporting military across the country today.  Darlene's passion today is helping people elevate their GHK-CU peptide to activate their stem cells, repair their DNA, reverse age, and get out of pain through the latest photo biomodulation technology.   Reach out to her on her website: https://iamreverseaging.com/ To find Robin: purifywithin.com Want to join me for the reterat of a lifetime in beautiful South Africa July 2025? https://purifywithin.com/samazuli-retreats Join us for a 10 week class to remove every toxin from your life: https://purifywithin.com/live-pure/livepure

In this powerful episode, we welcome Debbie Hampton, an inspirational writer who overcame a suicide attempt and a resulting brain injury. Debbie shares her remarkable journey, revealing how she leveraged neuroplasticity to reshape her brain and life after facing traumatic experiences to become a well-known voice in the mental health space. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing one's own power in shaping their brain health and mental well-being.  Debbie sheds light on innovative therapies like neurofeedback and hyperbaric oxygen therapy that played a pivotal role in her recovery. Throughout the conversation, she underscores the significance of lifestyle choices, emphasizing how they can lead to lasting improvements in brain health. Join us as we learn from Debbie's experience and gain valuable insights into optimizing brain health. Key Takeaways: Neuroplasticity: Debbie's story highlights the transformative power of neuroplasticity, demonstrating that it's never too late to change and heal the brain. Innovative Therapies: Discover how alternative therapies like neurofeedback and hyperbaric oxygen therapy played a crucial role in Debbie's recovery process. Lifestyle as a Choice: Learn how conscious daily choices can significantly impact brain health, emphasizing the interconnectedness of mental and physical well-being. Empowerment through Knowledge: Debbie's journey serves as a testament to the potential for personal growth and healing when armed with the right information and resources. Join us as we explore the incredible story of Debbie Hampton and gain valuable insights into the potential for positive transformation through brain health and well-being practices. Visit Debbie's website, The Best Brain Possible for information and inspiration for anyone with a brain. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/virtualbrainhealthcenter/support

How can students and practitioners from all fields bridge technology with healthcare? Join us as we speak with Swathi Kiran, who is the Founding Director for the Center for Brain Recovery and Professor of Neurorehabilitation in BU's Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences. Listen to hear about her experiences with telehealth and software development along with her perspective on the emerging roles of AI and technology in healthcare.

Dr. Swathi Kiran is the Founding Director Of The Centre for Brain Recovery and her research has enabled the development of the constant therapy Aphasia Recovery App. The post Dr. Swathi Kiran – Overcoming Aphasia: New App Improves Access To Therapy appeared first on Recovery After Stroke.

Immerse yourself in the healing embrace of our captivating episode, "River of Recovery: Brain Binaural Frequency + Soothing River Water." Experience the powerful combination of brain-boosting binaural frequencies and the soothing sounds of a flowing river as you embark on a journey of brain recovery and rejuvenation. The carefully crafted brain binaural frequency stimulates neural pathways and promotes brainwave synchronization, supporting cognitive function and aiding in brain recovery. As the gentle river water flows, its tranquil sounds create a peaceful ambiance that encourages relaxation and inner healing. Allow the harmonious blend of brain binaural frequency and the soothing river water to wash over you, replenishing your mind and facilitating brain recovery. Tune in to episode 345 and surrender to the therapeutic symphony that awaits. Embrace the rejuvenating power of the river of recovery as it nurtures your brain, restores balance, and propels you toward optimal cognitive health. Awaken revitalized, refreshed, and ready to embrace life with a rejuvenated mind.

Heal your brain from porn addiction in 30 days with my Free Porn Detox Course: https://romanmironov.com/free   I know how bad you feel after watching p**n. It makes you feel weak, depressed, lonely, and worthless.   Most people try to cure it by playing video games or watching TV but it just makes you more bored and leads to watching more porn.   Wake up❗STOP the vicious cycle now.   Take my Free Porn Detox Course to heal from porn and feel motivated for success now.   ►►► GET THE COURSE NOW: https://romanmironov.com/free   Timothy Reigle: https://intothewildernessblog.com https://twitter.com/TimothyReigle https://www.instagram.com/timothyreigle   ———————————————- I am Porn Detox Coach Roman Mironov. This is my weekly live podcast. 1️⃣Ask any questions in the chat for immediate answers: How do you find no fapping motivation❔ Is NoFap worth trying❓ Can I jerk off without porn ❔ How do I quit masturbation for good❓ Where do I get No PMO help ❔ How do I stop consuming Internet porn compulsively ❔ How do I fight strong urges in the morning or at night ❓ Why do I feel depressed after quitting porn or excessive fapping ❔ How can I cope a NoFap flatline ❔ How do I start a porn detox ❓ What's your favorite No PMO motivation ❔ What are some benefits of no fapping ❔ What kind of a no fapping challenge can I do❓ Will I get more confident by quitting fapping ❔ How to cure erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation ❔ I keep relapsing. Any advice ❔ 2️⃣I will answer PMO questions followers asked this week. 3️⃣I will go deep into the topic of healing your brain. 4️⃣Please like to help others learn about it and join. 5️⃣Please tell us what your current no fapping streak is. ✔Begins Sunday 1 p.m. Eastern Time ✔YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/@HeIsHero ✔Check out also the recorded podcast episode I release during the week.   ———————————————- COMPANION BLOG: https://romanmironov.com/blog ———————————————- OTHER VIDEOS YOU MIGHT LIKE:

About Our Guest Dr. Mike Studer has been a PT since 1991, and an NCS (Neurological Clinical Specialist) since 1995. He is co-founder and co-owner of Spark Rehabilitation and Wellness in Bend, where he is an adjunct professor at the OSU DPT program leading the coursework on motor control. Mike was recognized as the 2011 Clinician of the Year in the Neurologic and (in 2014) the Geriatric Academies of the APTA. He received the highest honor available in PT in 2020, being distinguished as a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the APTA in 2020. Dr. Studer has authored over 35 articles, 6 book chapters, and is a consultant to Major League Baseball on the motor control of pitching and hitting. Fun Fact: Mike is the four time and current WR holder for the fastest underwater treadmill marathon, a mark that was set most recently in January 2022.   To learn more and connect with Mike visit www.mikestuder.com and be sure to watch his Tedx Talk “Seeing the Potential in Brain Recovery”  https://youtu.be/Zwin3VMPI6I Show mentions Community Events Calendar-Coming up in January: Monday Jan 23rd- Join Co-Host David Dansereau's Body in Balance Pre-Launch Book Tour and New Online Course Achieve Balance Preview -Register free   https://smartmoves.easywebinar.live/achieve-balance-registration Friday Jan 27th-Stroke Awareness Oregon Exclusive Online Event with Upcoming Guest Mike Studer- www.strokeawarenessoregon.org Paid event $15 Connect with Us! We want to hear from you! We'd like to welcome new listeners and know what brings you here.  Show Credits: Music intro credit to Jake Dansereau, connect at JAKEEZo on Soundcloud @user-257386777. Our intro welcome is the voice of Caroline Goggin, a stroke survivor and our first podcast guest! Please listen to her inspiring story on Episode 2 of the podcast. Thank you Caroline! Until next time, be sure to give the show a like and share, +follow and connect with us on social or contact us to support us as a show sponsor or become a guest on the Know Stroke Podcast. Connect with Us and Share our Show on Social: Website | Linkedin | Twitter | YouTube Watch this full episode on YouTube:        https://youtu.be/a_-C7PmW5U0      

Aiming for recovery, but finding that you never have the conditions to make progress? Let's talk about what it takes for a brain to heal. The basic mediums of life that most of us are unable to access in our traumatized society. Related eps: time distortion series, "rat cage" societal trauma series, inner and outer work series, refind yer Self series --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/complextrauma/message

Welcome to the Aphasia Access Aphasia Conversations Podcast. I'm Ellen Bernstein-Ellis, Program Specialist at the Aphasia Treatment Program at Cal State East Bay in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, and a member of the Aphasia Access Podcast Working Group. Aphasia Access strives to provide members with information, inspiration, and ideas that support their aphasia care through a variety of educational materials and resources. I'm today's hosts for an episode featuring Dr. Arla Good and Dr. Jessica Richardson.        We will discuss the SingWell Project and the role of aphasia choirs from a bio-psychosocial model. Today's shows features the following gap areas from the Aphasia Access State of Aphasia Report authored by Nina Simmons-Mackie:  Gap area #3: insufficient availability of communication intervention for people with aphasia, or the need for services.  Gap area #8: insufficient attention to depression and low mood across the continuum of care.  Gap area #5: insufficient attention to life participation across the continuum of care. Guest Bios: Dr. Arla Good is the Co-director and Chief Researcher of the SingWell Project, an initiative uniting over 20 choirs for communication challenges around the world. Dr. Good is a member of the Science of Music, Auditory Research and Technology or SMART lab at Toronto Metropolitan University, formerly Ryerson University. Much of her work over the last decade has sought to identify and optimize music based interventions that can contribute to psychological and social well-being in a variety of different populations.  Dr. Jessica Richardson is an associate professor and speech-language pathologist at the University of New Mexico in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, and the Center for Brain Recovery and Repair. She is director of the UN M brain scouts lab and the stable and progressive aphasia center or space. Her research interest is recovering from acquired brain injury with a specific focus on aphasia, recovery, and management of primary progressive aphasia. She focuses on innovations in assessment and treatment with a focus on outcome measures that predict real world communication abilities, and life participation. Listener Take-aways In today's episode you will: Learn about the SingWell Project model of supporting choirs and research around the world Learn which five clinical populations are the initial targets of the SingWell Project Discover how the SingWell Project is challenging the stigma about disability and singing Learn about some of the biopsychosocial measures being used to capture choir outcomes Transcript edited for conciseness Show notes Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  02:58 I'm going to admit that aphasia choirs have long been one of my clinical passions. I'm really excited and honored to host this episode today. I'd like to just start with a question or two that will help our listeners get to know you both a little better. So Arla, is it okay, if I start with you? Would you share what motivated you to focus your research on music-based interventions? Do you have a personal connection to music?   Arla Good  03:29 I feel like I could do a whole podcast on how I ended up in this field.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  03:33 That'd be fun.   Arla Good  03:34 There's just so many anecdotes on how music can be a powerful tool. I've experienced it in my own life, and I've witnessed it in other lives. I'll share one example. My grandfather had aphasia and at my convocation when I was graduating in the Department of Psychology with a BA, despite not being able to communicate and express himself, he sang the Canadian National Anthem, perfect pitch-- all of the words. It's just an accumulation of anecdotes like that, that brought me to study music psychology. And over the course of my graduate studies, I came to see how it can be super beneficial for specific populations like aphasia.    So, I do have a quote from one of our choir participants that really sparked the whole idea of SingWell. It was a Parkinson's choir that we were working with. And she says, “At this point, I don't feel like my Parkinson's defines me as much as it used to. Now that I've been singing with the group for a while, I feel that I'm also a singer who is part of a vibrant community.” And that really just encapsulates what it is and why I'm excited to be doing what I'm doing--  to be bringing more positivity and the identity and strength into these different communities.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  04:49 Yes, the development of positive self-identity in the face of facing adversity is such an important contribution to what we do and thank you for sharing that personal journey. That was really beautiful.  Jessica, I'm hoping to get to hear a little bit about why what your personal connection is to aphasia choirs and music.   Jessica Richardson  05:12 Again, so many things. I grew up in a musical household. Everyone in my family sings and harmonizes and it's just beautiful. But a lot of my motivation for music and groups came from first just seeing groups. So some early experience with groups at the VA. Seeing Dr. Audrey Holland in action, of course, at the University of Arizona-that's where I did my training. Dr. Elman, you, of course, so many great examples that led to the development of lots of groups. We do virtual online groups for different treatments, different therapies. We have space exploration. We have space teams, which is communication partner instruction that's virtual. So we do lots of groups. And of course, we have a neuro choir here in New Mexico. Now, I'm just so excited that there's so much research that's coming out to support it.    Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  06:03 Jessica, can I just give you a little shout out? Because you were visionary. You actually created these amazing YouTube videos of your choir singing virtually, even before COVID. And you came out with the first virtual aphasia choir. I remember just sitting there and just watching it and being amazed. And little did we know. I guess you knew! Do you want to just take a moment because I want to put those links in our show notes and encourage every listener to watch these beautiful virtual choir songs that you've done. You've done two right?   Jessica Richardson  06:44 Yes. And I could not have done it, I need to make sure I give a shout out to my choir director, Nicole Larson, who's now Nicole Larson Vegas. She was an amazing person to work with on those things. She also now has opened a branch neuro choir, just one town over. We're in Albuquerque and she's in Corrales and our members can go to either one. We coordinate our songs.    I'd really like to start coordinating worldwide, Ellen. We can share resources and do virtual choirs worldwide and with Aphasia Choirs Go Global. But I definitely want to give her a shout out. And then of course our members. I mean, they were really brave to do that. Because there was nothing I could point them to online already to say, “Hey, people are doing this. You do it.” So they were really courageous to be some of the first.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  07:36 Do you want to mention the two songs so people know what to look for? And just throw in the name of your choir.   Jessica Richardson  07:42 We're just the UNM neuro choir as part of the UNM Brain Scouts. The first song was The Rose. The second song was This is Me from the Greatest Showman. And the song journal that you could wait for in the future is going to be Don't Give Up On Me by Andy Grammer.    Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  08:01 Beautiful! I can hardly wait. And there are some endeavors and efforts being made to create these international groups. Thank you for doing a shout out to Aphasia Choirs Go Global, which is a Facebook group to support people who are involved in neuro and aphasia choirs. I'll give a shout out to Bron Jones who helped start it and Alli Talmage from New Zealand who has worked really hard to build a community there. It's been really wonderful to have a place where we can throw out questions to each other and ask for opinions and actually dig into some interesting questions like, “What measures are you using to capture X, Y, or Z?” I think we'll get to talk about some of that today, actually. So thank you.    I encourage our listeners to listen to those two YouTube videos we'll put in the show notes. But Jessica, I'm going to give you a twofer here. I've been following your amazing work for many years, but the first time I got to meet you in person was at an Aphasia Access Leadership Summit. I wanted to ask you as an Aphasia Access member, if you have any particular Aphasia Access memories that you could share with our listeners?   Jessica Richardson  09:09 Well, it was actually that memory. So, I would say my all-time favorite collection of Aphasia Access moments, really was working with my amazing colleague, Dr. Katerina Haley. She's at UNC Chapel Hil. We were co-program chairs for the Aphasia Access 2017 summit in Florida. The whole summit, I still think back on it and just smile so wide. And you know, we went to the museum, we were at the Aphasia House, just so many wonderful things. All of the round tables and the presentations, they just rocked my world. And it's just something I'm super proud to have been a part of behind the scenes making it happen. And I also remember that you wrote me the nicest note afterwards.    Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  09:54 It was just because it impacted me, too. Personally, I felt like it just cracked open such a world of being able to have engaging discussions with colleagues. Tom Sather, really named it the other day (at IARC) when he quoted Emile Durkheim's work on collective effervescence, the sense of being together with a community. I'm seeing Arla, nodding her head too.   Arla Good Yeah, I like that.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis   Yeah, there was a lot of effervescing at these Leadership Summits, and we have one coming up in 2023. I'm really excited about it and hope to get more information out to our listeners about that. So I'll just say stay tuned. And you'll be hearing more, definitely.   I just want to do one more shout out. And that is, you mentioned international collaboration. I'd like to do a quick shout out to Dr. Gillian Velmer who has been doing the International Aphasia Choirs. I'll gather a couple of links to a couple of songs that she's helped produce with people around the world with aphasia singing together. So there's just some great efforts being done.    That's why I'm excited about launching into these questions. I want to start with an introduction of SingWell. Arla, would you like to get the ball rolling on that one?   Arla Good  11:09 For sure. SingWell began with my co-director, Frank Russo, and myself being inspired by that quote I shared at the beginning about singing doing something really special for these communities. We applied for a Government of Canada grant and we received what's called a Partnership grant. It really expanded well beyond just me and Frank, and it became a network of over 50 researchers, practitioners, national provincial support organizations, and it continues growing.    It's really about creating a flow of information from academia to the community, and then back to academia. So understanding what research questions are coming up in these communities of interests. And what information can we, as researchers, share with these communities? That's SingWell, I'll get into the research questions.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  12:03 Let's dive in a little bit deeper. What is SingWell's primary aim?  That's something you describe really well in an article we'll talk about a little later.   Arla Good  12:15 So our aim is to document, to understand, group singing as a strategy, as a way to address the psychosocial well-being and communication for people who are living with communication challenges. SingWell, we're defining a communication challenge as a condition that affects an individual's ability to produce, perceive or understand speech. We're working with populations like aphasia, but also people living with hearing loss, lung disease, stuttering. I hope, I don't forget anybody. There are five populations. Parkinson's, of course.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  12:53 Perfect. So that's your primary aim. Do you want to speak to any secondary or additional goals for your project?   Arla Good  13:03 The second major pillar of this grant is to advocate and share the information with these communities. So, how can we facilitate the transfer of this knowledge? We've started a TikTok channel, so you can watch videos. We have a newsletter and a website that's continuously being updated with all the new information. We want to develop best practice guides to share with these communities about what we've learned and how these types of choirs can be run. And really, just mobilize the network of partners so that we're ensuring the information is getting to the right community.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  13:35 Wow. Well, I mentioned a moment ago that there's a 2020 article that you wrote with your colleagues, Kreutz, Choma, Fiocco, and Russo that describes the SingWell project protocol. It  lays out your long term goals. Do you want to add anything else to what you've said about where this project is headed?   Arla Good  13:54 Sure, the big picture of this project is that we have a network of choirs that are able to address the needs of these different populations. I want the network to be dense and thriving. The home of the grant is Canada. But of course, we have partners in the states, like Jessica, and in Europe and in New Zealand. So to have this global network of choirs that people can have access to, and to advocate for a social prescription model in healthcare. Have doctors prescribing these choirs, and this network is available for doctors to see, okay, here's the closest choir to you. So, in some ways, this is a third goal of the project is to be building this case for the social prescription of singing.    Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  14:41 Before we go too much further, I want to acknowledge that you picked a wonderful aphasia lead, Dr. Jessica Richardson. That's your role, right? We haven't given you a chance to explain your role with SingWell. Do you want to say anything about that Jessica?   Jessica Richardson  14:58 Yeah, sure. I'm still learning about my role. Overall, I know theme leaders, in general, were charged with overseeing research directions for their theme. Aphasias, the theme that I'm leader of, and then monitoring progress of research projects and the direction of that. So far, it's mostly involved some advising of team members and reviewing and giving feedback of grant applications. I'm supposed to be doing more on the social and networking end and I hope to be able to make more that more of a priority next year, but I do think this podcast counts. So thank you for that.    Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  15:33 Well, you did a wonderful presentation. I should be transparent, I was invited to be on the Advisory Committee of SingWell, and I got to hear your first presentation at the first project meeting where each team leader explained their focus and endeavor. I was so excited to hear the way you presented the information on aphasia, because again, we know that for some people, aphasia is not a well-known name or word. And even though this is a very educated group, and I think everybody, all the leaders know about aphasia, but it was nice to see you present and put on the table some of the challenges and importance of doing this research.    One of the things that really attracted me when reading about that 2020 article is that you talk about SingWell having an ability versus disability focus early, Arla, could you elaborate on that?   Arla Good  16:22 Our groups are open to anybody, regardless of their musical, vocal or hearing abilities. And we compare it often to the typical talk-based support groups that focuses on challenges and deficits. Of course, there's a time and place, these can provide a lot of benefit for people living in these communities. So, this isn't a replacement for these types of support groups,  But, singing is a strength-based activity. They're working together to create a beautiful sound and there's often a performance at the end that they're very proud of. We're challenging stigma, especially in a population like aphasia, where it would seem like, oh, you have aphasia, you can't sing? But, of course they can. We're challenging that stigma of who can sing and who can't sing. We find that it's just so enjoyable for these people to be coming and doing something strength- based and feeling good. Going back to that, quote I said at the beginning, right? To feel like there's more to their identity than a diagnosis. This is what keeps them coming back.    Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  17:22 Beautifully said, and I can't help but think how that really connects with the life participation approach. There's no one better than Jessica, for me to throw that back out to her, and ask how she sees the connection between that.   Jessica Richardson  17:37 Yes, absolutely. Their focus on ability and fighting loneliness and isolation and on social well-being is right in line with it. Because LPAA is really focusing on reengagement in life, on competence, rather than deficits, on inclusion, and also on raising the status of well-being measures to be just as important as other communication outcomes.    I want to make sure we also bring up something from our Australian and New Zealand colleagues, the living successfully with aphasia framework, because it is also in line with LPAA and SingWell. I can say they have this alternative framework. They also don't want to talk about the deficit or disability. It doesn't try to ignore or even minimize the aphasia, but it emphasizes positive factors, like independence, meaningful relationships, meaningful contributions, like you know that performance. So there's just so much value and so much alignment with what Aphasia Access listeners and members really care about.    Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  18:44 That's a great transition for what I was thinking about next. I was very excited to see people talking about the 2018 review by Baker, Worrall, Rose and colleagues that identifies aphasia choirs as a level one treatment in the step psychological care model for managing depression in aphasia. So that's really powerful to me, and we're starting to see more research come out looking at the impact of participating in aphasia choirs. I'm really excited to see some of this initial research coming out.    Maybe you can address what some of the gaps in the literature might be when it comes to group singing? And its impact on well-being. Maybe Arla, we can start with that and then Jessica, you can jump in and address specifically communication and aphasia choirs. Arla, do you want to start out?   Arla Good  19:35 This is a very exciting time, like you said, there is research that is starting to come out. People are starting to study choirs as a way of achieving social well-being, psychological well-being and so the field is ripe and ready for some good robust scientific research.    Most of the studies that are coming out have really small sample sizes. It's hard to get groups together, and they often lack comparison groups. So what I think SingWell is going to do is help understand the mechanisms and what is so great about singing and what singing contributes. The other thing I'd like to mention is that with SingWell, our approach is a bit unique compared to what some of the other research researchers are doing, in that we're adopting a very hands-off approach to choir. So we're letting choir directors have the autonomy to organize based on their own philosophies, their expertise, and the context of their choirs. So we call it choir in its natural habitat.   And this is giving us the opportunity to explore group effects. What approach is the choir director taking and what's working, what's not working? And to have this large sample of different types of choirs, we can learn a lot from this number, this type of research project as well.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  20:54 What I really love about that is getting to know some of these wonderful colleagues through Aphasia Choirs Go Global and hearing about what their rehearsals and goals look like. There are some amazing similarities, just like saying, “You're doing that in Hungary? But we're doing that here, too.”  And there are some wonderful differences. I really firmly believe that there are a variety of ways to do this very successfully, just like there are a variety of ways to run successful aphasia groups, but there's going to be some core ingredients that we need to understand better.    Just before I go too far away from this, how about you? Do you want to speak to anything we need to learn in the literature about aphasia choirs?   Jessica Richardson  21:35 Yeah, I mean, I don't think I'm saying too much different than Arla. Arla, may want to follow up. But the main gap is that we just don't have enough evidence. And we don't have enough, like she said, solid methodology, high fidelity, to even support its efficacy to convince stakeholders, third party payers, etc. Anecdotal evidence is great, and YouTube videos that we create are also great, but it's not enough. And even more and more choirs popping up around the world, it's not enough.   We need that strong research base to convince the people that need convincing. SingWell is hoping to add to that through its pilot grants, through its methodology that they share for people to use. And I'm hopeful that other organizations, you know, like Aphasia Choirs Go Global, can link up at some point with saying, “Well, I'm excited about communities like that that are also supportive of researching choirs.” Arla, think I saw you're wanting to follow up.   Arla Good  22:31 I just wanted to add to something that Ellen had said about the power and diversity and having these different perspectives. And another goal of SingWell is to create, and it's up on the website already, it's a work in progress, it's going to continue growing, but a menu of options for choir directors who are looking to start a choir like this. Like if you want this kind of goal, here are some tips. So, if it's a social choir, you might want to configure the room in a circle. But if you have musical goals, maybe you want to separate your sopranos, your altos, tenors, and your bass. It's not one prescribed method. It's a menu of items that we're hoping we can through, this diversity of our network, that we can clarify for people who are trying to start a choir for themselves.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  23:19 I love that because I can hear in my head right now, Aura Kagan saying over and over again that the life participation approach is not a prescriptive approach. But rather, you're always looking at what is the best fit for your needs. Jessica, your head is nodding, so do you want to add anything?   Jessica Richardson  23:37 It's a way to shift your whole entire perspective and your framework. And that's what I love about it.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  23:44 We'll just go back to that 2020 article for a moment because I really liked that article. You and your authors describe four measures of well-being and there are potential neuroendocrinological, that's really a lot of syllables in here, but I'll try to say it again, neuroendocrinological underpinnings,    Arla Good   The hormones---   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis   Oh, that's better, thank you, the hormones, too. Could you just take a moment and please share what these four measures of well-being and their hormonal underpinnings might be?   Arla Good  24:11 For sure. The first one is connection, the connectedness outcome. So we're asking self-report measures of how connected people feel. But we're also measuring oxytocin, which is a hormone that's typically associated with social bonding.    The second measure is stress. And again, we're asking self-report measures, but we're also looking at cortisol, which is a hormone associated with stress.    The third measure is pain. And this one's a little bit more complex, because we're measuring pain thresholds. Really, it sounds scary, but what we do is apply pressure to the finger and people tell us when it feels uncomfortable. So it's actually well before anyone's experiencing pain. But we're thinking that this might be a proxy for beta endorphin release. So that's the underpinning there.    And then the last outcome is mood. This is also a self-report measure. And one of the types of analyses that we're running is we want to see what's contributing to an improved mood. Is it about the cortisol? Is it about just like deep breathing and feeling relaxed? Is it that or is there something special happening when they feel the rush of oxytocin and social connectedness? The jury's still out. These are super preliminary data at this point, especially with oxytocin, there's so much to learn. But those are some of the hormones, the sociobiological underpinnings that we're exploring.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  25:31 That makes for some really exciting research and the way you frame things, SingWell is supporting grants, maybe you could comment on how its biopsychosocial framework influences the methods and outcome measures that you want to adopt.   Arla Good  25:48 Sure, we do provide guidelines and suggestions for measures. Jessica alluded to this. We have it all up on the website, if anyone else wants to run a study like this. And then we have some that we're requiring of any study that's going to be funded through SingWell. And this is so we can address this small sample size problem in the literature. So the grant runs for six more years. It's a seven year grant. And at the end, we're going to merge all the data together for one mega study. We want to have some consistency across the studies, so we do have some that are required. And then we have this typical SingWell design. We're offering support for our research team, from what a project could look like.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  26:28 Well, this podcast typically has a wonderful diverse demographic, but it includes researchers. and clinical researchers who collaborate. So, let's take a moment and have you describe the grant review process and the dates for the next cycle, just in case people want to learn more.   Arla Good  26:45 Sure, so we are accepting grants from SingWell members. So the first step is to become a SingWell member. There is an application process on the website. We have an executive committee that reviews the applications twice a year, the next one is in scheduled for November. There's some time to get the application together. Once you're in as a member, the application for receiving funding is actually quite simple. It's basically just an explanation of the project and then it will undergo a review process. Jessica is actually one of our reviewers, so she can speak to what it was like to be a reviewer,   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  27:21 That would be great because, Jessica, when you and I chatted about it briefly, I've never heard a reviewer be so excited about being supportive in this process. So please share a little bit more because I thought your perspective was so refreshing and positive.    Jessica Richardson  27:36 I have to say too, I have definitely benefited from having some amazing reviewers in my own lifetime. I definitely have to point out one who was so impactful, Mary Boyle, her review, it was so thorough, and it was so intense, but it elevated one of my first endeavors into discourse analysis to just like a different level. And just the way that she treated it as a way to help shape, she was so invested, in just making sure that we were the best product out there. I learned what the world needed to learn. I definitely learned a lot from that experience and from other reviewers like her that I've benefited from.    As a reviewer, whenever I review anything, I try to keep that same spirit. So when I was doing SingWell reviews, I made sure that I revisited the parent grant. I did a really good, thorough reread. I provided feedback and critiques from the lens of how does this fit with SingWell's aims? And, how can it be shaped to serve those aims if it isn't quite there yet? So it's never like, “Ah, no, this is so far off”, it was just like, “Oh, where can we make a connection to help it fit?” Then trying to provide a review that would be a recipe for success, if not for this submission cycle, then for the next.    And as a submitter, even though I mean, we didn't have a meeting to like all take this approach. But I felt that the feedback that I received was really in that same spirit. And so I love feedback in general. I don't always love the rejection that comes with it. But I do love stepping outside of myself and learning from that different perspective. And I've really just felt that this thing while reviewers were invested, and were really just interested in shaping submissions to success,   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  29:24 That's really worthwhile, right? So you get something, even if you're not going to get funding. You still get to come away with something that's valuable, which is that feedback.    We've been talking about measures and I'm really interested in that as a topic. Jessica, could you take a moment and share a little bit about how SingWell's pre/post measures are being adopted for aphasia?  We all know that's some of the challenges. Sometimes, some of the measures that we use for mood, connectivity, or stress are not always aphasia-friendly. So what does that process look like?   Jessica Richardson  29:59 I will say they did their homework at the top end, even before the proposal was submitted. Really having you on the advisory board, and I was able to give some feedback on some of the measures. Some of the measures they've already selected were specific to aphasia. For Parkinson's disease, there are Parkinson's disease specific measures and for stuttering, specific measures. And for aphasia, they picked ones that are already aphasia-friendly. What I was super excited about too, is that they included discourse without me asking. It was already there. I think we helped build it to be a better discourse sample and we've added our own. So it's already in there as their set of required and preferred measures. But the other thing is that the investigator, or investigators, have a lot of latitude, according to your knowledge of the clinical population that you're working with, to add outcomes that you feel are relevant. That's a pretty exciting aspect of getting these pilot funds.    Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  30:58 So there's both some core suggested measures, but there's a lot of latitude for making sure that you're picking measures that will capture and are appropriate to your particular focus of your projects. That's great. Absolutely.   Jessica Richardson  31:09 I definitely feel that if there were any big issue that we needed to bring up, we would just talk to Arla and Frank, and they would be receptive.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  31:20 I've been very intrigued and interested in attempts to measure social connectedness as an outcome measure. You speak about it in your article, about the value of social bonding and the way music seems to be a really good mechanism to efficiently create social bonding. Is there something about choir that makes this factor, this social connectedness, different from being part of other groups? How are you going to even capture this this factor? Who wants to take that one?     Arla Good  31:50 I do, I can talk, we can do another podcast on this one.   Jessica Richardson  31:55 It's my turn, Arla. I'm just kidding (laughter).   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  32:01 You can both have a turn. You go first, Arla,  And then Jessica, I think you will probably add,   Jessica Richardson  32:04 I'm totally kidding (laughter).   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  32:06 Go ahead, Arla.   Arla Good  32:07 This is what I did my dissertation on. I truly believe in the power of group music making. So singing is just an easy, accessible, scalable way to get people to move together. It's consistent with an evolutionary account that song and dance was used by small groups to promote social bonding and group resiliency. I've seen the term collective effervescence in these types of writings.    When we moved together, it was like a replacement for in our great ape ancestors, they were one on one grooming, picking up the nits in each other's fur. Human groups became too large and too complex to do one on one ways of social bonding. And so we needed to develop a way to bond larger groups rapidly.    And the idea here is that movement synchrony, so moving together in precise time, was one way of connecting individuals, creating a group bond. Singing is just a fun way of doing that. I've been studying this for about 15 years and trying to understand. We've pared it down, right down to just tapping along with a metronome, and seeing these types of cooperation outcomes and feelings of social bonding, connectedness. I do think there's something special, maybe not singing specifically, but activities that involve movement synchrony. We could talk about drumming, we could talk about dance, I think that there is a special ingredient in these types of activities that promote social bonds.   Jessica Richardson  33:37 There's been some of us even looking at chanting, there's research about that as well.    Arla Good   We should do a SingWell study on chanting!   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  33:43 Jessica, what else do you want to add about what is important about capturing social connectedness? Or, how do we capture social connectedness?     Jessica Richardson  33:53 I think I'll answer the first part, which is, what is special about thinking about it and capturing it. It's something that we've slowly lost over decades and generations, the communal supports. Our communities are weakened, we're more spread out. It's also a way of bringing something back that has been so essential for so long. We've weakened it with technology, with just all the progress that we've made. It's a way to bring something that is very primitive and very essential back. So, that doesn't totally answer your question, though.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  34:31 When we think about the isolation related to aphasia and the loss of friendship, and some of the wonderful research that's coming out about the value and impact of friendship on aphasia, and then, you think about choirs and some of this research--I believe choir is identified as the number one most popular adult hobby/activity. I think more people are involved in choirs as an adult. It's not the only meaningful activity, but it's a very long standing, well developed one,   Jessica Richardson  35:03 We have to figure out how to get the people though who will not touch a choir with a 10 foot pole?   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  35:08 Well, we will continue to do the work on the other groups, right, that suits them very well. You know, be it a book club, or a gardening group, or a pottery class, or many, many, many other choices.   Jessica Richardson  35:21 Or a bell choir?   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  35:24 Bell choirs are great, too.    Do either of you want to speak to what type of measures captures social connectedness or what you're using, or suggesting people try to use, for SingWell projects?   Jessica Richardson  35:38 I think Arla already captured some of those with those markers that she was talking about earlier. Hormonal markers. But the self-report questionnaires, and that perspective. There's other biomarkers that can very easily be obtained, just from your spirit. So I think that's going in the right direction, for sure.   Arla Good  35:59 Yeah, we've also looked at behavioral measures in the past like strategic decision making games, economic decision making games, and just seeing if people trust each other, and whether they're willing to share with each other. We've asked people how attractive they think the other people are. Questions like this that are capturing the formation of a group, whether they're willing to share with their in-group.  It's a question of in-group and out-group, and what are some of the effects of the in-group.     Jessica Richardson  36:26 And we're definitely exploring too, because we do a lot of neurophysiological recording in my lab. Is there a place for EEG here? Is there a place for fNIRS, especially with fNIRS, because they can actually be doing these things. They can be participating in choir, we can be measuring things in real time. While they're doing that, with the fNIRS-like sports packs, so sorry, fNIRS is functional near-infrared spectroscopy in case some of the listeners aren't sure.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  36:52 I needed help with that one too. Thank you.    I'm thinking about some of the work done by Tom Sather that talks about the sense of flow and its contribution to eudaimonic well-being, right? I think that's a key piece of what SingWell is looking at as well. It's exciting to look at all these different measures, and all these different pillars that you are presenting today.    And if people want to find out more about SingWell, do you want to say something about your website, what they might find if they were to go there?   Arla Good  37:25 Yes, go to the website, SingWell.org, pretty easy to remember. And on the website, you'll find all the resources to run a research study, to apply to be a member. We have resources for choir directors who are looking to start their own choir, we have opportunities to get involved as research participants if you're someone living with aphasia, or other communication challenges. There's lots of opportunities to get involved on the website. And you can sign up for our newsletter and receive the updates as they come and check out our website.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  37:57 That's great. I certainly have been watching it develop. And I think it has a lot of really helpful resources. I appreciate the work that's been put into that. How do people get involved in the SingWell project? You mentioned earlier about becoming a member. Is there anything else you want to add about becoming engaged with SingWell?    Arla Good  38:18 I think the ways to become involved, either becoming a member or starting a choir using the resources, or like I said, signing up for the newsletter just to stay engaged. And as a participant, of course, doing the surveys or signing up for a choir if you're one of the participants called.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  38:35 Thank you. I'm was wondering if you'd share with the listeners any sample projects that are underway.    Arla Good  38:46 For sure. So we have five funded studies this year. We have one ChantWell, which Jessica spoke about, assessing the benefits of chanting for breathing disorders. That's taking place in Australia. The effects of online group singing program for older adults with breathing disorders on their lung health, functional capacity, cognition, quality of life, communication skills and social inclusion. That is in Quebec, Canada. The third study, the group singing to support well-being and communication members of Treble Tremors. That's a Parkinson's choir taking place in Prince Edward Island, Canada. The fourth is how important is the group in group singing, so more of a theoretical question looking at group singing versus individual singing, an unbiased investigation of group singing benefits for well-being and that's also in Quebec. And then last but not least, I saved it for last, is our very own Jessica Richardson's group singing to improve communication and well-being for persons with aphasia or Parkinson's disease. So I thought I might let Jessica share, if she's open to sharing some of what the research study will entail.   Jessica Richardson  39:53 Oh, yes, thank you. When we first started our neuro choir, I had envisioned it as being an aphasia choir. And we had so much need in the community, from people with other types of brain injury. Our Parkinson's Disease Association, too, has really been reaching out ever since I've moved here. They have a group actually, they're called the Movers and Shakers, which I really love. So, we have a pretty healthy aphasia cohort of people who are interested, who also, you know, taking a break and only doing things virtually if they are interested, you know, since COVID. And then we have our Parkinson's cohort here as well, the Movers and Shakers, were following the suggested study design, it's a 12 week group singing intervention. They have suggestions for different outcome measures at different timescales, we're following that and adding our own outcome measures that we also feel are relevant. So we have those measures for communication and well-being, including the well-being biomarkers through the saliva. As she mentioned, already, we have latitude for the choir director, like who we want to pick and what she or he wants to do. We already have that person picked out. And we already know, and have all of that stuff figured out. There is some guidance, but again, flexibility for our session programming. And we have the choices over the homework programming, as well. We are really looking at this choir in the wild, and looking at those outcomes with their measures. So we're excited about it.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  41:22 I think you've just thought of a great name for a future aphasia choir, which is a “neuro choir choir in the wild”   Jessica Richardson  41:30 Well, out here, we're a choir in the wild, wild west.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  41:34 There you go. Absolutely. What have been some of the most surprising findings of the benefits of singing so far that have come in through the SingWell project? Either of you want to take that on?   Arla Good  41:46 I don't know if it's the most surprising, but it's definitely the most exciting. I'm excited to continue unpacking what's happening with oxytocin, I think it's a pretty exciting hormone, it's pretty hot right now. It's typically associated with being like a love hormone. They call it associated with sex, and it's associated with mother-infant bonding. If we can find a way that's not mother-infant or pair bonding to release oxytocin, that's very exciting. If group singing is one of those ways to promote this sense of “I don't know where I end and you begin, and we're one” and all those loving feelings. As Jessica mentioned, the missing piece, and how we relate to each other in a society, choir might be an answer to that. I'm really excited about the oxytocin outcome measure. Again, it's still very early, I don't want to say definitively what's happening, but it's a pretty exciting piece.   Jessica Richardson  42:45 I have a future doctoral student that's going to be working on this. That is the part she's most interested in as well..   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  42:52 So there are some really good things that, hopefully, will continue to tell us what some of these benefits are and that it's important to fund and connect people to these types of activities. You said, this is like year one or two of a 6 year project, was that right? Or is it seven year?   Arla Good  43:09 It's seven year.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  43:10 So what is your hope for the future of the SingWell project?   Arla Good  43:15 The secondary goals would be the hope for the future, of actually creating change in the communities and getting people to think outside the box of providing care. Is there a choir that can be prescribed nearby? Is there a way to train these choir directors so that they have the correct training for this specific population? So drawing from the knowledge from speech- language therapy, from choir direction, from music therapy-   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  43:42 Music therapy, right.   Arla Good  43:43 Of course, of course. So creating an accreditation program and training choir directors to lead choirs like this, and having this army of choir directors around the world that are doing this. So, this is a big goal. But that's what I hope to see.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  44:00 That's fantastic. And I think there's some researchers who are really working hard at looking at protocols and asking these questions. And I know, I've been inspired by some of the work that Ali Talmage is doing in New Zealand that's looking at some of these questions. And, Jessica, do you want to add what's your hope is as aphasia lead? Or, what you're thinking about for the SingWell project that you're excited about?   Jessica Richardson  44:21 We have to generate that evidence that we need and mentioning again, those 10 foot pole people, to reach out to let people know that choirs aren't just for people who think that they can sing. We definitely have had some very energetic and enthusiastic choir members who think that they can sing and cannot, and they're still showing up. Maybe you're the one who thinks that choirs aren't for you. If we can generate enough energy, inertia, and evidence to convince those that it might be worth giving a try. I think some of them are going to be surprised that they enjoy it and “oh, I can sing.” So I think that to me is a future hoped for outcome.    And then again, seeing it spread out to other gardening groups, other yoga groups, all these other things that we know are happening within Aphasia Access members and beyond to see, okay, there's this methodology. This is what's used to study something like this, let's apply it also so that its efficacy data for these other approaches that we know and we see can be helpful, but we don't have enough proof to have someone prescribe it and to get those stakeholders involved.   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  45:33 Yes. And we talked about the importance of some of the work that's being done with mental health and aphasia and how some of the information that you're pursuing could really tie in and help us support and get more work in that area as well. So really exciting.    I can't believe we have to wrap up already. I agree with you all, that we could just keep talking on this one. But let's just end on this note, I would like to find out from both of you. If you had to pick just one thing that we need to achieve urgently as a community of providers and professionals, what would that one thing be? What would you like to speak to? At the end of this discussion we've had today and Arla, you get to go first again.   Arla Good  46:15 The one thing we need to achieve urgently is to find a way to address people's needs in a more holistic way. And to see the human as a whole, that it's not just this piece and this piece and this piece, but all of it together? And how can we do that? How can we communicate better as practitioners, as researchers, so that we can address these needs more holistically?   Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  46:36 Thank you. Thank you. And Jessica, what would you like to say?   Jessica Richardson  46:41 I could just say ditto. I totally agree. So the end.    But I think the other part is from a clinician standpoint. What I hear most from colleagues that are out there in the wild, and former students, is that they want the “How to” info which is perfect, because, SingWell has a knowledge mobilization aim, and the exact aim of that is to develop and share best practice guides, which you know, are already mentioned, choir sustainability guides, how to fund it, how to keep it going. Really important. And they're going to update these regularly. It's going to be available in lots of languages. So that's something I'm especially excited for, for our community, because I know so many people who want to start a choir, but it feels too big and intimidating, and maybe they don't feel like they have the musical chops. But this will really help them get over that hump to get started and will address that need. And that desire, that's already there, in a big way.        Ellen Bernstein-Ellis  47:42 Thank you. I'm so appreciative that you both made this happen today. It was complicated schedules. And I just really, really appreciate want to thank you for being our guests for this podcast. It was so much fun. I'm excited to follow the SingWell project over the next seven years and see what continues to grow and develop.    So for more information on Aphasia Access, and to access our growing library of materials, please go to www.aphasiaaccess.org And if you have an idea for a future podcast series topic, just email us at info@aphasiaaccess.org And thanks again for your ongoing support of Aphasia Access. Arla, Jessica, thank you so much. Thank you.    References and Resources  UNM Neuro Choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQuamJgTVj8&list=PLy586K9YzXUzyMXOOQPNz3RkfRZRqtR-L&index=5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guU_uRaFbHI&list=PLy586K9YzXUzyMXOOQPNz3RkfRZRqtR-L&index=6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4_0Xd7HNoM&list=PLy586K9YzXUzyMXOOQPNz3RkfRZRqtR-L&index=7   www.singwell.org Good, A., Kreutz, G., Choma, B., Fiocco, A., Russo, F., & World Health Organization. (2020). The SingWell project protocol: the road to understanding the benefits of group singing in older adults. Public Health Panorama, 6(1), 141-146. Good, A., & Russo, F. A. (2022). Changes in mood, oxytocin, and cortisol following group and individual singing: A pilot study. Psychology of Music, 50(4), 1340-1347.    

Leigh Cleary was 39 when he attended a music festival with friends but soon after he arrived home he experienced a bleed on the brain. Instagram Highlights: 03:18 Introduction 04:42 The Lead-up 08:29 The Cardiac Arrest 13:53 Post-Stroke Deficits 18:51 Overthinking It? 25:02 Dead For 6 minutes 33:28 For Good And Bad 39:28 Getting Back […] The post A Bleed On The Brain Recovery – Leigh Cleary appeared first on Recovery After Stroke.

When we sense danger, our limbic system causes us to react in order to stay safe. This system can become impaired, causing a reaction even when we are no longer in danger. In this podcast, Annie Hopper explains limbic system impairment and shows us that the limbic system can be retrained, moving us into a state of rest and repair.Annie Hopper is a limbic system rehabilitation specialist and founder of the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS). She is also author of the book Wired for Healing: Remapping the Brain to Recover from Chronic and Mysterious Illnesses. Read the full show notes The Brain That Changes Itself, Dr. Norman Doige Limbic system impairment self-assessment survey Living DNRS program Lyme related success stories Learn more about the Dynamic Neural Retraining System

Dr. Sonika Agarwal of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia talks to Audrey Vernick about her experience with pediatric epilepsy from a parent's perspective.  https://www.brainrecoveryproject.org/

It looks like an over-ambitious topic for one podcast, nevertheless Dr. Michelle Ploughman studies those issues everyday as the Canadian Research Chair in Rehabilitation, Neuroplasticity and Brain Recovery. Michelle's training in and love for physiotherapy shines through as her research primarily focuses on how they relate to multiple sclerosis (MS) and stroke at her Recovery and Performance Lab in St. John's, NL, Canada. Get bonus content on PatreonSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/concussion-talk-podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Paul Spence suffered a life changing brain injury on a night out in Hull. His life as a successful electrician and family man was turned upside down but he fought through adversity and turned his tragedy into  triumph.  We talked with him about how he did it, and how the Paul charity is helping others with an acquired brain injury. 

Monica and Annette celebrate the New Year with some practical optimism about the benefits of mindfulness from Dr. Stacy Grossman, Psy.D.  Doctor Stacy is a licensed clinical psychologist, and the Director of the Center for Brain Recovery at Hanley Center at Origins.  They discuss some of the amazing tools to enable effective meditation and mindfulness, and how to better connect our bodies with our brains.    

what you see, smell, taste, hear, and touch can be pretty distracting. we're used to labelling our senses as sources of distraction. I mean, wouldn't you be much more focused if you weren't constantly hearing, seeing, etc., potential distractions? let's talk about how you can use your senses in a POSITIVE way when it comes to focusing, and how nature can help boost your focus. link to free journaling collections: bettabullets.com spice up your feed by following me on instagram: @bettabullets instagram.com/bettabullets

we've been covering good strategies to recover that brain of yours. but, of course, there are mistakes that you feel like could be good, but are actually harming your productivity. let's do it! spice up your IG feed and follow me on instagram @bettabullets or instagram.com/bettabullets get my free journaling collections: bettabullets.com

what's your PFC? and your DMN? you're probably thinking "omg this sounds SO boring" but, hear me out. to take control of your brain you've gotta understand what it is. let's talk about weaving in moments of not focusing into your day to actually boost your productivity. spice up your instagram feed with daily motivation: follow me @bettabullets instagram.com/bettabullets

napping at the wrong time or for too long can backfire, here's the guide to napping to feel more energised & NOT lethargic. if you're sleep deprived/looking for a way to relax- a nap might be a great option. benefits of napping: Reduced fatigue Increased alertness Improved mood Improved performance, including quicker reaction time and better memory the bad side? napping isn't for everyone. some people simply can't sleep during the day or have trouble sleeping in places other than their own beds, which napping sometimes requires. when should i consider napping? if you want to make planned naps a part of your routine have had a bad night's sleep (or no sleep #studentlife) you need to give your brain that break best way to nap? here are some tips: keep naps short. take naps in the early afternoon. create a restful environment. after napping, give yourself time to wake up before starting activities again — especially the ones that need a quick or sharp response.

yes, detaching is a GOOD thing... sometimes... what to do when you're falling asleep in class? or when you can't seem to focus on the task at hand? let's talk about how, and when, you can use 'detachment' to give your brain that momentary break. here's a link to get sent my free journaling collections: bettabullets.com and, you should totally spice up your IG feed. follow me @bettabullets on instagram.com/bettabullets

How do you handle stressful situations? Everyone's built a little different — some people can take their hits on the chin and come out smiling. But not everyone can take those hits. The pandemic has taken its mental toll on so many people. Others might still be struggling with past traumas and dealing with anxiety. Their situation keeps them in a state of constant worry and hypervigilance. That state of mind doesn't only harm their mental and emotional health — it can make them sick and more prone to physical diseases. More than ever, it's time to begin mental healing from past traumas, so we can better cope with our daily stresses.  Dr Don Wood joins us again in this episode to talk about the TIPP program and how it facilitates mental healing. He explains how our minds are affected by traumas and how these can affect our health and performance. If we want to become more relaxed, we need to learn how to go into the alpha brainwave state. Since mental healing is not an immediate process, Dr Don also shares some coping strategies we can use in our daily lives.  If you want to know more about how neuroscience can help you achieve mental healing, then this episode is for you.    Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode: Learn how trauma can put you in a constant state of survival and affect your performance and daily life.  Understand that it's not your fault. Achieving mental healing will require you to learn how to go into an alpha brainwave state.  Discover healthy habits that will keep you from entering survival mode.   Resources Gain exclusive access and bonuses to Pushing the Limits Podcast by becoming a patron!  A new program, BOOSTCAMP, is coming this September at Peak Wellness! Listen to other Pushing the Limits episodes:  #183: Sirtuin and NAD Supplements for Longevity with Dr Elena Seranova #189: Understanding Autophagy and Increasing Your Longevity with Dr Elena Seranova  #199: How Unresolved Trauma Prevents You from Having a Healthy Life With Dr Don Wood Check out Dr Don Wood's books:  Emotional Concussions: Understanding How Our Nervous System is Affected By Events and Experiences Throughout Our Life You Must Be Out Of Your Mind: We All Need A Reboot   Connect with Dr Don Wood: Inspired Performance Institute I Facebook I LinkedIn     Get Customised Guidance for Your Genetic Make-Up For our epigenetics health programme, all about optimising your fitness, lifestyle, nutrition and mind performance to your particular genes, go to  https://www.lisatamati.com/page/epigenetics-and-health-coaching/.   Customised Online Coaching for Runners CUSTOMISED RUN COACHING PLANS — How to Run Faster, Be Stronger, Run Longer  Without Burnout & Injuries Have you struggled to fit in training in your busy life? Maybe you don't know where to start, or perhaps you have done a few races but keep having motivation or injury troubles? Do you want to beat last year's time or finish at the front of the pack? Want to run your first 5-km or run a 100-miler? ​​Do you want a holistic programme that is personalised & customised to your ability, goals, and lifestyle?  Go to www.runninghotcoaching.com for our online run training coaching.   Health Optimisation and Life Coaching If you are struggling with a health issue and need people who look outside the square and are connected to some of the greatest science and health minds in the world, then reach out to us at support@lisatamati.com, we can jump on a call to see if we are a good fit for you. If you have a big challenge ahead, are dealing with adversity, or want to take your performance to the next level and learn how to increase your mental toughness, emotional resilience, foundational health, and more, then contact us at support@lisatamati.com.   Order My Books My latest book Relentless chronicles the inspiring journey about how my mother and I defied the odds after an aneurysm left my mum Isobel with massive brain damage at age 74. The medical professionals told me there was absolutely no hope of any quality of life again. Still, I used every mindset tool, years of research and incredible tenacity to prove them wrong and bring my mother back to full health within three years. Get your copy here: https://shop.lisatamati.com/collections/books/products/relentless. For my other two best-selling books Running Hot and Running to Extremes, chronicling my ultrarunning adventures and expeditions all around the world, go to https://shop.lisatamati.com/collections/books.   Lisa's Anti-Ageing and Longevity Supplements  NMN: Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, an NAD+ precursor Feel Healthier and Younger* Researchers have found that Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide or NAD+, a master regulator of metabolism and a molecule essential for the functionality of all human cells, is being dramatically decreased over time. What is NMN? NMN Bio offers a cutting edge Vitamin B3 derivative named NMN (beta Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) that can boost the levels of NAD+ in muscle tissue and liver. Take charge of your energy levels, focus, metabolism and overall health so you can live a happy, fulfilling life. Founded by scientists, NMN Bio offers supplements of the highest purity and rigorously tested by an independent, third party lab. Start your cellular rejuvenation journey today. Support Your Healthy Ageing We offer powerful third party-tested, NAD+ boosting supplements so you can start your healthy ageing journey today. Shop now: https://nmnbio.nz/collections/all NMN (beta Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) 250mg | 30 capsules NMN (beta Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) 500mg | 30 capsules 6 Bottles | NMN (beta Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) 250mg | 30 Capsules 6 Bottles | NMN (beta Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) 500mg | 30 Capsules Quality You Can Trust — NMN Our premium range of anti-ageing nutraceuticals (supplements that combine Mother Nature with cutting edge science) combats the effects of aging while designed to boost NAD+ levels. Manufactured in an ISO9001 certified facility Boost Your NAD+ Levels — Healthy Ageing: Redefined Cellular Health Energy & Focus Bone Density Skin Elasticity DNA Repair Cardiovascular Health Brain Health  Metabolic Health   My  ‘Fierce' Sports Jewellery Collection For my gorgeous and inspiring sports jewellery collection, 'Fierce', go to https://shop.lisatamati.com/collections/lisa-tamati-bespoke-jewellery-collection.   Episode Highlights [06:05] The Pandemic-Induced Mental Health Crisis The pandemic forced many people into a state of freeze mode, not the typical fight or flight response.  As people get out of freeze mode, there will be a rise in mental health issues.  Teenagers are robbed of the opportunity to develop social and communication skills during this time.  [08:24] How Dr Don Wood Started Studying Traumas Dr Don's wife grew up in a household with an angry father who instilled fear. He used to think that she would be less anxious when they started to live together, but she struggled with mental healing.  She had an inherent belief that misfortune always follows good things. Her traumas and fears also led to a lot of health issues.  She also was hyper-vigilant, which she used as a protective mechanism. However, this prevented her from being relaxed and happy. A person's environment can dictate whether they go into this hyper-vigilant state, but genetics can also play a factor.  [15:42] How Trauma Affects the Brain Trauma is caused by a dysregulation of the subconscious. If your brain is in survival mode, it will access data from the past and create physiological responses to them. These emotions demand action, even when it is no longer possible or necessary. This dysregulation prevents you from living in the present and initiating mental healing.  In this state, people can be triggered constantly, which interferes with their day-to-day life.  [21:07] The Role of the Subconscious Your conscious mind only takes up around 5%, while the subconscious takes up 95%. Your subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between real and imagined.  In survival mode, people will keep replaying the past and think about different scenarios and decisions.  You're left stuck because the subconscious mind only lives in the now. It does not have a concept of time.  This process is the brain trying to protect you. [25:04] What Happens When You're Always in Survival Mode Being in survival mode will take a physical toll since it's constantly activating the nervous system, increasing cortisol and adrenaline. When you're in this state, your body and mind cannot work on maintenance and recovery. It is more focused on escaping or fixing perceived threats. Over time, this will affect your immune system and make you sick.  To truly achieve mental healing, you need to get to the root cause of your problems.  However, you also have to develop coping strategies to manage your day-to-day activities.  [30:18] Changing Your Brainwave State Traumatic events are usually stored in a beta brainwave state. Changing your response to traumatic events starts with going into an alpha brainwave state.  The beta state is usually from 15 - 30 hertz, while the alpha is lower at 7 - 14 hertz. Anything below that is the delta state, usually when you're in deep meditation or sleep. People who have trouble sleeping are usually in that beta state, which keeps processing information.  It's only in the delta state that your mind and body start the maintenance phase. This phase helps not only with mental healing but also physical recovery.  Learn more about Lisa and Dr Don's personal experiences with these brainwave states in the full episode!  [34:30] Mental Healing and Physical Recovery Starts with the Brain Recovery is about genetics and the environment. In sleep, your mind will always want to deal with the threats first. It can only get to the delta state once it finishes processing these dangers. Your risk for developing sickness and depression rises if your brain can't do maintenance. Living in the beta state will make it difficult to focus.  [41:40] It's Not Your Fault If you have a lot of trauma, you are predisposed to respond in a certain way. It's not your fault.  There's nothing wrong with your mind; you just experienced different things from others.  Dr Don likened this situation to two phones having a different number of applications running.  Predictably, the device that runs more applications will have its battery drained faster.  [44:05] Change How You Respond Working on traumas requires changing the associative and repetitive memory, which repeats responses to threats. You cannot change a pattern and get mental healing immediately—it will take time.  That's the reason why Dr Don's program has a 30-day recovery phase dedicated to changing your response pattern.  Patterns form because the subconscious mind sees them as a beneficial way of coping with traumas.  This function of your subconscious is how addictions form.  [47:04] Why We Can Be Irrational The subconscious lives only in the present. It does not see the future nor the past.  It will want to take actions that will stop the pain, even if the actions are not rational.  At its core, addiction is all about trying to stop the pain or other traumatic experiences.  Survival mode always overrides reason and logic because its priority is to protect you. [50:57] What to Do When You're in Survival State In this survival state, we're prone to movement or shutting down completely.  The brain can stop calling for emotions to protect you, and this is how depression develops.  When in a depressed state, start moving to initiate mental healing. Exercise helps burn through cortisol and adrenaline.  Once your mind realises there's no action required for the perceived threats, the depression will lift.   [53:24] Simple Actions Can Help There's nothing wrong with you.  Don't just treat the symptom; go straight to the issue.  Don't blame genetics or hormonal imbalances for finding it hard to get mental healing. Find out why.  Also, seek things that will balance out your hormones. These can be as simple as walking in nature, taking a break, and self-care.  [56:04] How to Find a Calming Symbol Find a symbol that will help you go back into the alpha brainwave state.  Lisa shares that her symbol is the sunset or sunrise, and this helps her calm down. Meanwhile, Dr Don's are his home and the hawk.  Having a symbol communicates to all parts of your brain that you're safe.  [59:58] The Power of Breathing  Stress may lead to irregular breathing patterns and increase your cortisol levels and blood sugar. Breathing exercises, like box breathing, can also help you calm down because the brain will take higher oxygen levels as a state of safety.  If you're running out of oxygen, your brain will think you're still in danger.  Make sure that you're breathing well. It's also better to do nasal breathing.    7 Powerful Quotes ‘The purpose of an emotion is a call for an action. So the purpose of fear is to run.' ‘People who have a lot of trauma have trouble sleeping. Because not only is their mind processing what it experienced during the day, it's also taking some of those old files saying “Well, okay, let's fix that now. Right. Let's get that.”' ‘I was getting maximum restorative sleep. So an injury that I would have that could heal in two or three days, my teammates would two or three weeks. Because they were living in these, which I didn't know, a lot of my friends were dealing with trauma: physical, emotional, sexual abuse.' ‘There's nothing wrong with anybody's mind. Everybody's mind is fine except you are experiencing something different than I experienced so your mind kept responding to it, and mine didn't have that.' ‘That dysregulation of the nervous system. That's what we want to stop because that is what is going to affect health, enjoyment of life, and everything else.' ‘I talked about addiction as a code. I don't believe it's a disease. Your mind has found a resource to stop pains and your subconscious mind is literal. It doesn't see things as good or bad, or right or wrong.' ‘If there's a survival threat, survival will always override reason and logic because it's designed to protect you.'   About Dr Don Dr Don Wood, PhD, is the CEO of The Inspired Performance Institute. Fueled by his family's experiences, he developed the cutting-edge neuroscience approach, TIPP. The program has produced impressive results and benefited individuals all over the world.  Dr Wood has helped trauma survivors achieve mental healing from the Boston Marathon bombing attack and the Las Vegas shooting. He has also helped highly successful executives and world-class athletes. Marko Cheseto, a double amputee marathon runner, broke the world record after completing TIPP. Meanwhile, Chris Nikic worked with Dr Wood and made world news by becoming the first person with Down Syndrome to finish an Ironman competition. Interested in Dr Don's work? Check out The Inspired Performance Institute. You can also reach him on Facebook and LinkedIn.    Enjoyed This Podcast? If you did, be sure to subscribe and share it with your friends! Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in, then leave us a review. You can also share this with your family and friends so they can learn steps to mental healing. Have any questions? You can contact me through email (support@lisatamati.com) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. For more episode updates, visit my website. You may also tune in on Apple Podcasts. To pushing the limits, Lisa   Transcript Of Podcast Welcome to Pushing the Limits, the show that helps you reach your full potential with your host Lisa Tamati, brought to you by lisatamati.com.  Lisa Tamati: Hi, everyone and welcome back to Pushing the Limits. Today, I have Dr Don Wood who, you may recognise that name if you listen to the podcast regularly. He was on the show maybe a couple of months ago, and he is the CEO and founder of The Inspired Performance Institute. He's a neuroscience guy, and he knows everything there is to know about dealing with trauma and how to get the mind back on track when you've been through big, horrible life events or some such thing. Now, when we talked last time, he shared with me his methodology, the work that he's done, how he can help people with things like addictions as well and depression, and just dealing with the stresses of life, whether they be small stressors or big stressors.  We got to talking about my situation and the stuff that I've been through in the last few years, which many of you listeners know, has been pretty traumatic. From losing babies, to losing my dad, to mom's journey. So I was very privileged and lucky to have Dr Don Wood actually invite me to do his program with him. We share today my stories, how I went with that, and he explains a little bit more in-depth the neuroscience behind it all and how it all works. So if you're someone who's dealing with stress, anxiety, PTSD, depression, if you want to understand how the brain works and how you can help yourself to deal with these sorts of things, then you must listen to the show. He's an absolutely lovely, wonderful person.  Now, before we get over to the show, I just love you all to do a couple of things for me. If you wouldn't mind doing a rating and review of the show on Apple, iTunes or wherever you listen to this, that would be fantastic. It helps the show get found. We also have a patron program, just a reminder if you want to check that out. Come and join the mission that we're on to bring this wonderful information to reach to people.  Also, we have our BOOSTCAMP program starting on the first of September 2021. If you listen to this later, we will be holding these on a regular basis so make sure you check it out. This is an eight-week live webinar series that my business partner, my best buddy, and longtime coach Neil Wagstaff and I will be running. It's more about upgrading your life and helping you perform better, helping you be your best that you can be, helping you understand your own biology, your own neuroscience, how your brain works, how your biology works. Lots of good information that's going to help you upgrade your life, live longer, be happier, reduce stress, and be able to deal with things when life is stressful. God knows we're all dealing with that. So I'd love you to come and check that out. You can go to peakwellness.co.nz/boostcamp.  I also want to remind you to check us out on Instagram. I'm quite active on Instagram. I have a couple of accounts there. We have one for the podcast that we've just started. We need a few more followers please on there. Go to @pushingthelimits for that one on Instagram, and then my main account is @lisatamati, if you want to check that one out. If you are a running fan, check us out on Instagram @runninghotcoaching and we're on Facebook under all of those as well. So @lisatamati, @pushingthelimits, and @runninghotcoaching.  The last thing before we go over to Dr Don Wood, reminder check out, too, our longevity and anti-aging supplement. We've joined forces with Dr Elena Seranova and have NMN which is nicotinamide mononucleotide, and this is really some of that cooler stuff in the anti-aging, and longevity space. If you want to check out the science behind that, we have a couple of podcasts with her. Check those out and also head on over to nmnbio.nz. Right. Over to the show with Dr Don Wood.  Hi, everyone and welcome back to Pushing the Limits. Today, I have a dear, dear friend again who's back on the show as a repeat offender, Dr Don Wood. Dr Don Wood: I didn't know I was a repeat offender. Oh, I'm in trouble. That's great.  Lisa: Repeat offender on the show. Dr Don, for those who don't know, was on the show. Dr Don is a trauma expert and a neuroscientist, and someone who understands how the brain works, and why we struggle with anxiety, and depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. We did a deep dive last time, didn't we, into the program that you've developed. Since then, everyone, I have been through Dr Don's pro program. He kindly took me through it. Today, I want to unpack a little bit of my experiences on the other side, s the client, so to speak. Talk about what I went through.  Dr Don, so firstly, welcome to the show again. How's it all over in your neck of the woods? Dr Don: Well, it's awesome over here in Florida. COVID is basically non-existent. Oh, yeah. Well, in terms of the way people are treating it, that's for sure. Very few people you see in masks now, everything is pretty much wide open. You can't even get reservations at restaurants. It's unbelievable. The economy is exploding here. There's so much going on. Yeah, I know the rest of the country, a lot of different places are still struggling with whether they're going to put mask mandates back on and all this kind of stuff but Florida seems to be doing very well.  Lisa: Well, I'm very glad to hear that because any bit of good news in this scenario is good because this keeps coming and biting everybody in the bum.  Dr Don: I know. Especially down there. You guys are really experiencing quite severe lockdowns and things, right? Lisa: Yeah and Australia, more so. Australia has gone back into lockdown. I've got cousins in Sydney who are experiencing really hard times in Melbourne and we've stopped the trans-Tasman bubble at the moment. Trans-Tasman was open for business, so to speak, with Australians being able to come to New Zealand without quarantine, but it's been shut down again. So yeah, we're still struggling with it, and the economy is still struggling with it but actually, in our country, we've been very lucky that we've managed to keep it out because they've had such tight controls on the borders. But yes, it's a rocky road for everybody, and it's not over yet, I think. Dr Don: Looks like it's going to continue, and that's creating a lot of stress.  Lisa: Oh, yeah, perfect.  Dr Don: This is what I've said. I think we're coming up to a tsunami of mental health issues because a lot of people have gone into freeze mode as opposed to fight or flight. Some people are in fight or flight. You're hearing about that on airlines: people just losing it, and getting mad, and fighting with flight attendants and passengers, and you see a lot of that. But I think that's obviously not the majority. I think most people are in that mode of just get through this, do what they ask, don't cause any waves, and just get this over with. So that's a freeze mode, and I think when people come out of freeze, you're going to start to see some of these mental health issues.  Lisa: Yes, I totally agree and I'm very concerned about the young people. I think that being hit very hard especially in the places that have the hardest lockdowns. If you're going through puberty, or you're going through teenagehood, or even the younger kids, I think, they're going to be affected massively by this because it's going to be a big before and after sort of situation for them.  Dr Don: And just the social. When we were teenagers, social was everything, I suppose. Learning how to communicate, and talk, and get along with other people, and good and bad. There were always struggles in school with learning how to get along with everybody but that is just sort of squashed. It's going to be fascinating to see when they do a study on the real true results of this pandemic. It's going to be a lot different than many people think.  Lisa: Yes, and I think the longer you ignore stuff, is we're going to see it's not just the people are unfortunately dying and being very sick from the actual COVID, but the actual effects on society are going to be big. That's why talking about the topic that we're talking about today, dealing with anxiety, and dealing with stress, and being able to actually fix the problem instead of just managing the problem, which I know you're big on.  So let's dive in there, and let's recap a little bit. Just briefly go back over your story, how you got to here, and what your method sort of entails in a helicopter perspective. Dr Don: Yeah, basically how I developed this was really because of the life that my wife led first and my daughter. My wife grew up in a very traumatic household with a very angry father that created tremendous fear. So everybody was... Just constant tension in that household. When I met her, I just realised how this was so different than my life. My life was in the complete opposite: very nurturing, loving. So I didn't experience that. I thought when she started moving in and we got married at 19, we were very young, that this would all stop for her. Because now, she's living in my world, my environment, and it didn't.  She just kept continuing to feel this fear that something was going to go wrong and nothing is going to go right. She struggled with enjoying things that were going well. I would say to her, 'We've got three beautiful children. We've got a beautiful home. Everything's going pretty good; nothing's perfect. You have your ups and downs, but it's generally a pretty good life.' She couldn't enjoy that because as a child, whenever things were going okay, it would quickly end and it would end, sometimes violently. So the way she was protecting herself is don't get too excited when things are going well because you'll get this huge drop. So that was what she was doing to protect herself. I just had a lady come in here a couple months ago, who very famous athlete is her husband: millionaires, got fame, fortune, everything you want, but she had a lot of health issues because of trauma from her childhood. When I explained that to her, she said, 'That's me. Your wife is me. I should be enjoying this, and I can't get there. I want to. My husband can't understand it.' But that's really what was going on for her too. Lisa: So it's a protective mechanism, isn't it? To basically not get too relaxed and happy because you've got to be hyper-vigilant, and this is something that I've definitely struggled with my entire life. Not because I had a horrible childhood. I had a wonderful childhood but I was super sensitive. So from a genetic perspective, I'm super sensitive. I have a lot of adrenaline that makes me code for, for want of a better description, I'm very emotionally empathetic but it also makes me swung by emotional stimuli very much. So someone in my environment is unhappy, I am unhappy. I'm often anxious and upset. My mum telling me she took me to Bambi. You know the movie Bambi? From Disneyland? She had to take me out of theatre. I was in distraught.  That's basically me. Because Bambi's mother got killed, right? I couldn't handle that as a four-year-old, and I still can't handle things. Things like the news and stuff, I protect myself from that because I take everything on. It's even a problem and in our business service situations because I want to save the world. I very much take on my clients' issues. I'm still learning to shut gates afterwards, so to speak, when you're done working with someone so that you're not constantly... So there's a genetic component to this as well.  Dr Don: Absolutely. So yours was coming from a genetic side but that's very, very common amongst people who have had a traumatic childhood. They're super sensitive.  Lisa: Yes. Hyper-vigilant.  Dr Don: Hyper-vigilant. That was my wife. She was constantly looking for danger. We'd come out of the storage and go: 'Can you believe how rude that clerk was?' 'What do you mean she was rude? How was she rude?' ‘You see the way she answered that question when I asked that, and then the way she stuffed the clothes in the bag?' And I'm like, 'Wow.' I never saw her like that. She was looking for it because that's how she protected herself because she had to recognise when danger was coming. So it was protection, and I hadn't experienced that so that made no sense to me; it made perfect sense to her.  Lisa: Yeah, and if someone was rude to you, you would be just like, 'Well, that's their problem, not my problem, and I'm not taking it on.' Whereas for someone your wife and for me... I did have a dad who was  a real hard, tough man, like old-school tough. We were very much on tenterhooks so when they came home, whether he was in a good mood today or not in a good mood. He was a wonderful, loving father but there was that tension of wanting to please dad. Mum was very calm and stable, but Dad was sort of more volatile and just up and down. It was wonderful and fun and other times, you'd be gauging all of that before he even walked in the door. That just makes you very much hyper-vigilant to everything as well.  Then, you put on, on top of that, the genetic component. You've got things like your serotonin and your adrenaline. So I've got the problem with the adrenaline and a lack of dopamine. So I don't have dopamine receptors that stops me feeling satisfaction and... Well, not stops me but it limits my feeling of, 'Oh, I've done a good job today. I can relax.' Or of reward. And other people have problems, I don't have this one, but with a serotonin gene, which is they have dysregulation of their serotonin and that calm, and that sense of well-being and mood regulation is also up and down. While it's not a predisposition that you'll definitely going to have troubles because you can learn the tools to manage those neurotransmitters and things like nutrition and gut health and all that aspect. Because it's all a piece of that puzzle, but it's really just interesting, and it makes you much more understanding of people's differences.  Why does one person get completely overwhelmed in a very trivial situation versus someone else who could go into war and come back and they're fine? What is it that makes one person? Then you got the whole actual neuroscience circuitry stuff, which I find fascinating, what you do. Can you explain a little bit what goes on? Say let's just pick a traumatic experience: Someone's gone through some big major trauma. What is actually going on in the brain again? Can we explain this a little bit?  Dr Don: Yeah, this is one of the things that... When I did my research, I realised this is what's causing the dysregulation: is your subconscious your survival brain is fully present in the moment all the time. So everything in that part of our brain is operating in the present. which is what is supposed to be, right? They say that that's the key, that success and happiness is live in the present. Well, your survival brain does that. The problem comes in is that only humans store explicit details about events and experiences. So everything you've seen, heard, smelled, and touched in your lifetime has been recorded and stored in this tremendous memory system. Explicit memory.  Animals have procedural memory or associative memory. We have that memory system too. So we have both. They only have procedural, associative. So they learn through repetition, and they learn to associate you with safety and love, but they don't store the details about it. But we store all the details about these events and experiences. So this is where this glitch is coming in. If you've got the survival brain, which is 95% of everything that's going on, operating in the present, accessing data from something that happened 10 years ago because something looks like, sounds like, smells like it again, it's creating a response to something that's not happening. It's looking at old data and creating a physiological response to it, and the purpose of an emotion is a call for an action. So the purpose of fear is to run, to escape a threat. But there's no threat. It's just information about the threat. That disrupts your nervous system and then that creates a cascade of chemical reactions in your body because your mind thinks there's an action required. Lisa: This is at the crux of the whole system really, isn't it? This is this call for action to fix a problem that is in the past that cannot be fixed in the now. So if we can dive a little bit into my story, and I'm quite open on the show. I'm sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly. When I was working with Dr Don, I've been through a very, very traumatic few years really. Lost my dad, first and foremost, last July, which was the biggest trauma of my life. And it was a very difficult process that we went through before he died as well. And there's a lift, as you can imagine, my brain in a state of every night nightmares, fighting for his life, he's dying over, and over, and over, and over again.  Those memories are intruding into my daily life, whereas in anything and at any time, I could be triggered and be in a bawling state in the middle of the car park or the supermarket. Because something's triggered me that Dad liked to to buy or Dad, whatever the case was, and this was becoming... It's now a year after the event but everything was triggering me constantly. Of course, this is draining the life out of you and interfering with your ability to give focus to your business, to your family, to your friends, every other part of your life. I'd also been through the trauma of bringing Mum back from that mess of aneurysm that everyone knows about. The constant vigilance that is associated with bringing someone back and who is that far gone to where she is now, and the constant fear of her slipping backwards, and me missing something, especially in light of what I'd been through with my father. So I'd missed some things, obviously. That's why he ended up in that position and through his own choices as well.  But this load, and then losing a baby as well in the middle, baby Joseph. There was just a hell of a lot to deal with in the last five years. Then, put on top of it, this genetic combination of a hot mess you got sitting before you and you've got a whole lot of trauma to get through. So when we did the process, and I was very, super excited to do this process because it was so intrusive into my life, and I realised that I was slowly killing myself because I wasn't able to stop that process from taking over my life. I could function. I was highly functional. No one would know in a daily setting, but only because I've got enough tools to keep my shit together. so to speak. But behind closed doors, there's a lot of trauma going on.  So can you sort of, just in a high level, we don't want to go into the details. This is a four-hour program that I went through with Dr Don. What was going on there. and what did you actually help me with?  Dr Don: So when you're describing those things that were happening to you, what was actually happening to your mind is it was not okay with any of that. It wanted it to be different, right? So it was trying to get you into a state of action to stop your father from dying: Do it differently. Because it kept reviewing the data. It was almost looking at game tape from a game and saying 'Oh, had we maybe run the play that way, we would have avoided the tackle here.' So what your mind was saying 'Okay, run that way.' Well, you can't run that way. This is game tape. Right? But your mind doesn't see it as game tape. It sees it as real now, so it's run that way. So it keeps calling you into an action.  And especially with your dad because you were thinking about, 'Why didn't I do this?' Or 'Had I just done this, maybe this would have happened.' What your mind was saying is, 'Okay, let's do it. Let's do that.' What you just thought about. But you can't do that. It doesn't exist. It's information about something that happened but your mind sees it as real. That's why Hollywood have made trillions of dollars because they can convince you something on the screen is actually happening. That's why we cry in a movie or that's why we get scared in a movie. Because your mind, your subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between real or imagined. So that's actually happening.  You were just talking about the movie with Bambi, right? When you were little. 'Why is nobody stopping this from happening?' So your mind was not okay with a lot of these things that were happening, and it kept calling you to make a difference. That's what I never understood my wife doing. That before I really researched this, my wife would always be saying, 'Don't you wish this hadn't have happened?' Or 'Don't you wish we hadn't done this?' What I didn't understand at the time, because I used to just get like, 'Okay, whatever.' She'd go, 'Yeah, but wouldn't it have been better?' She wanted to get me into this play with her, this exercise. Lisa: This is going on in her head. Dr Don: Because it's going on in her head, and she's trying to feel better. So she's creating these scenarios that would make her feel like, 'Well, if I had just done that, gosh that would have been nice, thinking about that life.' And her mind seeing that going, 'Oh, that would be nice. Well, let's do that. Yes.' So she was what if-ing her life. And it was something that she did very early as a child because that's how she just experienced something traumatic with her father. In her mind, she'd be going, 'Well, what if I had to just left 10 minutes earlier, and I had have escaped that?' Or 'What if I hadn't done this?' So that's what she was doing. It made no sense to me because I hadn't experienced her life, but that's what she was doing. Her mind was trying to fix something. It's never tried to hurt you. It was never, at any point, trying to make you feel bad. It was trying to protect you. Lisa: Its job is to protect you from danger and it sees everything as you sit in the now so it's happening now. I love that analogy of these... What was it? Two-thirds of the car or something and... Dr Don: So goat and snowflake? Lisa: Goat and snowflake. And they're going off to a meeting and they're late. And what does the goat says to snowflake or the other way around? Dr Don: So snowflake, which is your conscious mind, your logical reasonable part of your mind, there's only 5, says the goat 95%, which is your subconscious mind. Who runs into a traffic jam says, 'Oh, we're going to be late. We should have left 15 minutes earlier.' To which goat replies 'Okay, let's do it. Let's leave 15 minutes earlier because that would solve the problem.'  Lisa: That analogy is stuck in my head because you just cannot... It doesn't know that it's too late and you can't hop into the past because it only lives in the now. This is 95% of how our brain operates. That's why we can do things like, I was walking, I was at a strategy meeting in Auckland with my business partner two days ago. We were walking along the road and he suddenly tripped and fell onto the road, right? My subconscious reacted so fast, I grabbed him right, and punched him in the guts. I didn't mean to do that but my subconscious recognised in a millimeter of a second, millionth of a second, that he was falling and I had to stop him. So this is a good side of the survival network: stopping and falling into the traffic or onto the ground.  But the downside of it is that brain is operating only in the now and it can't... Like with my father, it was going 'Save him. Save him. Save him. Why are you not saving him?' Then that's calling for an action, and then my body is agitated. The cortisol level's up. The adrenaline is up, and I'm trying to do something that's impossible to fix. That can drive you to absolute insanity when that's happening every hour, every day. Dr Don: Then that's taking a physical toll on your body because it's activating your nervous system, which is now, the cortisol levels are going up, adrenaline, right? So when your mind is in that constant state, it does very little on maintenance. It is not worried about fixing anything; it's worried about escaping or fixing the threat, because that's the number one priority.  Lisa: It doesn't know that it's not happening. I ended up with shingles for two months. I've only just gotten over it a few weeks ago. That's a definite sign of my body's, my immune system is down. Why is it down? Why can that virus that's been sitting dormant in my body for 40-something years suddenly decide now to come out? Because it's just becoming too much. I've spent too long in the fight or flight state and then your immune system is down. This is how we end up really ill.  Dr Don: We get sick. I was just actually having lunch today with a young lady and she's got some immune system issues. And I said, 'Think about it like the US Army, US military is the biggest, strongest military in the world. But if you took that military and you spread it out amongst 50 countries around the world fighting battles, and then somebody attacks the United States, I don't care how big and strong that system was, that military system was. It's going to be weakened when it gets an attack at the homefront.' So that's what was happening. So all of a sudden, now that virus that it could fight and keep dormant, it lets it pass by because it's like, 'Well, we can let that go. We'll catch that later. Right now, we got to go on the offensive and attack something else.' Lisa: Yeah, and this is where autoimmune, like your daughter experienced... Dr Don: About the Crohn's? Yep.  Lisa: Yep. She experienced that at 13 or something ridiculous? Dr Don: 14, she got it. Then she also got idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis which is another lung autoimmune disorder where the iron in the blood would just cause the lungs to release the blood. So her lungs just starts filling up with blood. They had no idea what caused it, that's the idiopathic part of it, and they just basically said, ‘There's no cure. She just needs to live close to a hospital because she'll bleed out if she has another attack.' Only 1 in 1.2 million people ever get that. So it's very rare so there's no research being done for it. They just basically say, ‘If you get it, live close to a hospital.' That's the strategy. Lisa: That's the way of fixing it.  Dr Don: And so both of those are autoimmune, and ever since we've gone to the program, she's hasn't had a flare-up of either one of those. Because I think our system is directly now able to address those things.  Lisa: Yeah, and can calm down. I think even people who haven't got post-traumatic stress like I've had or whatever, they've still got the day to day grind of life, and the struggle with finances, and the mortgage to be paid, and the kids to feed, and whatever dramas we're all going through. Like we talked about with COVID and this constant change that society is undergoing, and that's going to get faster and more. So this is something that we all need to be wary of: That we're not in this. I've taught and learned a lot about the coping and managing strategies, the breathing techniques, and meditation, the things, and that's what's kept me, probably, going. Dr Don: Those are great because they're... Again, that's managing it but it's good to have that because you've got to get to the root of it, which is what we were working on. But at the same time, if you don't have any coping, managing skills, life gets very difficult. Lisa: Yeah, and this is in-the-moment, everyday things that I can do to help manage the stress levels, and this is definitely something you want to talk about as well. So with me, we went through this process, and we did... For starters, you had to get my brain into a relaxed state, and it took quite a long time to get my brainwaves into a different place. So what were we doing there? How does that work with the brainwave stuff?  Dr Don: Well, when we have a traumatic event or memory, that has been stored in a very high-resolution state. So in a beta brainwave state because all your senses are heightened: sight, smell, hearing. So it's recording that and storing it in memory in a very intense state. So if I sat down with you and said, 'Okay, let's get this fixed.' And I just started trying to work directly on that memory, you're still going to be in a very high agitated state because we're going to be starting to talk about this memory. So you're going to be in a beta brainwave state trying to recalibrate a beta stored memory. That's going to be very difficult to do.  So what we do is, and that's why I use the four hours because within that first an hour and a half to two hours, we're basically communicating with the subconscious part of the brain by telling stories, symbols with metaphors, goat and snowflake, all the stories, all the metaphors that are built-in because then your brain moves into an alpha state. When it's in alpha, that's where it does restoration. So it's very prepared to start restoring. And then, if you remember, by the time we got to a couple of the traumatic memories, we only work on them for two or three minutes. Because you're in alpha, and so you've got this higher state of beta, and it recalibrates it into the same state that it's in. So if it's in alpha, it can take a beta memory, reprocess it in alpha, takes all the intensity out of it.  Lisa: So these brain waves, these beta states, just to briefly let people know, so this is speed, and correct me if I'm wrong, but it's the speed at which the brain waves are coming out. So in beta, like you'd see on ECG or something, it's sort of really fast. I think there's a 40 day... Dr Don: It's 15 to 30 hertz. Lisa: 15 to 30 hertz and then if you're in alpha, it's a lot lower than that? Dr Don: 7 to 14. Lisa: 7 to 14, and then below that is sort of when you're going into the sleep phase, either deep meditative or asleep. Dr Don: You're dreaming. Because what it's doing in dreaming is processing. So you're between 4 and 7 hertz. That's why people who have a lot of trauma have trouble sleeping. Because not only is their mind processing what it experienced during the day, it's also taking some of those old files saying, 'Well, okay, let's fix that now. Right. Let's get that.' That's where your nightmares are coming from. It was trying to get you into a processing to fix that. but it couldn't fix it. So it continues, and then when you go below 4 hertz, you go into delta. Delta is dreamless sleep and that's where the maintenance is getting done.  Lisa: That's the physical maintenance side more than the... Dr Don: Physical maintenance. Yeah, because that's not processing what it experienced anymore. What it's really now doing is saying, 'Okay, what are the issues that need to be dealt with?' So if you're very relaxed and you've had a very... Like me, right? I played hockey, so I had six concussions, 60 stitches, and never missed a hockey game. The only reason now that I understand I could do that is because I'm getting two or three times more Delta sleep than my teammates were. Lisa: Physical recuperative sleep.  Dr Don: Yeah, I was getting maximum restorative sleep. So an injury that I would have that could heal in two or three days, my teammates would two or three weeks. Because they were living in these, which I didn't know, a lot of my friends were dealing with trauma: physical, emotional, sexual abuse. I didn't know that was going on with my friends. Nobody talked about it. I didn't see it in their homes, but they were all dealing with that.  Lisa: So they are not able to get... So look, I've noticed since I've been through the program. My sleep is much better, and sometimes I still occasionally dream about Dad. But the positive dreams, if that makes sense. They're more Dad as he as he was in life and I actually think Dad's come to visit me and say, ‘Hi, give me a hug' rather than the traumatic last days and hours of his life, which was the ones that were coming in before and calling for that action and stopping me from having that restorative sleep.  I just did a podcast with Dr Kirk Parsley who's a sleep expert, ex-Navy SEAL and a sleep expert that's coming out shortly. Or I think by this time, it will be out, and understanding the importance, the super importance of both the delta and... What is the other one? The theta wave of sleep patterns, and what they do, and why you need both, and what parts of night do what, and just realising...Crikey, anybody who is going through trauma isn't experiencing sleep is actually this vicious cycle downwards. Because then, you've got more of the beta brainwave state, and you've got more of the stresses, and you're much less resilient when you can't sleep. You're going to... have health issues, and brain issues, and memory, and everything's going to go down south, basically.  Dr Don: That's why I didn't understand at the time. They just said 'Well, you're just super healthy. You heal really fast.' They had no other explanation for it. Now, I know exactly why. But it had nothing to do with my genetics. It had to do with my environment. Lisa: Just interrupting the program briefly to let you know that we have a new patron program for the podcast. Now, if you enjoy Pushing the Limits if you get great value out of it, we would love you to come and join our patron membership program. We've been doing this now for five and a half years and we need your help to keep it on here. It's been a public service free for everybody, and we want to keep it that way but to do that, we need like-minded souls who are on this mission with us to help us out. So if you're interested in becoming a patron for Pushing the Limits podcast, then check out everything on patron.lisatamati.com. That's patron.lisatamati.com.  We have two patron levels to choose from. You can do it for as little as 7 dollars a month, New Zealand or 15 dollars a month if you really want to support us. So we are grateful if you do. There are so many membership benefits you're going to get if you join us. Everything from workbooks for all the podcasts, the strength guide for runners, the power to vote on future episodes, webinars that we're going to be holding, all of my documentaries, and much, much more. So check out all the details: patron.lisatamati.com, and thanks very much for joining us.  Dr Don: That's, at the time, we just thought it was all, must have been genetics. But I realised now that it was environment as well. So maybe a genetic component to it as well, but then you take that and put that into this very beautiful, nurturing environment, I'm going to sleep processing in beta what I experienced that day and then my mind basically, at that point, is 'What do we need to work on? Not much. Let's go. Let's start now doing some maintenance.' Because it wants to address the top of item stuff first. What is it needs to be taken care of right now? Right? Those are the threats.  Once it gets the threats processed, then it can then start working on the things that are going to be the more long-term maintenance. So then it'll do that. But if it never gets out of that threat mode, it gets out for very little time. Then, if you're getting 30 minutes of delta sleep at night and I'm getting two hours, it's a no-brainer to figure out why I would heal faster.  Lisa: Absolutely, and this is independent of age and things because you've got all that that comes into it as well. Your whole chemistry changes as you get older and all this. There's other compounding issues as it gets more and more important that you get these pieces of the puzzle right.  Do you think that this is what leads to a lot of disease, cancers, and things like that as well? There's probably not one reason. There's a multitude of reasons, but it's definitely one that we can influence. So it's worth looking at it if you've got trauma in your life. People were saying to me 'Oh my God, you don't look good.' When you start hearing that from your friends, your people coming up to you and going, 'I can feel that you're not right.' People that are sensitive to you and know you very well, and you start hearing that over and over, and you start to think, 'Shit, something's got real. Maybe I need to start looking at this.'  Because it's just taking all your energy your way, isn't it, on so many levels. The restorative side and the ability to function in your life, and your work, and all of that, and that, of course, leads into depressive thoughts and that hyper-vigilant state constantly. That's really tiresome rather than being just chill, relax, enjoying life, and being able to... Like one of the things I love in my life is this podcast because I just get into such a flow state when I'm learning from such brilliant... Dr Don: You're in alpha. Lisa: I am. I am on it because this is, 'Oh. That's how that works.' And I just get into this lovely learning in an alpha state with people because I'm just so excited and curious. This is what I need to be doing more of. And less of the, if you'd see me half an hour ago trying to work out the technology. That's definitely not an alpha state for me. Dr Don: That's where they said Albert Einstein lived. Albert Einstein lived in alpha brainwave state. That's why information just float for him because there was no stress. He could then pull information very easily to float into. But if you're in a high beta brainwave state, there's too much activity. It has trouble focusing on anything because it's multiple threats on multiple fronts. So when we have a traumatic event, that's how it's being recorded. If you remember, what we talked about was there's a 400 of a millionth of a second gap in between your subconscious mind seeing the information and it going to your consciousness. So in 400 millionths of a second, your subconscious mind has already started a response into an action even though your conscious mind is not even aware of it yet.  Lisa: Yeah. Exactly what I did with rescuing my partner with the glass falling off the thing. I hadn't reached that logically. Dr Don: It's funny because that's one of the things that I talked about ,which is sort of, give us all a little bit of grace. Because if you've had a lot of trauma, you're going to respond a certain way. How could you not? If your mind's filtering into all of that, of course you're going to respond with that kind of a response because your mind is prone to go into that action very, very quickly. So we can give ourselves a little bit of grace in understanding that of course, you're going to do that, right? And not beat ourselves up.  Because you know what I talked about with everybody, there's nothing wrong with anybody. There's nothing wrong with anybody's mind. Everybody's mind is fine except you are experiencing something different than I experienced so your mind kept responding to it, and mine didn't have that. So you had multiple... Think about we have a hundred percent of our energy on our phone when we wake up in the morning, right? Fully powered up. You fire the phone up and eight programs open up, right? And mine has one.  Lisa: Yeah. You're just focusing on what you need to. Dr Don: Then noon comes, and you're having to plug your phone back in because you're out of energy.  Lisa: That's a perfect analogy. You're just burning the battery. My all is a hundred windows open in the back of my brain that is just processing all these things and so now, I can start to heal. So having gone through this process with you, like you said, we worked on a number of traumatic experiences, and I went through them in my mind. And then you did certain things, made me follow with my eyes and track here, and my eyes did this, and then, we pulled my attention out in the middle of the story and things. That helped me stay in that alpha state, brainwave state as I probably now understand while I'm still reliving the experience. That's sort of taking the colour out of it so that it's now sort of in a black and white folder. Now, it can still be shared, and it hasn't taken away the sadness of... Dr Don: Because it is sad that these things happen but that's not the response for an action which is that fear or anger, right? That dysregulation of the nervous system. That's what we want to stop, because that is what is going to affect health, enjoyment of life and everything else.  Lisa: Wow, this is so powerful. Yeah, and it's been very, very beneficial for me and helped me deal. For me, it also unfolded. Because after the four hour period with you, I had audiotapes and things that are meditations to do every day for the next 30 days. What were we doing in that phase of the recovery? What were you targeting in those sort of sessions?  Dr Don: So if you remember what we talked about, we have two memory systems. The explicit memory is what we worked on on that four hours. That's detail, events, and experiences. Once we get the mind processing through that, then we have to work on the same memory animals have, which is that associative repetitive memory. So you've built a series of codes on how to respond to threats, and that has come in over repetition and associations. So the audios are designed to start getting you now to build some new neural pathways, some new ways to respond because your mind won't switch a pattern instantly. It can switch a memory instantly, but a pattern is something that got built over a period of time. So it's like a computer. If I'm coding on my computer, I can't take one key to stop that code. I have to write a new code. Yeah, so what we're doing over the 30 days is writing new code. Lisa: Helping me make new routines and new habits around new neural pathways, basically.  Dr Don: You don't have that explicit memory interfering with the pathways. Because now, it's not constantly pulling you out, going back into an action call. It's basically now able to look at this information and these codes that got built and say, 'Okay, what's a better way? So do we have a better way of doing it?' Or 'Show me that code. Write that code.' If that code looks safer, then your mind will adopt that new code. Lisa: This is why, I think for me, there was an initial, there was definitely... Like the nightmares stopped, the intrusive every minute, hour triggering stopped, but the process over the time and the next... And I'm still doing a lot of the things and the meditations. It's reinforcing new habit building. This is where... Like for people dealing with addictions, this is the path for them as well, isn't it?  Dr Don: Yeah. Because I talked about addiction as a code. I don't believe it's a disease. Your mind has found a resource to stop pains, and your subconscious mind is literal. It doesn't see things as good or bad, or right or wrong. It's literal. 'Did that stop the pain? Let's do that.' Because it's trying to protect you. So if you've now repeated it over and over, not only have you stopped the pain, but you've built an association with a substance that is seen as beneficial. Lisa: Because your brain sees it as medicine when you're taking, I don't know, cocaine or something. It sees it as essential to your life even though you, on a logical level, know that, ‘This is destroying me and it's a bad thing for me.' Your subconscious goes, 'No, this is a good thing and I need it right now.' Dr Don: Because it's in the present, when does it want the pain to stop? Now. So it has no ability to see a future or a past. Your subconscious is in the moment. So if you take cocaine, the logical part of your brain goes, 'Oh, this is going to create problems for me. I'm going to become addicted.' Right? Your subconscious goes, ‘Well, the pain stopped. We don't see that as a bad thing.' I always use the analogy: Why did people jump out of the buildings at 911? They weren't jumping to die. They were jumping to live because when would they die? Now, if they jump, would they die? No. They stopped the death. So even jumping, which logically makes no sense, right? But to the subconscious mind, it was going to stop the pain now.  Lisa: Yeah, and even if it was two seconds in the future that they would die, your brain is going...  Dr Don: It doesn't even know what two seconds are.  Lisa: No. It has no time. Isn't it fascinating that we don't have a time memory or understanding in that part of the brain that runs 95% of the ship?  Dr Don: It's like what Albert Einstein said, ‘There's no such thing as time.' So it's like an animal. If an animal could communicate and you say, 'What time is it?' That would make no sense to an animal. 'What do you mean? It's now.' 'What time is it now?' 'Now. Exactly.' Lisa: It's a construct that we've made to... Dr Don: Just to explain a lot of stuff, right? When something happens.  Lisa: Yeah, and this is quite freeing when you think of it. But it does make a heck of a lot of sense. So people are not being destructive when they become drug addicts or addicted to nicotine, or coffee, or chocolate. They're actually trying to stop the pain that they're experiencing in some other place and fix things now. Even though the logical brain... Because the logical brain is such a tiny... Like this is the last part of our evolution, and it's not as fully...  We can do incredible things with it at 5%. We've made the world that we live in, and we're sitting here on Zoom, and we've got incredible powers. But it's all about the imagination, being able to think into the future, into the past, and to make correlations, and to recognise patterns. That's where all our creativity and everything, or not just creativity, but our ability to analyse and put forth stuff into the world is happening. But in actual, we're still like the animals and the rest of it. We're still running at 95%, and that's where we can run into the problems with these two.  Dr Don: Because you got two systems. You got a very advanced system operating within a very primitive system, and it hasn't integrated. It's still integrating, right? So if there's a survival threat, survival will always override reason and logic, because it's designed to protect you. So there's no reason and logic that will come in if there's a survival threat. It's just going to respond the way it knows, does this Google search, 'What do we know about this threat? How do we know to protect ourselves, and we'll go instantly into survival mode.' Again, there's the reason and logic. Why would you jump out of a building, right? If you applied reason and logic, you wouldn't have jumped, right? People will say, 'Well, but they still jumped.' Yes, because reason and logic didn't even come into the process. It was all about survival.  Lisa: Yeah. When the fire is coming in it was either... Dr Don: 'Am I going to die out now or I'm going to move and not die now?'  Lisa: Yeah, and we're also prone to movement when we're in agitation and in an agitated state, aren't we? Basically, all of the blood and the muscles saying, 'Run, fight, do something. Take action.' Dr Don: That's why when people get into depression, it's the absence of those emotions.  Lisa: Yeah, and people feel exhaustion.  Dr Don: Yeah. The mind kept calling for an action using anger, for example, but you can't do the action because it's not happening, so it shuts down to protect you and stops calling for any emotion, and that's depression. So the key to get out of depression is actions. It's to get something happening. So in a lot of people who are depressed, what do I tell them to do? 'Start moving. Start exercising. Get out. Start doing things.' Right?  Lisa: So I run ultras. Dr Don: Exactly. Perfect example, right?  Lisa: Yeah, because I was. I was dealing with a lot of shit in my life at the time when I started doing ultra-marathons. To run was to quiet the pain and to run was to be able to cope and to have that meditative space in order to work through the stuff that was going on in my life. And I know even in my husband's life, when he went through a difficult time, that's when he started running. So running can be a very powerful therapeutic, because there is a movement, and you're actually burning through the cortisol and the adrenaline that's pouring around in your body. Therefore, sitting still and that sort of things was just not an option for me. I had to move. And it explains what, really. It's calling the movement. Like it was a movement because I couldn't fix the other thing.  Dr Don: That's what they'll tell you to do. To get out of depression is to move. What I say is the way to get out of depression is to get your mind to resolve what it's been asking for. Lisa: It's going a little deeper.  Dr Don: Yeah. So it's going down and saying, 'Okay, why has it been getting you angry and now, it shut down from the anger?' Because it's been trying to get you in your situation. 'Don't let Dad die. Don't let this happen.' Right? So because you couldn't do it, it just shuts down. Makes perfect sense but when we get to the resolution that there is no action required, there's no need for the depression anymore. The depression will lift because there's no more call for an action.  Lisa: I can feel that in me, that call. Anytime that anything does still pop up, I sort of acknowledge the feeling and say, 'There is no call for action here. This is in the past. This is a memory.' So I do remind myself that when things do still pop up from time to time now, as opposed to hourly. I go, 'Hey, come back into the now. This is the now. That was the then that's calling for an action. This is why you're doing thing.' Even that understanding

In this interview, Dr. Rountree and Dr. Hedeya discuss neuropsychiatry, and how hyperbaric oxygen, laser therapy and neural exercise can be used for psychiatry and brain recovery. Dr. Robert Hedaya is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, a Distinguished Fellow of American Psychiatric Association, and is certified as proficient in psychopharmacology by The American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology.  He has specialized training in psychiatry at the National Institute of Mental Health and is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical Center.Dr. Hedaya is a faculty member at the Institute for Functional Medicine, and has taught at The Walsh Research Institute and Georgetown University School of Medicine as well as through his own training programs. He teaches about Mood disorders, PTSD, Precision Medicine, Genetics, Methylation, Functional Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, Infectious Medicine and Toxicology, as applied to Neuropsychiatric disorders.Dr. Hedaya has published three books and actively sees patients at The Whole Psychiatry and Brain Recovery Center in Maryland, where he and his team work with patients that struggle with anxiety, DM2, PTSD, fibromyalgia, fatigue disorders, cognitive decline, and traumatic brain injury using functional medicine and his proprietary HYLANE Program.Mentioned in this episodeThe Whole Psychiatry & Brain Recovery CenterFurther Resources:Success with Laser Therapy Flowchart & Checklist InfographicCheck out these FREE Provider ResourcesLearn more about what we offer on the LTI websiteFind out how you can Customize your LTI experienceRelated Podcast for PatientsHealing at the Speed of Light

Sleep is one of the most powerful influencers on your brain function and health. You may think you are resting but when you sleep your brain is in a hyper mode repairing itself, building memories, getting rid of the garbage, and locking in the important stuff, reinforcing learning, and clearing toxins and waste. Considering we […] The post Krush Performance: Sleep & The Brain – Recovery, Regeneration & Storing Your Memories and Information appeared first on Radio Influence.

Janet Patterson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Chief of the Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Service at VA Northern California, speaks with Jessica Richardson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, about aphasia, neural recovery, treatment outcome measures, and discourse, all at the center of her study to improve communication and life participation in persons with aphasia. These Show Notes are an abridged version of the conversation with Jessica. Jessica Richardson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is an associate professor and speech-language pathologist in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at The University of New Mexico. She is director of the Neuroscience of Rehabilitation Laboratory, the SPACE (Stable and Progressive Aphasia CEnter) within, and the UNM Neurochoir. She is also Outreach Director for the Center for Brain Recovery and Repair at The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. Her research focus is on improving assessment and treatment for adults with communication disorders following acquired brain injury (e.g., post-stroke aphasia, post-TBI cognitive-communication disorder) or due to progressive disease (e.g., primary progressive aphasia) in order to improve participation in everyday life activities. Her lab also studies the impact of brain stimulation on brain structure and function, as well as on behavioral outcomes, in these populations. She uses structural and functional neuroimaging (e.g., EEG, MRI) alongside narrative assessment (and other behavioral measures) to identify diagnostic biomarkers and/or to characterize recovery, disease trajectory, and response to treatment. Dr. Richardson is a 2020 Tavistock Distinguished Aphasia Scholar, USA. In the comments and highlights Below you will read about Jessica’s work and the influence the Tavistock award has had on her career. Janet: How has being named a Tavistock Distinguished Scholar USA for 2020 influenced your continued work in aphasia clinical research? Jessica: This award has reenergized my work. As we go along in our careers it can become easy to lose track of our mission and, as I did, begin to ask why I am following this path. The Tavistock award has a focus on helping people change the lives of people with aphasia, and  receiving this award reminded me of my mission and why I am here doing what I do every day, especially in 2020 which we all recognize posed an extra challenge to life. In addition, the Tavistock award supports networking with people around the country and the world to talk about ideas and building a bright future. Janet: Much of your work in aphasia has focused on measuring discourse production in persons with aphasia, in particular, conveying main concept information. How do you see production of main concepts in a discourse event as important in supporting successful communication between persons with aphasia and their communication partners?   Jessica: As you know, there are hundreds of discourse analysis measures out there. I began examining discourse using Brookshire & Nicholas’ CIUs – a measure that has power and limits and that clinicians both love and do not love. Brookshire & Nicholas also wrote about using Main Concepts as a measure of discourse and after reading about it, I was hooked! However, I could not find any tools using Main Concepts and so decided to do something about that. Communication requires that we give and receive information and the idea of Main Concepts focusses on packaging the gist of the information so partners will understand each other. If the packaging is faulty then the communication can be poor or can fail. Measuring and targeting how people package the gist of what they want to say is useful for our patients. Main Concept Analysis in assessment of person with aphasia is a psychometrically sound procedure, and clinically useful, but it only takes us so far because information has to also be organized. My team and I are expanding Main Concept Analysis by looking at story grammar and sequencing, using Main Concept Sequencing and Story Grammar Analysis because we know the packaging of the message is as important as the content. Janet: Clinicians working in a busy practice may find it challenging to add discourse measurement and treatment to their treatment plans for persons with aphasia, especially if the measures require a bit of time to administer or score. What advice or suggestions can you give to our listeners about how they can efficiently include discourse measures in assessment and treatment? Jessica: Another measure I have worked on is the Core Lexicon. Here is my message to clinicians: Dear Clinicians: Many researchers are dedicated to working on development of clinically useful discourse measurement. I am proud of recent work we published on utility Main Concept Measurement because it is clinically useful and does not require phonetic transcription. Our checklists and scoring methods are readily available to you. Other resources on discourse analysis available to you are a recent issue of Seminars in Speech and Language; a link in Aphasia Bank; FOCUS: Aphasia (Fostering Quality of Spoken Discourse in Aphasia). If you have questions about a measure and how to use it, do not be shy about reaching out to the authors. Janet: Another area of clinical interest to you has been using transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS, as a treatment technique. Here’s a multiple part question for you about tDCS: how does tDCS work; how do you use tDCS in aphasia therapy; and how can it enhance communication skills in a person with aphasia? Jessica: There are long answers to your questions that we could spend hours discussing. Let me give a short answer here. tDCS can modulate your brain; it is called neural stimulation but it is best to think of it as neuromodulation. tDCS does not make neurons fire or stop them from firing but modulates the ‘soup’ within which these neurons are firing. Electrodes are placed on your scalp and electrical current passes through your scalp and through your brain, and influences electrical communication that is already happening between your neurons. In aphasia therapy we pair tDCS with behavioral therapy with the goal of modulating electrical communication between neurons that is already happening during treatment tasks in hopes that you can encourage more involvement of desired brain areas and downplay involvement of less desired brain areas. So far, the most positive effects have been seen with naming treatment. We are in the early stages of pairing tDCS with discourse treatment and have promising results. The work I am doing now combines two areas of research that I love: brain stimulation and discourse, and I am happy to have received a grant to further my work in these areas. Janet: tDCS works together with behavioral treatment. How do you see tDCS fitting into contemporary aphasia treatment to support functional communication and life participation for persons with aphasia? Jessica: I think this technique shows promise and will help reveal untapped recovery potential. For so long we focused on the brain lesion: the site, the size, what it can tell us about what a person can and cannot do. However, the lesion is not a modifiable factor, and the focus should be on things that are modifiable. For example, we have not focused on or had the tools to examine the rest of the brain. What does the health of the rest of the brain tell us about what a person can or cannot do, and how much a person might improve? There are many observations about the rest of the brain that are important and perhaps tell us that these areas are not as intact as we thought. They may have low blood flow or be less connected, and these states may be modifiable. This suggests that we should use every tool available to us to aid recovery, including behavioral treatments, neuromodulation, and variable treatment dosage Using all the techniques available to us will help us push the recovery curve higher and longer, including focus on connected speech, which in turn, helps improve life participation. Janet: That is, as I see it, the heart of LPAA: where does the person with aphasia want to go and what are the pathways that can be used to get there? Certainly, using every tool available to us is important in planning treatment.  Jessica: Yes indeed. A new avenue of investigation for us is remotely supervised tDCS. This project will help us understand both tDCS and remotely supervised behavioral and neuromodulation treatment delivered in the home.   Janet: The pandemic of 2020 has taught us many things, including the value of virtual treatment for individuals, including those who have aphasia. Your work in remotely administered tDCS fits nicely with this changing view of treatment delivery. Your work in aphasia also encompasses several person-centered efforts. Tell us about some of your translational research and clinical projects such as recognizing the efforts of caregivers, examining fidelity in assessment and treatment, creating an aphasia choir, and investigating treatment dosage. Let’s start with your interest in supporting caregivers, what have you discovered? Jessica: First I would say caregivers are grateful to be asked about themselves. They are used to answering questions about their family member and appreciate the focus turned on them. Second, they are tired and want to rest. Third, they are in need of information about how to provide care for someone else, and how to do self-care. We discovered other interesting themes such as depression, quality of life, and fatigue. Addressing these issues is important to life participation because as we all know, life participation is not just about the person with aphasia, it is about the unit in which the person with aphasia lives. Janet: You make excellent points, Jessica. Several years ago my colleagues published a paper asking caregivers what information they had and said they wanted. The data suggested there is a gap between what information we think is being given to caregivers, we as speech-language pathologists and other medical professionals, and what caregivers think they are being given. It is a gap that should be filled. Another area of interest to you is assessment and treatment fidelity. When treatments are modified, sometimes without a clear foundation, it becomes difficult to track if the treatment is being delivered in the same way and that a clinician is being internally consistent. Fidelity in both assessment and treatment is important in assuring the best possible outcome for a patient.  What would you like our listeners to know about your work in fidelity? Jessica: This line of research came about in an interesting way for me, from thinking about it for a grant proposal, leading a roundtable discussion, and now investigating more closely. One thing I would like listeners to know is that it is important when reading a report of clinical treatment research to read carefully to determine that the treatment was carried out with a high degree of fidelity. If it was, then the stud is more likely to be replicated and the results are more believable. Researchers should think about fidelity as they design an assessment or treatment study; adhere to principles of fidelity during the project; and report their fideladventureity results. Clinicians should know that the manuals and operational steps available are important for interpretation. The example I sometimes give is that if one wants to use the results of an assessment procedure, for example to compare to the population listed in the assessment manual, then the assessment should be given exactly as described in the manual. If one has to off script, which certainly happens in a clinical environment, one must make note of those changes and consider that when interpreting the assessment results. The other note I want to make for clinicians is that if one finds oneself frequently making a change to an assessment or treatment protocol to accommodate a patient or situation, then the field needs to know. This is practice-based evidence (PBE), helping authors and researchers know how protocols should be updated or changed so that other people can implement it with greater effectiveness. Fidelity supports hearing more form clinicians through the PBE side instead of just the EBP side (Evidence-based practice). Janet: You are absolutely right, Jessica. Now let me ask you about your aphasia choir. Twelve years ago, I saw one of the first aphasia choirs begin at our site at California State University, East Bay. It was quite an adventure watching the unique choir members with aphasia navigate aphasia and music to become a unified choir. Two years ago, I gleefully (pun intended) watched your NeuroChoir post their first video – what a joy it was. To watch – all of you on the screen and singing away – impressive! Tell me about how your choir evolved and also how it continues to meet, especially in the midst of this pandemic? Jessica: I love our choir. There are so many aphasia choirs and it is great to hear that you were there for one of the first ones. Our choir began in 2016. I have a musical background which made me less fearful to begin and lead a choir than I might have been. We needed something more in our community or people with aphasia and I wanted to help provide that. We welcome people with any type of brain injury, not just aphasia, and although our membership waxes and wanes, we do have a core group of individuals who attend. During the pandemic choir has been a challenge. Singing together in a virtual environment does not work so well because of the audio and visual delay, and logistical issues such as people talking over each other. During our choir time we play musical games and other activities; everyone but the singer is muted; and we certainly long for the days we can meet in person again. Choir is different now, but there is still joy. Janet: In your video, I can see that in your faces and hear it in your voices. Talking with you today is a smorgasbord of mutually interesting topics and a fun discussion of translational research and clinical ideas, and how our worlds have intersected over the years. Moving to another topic of interest to both of us is treatment dosage – how to figure out how to deliver treatment in just the right amount so the result achieved is a positive outcome. That is, not giving too much treatment – more than is needed, or too little to effect an outcome. This is a tricky question with no easy answer. What insights have you learned in your work?    Jessica: This topic kind of hurts my heart, Janet, because we need more. More research into treatment, more treatment hours in a day, more treatment days in a week, better treatment schedules, remote treatment so patients can work at home, more inclusive founding mechanisms, more conversational partners and settings – we just need more. If one looks at the literature on animal learning, which I realize does not always directly apply to humans, we are nowhere near the number of repetitions or hours spent in treatment to produce those amazing results that have hacked into the neuroplastic principles. If we are really wanting to apply neuroplastic principles to research and clinical practice, which we should do, we have to find ways to facilitate this idea of more. At this point I look on this with sadness as there are so many obstacles to doing the “more” part of this. It will be critical in the coming years to get creative as a community to advocate for research into treatment dosage. Janet: I think you right about that. Add into your thinking that individuals are so variable that a dosage one might think appropriate for one person might not be so for another person. I can see how it hurts your heart and there is certainly a long way for us to go to figure out answers, however it is a worthwhile endeavor. Jessica, as you can tell form our conversation today, it has been so much fun to talk to you about our interests and your work. I am impressed with your work and dedication to serving people with aphasia. As we come to a close, what success stories or advice or lessons learned would you like share with clinicians working with people with aphasia using an LPAA model, across your clinical career, y our research career, or just across life in general. Jessica: That is a good one to end on. I would say first, there are lots of tools out there through Aphasia Access and other resources, so many that it may become overwhelming or difficult to navigate. When that happens, reach out – to people, organizations, and any source. The other issue is barriers to using the LPAA model. Sometimes one is in a place where there are barriers to implementing your ideas – I have certainly been there. Sometimes you have to move the barriers and sometimes move yourself to a place where those barriers don’t exist; moving professionally or ideologically. Sometimes however, one o the barriers might be yourself – are you getting in the way of implementing your ideas. I say that from experience as I had to get out of my own way to make progress. The last thing is to plead with clinicians to keep using your voice to advocate for people with aphasia. There are researchers who are clinically minded and they are wanting to listen to you and learn from you – your voice, your experience, your front line work with persons with aphasia, your barriers, and your victories in LPAA. Your voice and your viewpoint are valuable and influential, so please keep raising your voice because it has and will continue to influence the questions being asked in a positive way.   Janet: Thank you Jessica. That was a terrific response and an uplifting way to end our conversation today. It is clear that you have vision for how you would like to address the questions we have been discussing. I feel the enthusiasm coming across the airwaves and I hope our listeners will feel that as well and reach out to you if they have questions or comments. Thank you for your thoughtful responses to my sometimes-perplexing questions. This is Janet Patterson, speaking from the VA in Northern California, and along with Aphasia Access, I would like to thank my valuable guest, Jessica Richardson, for sharing her knowledge, wisdom and experience as a clinician, researcher, and advocate for people with aphasia.  You can find references, links and the Show Notes from today’s podcast interview with Dr. Jessica Richardson at Aphasia Access under the resource tab on the home page. On behalf of Aphasia Access, we thank you for listening to this episode of the Aphasia Access Conversations Podcast. For more information on Aphasia Access and to access our growing library of materials please go to www.aphasiaaccess.org.  If you have an idea for a future podcast topic email us at info@aphasiaaccess.org. Thank you again for your ongoing support of Aphasia Access.   Links  Publications: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/12WPcJZAUeOAR/bibliography/public/ Websites: https://shs.unm.edu/people/faculty/jessica-richardson.html http://www.jdrichslp.com/  YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTQah61XG76Pt3PIKJvyB0A/playlists

Extra podcast epsiode from an IGTV interview with Dr Cobb from Z Health Performance discussing a topic very close to my own heart beacsue of my personal TBI (brain injury) from back in 2013. Hope this helps you or anyone you know suffering from concussion or other head inury effects. . LINKS MENTIONED... . 6 Week Mobility Online Workshop Series - https://schoolofcalisthenics.com/product/jan-movement-mobility-workshop-series/

On this episode, we bring on ex-National Hockey League pro, Riley Cote. Riley talks about playing the role of a hockey enforcer and the damage it can do to your mind, body, and soul. He talks about getting into the wellness community shortly after he retired and focussing on natural healing. He shares the positive impact things like CBD and mushrooms can do to help reduce swelling in the brain among other benefits. Through his journey, Riley has funded and co-founded many initiatives such as; Athletes for Care, Bodycheck Wellness, and Cote Culture.

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Mike Studer to the show. Mike is a clinical specialist in neurological physical therapy and a certified exercise expert in aging adult geriatrics. He has served as the vice-president of the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy of the APTA and has been the chair and vice-chair of several special interest groups at the national level in each of the Academies of Neurologic and Geriatric PT, including balance and falls, stroke, and the practice committee in neurology. He has written numerous articles, co-wrote several book chapters, and lectures extensively on the topics of balance, motor control, motor learning, cognitive impairment, and case management. This podcast episode focuses on key trends, neuroplasticity, and the importance of exercise with aging as Bryan and Mike delve deeper into these topics. If you are interested in registering for the webinar on “The Science of Aging” on September 29th with Mike Studer, Bryan O’Rourke, & Frank Arant of eGym, you can do so here: https://egym.zoom.us/webinar/register/561598883740/WN_RZro4MIxRo2I48EceK4ApQ One Powerful Quote:  19:34: “Watch for those aspects of your life that you are no longer participating in, maybe you just chose to retire. Well what did the engagement of work provide to you before? You had to be able to multitask. Are you going to just allow that capacity to erode or are you going to find another facet to get that done? You need to replace the stimuli that you are either intentionally or unintentionally losing in your life.” Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:32: Bryan asks Mike his opinion on the definition of the science of aging. 5:00: Mike debunks the biases behind the recent phenomenon in longevity. 6:54: Mike shares his experience of treating a patient as it relates to his previous response. You can see this engagement as a post on Mike’s LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikestuderbrainbodyrehab/detail/recent-activity/shares/ 8:58: Bryan and Mike discuss how reframing the thinking about health and exercise as a different experience can eliminate the perceived struggle of aging. 11:31: Bryan asks Mike about neuroplasticity and how its implications relate to aging. You can view his Ted talk on “Seeing the Potential in Brain Recovery” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zwin3VMPI6I 13:42: Mike elaborates on these new issues and opportunities as key trends begin to develop in the near term future. 17:47: Bryan wraps up the show and asks Mike his final words of wisdom on these key trends as they apply to active living and aging. Bullet List of Resources: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikestuderbrainbodyrehab/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikestuderbrainbodyrehab/detail/recent-activity/shares/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zwin3VMPI6I Guest Contact Information: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikestuderbrainbodyrehab/ https://www.facebook.com/mike.studer.71 https://www.bryankorourke.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/ http://www.fittechcouncil.org/ https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163  

I'm talking IEPs, seizures, research and more with Monika Jones from the Brain Recovery Project.To learn more about:The Brain Recovery ProjectOur mission is simple: We help children reach their full potential after brain surgery to stop seizuresThe Brain Recovery Project: Childhood Epilepsy Surgery Foundation969 Colorado Blvd. | Suite 101 | Los Angeles, CA 90041We help kids reach their full potential after epilepsy surgery.Support the show (https://paypal.me/ADayInOurShoes)

John, Meghan, and Cara talk with psychologist Dr. Stacy Grossman from the Center for Brain Recovery about healthy habits for healthy brains and also learn about her journey to becoming a psychologist and all around awesome human being.

In this episode of Functional Medicine Research, I interview Dr. Robert Hedaya about overcoming PTSD.  Post-traumatic stress disorder is an extremely difficult condition to manage but Dr. Hedaya and I discuss multiple approaches that can help patients with PTSD get well.  We discussed how PTSD is defined, how it changes the brain, QEEG guided laser, neurofeedback, loneliness, social isolation, social media and much more.  I always love having these kinds of conversations with psychiatrists and other mental health professionals because I believe it is the most overlooked aspect of functional medicine today. Below is a transcript of the interview on overcoming PTSD: Dr. Hedberg: Well, welcome, everyone to "Functional Medicine Research." I'm Dr. Hedberg and really looking forward to today's conversation with Dr. Robert Hedaya. I first heard him speak at the Institute for Functional Medicine last year on PTSD and so I wanted to have him on the show to talk about that. He is a medical doctor. He's been on the cutting edge of medical practice, psychiatry, and psychopharmacology since 1979. With the publication of his first book, understanding biological psychiatry, in 1996, he pioneered the use of functional medicine in the psychiatric field and he is now pioneering the use of G-guided laser treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Dr. Hedaya is a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical Center where he's been awarded the teacher of the year on three occasions while teaching courses on affective disorders, cognitive therapy, and one of my favorite topics, psycho-neuro-immuno-endocrinology. Since 1983, he's on faculty at the Institute for Functional Medicine, the author of two additional books, "The Antidepressant Survival Guide," and "Depression: Advancing the Treatment Paradigm," and he's the founder of the Center for Whole Psychiatry and Brain Recovery. Dr. Hedaya is an editorial volunteer for Advances in Mind-Body Medicine and Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. He's been featured in local and national media on things like "20/20", "60 minutes," "Vogue," "The New York Times," and "The Washington Post" on many occasions. And he's a frequent nationally and internationally recognized speaker. His website is wholepsychiatry.com. Dr. Hedaya, welcome to the show. Dr. Hedaya: Thank you very much for having me. Dr. Hedberg: Excellent. So, like I said, I heard you speak at IFM last year and was really interested in your research and studies on PTSD. Why don't we start by you just talking about how your career evolved from traditional psychiatry into functional medicine and now using some cutting-edge treatments for treatment-resistant depression, dementia, PTSD, chronic fatigue, and technologies like laser? Dr. Hedaya: Okay. Well, it's been a long arc and I would say that the main thing is that I always try to follow where the science guides me, what's the truth that as far as I can best make it out to be. So, rather than being afraid of stepping outside of the box, you know, I just feel it's my responsibility, as a clinician, helping people to always try to do the right thing, and the right thing for me means doing what the science dictates, and sometimes it's benched to bedside science. Sometimes, you know, like translational medicine, sometimes you have the studies, but following the principles of biology and physiology and sometimes you have to take a leap because you can't wait until the studies are there. So, the way it started for me was, 1983 about, I was treating a woman with panic disorder and she was not really recovering. And panic disorder is pretty easy to treat. Whether you use cognitive behavioral therapy, which I was using, or medications or combination of the two. So, it was about a year and she wasn't getting better and she paged me, I had a beeper back in those days, on a Saturday night, I was at a wedding and dancing and my beeper went off and looked and...

Talking about life after brain injury, the lessons he learnt and how he's turned adversity on its head despite lasting damage. Paul is a big family man, Engaged to be married next year to Gemma, Father to Shannon & Reece. He has a Granddaughter Evie who he loves to spend time with. Paul was an Electrical Engineer until he sustained a terrible brain injury by one punch in 2012. He was left with a life-changing injury, he couldn't see his past and was an unemotional robot. After seeing the level of aftercare in the area, he set his mind on launching a service to help and support other Brain injury victims. Paul founded Paul for Brain Recovery in 2016. He now works close with the NHS. Paul went on to created Brain works bars which focused on health. Brain works bars are designed with a powerful mix of products scientifically proven to aid Brain Development, and recovery reduces the trauma caused by illness and everyday stress and fights off the ageing brain cells. Pauls has done masses of inspiring fundraising events all over the world from Marathons, Iron man UK and climbing Kilimanjaro in June 2018. We dig deep with our Pig Wrestling Ten Commandments, with Paul Spence being real & raw on this week's show thank you Paul for sharing your story. #productivity #business #PersonalDevelopment #mentalhealth #technology

Today on the Optimal Performance Podcast, we have Cavin Balaster, who shares with us his knowledge on brain injuries. Seven years ago Cavin fell off of a water tower scaffolding and suffered a major brain injury that pinned the odds against him, but he went on to beat those odds and he is here to educate us. He informs us on certain types of nutrients that should be consumed by someone that has experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Tune in and listen to his stories ranging from his advice to clients, to him eating marijuana…? Enjoy. P.S. First time purchasers from Natural Stacks can get 15% off their order by using the code MAC15 at checkout.  Check out our Mood Stack if you agree that feeling good means keeping your body healthy and your mind at peace. Episode Outline Intro [1:16] Cavin’s Stack [6:30] Pre-TBI Mentality [9:25] Nutrition for Brain Recovery [15:32] What does your body prefer? [19:20] The Brain-Gut Connection [22:36] What do you take for inflammation? [28:22] Cavin’s Clients [30:12] Nutrients through feeding tube diet [34:57] Improving Eye Function [39:24] Meditation techniques [46:04] Where do you stand on cannabis and CBD? [58:36] What’s next for Cavin? [62:24] Outro [69:46] Links & Resources http://feedabrain.com/ http://adventuresinbraininjury.com/podcasts/ Connect With Us Follow Sean McCormick Instagram: http://bit.ly/OPPMac Twitter: http://bit.ly/OPPMacTwitter Follow Natural Stacks Twitter: http://bit.ly/NsTwitter Instagram: http://bit.ly/NsInstagram Facebook: http://bit.ly/NsFacebook Shop Natural Stacks Shop: http://bit.ly/OPPShop

A lot of attention is given to rehabilitation in the weeks and months immediately following a stroke, but recovery doesn't stop there. Many stroke survivors continue to work on their recovery and see improvement for many years. In this podcast, we want to talk about how long-term recovery works, what you can expect in terms of highs and lows, and how to make the most of it. Our guests are Professor Julie Bernhardt, Director of the Centre of Research Excellence in Stroke Rehabilitation and Brain Recovery; stroke survivor Nadia Moffatt, who had two strokes when she was a teenager and is now a member of the Stroke Foundation's Consumer Council; and physiotherapist Carol Pham, from StrokeLine.

We know that stroke rehabilitation requires motivation and an absence of stress. But how can we create spaces that are both motivating and calming? How can we make sure that there are enough stimuli to encourage neuroplasticity and recovery of lost function? In this episode, Jan Chamberlain, Program Manager at the Centre of Research Excellence in Stroke Rehab and Brain Recovery chats to PhDc Ruby Lipson-Smith about the intersections of architecture, psychology and neuroscience and discovers that the majority of spaces for stroke rehabilitation are not currently fit for purpose. Episode recorded: 13 July 2017 Producers: Gavin Nebauer, Chris Hatzis, Andi Horvath and Jan Chamberlain Audio engineer: Arch Cuthbertson

We know that stroke rehabilitation requires motivation and an absence of stress. But how can we create spaces that are both motivating and calming? How can we make sure that there are enough stimuli to encourage neuroplasticity and recovery of lost function? In this episode, Jan Chamberlain, Program Manager at the Centre of Research Excellence in Stroke Rehab and Brain Recovery chats to PhDc Ruby Lipson-Smith about the intersections of architecture, psychology and neuroscience and discovers that the majority of spaces for stroke rehabilitation are not currently fit for purpose. Episode recorded: 13 July 2017 Producers: Gavin Nebauer, Chris Hatzis, Andi Horvath and Jan Chamberlain Audio engineer: Arch Cuthbertson

Monika Jones serves as Chief Executive Officer and Board Chair of The Brain Recovery Project and is a co-founder of the organization. Through this work, Monika has learned many lessons including the importance of knowing your stuff, where to find funding (and when to know your limitations), how to build community, and she has some helpful suggestions for tools for productivity.   To see the show notes, visit: www.nonprofitoptimist.com

Do you or a loved one suffer from: PTSD? ADHD? Anxiety? Depression? Trauma? Do you want to enhance your leadership skills, experience high performance training? Solution…. Please join me in a very warm welcome… JEFFREY L. FANNIN, PH.D.

  Bill Donius is revolutionizing the way people think. He's the New York Time's bestselling author of Thought Revolution, and works with major companies such as Wells Fargo and Nestle to revamp their problem solving strategies.   EPISODE  Bill Donius knows your brain has a secret area that you are not fully utilizing - ever have that "aha!" moment in the shower, or laying in your bed, or while running – a seemingly magical idea that is captivating and motivating? What if you could trigger those ideas on demand? Bill says you can - in less than 60 seconds. It's all due to the specific roles of the hemispheres of the brain. Many of us know the idea of left brain/right brain - that the separate hemispheres of the brain are responsible for different types of thought. The left brain for analytical and logical thinking, the right brain for creativity and problem solving. Bill has been interested in accessing the right brain for problem solving for years, and now does seminars for Fortune 500 companies to teach CEOs and managers how to use this elusive part of the brain for high-level problem solving and strategy creation. However, he thinks that everyone can benefit from introducing right brain use into their lives. We discuss just how to do this, plus:   why introducing the creative brain to your to-do list can make you more productive how to use the right brain to get into flow how to ask yourself the right questions - and why it's important how relaxation and stress relief plays into creativity   For complete shownotes and more, please head over to www.optimizedgeek.com/billdonius LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED Williamdonius.com William Donius LinkedIn Will Donius TEDx talk Thought Revolution The Next Level Experience Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Recovery of Your Inner Child Cultured Code Getting Things Done Change Your Questions, Change Your Life The Sketchnote Handbook The Sketchnote Workbook Of Two Minds Idea Stormers       GET OPTIMIZED! Ideation is exponentially better when you incorporate the right brain. To do it, simply clear your head, do some deep breathing, and be intentional about accessing the right brain while you write with your non-dominant hand. The ideas you have will astonish you. Have a to-do list writing session where you incorporate the right brain to what important tasks you may have missed or what ideas you might have for rearranging your schedule. It can be illuminating to use right-brain thinking to visualize the distant future, for your company or for your own personal journey. To do it, access your right brain and ask "What will my future look like?" and draw a picture with your non-dominant hand.   THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! As always, thank you for tuning in. Please feel free to drop by the website to contact me or leave a comment. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it! -Stephan