Stefanie Faye Frank is back on Impact Learning to discuss how our brains are affected by high-stress situations like COVID19 and how we can learn to self-regulate so we can avoid getting stuck in negative thinking. Stefanie shares with us several tools we can use to prime our brain at the start of our day and every time panic strikes us. As a neuroscience researcher and clinician focused on brainwaves, heart rhythms and micro-movements that influence our ability to self-regulate and build healthy relationships, Stefanie helps her clients understand mindset neuroscience and develop agency so that they can navigate through uncertainty and overcome obstacles with courage. Tune in to listen to yet one more fascinating conversation with Stefanie about neuroscience and our brains!
Production team:
Host : Maria Xenidou
Producer: Julie-Roxane Krikorian
Introduction Voice: David Bourne
Contact us:
impactlearningpodcast@gmail.com
Music credits:
Like Lee performed by The Mini Vandals
Transition sounds: Swamp Walks performed by Jingle Punks
Where to find more about Stefanie Faye Frank:
Stefanie on LinkedIn
Mentioned in this episode:
Video: Three steps to build brain circuits that will help you deal with fear and stress
Impact Learning Episodes 22 - The Neuroscience of Growth Mindset with Stefanie Frank
Impact Learning Episode 23 - Developing a Growth Mindset with Stefanie Frank
Her Podcast: Mindset Neuroscience
Podcast Episode on Self-Regulation
Antonio Damasio’s TED Talk - The quest to understand consciousness
The Strange Order of Things by Antonio Damasio
Anxious: Using the Brain to Understand and Treat Fear and Anxiety by Joseph LeDoux
Dr Stephen Porges - Author of the Polyvagal Theory
The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe by Stephen Porges
Listen to this episode and explore:
The importance of routine in times of uncertainty (6:28)
Why we all respond differently to a crisis like COVID-19 (10:02)
The concept of re-appraisal during a dramatic new experience (15:18)
How to avoid getting stuck in negative thinking: the importance of priming our brains in the morning (21:39)
What to do when we lose our focus throughout the day: being aware of the sensations of our bodies & practising gratitude (26:08)
How we all process information and perceive reality differently (31:23)
Why our nervous systems function differently from person to person (38:07)
How we can learn to self-regulate and use meditation as a tool (43:31)
Maria’s recent physiological reaction to upsetting news and how she was able to calm herself (45:21)
Learning to soothe ourselves when collective anxiety affects us all (48:46)
The four components of self-regulation (53:24)