The Neuroscience of Everyday Life.

I’m partnering with mental health practitioners and D1 athletic programs to help NCAA schools create an environment to support mental health and promote well-being. I’m so excited to leverage 15 years worth of materials on the biopsychology of stress to be of service to those who need it most.

From studying rat mom behavior to my own, I've learned a lot about parenthood and love to weave neuroscience into those everyday parenting adventures.

My body failed to keep up with this summer's adventures, and affected my mental and cognitive life as well. As this summer ends in physical therapy, the goals are to have a body fit for next summer's active life.

Should smart phones be banned from classrooms? Science says YES!

While being nice is often performative, kindness involves empathy and activates the love circuitry in our brains. In this article for CNN I’m quoted throughout on the science of kindness.

A key element of mental health is being kind to yourself! I shared some thoughts with CNN on ways to practice self kindness.

For this very seasonal Flashback Friday, I’ve compiled several of my favorite tips for managing holiday stress. Take care of yourself this season!

I talk about why pink is such an iconic color in Vogue magazine.

The end of daylight saving time can be a fantastic time to implement new routines in your personal and professional life to help you get the most out of every day. Here are a few tips to make this the best Monday of your year!

I had wonderful interview with Stacey Colino at the Washington Post talking about sounds! Her article Beyond White Noise: How different ‘color’ sounds can help or hurt was published on October 9, 2023.

Every fall now, I end up giving a few interviews and chatting about why we love fall, and why we love pumpkin spice. It’s such an amazing example of how the lessons we know about our brain can inform our decision making.

For World Alzheimer’s Day, take a listen to my conversation with dementia specialist Teresa Youngstrom on her Memory Care Podcast.

Here are 5 things that self-care is NOT!

I wrote this article for mother.ly.com over 5 years ago, and our culture is still grappling with how to parent children in an inclusive way. Ultimately, we give our children the best chance by being supportive and encouraging of their interests, whether those interests and toys are traditionally pink or blue.

Did you get enough sun this summer? Worried about your Vitamin D levels now that vacations are over, school’s starting, and you’re indoors more?

Summer is winding down, but the beach makes us happy all year round. Barry Yeoman included some of my beach-related research in his article for Coastal Living Magazine in 2013, and I recently reread and enjoyed his lovely and informative article on Why the Beach Makes Us Happy.

If there’s a Barbie Neuroscientist, then she’s likely an expert on play! Real neuroscience tells us that Barbie dolls are great tools to develop empathy and social skills, but aren’t necessarily providing specific career and life choice instructions for us.

For generations, Barbie has been a tool and toy for self discovery. As she has diversified her look, she’s provided millions of children the opportunity to develop empathy and compassion for themselves and for others who may look different.

Sometimes the indulgences of vacation can cause more troubles than they solve… and end up ruining the stress relief you were seeking on your getaway. Here are a few strategies to have more fun and come home from vacation happier than when you left!

Vacations are supposed to be an outlet to reduce stress… so how do we make sure they don’t cause more stress! Good planning is essential to the success of a vacation. Here are a few ideas to tweak vacation planning efforts for the best experience possible.

Sometimes stress is a good thing. Perhaps stressing out about sharks might actually help you enjoy your vacation even more…

Today I am reminding you that you are worth taking care of. You matter. You are important. Stress management is like first aid or the oxygen masks on an airplane. Take care of yourself first. You cannot best help others before you help yourself.

As the summer heats up, I’m rereading some of my own research as it connects with water. Dr. J Nichols referred to my research several times in his book: Blue Mind: The Surprising science that shows how being near, in, on, or under water can make you happier, healthier, more connected, and better at what you do. I highly recommend it for your summer reading!

In celebration of Father’s Day I’m reviewing some of the top ways that father’s brains are altered and shaped by the experience of having children.

In this video clip I talked about the role of planning your vacation, balancing your indulgences, and a few communication strategies for low-stress travel.