Seasonal Stress Management Blog

Hi! I’m Dr. Franssen. Or maybe you should call me Catherine, because in my blogs, you’ll get to know me a bit better.

Anyone who’s ever been cornered by me at a cocktail party can attest to the fact that I am utterly fascinated with the science behind stress, seasons, parenting, productivity, and pretty much everything that makes life interesting. In this blog I answer questions, reflect on personal and professional challenges, and share insights from my expertise. In short, this is neuroscience for everyday life.

If I haven’t written about something you care about yet, please reach out! I love answering questions.

Catherine Franssen 12/5/24 Catherine Franssen 12/5/24

Athletes’ 4 most common mental health concerns

Mental health support isn’t just for those who are dealing with crises and diagnosable disorders. Student-athletes deal with incredible challenges and need help navigating their mental burdens in approachable ways.

Catherine Franssen 11/25/24 Catherine Franssen 11/25/24

Gratitude Inception

I’m so grateful to find my lessons and published words reposted and blogged by strangers (attributed, of course). Especially when gratitude is being spread to improve minds and lives.

Catherine Franssen 11/1/24 Catherine Franssen 11/1/24

Connecting Alzheimer’s and our Gut Health

As new data becomes available about brain-gut connections and the elaborate effects of the microbiome, some researchers are investigating the effects of probiotics on Alzheimer’s disease.

Catherine Franssen 10/15/24 Catherine Franssen 10/15/24

NCAA Mental Health Best Practices

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.

Catherine Franssen 9/5/24 Catherine Franssen 9/5/24

My NeuroParenting Origin Story

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.

Catherine Franssen 8/31/24 Catherine Franssen 8/31/24

Next summer's body

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.

Catherine Franssen 5/1/24 Catherine Franssen 5/1/24

Cell Phones In and Out of Classrooms

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

Catherine Franssen 2/14/24 Catherine Franssen 2/14/24

Being nice versus being kind (another CNN collab)

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.

Catherine Franssen 1/19/24 Catherine Franssen 1/19/24

Be Kind to Yourself (my thoughts from CNN)

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

Catherine Franssen 12/22/23 Catherine Franssen 12/22/23

Tips for managing stress of the holiday season: Friday Flashback

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

Catherine Franssen 12/11/23 Catherine Franssen 12/11/23

I talk about pink in Vogue

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

Catherine Franssen 11/3/23 Catherine Franssen 11/3/23

Tips for the Time Change (Fall edition)

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!

Catherine Franssen 10/9/23 Catherine Franssen 10/9/23

Mindful Monday: The Color of Noise

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.

Catherine Franssen 9/29/23 Catherine Franssen 9/29/23

Flashback Friday: Pumpkin Spice

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.

Catherine Franssen 9/21/23 Catherine Franssen 9/21/23

Collaboration: Describing dementia

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

Catherine Franssen 9/18/23 Catherine Franssen 9/18/23

No-cost Self Care Ideas That Actually Work

Catherine Franssen 9/7/23 Catherine Franssen 9/7/23

Suicide Prevention Resources

Catherine Franssen 9/4/23 Catherine Franssen 9/4/23

How To: Self Care

Catherine Franssen 8/28/23 Catherine Franssen 8/28/23

What Self-Care Isn’t

Here are 5 things that self-care is NOT!

Catherine Franssen 8/21/23 Catherine Franssen 8/21/23

Sexism hurts boys + girls alike

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.