I’m sitting in yoga position in a darkened room lit mostly by candles surrounding a Buddha altar in the corner. On the mat to my right Julie says, “My boyfriend would never attend something like this. He says it’s too woo-woo.” She sighs and tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. “This” is the didgeridoo concert we’ve come to…
Imagine you’re a kind, submissive sort of mouse. Feel your whiskers sense the temperature and surfaces of your environment. Swish your body-length tail around. Test out the strength of your legs. Now, imagine you’re dropped into a cage with aggressive mice, and despite your amazing ability to jump 18 inches, you experience what scientists call a “social defeat.” This would…
My work as a post-trauma coach means I study the brain and how to calm it, so I know all about how science has proven that the practice of paying deep, nonjudgmental attention to the present moment quiets the mind, quells emotions, and creates a neurophysiological environment (complete with reduced stress hormones) that reduces anxiety. I also hear firsthand from…
The emotional transaction between pets and owners yields scientific benefits
The science behind healthy and long-lasting relationships
Finding bonding and balance on the relationship spectrum
Back in the 1960s Dr. Paul D. Maclean devised the Triune Brain model as a way to explain the brain’s evolution while reconciling rational human behavior with more primal and violent outbursts. The Triune Model suggests three parts to the brain: Reptilian (posterior, brain stem): the source of instincts Paleommamalian (mid-brain): the source of emotions Neomammalian (cortex): the source of…
How to channel your inner happiness warrior
A guide for family and friends
