In this episode Andrea revisits her 2019 conversation with Dr. Daniel J. Siegel to explore Mindsight — his science-based approach to understanding the mind, integrating the brain, and cultivating empathy. Dr. Siegel explains the difference between mind and brain, the benefits of the Wheel of Awareness meditation, and how Mindsight can change brain structure and improve health. Watch full interview here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7pnea2Vbzc Practical tips include daily Mindsight practice, naming emotions to build self-awareness, and simple emotional check-ins to make learning and relationships more meaningful. This week, in our review of EP 28 with Daniel J. Siegel, MD  and his book Mindsight, we learned: ✔ The Difference Between the Mind and the Brain. ✔  The Benefits of The Wheel of Awareness Meditation. ✔ How to Understand and Apply Mindsight that gives us insight into ourselves, and empathy for others. ✔ How Mindsight can change brain structure and improve health. ✔ In order to make teaching and learning more meaningful, what we are teaching must have an element of emotion. Welcome back to SEASON 14 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, and seven years ago, launched this podcast with a question I had never truly asked myself before: (and that is) If productivity and results matter to us—and they do now more than ever—how exactly are we using our brain to make them happen? Most of us were never taught how to apply neuroscience to improve productivity, results, or well-being. About a decade ago, I became fascinated by the mind-brain-results connection—and how science can be applied to our everyday lives. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to bring you the world’s top experts—so together, we can explore the intersection of science and social-emotional learning. We’ll break down complex ideas and turn them into practical strategies we can use every day for predictable, science-backed results. Episode 371: For today’s Episode 371, we continue our journey into the mind with the next interview review. Just a reminder-this review series began back with Episode 366[i], where in Part 3 we discovered an important lesson: if we don’t like our results—or what we see on the outside—we need to shift our mindset and look within. True change always begins on the inside.   EP 369[ii] we learned how to Rewire our Brain with Dr. Dawson Church and his Bliss Brain Meditations, and then last week, EP 370[iii] with John Medina’s Brain Rules, we reviewed how important this understanding of neuroscience is, especially connected to education, teaching and learning. Which brings us to today’s review, EP 371, where we revisit a very early episode with clinical professor of psychiatry from UCLA’s School of Medicine, Dr. Daniel J Siegel. He’s from EP 28[iv], that was recorded back in November of 2019. As we take this journey deeper into the mind, Dr. Dan Siegel offers the perfect place to begin, with his ability to bridge cutting-edge neuroscience and practical wisdom. Dr. Dan Siegel, is well known for his books, trainings and courses that bridge cutting edge neuroscience with mindfulness and therapy. A reminder of his background-he’s a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and executive director of the Mindsight Institute[v] where you can find his courses, workshops, books and tools to help anyone understand and apply what can sometimes be complicated scientific concepts and make them easy to understand and applicable to our daily lives. At the end of the interview, I let Dr. Siegel know that I had been practicing his Wheel of Awareness Medita

Episode 370 reviews Dr. John Medina's insights from Brain Rules and explores how neuroscience and social-emotional learning combine to improve teaching, learning, and well-being. Key takeaways: teachers need basic neuroscience to support learning; the emotional stability of the home strongly shapes a child’s resilience and confidence; and children build resilience when adults co-regulate and model healthy emotion management during high-emotion moments. This short review highlights practical steps for educators, parents, and leaders to apply brain-based strategies and SEL to boost student outcomes and lifelong skills. EP 370 covers a review of Dr. John Medina's Brain Rules, from EP 42 (February 2020)  We learned: ✔ If education is about the brain, then teachers need to understand how the brain learns best. ✔ A child’s resilience and confidence are deeply tied to the emotional climate of the home. ✔  Children build resilience not in calm moments, but in how parents (or caregivers) respond when emotions run high. Welcome back to SEASON 14 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, and seven years ago, launched this podcast with a question I had never truly asked myself before: (and that is) If productivity and results matter to us—and they do now more than ever—how exactly are we using our brain to make them happen? Most of us were never taught how to apply neuroscience to improve productivity, results, or well-being. About a decade ago, I became fascinated by the mind-brain-results connection—and how science can be applied to our everyday lives. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to bring you the world’s top experts—so together, we can explore the intersection of science and social-emotional learning. We’ll break down complex ideas and turn them into practical strategies we can use every day for predictable, science-backed results. Episode 370: Brain Rules and the Future of Learning For today’s Episode 370[i], we continue our journey into the mind with our next interview review—Dr. John Medina, author of the well-known book Brain Rules. We first featured Dr. Medina in EP 42, when we explored “Implementing Brain Rules in Schools and Workplaces of the Future.” To remind you where we began with our interview review series: We opened with EP 366[ii], diving into speaker Bob Proctor’s timeless principles. Bob was the very first person—over 25 years ago—who challenged me with the question, “What do you really want to do with your life?” At the time, I didn’t have a clear answer. It’s taken well over 25 years now for this clarity to evolve. Eventually, I realized what mattered most to me: and that was bringing social and emotional learning (SEL) skills into schools. I had already seen how these skills—once called “soft skills”—transformed the lives of 12 teenagers I worked with in the motivational speaking industry in the late 1990s. Later, I watched as SEL spread into schools across states and countries, until the research became undeniable. A 2011 meta-analysis of 213 studies confirmed what I had seen firsthand a decade before this study was released: students who participated in SEL programs showed an 11-percentile-point increase in academic performance[iii] compared to control groups. That’s a significant improvement, demonstrating just how powerful SEL can be. Long before this research, I simply knew these skills could shape the future of the next generation. This podcast itself was built around the six core SEL competencies—each explored in its own dedicated episode that you can find in our resource section in the show notes. Then came the next step: addi

In this episode Andrea Samadi revisits a popular interview with Dr. Dawson Church about his book Bliss Brain and the neuroscience of meditation. They explore how simple, evidence-based practices can quiet the brain's default mode, trigger blissful neurochemicals, and reshape stress and happiness networks. Listeners learn why happiness must be trained, how meditation helps people live more in the present, and practical tips to start a daily meditation practice using guided tools like the free Bliss Brain meditations. Welcome back to SEASON 14 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, and seven years ago, launched this podcast with a question I had never truly asked myself before: (and that is) If productivity and results matter to us—and they do now more than ever—how exactly are we using our brain to make them happen? Most of us were never taught how to apply neuroscience to improve productivity, results, or well-being. About a decade ago, I became fascinated by the mind-brain-results connection—and how science can be applied to our everyday lives. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to bring you the world’s top experts—so together, we can explore the intersection of science and social-emotional learning. We’ll break down complex ideas and turn them into practical strategies we can use every day for predictable, science-backed results. For today’s Episode 369, we are moving forward on our journey of the mind, to our next interview review, with our goal of building off of our past reviews, and sharpening our saw for improved well-being, productivity and success in 2025 and beyond. To review our last 3 episodes, with our interview with speaker Bob Proctor, we learned that “If we want to improve our RESULTS, we must focus on the six faculties of our mind—reason, intuition, perception, will, memory, and imagination.” “Devoting a year to developing each one would be time well invested, elevating us to greater heights and setting us apart from others.” Next, we looked at how we need to become extremely clear with our vision of “what we really want” and keep in mind that…. Our External Environment Reflects Our Internal World What exactly does this mean? It means that if we don’t like what’s happening in our external world—whether it’s in our job, relationships, results, or any area of our life—we must first look inward. Our circumstances mirror the beliefs and thoughts we hold within. As James Allen reminds us in As a Man Thinketh: our outer world is always a reflection of our inner state. For today’s Episode 369, we’ll turn inward—sharpening our inner world so that we can transform the outer one. Today we go back EP 98[i] our interview with Dr. Dawson Church, that was recorded back in December of 2020, where we looked at the science behind implementing meditation into your daily routine. This interview is currently our most watched YouTube interview with over 11K views. This week, in our review of EP 98 with Dr. Dawson Church and his book Bliss Brain, we will explore how meditation can rewire the brain for happiness and presence. We will learn: ✔ Since happiness didn’t evolve naturally, we must train our brain to achieve it. ✔ Our brains default to the past or future, constantly scanning for threats, instead of resting in the present moment. ✔ Extreme states of happiness are possible for all of us when we implement meditation consistently. ✔ How to commit to a daily meditation practice using the free meditations that come with Bliss Brain, or explore other guided programs until you find one that resonates with you Just a reminder-Dr. Church is the author of t

In this Season 14 review (Episode 368), Andrea Samadi revisits key clips from her original interview with Bob Proctor (Episode 66), exploring how frequencies, imagination, and intuition shape our goals and results. We will cover:  Tip #1: How to Understand Frequencies and Levels of Vibration Tip #2: You’ve Got to Follow Your Heart Tip #3: Your External Environment Reflects Your Internal Thoughts and Mental State   Three takeaways: use your imagination to move to the vibration of your goal; follow your heart as an inner compass; and remember your external environment reflects your internal thoughts and beliefs. Welcome back to SEASON 14 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, and seven years ago, launched this podcast with a question I had never truly asked myself before: (and that is) If productivity and results matter to us—and they do now more than ever—how exactly are we using our brain to make them happen? Most of us were never taught how to apply neuroscience to improve productivity, results, or well-being. About a decade ago, I became fascinated by the mind-brain-results connection—and how science can be applied to our everyday lives. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to bring you the world’s top experts—so together, we can explore the intersection of science and social-emotional learning. We’ll break down complex ideas and turn them into practical strategies we can use every day for predictable, science-backed results.   For today’s Episode 368, we’re going back to Episode 66[i]  for PART 3 of our review with the late Bob Proctor—the first person who challenged me to think. We covered in PART 1 EP 366[ii]: ✔ Top Lesson from Episode 66 – Where we refined the question: “What do you really want to do with your life?” hoping that midway through 2025, we can refine our goals, and see if we are on track. ✔ Sage Advice Tip #1: “We have been given the mental faculties to create our own environment. “We explored how to go beyond our five senses and tap into the six higher faculties of our mind (further developing our reason, intuition, perception, will, memory and imagination.” ✔ Sage Advice Tip #2: “There’s only one mind.”We looked at how our actions matter because we are all deeply connected. ✔ Sage Advice Tip#3: “We are a soul—we don’t have one.”We reflected on the perfection within each of us, and how this perfection continually drives us toward bigger and better possibilities. We covered in PART 2 EP 367[iii]: Sage Tip #4: “If we want to improve our RESULTS, we must focus on the six faculties of our mind—reason, intuition, perception, will, memory, and imagination.”The key is to choose one of these faculties and dedicate time to studying and applying each one until you see real results from your deeper understanding. Sage Tip #5: “Goals are not set to get; they are set to grow.” Reminding us that sometimes goals don’t unfold the way we expect, and that’s okay—as long as we keep moving forward and growing. To do this, we must keep studying, learning about ourselves, clarifying what we truly want, and seeking specialized knowledge in our field from those who have gone before us. Today, EP 368, PART 3 VIDEO 1 Click Here to Watch Watch video clip 1 with the link in the show notes. Bob begins this clip by talking about The Law of Vibration and why it’s so important to understand how frequencies work. Many of us have heard of this law by now, especially since the movie, The Secret by Rhonda Byrne brought it into the mainstream. But my first introduction to understanding frequencies was back in the late 1990s, when I was teaching in the classroom and

Season 14, Episode 367 revisits Episode 66 with the late Bob Proctor, distilling two powerful clips about why people get stuck and how to move forward. Andrea Samadi connects Proctor’s timeless success principles — the six higher faculties of the mind (reason, intuition, perception, will, memory, imagination) and the idea that goals are set to grow — with modern neuroscience and practical steps for personal and professional growth. Brief, actionable takeaways: choose one mental faculty to develop at a time, embrace growth-focused goals even when outcomes change, and seek specialized knowledge to organize and direct learning into deliberate plans of action. Welcome back to SEASON 14 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, and seven years ago, launched this podcast with a question I had never truly asked myself before: (and that is) If productivity and results matter to us—and they do now more than ever—how exactly are we using our brain to make them happen? Most of us were never taught how to apply neuroscience to improve productivity, results, or well-being. About a decade ago, I became fascinated by the mind-brain-results connection—and how science can be applied to our everyday lives. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to bring you the world’s top experts—so together, we can explore the intersection of science and social-emotional learning. We’ll break down complex ideas and turn them into practical strategies we can use every day for predictable, science-backed results. As we kick off Season 14, I’ve been revisiting past episodes and reflecting on the incredible insights our guests have shared since we first launched in 2019. I mentioned last week that this reflection started when a young filmmaker, Vishal Sharma[i], reached out to me and offered to create YouTube Shorts[ii] from past interviews. When I saw his first example, something clicked. As I reviewed older episodes, I realized I had only scratched the surface of the lessons within each interview. So as we dive into this review of past conversations, know that this review isn’t just for you—it’s for me as well. I’ve learned that slowing down helps us to uncover even more wisdom, and I’m excited for us to walk this path together. For today’s Episode 367, we’re going back to Episode 66[iii] with the late Bob Proctor—the first person who challenged me to think. Last week we covered our first YouTube Short[iv] where we picked out three important nuggets of wisdom that I had missed until re-listening to this episode. We covered in PART 1: ✔ Top Lesson from Episode 66 – Where we refined the question: “What do you really want to do with your life?” hoping that midway through 2025, we can refine our goals, and see if we are on track. ✔ Sage Advice Tip #1: “We have been given the mental faculties to create our own environment. “We explored how to go beyond our five senses and tap into the six higher faculties of our mind (further developing our reason, intuition, perception, will, memory and imagination.” ✔ Sage Advice Tip #2: “There’s only one mind.”We looked at how our actions matter because we are all deeply connected. ✔ Sage Advice Tip#3: “We are a soul—we don’t have one.”We reflected on the perfection within each of us, and how this perfection continually drives us toward bigger and better possibilities. Today, we are going to cover 2 short video clips and dive into the wisdom contained within each, making the connections with each nugget of wisdom learned. And since I’m always looking to connect the science to our learning, there are some age-old success principles we will cover today, that are

Welcome to Season 14 of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast! Join Andrea Samadi as she revisits past episodes to unearth profound insights from experts like Bob Proctor. As the podcast embarks on a journey of reflection, discover how to connect science with social and emotional learning for enhanced well-being, achievements, and productivity. In this episode, Andrea dives into episode 66, exploring life-altering lessons with the legendary Bob Proctor, who challenged her with the pivotal question: What do you really want to do with your life? Through the lens of practical neuroscience, learn how to craft huge goals, venture beyond our senses, and tap into the higher faculties of mind to transform those dreams into reality. Discover the essence of interconnectedness and the profound truth that we are souls, not just physical beings. This episode is a roadmap for anyone yearning to refine their goals and elevate their understanding to new heights. Don't miss this exploration of timeless wisdom that promises transformative growth. In this first part of our series, we’ll explore: How to ask the right questions to uncover your real desires. Why you must go beyond your five senses and tap into your higher mental faculties—like imagination, intuition, and will—to create a life you love. The mindset shift that transforms vague wishes into powerful, crystal-clear goals. Bob’s wisdom wasn’t just theory—it was a challenge to think differently, act boldly, and believe in possibilities far beyond my comfort zone. And it all begins with one question: “What do you really want?” Watch our past interview here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHWMCzfODU4  Watch our YouTube Short here https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_npFmt6zVE4  BE SURE TO SIGN UP TO SEE THE NEW MOVIE Bob Proctor's Legacy https://www.bobproctorlegacy.com/  On the EP 366, and PART 1 review of EP 66 we will cover: ✔ Top Lesson from Episode 66 – Refining the question: “What do you really want to do with your life?” ✔ Sage Advice #1: “We have been given the mental faculties to create our own environment.”We explored how to go beyond our five senses and tap into the six higher faculties of our mind. ✔ Sage Advice #2: “There’s only one mind.”We looked at how our actions matter because we are all deeply connected. ✔ Sage Advice #3: “We are a soul—we don’t have one.”We reflected on the perfection within each of us, and how it continually drives us toward bigger and better possibilities.   Welcome back to SEASON 14 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, and seven years ago I started this podcast with one big question that I had never thought of in the past: If productivity and results matter to you—how exactly are you using your brain to make these results happen? Most of us were never taught how to apply neuroscience to boost our productivity, results, or well-being. That’s why I set out to bring you the world’s top experts—so we can learn the intersection of science, and social and emotional learning skills, putting what we learn into action every day, for predictable results. As we kick off Season 14, I’ve been revisiting past episodes and reflecting on the incredible insights our guests have shared since we first launched in 2019. This reflection started when a young filmmaker, Vishal Sharma[i], reached out to me and offered to create YouTube Shorts[ii] from past interviews. When I saw his first example, something clicked. As I reviewed older episodes, I realized I had only scratched the surface of the lessons inside each interview. I started re-listening—not just to refresh my

In this enlightening episode, Andrea Samadi welcomes resiliency expert and author Horacio Sanchez to discuss his latest book, "Unlocking School Bias: Using Neuroscience to Improve Student Outcomes." Together, they delve into how educators can effectively address bias in their classrooms by exploring neuroscience-based strategies. Horacio shares the significance of understanding subconscious biases, such as confirmation bias and impact bias, and their influence on students' well-being and achievement. He emphasizes the role of educators in creating inclusive environments by being aware of their own biases and adopting practical strategies that foster positive student interactions. This episode provides invaluable insights for anyone looking to make impactful changes in educational settings. Watch this interview on YouTube here https://youtu.be/V78873aZPBk On today's EP365 "Unlocking School Bias" you will learn to explore your own and your students' biases and discover: ✔ The latest research from psychology, education, and neuroscience. ✔ Different types of biases, including confirmation bias and impact bias, and how they manifest themselves in everyday life. ✔Practical strategies for educators who are ready to change their and their students' actions. ✔How patterns in one’s environment create biases and affect the brain’s development Welcome back to SEASON 14 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, an author, and an educator with a passion for learning and launched this podcast 7 years ago now, with the goal of bringing ALL the leading experts together (in one place) to help us to APPLY this research in our daily lives. Welcome back! It’s always good to take some time away, for travel and family time, and it feels incredible to routine back to recording and routine. Thank you for tuning back in after our summer break where I hope you have taken some time off to refresh, before diving back into the second half of 2025. For today’s EP 365, we meet with someone who I first heard about on our very first interview, EP #3[i], with educator, Ron Hall, from Valley Day School, Pennsylvania on “Launching Your Neuroeducational Program.” Ron Hall mentioned it was today’s guest who opened his mind to connecting the brain to his classrooms, many years ago, and he has never looked back. Today, we welcome back resiliency expert, author Horacio Sanchez to the podcast for the 4th time. We met him first on EP 74[ii] on “How to Improve Brain Science to Improve School Climate”, EP 111[iii] on “Finding Solutions to the Poverty Problem: and again on EP 177[iv] where we gathered a team of experts to dive into the most significant insights they’ve noticed over the years in neuroscience. When we first met Horacio, we focused on his book The Education Revolution [ii]published by Corwin Press, that addresses the decline in empathy, increase in obesity, and the impact of implicit bias on minority students. Our conversation turned to focus on the problems we were seeing in the world at that moment (July 2020) highlighting the need for racial change through an understanding of race and culture. I knew that Horacio was deep into his next book, The Poverty Problem: How Education Can Promote Resilience and Counter Poverty's Impact on Brain Development that we went deep into on EP 74. Today we meet with Horacio Sanchez to review his latest book, Unlocking School Bias: Using Neuroscience to Improve Student Outcomes[v] that was released in February of this year, through Corwin Press. His most recent book, Unlocking School Bias ends the confusion around bias and provides educators with res

In Episode 364 of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, host Andrea Samadi welcomes Dr. Robert Melillo, a pioneer in developmental neurology. Dr. Melillo, co-founder of Brain Balance Achievement Centers and an acclaimed author, discusses his groundbreaking work on conditions like ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and more. Watch our interview on YouTube here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vesz0uD96Wk  This episode delves into Dr. Melillo's innovative Brain Balance Program, which uses neuroscience-based exercises to address functional connectivity in the brain without medication. Dr. Melillo shares insights from his book "Disconnected Kids," now in its third edition, and explores the significance of primitive reflexes in childhood brain development. Dr. Melillo explains how identifying and nurturing the unique gifts within children can help them overcome neurological challenges and thrive. He also highlights his journey and the mentors who shaped it, along with a glimpse into his personalized program offerings based in New York and online. Welcome back to SEASON 13 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, an author, and an educator with a passion for learning and launched this podcast 7 years ago now, with the goal of bringing ALL the leading experts together (in one place) to help us to APPLY this research in our daily lives. For today’s episode #364, we meet with Dr. Robert Melillo[i], a leading expert in developmental neurological conditions such as ADHD, autism, OCD, tics, dyslexia, anxiety, and depression in both children and adults. He is the co-founder of Brain Balance Achievement Centers, the developer of the Melillo Method®, and he runs the Melillo Center for Developing Minds in NY. His book, Disconnected Kids: The Groundbreaking Brain Balance Program® for Children with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Disorders[ii], is now in its Third Edition, endorsed by Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, who calls his book “a visionary new approach,” For today’s episode #364, we meet with Dr. Robert Melillo, where we looked at: ✔ His book that's now in its 3rd Edition, Disconnected Kids: The Groundbreaking Brain Balance Program®  ✔ Dr. Robert Melillo's Center for Developing Minds in New York and how they have been helping thousands of families around the world. ✔ What are milestones we can look for if we think our child or student has a vulnerability. ✔ Where to begin with The Melillo Method. Disconnected Kids is a comprehensive at-home guide to his Brain Balance program, which involves no medication or medical interventions but focuses instead on movement and sensory exercises that stimulate proper brain development. This updated and revised edition also features new exercises and the latest research findings on how the retention of primitive reflexes—the involuntary movements babies are born with that typically are replaced with intentional movements by their first birthday—plays an integral role in the development of neurological issues. Through the exercises in this book, these reflexes can be diminished, making brain balance easier to attain. Disconnected Kids helps readers guide children susceptible to a brain imbalance to overcome challenges and allow their true gifted selves to shine. Let’s meet Dr. Robert Melillo, and learn together about his new visionary approach to help ALL children uncover their authentic gifts, and shine. Welcome Dr. Melillo. Thank you for joining us today on the podcast. Have we reached you in New York today? It’s it a sunny day there today? INTRO: For sure, we do need to get up ea

In this enlightening episode of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning podcast, we delve into groundbreaking territory with Dr. Fred Jordan, CEO and co-founder of Alt Vision and FinalSpark, as he joins us from Switzerland. Dr. Jordan introduces us to a revolutionary emerging technology where living neurons—nature's own processors—are set to transform the landscape of technology and artificial intelligence. Explore how bioprocessors, derived from human stem cells using advanced lab techniques, could potentially outperform traditional semiconductor devices by significantly reducing power consumption, particularly in AI computations. Understand the implications of such innovations and the ethical considerations they entail, as we navigate a future where biocomputers might fundamentally alter our technological capabilities. Join us in opening our minds to the possibilities of neuroscience-driven tech advancements, as we discuss the practical applications and visionary future that Dr. Jordan and his team are shaping, inviting curiosity and critical thinking into our evolving technological world. Watch our Interview on YouTube here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D3eKkd3L4w For today’s episode #363, we meet with Dr Fred Jordan, where we looked at: ✔ What is the biocomputer? ✔ What does this NEW innovative technology, make obsolete, from our past? ✔ What are the benefits of a biocomputer, and how exactly does it work? ✔ What is the vision of FinalSpark, and how can this change the future of AI? Welcome back to SEASON 13 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, an author, and an educator with a passion for learning and launched this podcast 7 years ago now, with the goal of bringing ALL the leading experts together (in one place) to help us to APPLY this research in our daily lives. For today’s episode #363, we meet with the CEO and Co-Founder of AlpVision and FinalSpark, Dr. Fred Jordan who will be joining us all the way from Switzerland. I met Dr. Jordan through LinkedIn, where he introduced his work to me, and my attention was caught. When I asked him what he does in his lab at FinalSpark, he wrote back to me that his lab has developed an emerging technology that would redefine the status quo in technology and in the ways that people work. Of course I asked him if he could explain this to me, and he wrote back that “we use living neurons, the building blocks in the brain, for processing information” and sent me the link to his website[i] where there is a live camera view of living neurons placed on electrodes, and you can see the signal from them. He went on to explain that neurons in the brain communicate using electrical and chemical stimulations and that his lab was focused on building a new generation of bioprocessors. At this point, I am sure he would know that I’m interested to learn more, mostly to understand what exactly does this mean? I wonder: Does Dr. Jordan mean that his lab is building a computer processor out of living neurons (cells from our brain)? How do they do this? What are the advantages of a bioprocessor vs using transistors (that are semiconductor devices used to amplify or switch electrical signals and power)? How does this connect to AI? What does his lab envision for the future? I have a lot of questions for Dr. Jordan, and I am coming from the point of view that I really want to learn and understand what his lab has created. I want to be able to explain his idea to our audience in a way that we can all come away with some new knowledge and understanding about the future, and how keeping an open mind while learning

Welcome to Season 13 of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning podcast, where we delve into the fascinating intersection of brain science, emotional intelligence, and educational training for enhanced well-being and performance. This episode features Sifu Boggie, also known as Paul Brighton, who brings over 40 years of expertise in qigong, a discipline involving breath work and self-healing techniques. As stress and anxiety reach unprecedented levels worldwide, Sifu Boggie shares how qi-gong can help alleviate ailments like chronic pain, migraines, and even mental health issues. Join host Andrea Samadi in an enlightening discussion about the role of mindfulness and meditation in managing stress and maintaining mental peace. Sifu Boggie, introduced to martial arts at the age of 12, guides listeners through practical exercises for achieving emotional and physical balance, including breathing techniques and posture corrections that can be easily integrated into daily life. Discover how understanding and altering your energy can bring about transformational changes, fostering a stronger connection between mind and body. For today’s episode #362, our next guest caught my eye as I noticed that my stress levels have reached some high numbers recently, with the data I see from my Whoop wearable device. Watch our interview here https://youtu.be/lYexvaGU8M0 For today’s episode #362, we meet with Sifu Boggie, where we looked at: ✔ How Paul Brighton (Sifu Boggie) discovered this pathway from Chaos to Calm, when he was 12 years old. ✔ What classes does he teach, and how does he know how to help someone, or guide them towards improved health? ✔ How would Sifu help me with persistent neck pain? ✔ How can we learn to open our minds to learn deeper truths, that can help propel us forward? While my average daily stress has decreased by 12% over the past 6 months (Whoop measurements) with the average amount of daily stress I’m facing dropping from close to 4 hours/day to 3 hours and 25 minutes, I know I still occasionally see days where daily stress hits well over 6 hours/day. I know there’s got to be something ELSE I can be doing to mitigate this stress, since I know that dis-ease in the body, leads straight to disease. It’s clear that globally, we have reached unpresented times with anxiety, stress and depression. I can’t be the only one who wonders what ELSE can I be doing. We know that: 1 in 5 Americans suffers from a mental illness (NIMH). Anxiety disorders are the highest reported mental health issue in the US with 42.5 million Americans claiming to suffer from this illness. (Mental Health America). Mental illnesses start showing symptoms by age 14 (National Alliance on Mental Illness), About 1 in 4 American adults suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year, and one in 10 will suffer from a depressive illness, such as major depression or bipolar disorder (Johns Hopkins). 10.7% of the world suffers from some form of mental illness. (Our World in Data). STATISTICS FROM https://www.thezebra.com/resources/research/mental-health-statistics/  While looking at my own stress one day, I received an introduction to our next guest, who will share the knowledge he has gathered over the past 40 years, where he has learned how to help others help themselves with ailments like... Anxiety, Stress, Chronic Pain, Depression, Fibromyalgia, Crohn’s Disease, Migraines, ME, MS, Arthritis, poor circulation, back problems and so much more. He does this by teaching us Qi Gong (Breath work exercises) and self-healing techniques that will help you to maintain your body, mind and consciousness. Without further ado, let's meet Sifu Boggie (Paul Brighton) from the UK (where I was born) and see what he can teach us with his wisdom and knowledge from being immersed in this work, since he was 12 years old. Welcome Sifu Boggie! Thank you for coming on the podcast today! Where exactly have I reached you today? (I was born in Wort

Welcome to episode 361 of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we reconnect with Dr. Sui Wong, a leading neuro-ophthalmologist, for an enlightening discussion on her new book, Sweet Spot for Brain Health: Why Blood Sugar Matters for a Clear, Fog-Free Brain. Join host Andrea Samadi as she dives deep into Dr. Wong's research that unveils the powerful link between our blood sugar levels and brain health. Discover practical tips and a 12-week challenge designed to help maintain optimal brain function by stabilizing blood sugar. This episode sheds light on Dr. Wong's holistic approach to patient care and her dedication to sharing knowledge that empowers individuals to enhance their health and well-being through informed lifestyle choices. Watch our interview on YouTube here https://youtu.be/MoQT39pXHhE  Welcome back to SEASON 13 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, an author, and an educator with a passion for learning and launched this podcast 6 years ago with the goal of bringing ALL the leading experts together (in one place) to help us to APPLY this research in our daily lives. For today’s episode #361, we meet with a returning guest, Dr. Sui Wong, a Leading Neuro-Ophthalmologist, who we met on EP 343[i], last August where we looked at: ✔ Dr. Sui Wong's career path in medicine, that led her to write 4 books to help her patients (and the world) improve their brain health. ✔ How understanding our eye health can help us to prevent neurological disorders (like Alzheimer's Disease) in the future. ✔ What common neuro-ophthalmology cases she sees. On today’s EP 361, we will dive deep into her NEW book, Sweet Spot for Brain Health: Why Blood Sugar Matters for a Clear, Fog-Free Brain.[ii] ✔ What is the brain-glucose connection? ✔ How does glucose impact cognitive performance? ✔ How can we better prepare to eat food that we know will spike our blood sugar levels? ✔ What health problems can too much sugar lead to? ✔ Helpful tools to create a brain-healthy diet. ✔ Supplements that are important for brain health and cognition. Just a reminder: Dr. Sui H. Wong, is a Neurologist and Neuro-Ophthalmologist based in London, United Kingdom. In addition to her clinical work as a medical doctor and physician, Dr. Wong is an active neuroscience researcher, who translates pertinent and clinically relevant questions into research, to improve person-centered patient outcomes. Additionally, she has the qualifications and experience to consider a broader spectrum of lifestyle-specific interventions. Dr. Wong’s holistic approach in empowering patients has been recognized with many awards, and this is just the beginning for her. When I was introduced to Dr. Wong, an active neuroscience researcher with a mission of translating important clinically relevant questions into research for improved person-centred patient outcomes, I knew I had to speak with her. She is a widely-published author and researcher with over 110+ peer-reviewed publications in medical journals, chapters and conference abstracts, to date.  Let’s meet Dr. Sui Wong, for the second time on our podcast, and see what we can learn together about what she has uncovered with her research of the importance of understanding our blood sugar levels, for a fog-free brain. Welcome Dr. Sui Wong! It’s wonderful to see you again. What’s been going on with you since we met last August? Well, let’s get straight to your new book, Sweet Spot for Brain Health: Why Blood Sugar Matters for a Clear, Fog-Free Brain. I absolutely love this topic, and I’ve covered a few episodes where we looked at the imp

Welcome to Season 13 of Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning. Join Andrea Samadi as she wraps up a year-long exploration of Grant Bosnick's book on self-leadership, diving into the final chapters focused on the neuroscience of resilience, authenticity, and bias. Discover practical strategies and insights from the latest neuroscience research to enhance your self-awareness, build authentic relationships, and overcome biases for personal growth and improved well-being. Don't miss this final installment filled with expert knowledge and actionable steps to transform your daily life. And we will now resume PART 4, the final part of our review, to sum up last year, 2024, and our entire year studying one book, Grant Bosnick’s “Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership: A Bite Size Approach Using Psychology and Neuroscience” that we first dove into with our interview on EP #321[i] the end of January 2024. The goal was that each week, we focused on learning something new, (from Grant’s book) tied to the most current neuroscience research, that builds off the prior week, to help take us to greater heights this year. It honestly shocked me that this series took the entire year. We began with PART 1[ii] and the first 5 chapters of the book. PART 2[iii] we reviewed chapters 6-9 of Grant Bosnick’s Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership, PART 3[iv], we reviewed chapters 10-13, and finally, today, we will finish with PART 4, Chapters 14-16.                                                                                         ((On today's EPISODE #360 PART 4 of our review of Grant Bosnick’s Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership, we will cover)): ✔ EP 344 Chapter 14[v] “The Neuroscience of Resilience” ✔ EP 345 Chapter 15[vi] “Unlocking Authenticity: The Neuroscience of Relationships” ✔ EP 347 Chapter 16[vii] “The Science of Bias” If you have not yet taken the leadership self-assessment, or if you would like to re-take it to see if the results are different for you than last year, you can click the link here to find the quick test. I re-took the assessment for 2025, and did notice some similarities and some differences from last year. If you can, retake the assessment and see what you notice about yourself. I noticed that pathways 2 and 3 are my high areas of focus this year, and that I can drop pathway 6 from my focus. What about you? If you have a few minutes to spare, take this leadership self-assessment again, and see if you notice any changes in your areas of focus for 2025. This is an incredible way to remain laser focused on pathways that will move the needle of success for YOU this year. EP 344 Chapter 14 “The Neuroscience of Resilience: Building Stronger Minds and Teams” If you were to ask me which episode is my favorite out of the 16 chapters, I would have to say this topic is at the top of the list, even though this pathway came out as a 0% for me to focus on in 2025. It’s not because I’ll be brushing resilience under the rug this year, as it’s an area of focus I work on daily, without even thinking about it. Who doesn’t want to become more resilient, or understand how to build a stronger mind, and then translate this strength to others for predictable results in 2025? What drew me to this episode was learning about the fascinating new neuroscience behind the part of our brain called the anterior mid cingulate cortex that becomes bigger when we use our will power to do those things we just don’t want to do. Scientists believe this ability to use our will power to do difficult things, which builds our resiliency, is what’s really behind the will to live. Stop and think for a minute here. Does this resonate with you? If you enjoy doing difficult things, and you would describe yourself as being “resilient” doesn’t it make your mind spin to think that you are actually building a bigger, and stronger brain with this trait? Dr. Amen from Amen Clinics does remind us that when it comes to our brain, that bigger is

In this illuminating episode of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, host Andrea Samadi sits down with Dr. Shad Helmstetter, a best-selling author renowned for his work in personal growth and self-talk. Dr. Helmstetter shares his profound insights into the science of self-talk and neuroplasticity, revealing how the language we use with ourselves can radically transform our lives. Watch our interview of YouTube here https://youtu.be/zaVGEjVj__Y Listeners will discover how Dr. Helmstetter's research connects age-old principles of success with cutting-edge neuroscience. The episode delves into practical strategies for reprogramming the brain through positive self-talk, the significance of learning the language of success, and the steps anyone can take to improve their mindset. Whether you're an educator, a parent, or simply someone seeking personal improvement, this episode offers valuable lessons on how to harness your inner dialogue for greater achievement, fulfillment, and happiness. Welcome back to SEASON 13 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, an author, and an educator with a passion for learning and launched this podcast 6 years ago with the goal of bringing ALL the leading experts together (in one place) to help us to APPLY this research in our daily lives. On today's EPISODE #359 we will cover: ✔ Dr. Shad Helmstetter's background that led him to create an APP that teaches how to reprogram the brain with positive self-talk ✔ Where our self-talk originated from, and how we can change it, rewire our brain, and put our lives on a trajectory for success. ✔ What is the language of success vs the language of those who are deemed to fall short of their goals? ✔ How can we teach this language to ourselves, our children, students or large groups, to permanently rewire their brain for success? For today’s EP #359, we meet with the best-selling author of more than twenty books in the field of personal growth, Shad Helmstetter, Ph.D. What caught my attention with our next guest was NOT this huge list of books he has written, or that he had appeared on over 1200 radio and television programs, including repeat appearances on Oprah Winfrey, ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN News, or even that his self-talk audio programs are listened to thousands of individuals and families worldwide. There was something else that set our next guest apart from the others. What caught my attention was when I saw a passage in his book, The Power of Neuroplasticity, that described the EXACT mission or quest that I have been on, since looking back at the days I worked for motivational speaker Bob Proctor[i], and always wondered like our next guest “why do some people fail while others succeed?” I even wrote this question on the back of my first book, The Secret for Teens Revealed, and have been on a mission to connect science to these age-old principles that I have witnessed change many people’s lives. We have covered Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich[ii] book on this podcast, as well as Wallace D. Wattles’ The Science of Getting Rich[iii], and after looking at this question, I always came to the SAME conclusion. It HAS GOT to come down to the fact that successful people “think and act” in a certain way. So when I came across Shad Helmstetter, I wanted to learn what he has discovered that connects the age old books that we have covered on this podcast, to science. I wondered what he has discovered about “why are some people, day to day, happier, more productive, more fulfilled than others? What makes the difference? It is kismet, a kind of fate” he asks in his

Welcome to another enlightening episode of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning podcast. In today's episode, we delve deep into the transformative world of practical neuroscience with our special guest, Craig Polsfuss, a pioneering psychologist and author. Polsfuss introduces us to his groundbreaking book, Reality Shattering Insights, and shares his unique journey of integrating psychology, spirituality, and brain science to enhance mental well-being, performance, and spiritual insight. Join us as we explore how understanding and tapping into deeper consciousness can lead to life-changing insights and self-discovery. Learn to listen to your inner whispers and discover how to transform mental and emotional landscapes from within, moving from the intellect into the heart and beyond. Watch interview on YouTube here https://youtu.be/2Hu6_poYLn8 Welcome back to SEASON 13 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, an author, and an educator with a passion for learning and launched this podcast 7 years ago with the goal of bringing ALL the leading experts together (in one place) to help us to APPLY this research in our daily lives. On today's EPISODE #358 we will cover: ✔ How licensed psychologist and former clinical social worker Craig Polsfuss, (among the pioneers of the Three Principles movement in the 1980s) bridged psychology, spirituality, and brain science to help people achieve mental well-being, top performance and spiritual insight. ✔ Uncover the formula to create your own Reality Shattering Insights. ✔ Learn how tap into a deeper consciousness that can lead to life-changing insights and self-discovery. For today’s EP #358, we meet with a pioneering psychologist and author of the book published just last November, Reality-Shattering Insights[i], the first in a 4-book series entitled VoLT: The Vortex of Living Truth. Today’s guest, Craig Polsfuss, a licensed psychologist and former clinical social worker, who pioneered the Three Principles movement in the 1980s after a powerful awakening. With nearly five decades of experience, he integrates psychology, spirituality, and brain science to help people achieve mental wellbeing, top performance, and spiritual insight.  The "reality-shattering insights" that he shares inside his book will open your eyes, if you are looking for answers, to questions you might not have even known that you were asking yourself. Before we meet Craig Polsfuss, and begin our journey of self-discovery: A discovery that will take us from our head to our heart, and from our heart, into the depths of our soul. I’ve got to say that this episode is not like ANY I have done before, as Craig covered questions I have had for a very long time. Questions that came up when I first studying Wallace D. Wattles’ The Science of Getting Rich book, 25 years ago, that we covered on EP 315[ii] with a 7-PART series. This book was one of the seminars that I sold in the late 1990s when I worked with speaker Bob Proctor.  I always wondered “what is that thinking stuff that Wattles describes in his syllabus?” If you signed up for this seminar, you would have been given this syllabus to take home with you laminated. I’ve got at least 10 of them still today in my office. Back then I had no idea what Wattles was describing. That stuff he says “permeates, penetrates, and fills the interspaces of the universe.” And that “a thought in this substance produces the thing that is imaged by the thought.” I always thought it was some sort of “intelligence” but it wasn’t until this past January, while studying this book series with Paul Martinelli, w

Welcome back to Season 13 of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast! In this episode, we explore Part 3 of our review of Grant Bosnick's book on self-leadership, focusing on Chapters 10 to 13. Discover how the latest neuroscience research can enhance your skills in persuasion, time management, change, and agility. Dive deep into the nuances of persuasion and influence, learn effective time management techniques, understand the brain's response to change, and enhance your mental and physical agility. Join us as we uncover insightful strategies to apply in your leadership journey. And we will now resume PART 3 of our 4-PART review, to sum up last year, 2024, and our entire year studying one book, Grant Bosnick’s “Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership: A Bite Size Approach Using Psychology and Neuroscience” that we first dove into with our interview on EP #321[i] the end of January 2024. The goal was that each week, we focused on learning something new, (from Grant’s book) tied to the most current neuroscience research, that builds off the prior week, to help take us to greater heights this year. It honestly shocked me that this series took the entire year. We began with PART 1[ii] and the first 5 chapters of the book. PART 2[iii] we reviewed chapters 6-9 of Grant Bosnick’s Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership, and today, PART 3, today, we will review chapters 10-13. We will finish with PART 4, Chapters 14-16 after we release our FIRST interview of 2025, coming next weekend.                                                                                  ((On today's EPISODE #357 PART 3 of our review of Grant Bosnick’s Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership, we will cover)): ✔ EP 336 Chapter 10[iv]“The Neuroscience of Persuasion and Influence” ✔ EP 337 Chapter 11[v] “The Neuroscience of Time Management” ✔ EP 339 Chapter 12[vi] “The Neuroscience of Change” ✔ EP 342 Chapter 13[vii]    “Mastering Mental and Physical Agility” If you have not yet taken the leadership self-assessment, or if you would like to re-take it to see if the results are different for you than last year, you can click the link here to find the quick test. I re-took the assessment for 2025, and did notice some similarities and some differences. See what you notice about yourself. I noticed that pathways 2 and 3 are my high areas of focus this year, and that I can drop pathway 6 from my focus. What about you? If you have a few minutes to spare, take this leadership self-assessment again, and see if you notice any changes in your areas of focus for 2025. Did any of your pathways shift for you, since last year? This is an incredible way to be laser focused on pathways that will move the needle of success for YOU this year. ✔ EP 336 Chapter 10 “The Neuroscience of Persuasion and Influence” On this episode, we looked at Jack Carew’s classic book from 1987 called You’ll Never Get No For an Answer that was covered on EP 176.[viii] Carew looked at the unique strategies that American Author and Salesman Og Mandino encouraged us all to read to improve our communication and influence with others and I noticed that Strategy 2 was to stop looking out for number one and always look for how you can help others first. So, after noticing this, I went straight to Chapter 10 of Grant Bosnick’s book, on “Persuade and Influence” to see what he had to say on this topic. Right off the bat, in the opening of this chapter, Bosnick asks us to think about how we would persuade someone else to do something, like give you a pen you would like to have, for example, or ask for a promotion, or ask someone to do something you would like them to do. Then he differentiates the word persuade that he says “we can think of as quick, more direct, more for short-term or immediate gain” (Chapter 10, Bosnick, Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership) while influence he says “is softer, more subtle, much more for longer term and lasting gain.” (Chapter 10, Bosnick, T

Welcome to Part 2 of our in-depth review of Grant Bosnick's 'Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership.' In this episode, we delve into the significance of hydration for brain health, discovering 'aha' moments through creative insights, and the influential power of expectations on our well-being and success. We also explore the neuroscience behind staying mentally strong and regulate emotions effectively through improved sleep patterns. Join us as we unravel these fascinating research-backed strategies to enhance your self-leadership skills. Welcome back to SEASON 13 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, an author, and an educator with a passion for learning and launched this podcast 6 years ago with the goal of bringing ALL the leading experts together (in one place) to help us to APPLY this research in our daily lives. And we will now resume PART 2 of our 4-PART review, to sum up last year, 2024, and our entire year studying one book, Grant Bosnick’s “Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership: A Bite Size Approach Using Psychology and Neuroscience” that we first dove into with our interview on EP #321[i] the end of January 2024. The goal was that each week, we focused on learning something new, (from Grant’s book) tied to the most current neuroscience research, that builds off the prior week, to help take us to greater heights this year. It honestly shocked me that this series took the entire year.  Last week, we began with PART 1[ii] and the first 5 chapters of the book. Today we will review chapters 6-9 of Grant Bosnick’s Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership. ((On today's EPISODE #356 PART 2 of our review of Grant Bosnick’s Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership, we will cover)): ✔ EP 327 Chapter 6[iii] “The Hydrated Brain” ✔ EP 330 Chapter 7[iv]“Aha Moments, Creative Insights/the Brain” ✔ EP 333 Chapter 8[v] “Exploring the Power of Expectations” ✔ EP 335 Chapter 9[vi] “The Neuroscience Behind Staying Strong and Clear-Headed” If you have not yet taken the leadership self-assessment, or if you would like to re-take it to see if the results are different for you than last year, you can click the link here to find the quick test.   Self-Assessment Results 2024 vs 2025 I re-took the assessment for 2025, and did notice some similarities and some differences. See what you notice about yourself. I noticed that pathways 2 and 3 are my high areas of focus this year, and that I can drop pathway 6 from my focus. What about you? If you have a few minutes to spare, take this leadership self-assessment again, and see if you notice any changes in yourself for 2025. Did any of your pathways of focus shift since last year? REMEMBER: We are either moving forward into growth, or backwards to safety. (Abraham Maslow). EP 327 Chapter 6 “The Hydrated Brain”   For this episode, I remember wondering how on the earth can we narrow the focus of this topic of health and wellness that Bosnick covers thoroughly in Chapter 6? Dr. Peter Attia[vii], a Canadian-American physician, known for his medical practice that focuses on the science of longevity, says that “exercise might be the most potent “drug” we have for extending the quality and perhaps quantity of our years of life.” He created a rule that he thought would help narrow this focus and it was called “Attia’s Rule”[viii] where he suggests that can’t even talk about this topic, unless you have reached a certain level of health yourself. I agree, as this is one area we have been focused on this podcast, and I notice that as I strengthen one area, I lose sight of another. It’s an ongoing quest for balance, and I wouldn’t

Welcome back to Season 13 of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast. In this episode, join Andrea Samadi as we delve into practical neuroscience applications for self-leadership in 2025. Discover how to balance various aspects of life through insights from Grant "Upbeat" Bosnick's book, 'Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership.' We explore strategies from four key chapters, focusing on leveraging neuroscience to level up your goals, the inspiration behind motivation, the benefits of mindfulness, and the art of achieving flow states. Learn actionable steps for overcoming obstacles and using positive forces to drive personal growth. Whether you're implementing new habits or seeking motivation, this episode serves as a guide to harnessing the full potential of your mind and achieving greater heights. Welcome back to SEASON 13 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, an author, and an educator with a passion for learning and launched this podcast 6 years ago with the goal of bringing ALL the leading experts together (in one place) to help us to APPLY this research in our daily lives. Now, we are well into 2025, and if you are listening today, I want to congratulate you. Not everyone chooses to do the work that is needed for self-improvement. It’s something I’m dedicated to working on each year, and like you, those who tune in each week, implementing the ideas we write down in our notebooks, and even the ones we highlight in yellow, this is the hardest work in the room. I just want to recognize you for showing up here, and tuning in to grab some ideas, do this difficult work, and take the ideas that you learn from the research, and put them into action. Like you, I am doing this as well. We interviewed Kristen Holmes, the VP of Performance Science from Whoop.com back in May 2021, on EP134[i] when I had first started using the wearable device to measure my sleep, strain and daily recovery. She told me something I already knew, and that was that my sleep needed work. She said it much sterner than this, but I heard it, loud and clear, especially since my brain scan from Amen Clinics, that we reviewed on EP 84[ii] came back and showed that I was sleep deprived. Changing behaviors, habits and daily routines, and changing the trajectory of our health is all possible, but actually sustaining the change—this is what I’m looking for. This is why I am doing these podcast episodes, and sharing what I’m learning along the way. It took me 4 years to finally improve my sleep, but to do this, I had to sacrifice something else important to me, and that was my early morning workouts. I’m sure if you are listening, you would understand and know exactly what I am saying here. While making improvements with one area of our life, we tend to do this at the expense of another area. I’m determined to prove that we can have it all, and hopefully, at the end of this review, we can all find a way towards improving the balance in the important areas of our lives. REMEMBER: “Mastering others is strength; mastering oneself is true power” - Lao Tsu Now wouldn’t it be great to have a tool (like a map) that tells us what is important to focus on each year, based on what we say is important to us in our work or personal lives? Now sleep is not on the map we are covering today, as we will review the 19 chapters from Grant Bosnick’s book, but I would put sleep right at the top of the list, along with the Top Health Staples that we covered back on a bonus EP we did in 2022[iii] where we first covered the importance of daily exercise, good quality sleep, eating a healthy d

Welcome to Episode 354 of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast! Join host Andrea Samadi as she concludes the 18-week self-leadership series with Grant Bosnick's revolutionary insights into the neuroscience of presence. Discover how your internal thoughts, external behaviors, and interactions shape your presence, and learn practical strategies to enhance your mindfulness and connection with others. This episode dives into Dr. Dan Siegel's 'Wheel of Awareness' meditation, offering three actionable tips to strengthen your presence in daily life. Uncover how to elevate your relationships and productivity by integrating mindfulness practices into your routine. Whether you're striving to be the most interesting or the most interested person in the room, this episode provides valuable guidance. Prepare to close the year with heightened awareness and step into 2025 with a new perspective on leadership and personal growth. On today's episode #354 we continue with the final topic of our 18-Week Self-Leadership Series based on Grant Bosnick’s “Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership: A Bite Size Approach Using Psychology and Neuroscience” that we first dove into with our interview on EP #321[i] the end of January 2024. The goal was that each week, we focused on learning something new, (from Grant’s book) tied to the most current neuroscience research, that builds off the prior week, to help take us to greater heights this year. It honestly shocked me that this series took the entire year. Our final topic today, will be the neuroscience of presence, and then stay tuned for a review of the entire series to help us to move forward in 2025 with a new lens.  ((On today's EPISODE #354 “The Neuroscience of Presence” we will cover)): ✔ Chapter 19 of Grant Bosnick’s Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership with the topic of presence. ✔ Grant Bosnick’s Presence Framework with examples of subtle and direct presence. ✔ The Neuroscience of Presence using Dr. Dan Siegel’s book Aware: The Science and Practice of Presence ✔ Three Tips to Develop More Presence in our Day to Day Life. ✔ Reflections for using Mindfulness and Meditation to Improve Our Presence. If you’ve taken the leadership self-assessment[ii], look to see if Presence (in Pathway 2), along with inspiration and motivation, persuade and influence, is of a low, medium or high priority for you to focus on this year. I was not surprised to see this pathway is a high area of focus for me as I’m always looking for new ways to motivate, inspire and influence, and presence is something I know I need to work on daily, bringing my attention back to the present moment or you might catch me daydreaming. It made me laugh when Masati Sajady mentioned he noticed this with me, back on EP 348[iii] last year. Our presence is something that can be felt, that’s for sure. Now let’s take this deeper with Grant’s book. Grant opens up chapter 19, his final chapter, by saying that presence “is a product of our internal thoughts, external behaviors and interactions with others. It’s something (he says) that we carry with us at all times, whether we’re walking into a meeting room (or walking anywhere I might add) or sitting at a bus stop.” (Ch 19, Bosnick, Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership, Page 252). I can demonstrate this one easily because we have all been there. I’ll never forget Dr. Dan Siegel, who we interviewed way back in our early days of this podcast, on EP 28[iv] talking about this topic, as he watched a mother with a young child walking, and the mother was on her cell phone, not present at all. He talked about the many opportunities for connection that were lost in this instance, and I never forgot it, as I’ve been guilty of doing exactly the same thing and potentially losing out on opportunities to make meaningful connections with others. Or think about this. In a conversation, someone is talking to you, and you notice the void. They’ve left the conversation. They

Join Andrea Samadi in Episode 353 of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast as we explore the intricacies of empathy, guided by Grant Bosnick's tailored approaches to self-leadership. Delve into the foundation of empathy as a vital leadership tool, capable of strengthening relationships and achieving better outcomes. Learn about the neuroscience behind empathy, focusing on the role of mirror neurons and the three different types of empathy: cognitive, emotional, and empathetic concern. We also reflect on personal experiences where assumptions led to misunderstandings, highlighting the importance of seeing through another's eyes. Discover practical tips for deepening empathy, cultivating empathetic concern, and applying these insights both personally and professionally to make meaningful connections. This episode calls us to consciously choose empathy, fostering trust and compassion in our interactions. Prepare for our final chapter on the Neuroscience of Presence in the upcoming episodes as we continue to enhance our understanding and application of neuroscience in our daily lives. Welcome back to SEASON 13 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren’t taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I’m Andrea Samadi, an author, and an educator with a passion for learning and launched this podcast 6 years ago with the goal of bringing ALL the leading experts together (in one place) to help us to APPLY this research in our daily lives. On today's episode #353 we continue with the second last topic of our 18-Week Self-Leadership Series based on Grant Bosnick’s “Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership: A Bite Size Approach Using Psychology and Neuroscience” that we first dove into with our interview on EP #321[i] the end of January 2024. The goal was that each week, we focused on learning something new, (from Grant’s book) tied to the most current neuroscience research, that builds off the prior week, to help take us to greater heights this year. It honestly shocked me that this series took the entire year. Our final topic will be the neuroscience of presence, and then stay tuned for a review of the entire series to help us to move forward in 2025 with a new lens.   Now we have not yet covered empathy as an entire topic on this podcast, (yet) but we did mention it on EP 340[ii] with mediation expert John Ford on “Navigating Workplace Conflicts” with his “The Empathy Set”[iii] Card Program. I also included the topic of Empathy within the Character Education program I created for schools, so I know why Grant would think this topic to be important enough to include on his “roadmap” for success. When I looked back to what I had written over 15 years ago on empathy, I found an image that said “empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another” which is right in line with how Grant Bosnick opens up Chapter 18 of his book. Grant reminds us that “empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from their frame of reference, the capacity to place ourselves in another person’s position, to put ourselves in their shoes, see it from their eyes, their perspective, their way of thinking and feeling.”. ((On today's EPISODE #353 “The Neuroscience of Empathy” we will cover)): ✔ A review of previous episodes where we covered empathy. ✔ The Neuroscience of Empathy ✔ Three Kinds of Empathy (Cognitive, Emotional and Empathetic Concern). ✔ Tips for becoming more empathetic in our daily life to deepen our relationships and improve our outcomes personally and professionally. If you’ve taken the leadership self-assessment[iv], lo

Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series, where we delve into the fascinating topic of trust and its underpinning neuroscience. In episode 352, we revitalize our understanding of trust by revisiting our initial interview with Greg Link from episode 206 and exploring Grant Bosnick's insightful approaches. We unpack the concept of trust as presented in Bosnick's book, emphasizing the five C's for strengthening trustworthiness: Character, Competency, Credibility, Consistency, and Care. Each of these pillars serves as a foundation for building reliable relationships both personally and professionally. Further, we examine critical factors impacting trust, like responsiveness, authenticity, and empathy, shedding light on how these elements foster an environment of trust. This exploration is pivotal for anyone aiming to enhance their self-leadership skills and boost their interpersonal effectiveness. Join us as we push the boundaries of self-leadership, preparing to soar to new heights in the upcoming year with insights that are not only transformative but also actionable. On today's episode #352 we continue with our 18-Week Self-Leadership Series based on Grant Bosnick’s “Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership: A Bite Size Approach Using Psychology and Neuroscience” that we first dove into with our interview on EP #321[i] the end of January 2024. The goal was that each week, we focused on learning something new, (from Grant’s book) tied to the most current neuroscience research, that builds off the prior week, to help take us to greater heights this year. It’s honestly shocked me that this series took the entire year, and we still have 2 chapters left. The Neuroscience of Empathy and Presence, and then stay tuned for a review of the entire series to take us to new refined heights, in 2025. ((On today's EPISODE #352 “The Neuroscience of Trust” we will cover)): ✔ A review of our FIRST interview where we covered trust with Greg Link,EP 206[ii] ✔ Ch. 17 from Grant Bosnick’s Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership book on “The Neuroscience of Trust.” ✔ The 5 Cs to strengthen trustworthiness from Grant Bosnick’s work. ✔ Critical factors that impact trust. Review of the Neuroscience of Trust We first covered The Neuroscience of Trust on EPISODE #206, as I was preparing for an interview with Greg Link[i], the co-founder of the Covey Leadership Center. Greg was the one who orchestrated the strategy that led Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, (1989)[ii] to become one of the two best-selling business books of the 20th century according to CEO Magazine, selling over 20 million copies in 38 languages. Greg created the marketing momentum that helped propel Covey Leadership Center from a start-up company to a $110-plus million-dollar enterprise with offices in 40 countries.  You can go back to episode #207[iii] to learn more from Greg Link’s incredible experience working with Dr. Covey, and with the fascinating individuals and companies around the world he reviewed with us, where we dove into the topic of “Unleashing Greatness with Neuroscience, SEL, Trust, and the 7 Habits.” While researching Greg Link, who I met when he came to work in the seminar industry in 2002, I was reminded of a topic that he thought was so important that he wrote a book about it with Stephen M.R. Covey (the son of the late Stephen R. Covey) called Smart Trust: The Defining Skill That Transforms Managers into Leaders.[iii] If you look up quotes from Stephen Covey on trust, you can see how important this skill or character trait was to him. He said, “trust is the glue to life” and “the one thing that affects everything else you’re doing. It’s a performance multiplier which takes your trajectory upwards, for every action you engage in, from strategy to execution.” It’s the “shortest route to results” (Robert Allen, author of Multiple Streams of Income). “Trust is the highest form o