This is Your Brain With Dr. Phil Stieg

03/10/2025

Have you ever felt grief so deeply it seemed like your heart was actually broken? 💔

In our latest episode, neuroscientist Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor reveals the surprising science behind grief—and why it affects our brains AND bodies more than we realize.

She explains why our brains struggle to accept that someone is gone, the real reason grief can feel like an addiction, how grief physically impacts your heart and immune system, why the "5 stages of grief" isn't the whole story, and practical ways to cope with waves of grief that may never fully go away.

🎧 Listen now: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grief-is-not-just-sadness-mary-frances-oconnor/id1457049580?i=1000729829348

19/09/2025

🧠 NEW EPISODE: "Play is Not Just Kid's Stuff" with Stuart Brown
Think play is just for children? Think again! 🎯

Dr. Phil Stieg explores the surprising science of play with renowned expert Stuart Brown, revealing how play:
✨ Builds empathy, integrity & resilience
✨ Makes you literally SMARTER (backed by neuroscience!)
✨ Strengthens your prefrontal cortex
✨ Boosts neuroplasticity throughout life

The shocking truth? Non-playful people show more rigidity and less empathy. Meanwhile, just 5-10 seconds of play can make a difference!

From rough-and-tumble games to music, from dog interactions to creative doodles - play is all around us if we look for it.
Ready to unlock your brain's potential? 🎵 Remember: even musicians call performing "play" for a reason!

Listen now: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-play-is-not-just-kids-stuff/id1457049580?i=1000727448692

05/09/2025

🧠 NEW EPISODE: "Dad Brain" with Dr. Darby Saxbe

Ever wondered what actually happens to men's brains when they become fathers? Dr. Phil Stieg sits down with clinical psychologist Dr. Darby Saxbe to explore the groundbreaking science behind fatherhood.

🔬 What you'll discover:
- How fathers' brains physically change during the transition to parenthood
- Why testosterone drops (and why that's actually a good thing)
- The surprising mental health challenges that come with engaged fathering
- Why human dads are "weird" in the animal kingdom - and our secret evolutionary advantage

Dr. Saxbe shares 20 years of research revealing that great fathers aren't born - they're made through remarkable brain adaptations that mirror what happens to mothers.

"Fatherhood is transformative for men... men can really rise to the occasion and adapt to parenthood just as women can."
🎧 Listen now: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dad-brain/id1457049580?i=1000725089514

22/08/2025

🧠 NEW EPISODE: "Forgive and Flourish: The Healing Power of Letting Go"

In my latest This Is Your Brain episode, Dr. Fred Luskin from Stanford reveals why forgiveness isn't about the other person—it's about freeing yourself. From working with mothers in war-torn Northern Ireland to understanding the neuroscience of letting go, this episode will change how you think about healing.

Key takeaway: "You don't forgive because they deserve it. You forgive because you deserve it."

Listen now: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forgive-and-flourish-the-healing-power-of-letting-go/id1457049580?i=1000723044953

Podcast Episode · This Is Your Brain With Dr. Phil Stieg · 08/22/2025 · 30m

20/08/2025

🔴 HAPPENING TODAY!

🔥 Turning Up the Heat: Laser Therapy for Pediatric Brain Tumors
📅 TODAY - Wednesday, August 20, 2025
🕕 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Last chance to register for this FREE webinar with Dr. Mark Souweidane!
Learn about:

How laser therapy works for pediatric brain tumors
Why it's gentler than traditional surgery
Real benefits and considerations for families

🔗 Register now - Free but registration required: https://weillcornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2GwuVn8mTqGGB9yRgWeAvA?fbclid=IwY2xjawMSsTZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFVelF6RjhQcVR3WGdsM1JzAR4OSMpQ68Xa2WXIaFYLhi4k5IOEMa39DK9nND5M1Dgau2pwwxBjRrcsA58n3Q_aem_Bq9MT6dH-DPPBzTF0WoclA #/registration

18/08/2025

Exciting advances in pediatric neurosurgery are giving families new hope! Join my colleague Dr. Mark Souweidane this Wednesday for a groundbreaking discussion on laser therapy for pediatric brain tumors - a gentler alternative to traditional surgery.

🔬 What you'll learn:
- How laser therapy works and why it's less invasive
- Complete procedure walkthrough
- Real benefits and considerations for families

This innovative approach is transforming how we treat our youngest patients, offering precision with reduced recovery time.
📅 Wednesday, August 20th
🕕 6:00-7:00 PM EST
💻 Free registration required

Whether you're a parent, caregiver, or healthcare professional, this session offers valuable insights into the future of pediatric brain tumor treatment.

Register now: https://weillcornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2GwuVn8mTqGGB9yRgWeAvA?fbclid=IwY2xjawMQPtJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFVelF6RjhQcVR3WGdsM1JzAR4OSMpQ68Xa2WXIaFYLhi4k5IOEMa39DK9nND5M1Dgau2pwwxBjRrcsA58n3Q_aem_Bq9MT6dH-DPPBzTF0WoclA #/registration

08/08/2025

📱 "People wear AirPods all the time. They are never alone with their own thoughts."
In the latest episode of This Is Your Brain, Dr. Stickgold explains how our always-connected culture is disrupting the brain network that powers our dreams and creativity.

Your brain NEEDS those quiet moments. 🧠

Listen to the full episode 🎧 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-is-your-brain-with-dr-phil-stieg/id1457049580

31/07/2025

🔗 Register Here - This event is free but registration is required: https://weillcornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2GwuVn8mTqGGB9yRgWeAvA?fbclid=IwY2xjawL4VhdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFod3J5cDFsT0lNbmkyR3ZqAR6jh_I9vKrpXZRTZGd12DLHaxYEknfrxa-DgqWb3xOlBqn43PnO6VE5qRqTQg_aem_n1AnQo-nNKo7zMeITH8Y4w #/registration

🔥 Turning Up the Heat: Laser Therapy for Pediatric Brain Tumors

Join us for a FREE webinar!

📅 Wednesday, August 20, 2025
🕕 6:00 - 7:00 PM

This session will cover:

- How laser therapy works and why it's gentler than traditional surgery
- The procedure walkthrough from surgery day through recovery
- Real benefits and considerations for families

Presenter: Mark Souweidane, M.D. - Vice Chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery and Director of Pediatric Neurological Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center

🔗 Register Here - This event is free but registration is required: https://weillcornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2GwuVn8mTqGGB9yRgWeAvA #/registration

⚠️ Note: This event is not eligible for CME credit

25/07/2025

💪 Meet Alexandra Lebenthal: Wall Street executive, public speaker, and pioneering patient who refused to let essential tremor define her life.

For 47 years, Alexandra lived with hands that wouldn't obey her brain. Simple tasks like drinking water in meetings became sources of embarrassment and anxiety.

Then she made a courageous decision that changed everything—becoming one of the first Americans to undergo experimental focused ultrasound brain treatment.

Today's "This Is Your Brain" episode shares her incredible journey from hiding her condition to becoming an advocate for revolutionary neuroscience.
Her story proves that even lifelong neurological conditions can be overcome with the right technology and courage.

🎧 Listen to Alexandra's full story now: https://thisisyourbrain.com/2025/07/taming-the-tremor-with-alexandra-lebenthal-and-dr-michael-kaplitt/

18/07/2025

🤖 vs 🧠 "Humans replace 60% of vocabulary every time we retell a story—even when we think we're just repeating it."

Dr. Fritz Breithaupt's ChatGPT research revealed something incredible: while AI summarizes efficiently, humans are unconscious story alchemists who completely transform narratives while preserving their emotional core.

This fascinating insight is just ONE of many mind-blowing discoveries in our most recent "This Is Your Brain" episode about storytelling and the narrative brain.

This research will change how you think about every story you hear, tell, and experience.

🎧 Don't miss the full conversation—listen to the complete episode now: thisisyourbrain.com/2025/07/stories-make-us-human-with-dr-fritz-breithaupt/

11/07/2025

🧠 NEW EPISODE ALERT: "Stories Make Us Human"
Why did Einstein tell a mother to read her son more fairy tales? Because stories aren't just entertainment—they're how our brains evolved to survive and thrive.
Dr. Fritz Breithaupt reveals the fascinating science behind storytelling in today's episode of "This Is Your Brain." Discover:
- Why emotions survive in stories while facts disappear
- How storytelling became humanity's evolutionary superpower
- Why your brain is constantly predicting story outcomes
- The surprising reason we reread favorite books
- How retelling your own story literally rewires trauma
From ancient campfires to TikTok videos, stories shape how we think, feel, and connect. They're not luxury—they're necessity.
Ready to understand why your brain craves narrative?
🎧 Listen now on all podcast platforms: thisisyourbrain.com/2025/07/stories-make-us-human-with-dr-fritz-breithaupt/