From the Desk of Jennifer Wolkin, PhD:
Welcome to BrainCurves™, my blog and online mind-body-brain wellness community.
Since as far back as I can remember writing has been a tool I’ve used in order to connect both more deeply with my innermost self, and to others. Today I enjoy writing for the greater purpose of sharing my love of teaching the science of whole-body wellness.
Through my writing, I seek to connect with you so that we may support one another and learn together how to embrace all aspects of who we are. From the unique neural tracts curving through our brains, to the unique curves of our bodies – no matter what our background, shape, or size.
I’ve found, both personally and professionally, that a key element in living our best lives is finding a like-minded community in which we can support one another through healing thoughts, words, and ideas.
Please join me by commenting, sharing, and adding your voice. I welcome your questions, feedback, and invite you to truly make BrainCurves your own.
I hope you enjoy my musings about the mind-body-brain approach to living your best life. Together, let’s embrace all of our curves, be brainspired, and go from surviving to thriving!
17 Mental Health Tips to #StayCovidCalm
I am writing to you at this unprecedented time in our history. A time of collective, global trauma. We're scared. We're vulnerable. We're mentally exhausted. People are saying to stay positive, but I want to validate your emotions, you are safe from the catchphrase...
BrainCurve’s Migraine Sur*thrive*l Hacks
During Acute Migraine Attack: During an acute attack, I am in immediate relief mode. In addition to abortive medicines prescribed by my neurologist, my go-to is heat on my back and neck, to relax the clenching that ensues. My migraine often starts in the neck, then up...
SPOTLIGHT: POST TRAUMATIC GROWTH IN REAL LIFE: HEALING THROUGH WORDS
On the evening of March 26th, 2012, Yvonne Kent Pateras suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke, leaving her unable to speak or move. She also experienced “locked-in” syndrome. These are Yvonne’s own words regarding the traumatic stroke she experienced: “I had the...
POETRY THERAPY: POETRY AS Rx
There is research that those experiencing PTSD reported improved well-being in response to poetry therapy. This might be the case because a hallmark of having experienced trauma is the subsequent difficulty processing the experience, which results in avoiding and...
TRAUMA IN THE CONTEXT OF MASS SHOOTINGS
By way of full-disclosure, I’m tearing up as I write this. In the last few years alone, we have seen a rise in mass school shootings; that is, the death of innocent children, adolescents, and their adult mentors/teachers in cold blood. I too, continue to grapple with...
RECOGNIZING THE COMPLEX TRAUMA OF PROLONGED VIOLENCE
Complex trauma (C-PTSD) is still, relatively, a new term. It was coined in the 1990’s by trauma expert Judith Herman to connote repeated, prolonged (protracted, chronic) trauma. Another name sometimes used to describe the cluster of symptoms referred to as Complex...
This is your Brain on Poetry
Poetry: Your new tool for a healthy self & brain Did you know that Emily Dickinson can change your neurophysiology? Well, maybe not Dickinson herself, but certainly the poetry she wrote.In 2013, researchers at the University of Exeter had subjects take functional...
The TWO most counterproductive ways of finding happiness
In honor of International Day of Happiness: Tuesday, March 20, 2018 Ever since brains have evolved enough to desire the abstract feeling of happiness, there’s been both a pursuit of that feeling, and the difficult task of defining exactly what it is. Happiness is...
Mindful Coloring Challenge #ShareYourBrain
Live your best life: Mindfully control your brain's reaction to stress Did you know that the brain’s “stress center,” the amygdala, shrinks post mindfulness practice? In addition, the functional connections between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex are weakened....
Repost: 4 Lessons I’ve Learned From Chronic Migraine About Mindful Living
This post originally appeared on The Mighty. The blog below has been updated since the original post. I’ve had episodic migraines all my life. My doctor categorized them as “menstrual migraines” because a day or two before menstruation a bad headache would strike,...