A brain thing: I never intended to love opera. It felt pretentious and fake. That started to change when I let myself NOT like it even though many people I know do, they say... I got honest deep inside: “I don’t care who likes this screaming but, not me.”

As a therapist and executive coach, I often find my clients grappling with the unique challenge of the annual holiday work party. The anxiety starts days before the event, and the thought of navigating conversations and crowds can be downright terrifying. Whether at the top of the organizational hierarchy or nestled in the middle, stepping outside our comfort zones to be surrounded by everyone in the workplace is overwhelming. The fear of feeling awkward and alone makes the entire prospect seem less than enjoyable.

In a world that can feel quite stressful and like everyone wants something from you, let’s talk about wonderful, nourishing, and yummy sleep. A bit of a problem for many.

The holiday season, a mix of joyous reunions and weighty obligations, often ushers in a blend of good and bad stress. Amidst connecting with loved ones, exchanging thoughtful gifts, and attending parties, we may also feel the pressure to meet numerous seasonal demands as well as experience the longing for those absent from our orbit this year.

Sports are the greatest test of concentration, flexibility and problem solving. Increasingly we see more reports of competitive athletes drawing on the benefits of biofeedback and neurofeedback (biofeedback for the brain).

Many athletes including Kirk Cousins , Kerri Walsh-Jennings, and Lucas Giolito have shown the promise of using neurofeedback in sports. So, how does neurofeedback affect a person's ability to play sports?

Einstein has been a hero of mine since I was a kid. The reasons for that have changed over time. Early on, I just loved his unruly hair, how both rebellious and distinguished he looked at the same time. Also, he was considered a true genius for his scientific discoveries, like E= MC squared — whatever that meant. 

This article will help you celebrate Einstein's genius and cultivate your own. 

I was planning an event with a friend, and he said: “Well, as you know, my brain works much faster than yours…” That was like a red flag being waved in front of me.

Internal scream: “WHAT?!”

For many years, I wanted to be a member at Art Institute of Chicago. I thought about it each time I received one of their tasteful email invitations. I imagined if I were a member, I would just go there, with no excuse not to, and it would be a wonderful part of my life. Membership was one of those things that sounded good, but I never did it. 

What happened to transform a brash, fearless world traveler and adventurer into a shy and paranoid man as he approached 60 and died at 61? After 17 years of meticulous research, forensic psychiatrist Andrew Farah addresses this question in his recent book, Hemingway's Brain.

By Diane Wilson from Viewpoints in the Wednesday Journal.

Get your brain in shape this summer at our customized Summer Brain Boot Camp. Learn more here.

My review of the movie "Concussion" appeared in the Wednesday Journal on February 2. Because of my work helping people function at their best, this film was an important one to see and one that truly deserves more attention from the Academy, particularly for Will Smith's performance.

Sarah (not her real name) was an insomniac.

When trying to close her eyes and relax each night, a freight train was rushing by in her mind, each car filled with ideas, fears, anxieties; ideas, fears, anxieties; ideas, fears, anxieties. Instead of bringing relief, sleeping pills and alcohol had only pulled her into an added problem with addiction.

When I talk with people about my neurofeedback work, the response is often the same: "That's amazing, you do brain scans? I'd like to do that some day." 

Now you have the opportunity.

Anyone who has ever driven I-80 any long distance, especially from Chicago going east, will testify to the monotony and beauty of the trip. The peaceful journey through farmland was a sharp contrast to the intense, fast-paced conference on innovations in neuroscience and treatment at my Cleveland destination.

Lately I've been immersing myself in the percussion music of Spanish composer and performer Nacho Arimany. He's featured in the new brain training tool I am almost (but not quite) ready to offer my clients called InTime. From Advanced Brain Technologies, with whom Nacho collaborated to create this tool.

By Diane Wilson from Viewpoints in the Wednesday Journal.

We all know someone who went through an event like a car accident, military tour, or sports injury and never seems quite the same. They often turn inward and make their world very small, withdrawing from friends and family. Life feels too complicated, and their self-esteem takes a beating. They look at life from the outside, wondering if they will ever feel normal again. They see doctor after doctor who can't tell them what's wrong.