My Brain Training Coach

Most of the time, when someone seeks out help for depression it's because they're feeling sad and hopeless.  They may complain about being tired, not being able to clean their home, or can't get out of bed to go to work.  The hopelessness and lack of motivation are key symptoms... but depression goes far beyond how we feel. Depression affects the brain in ways you might not expect.  Thinking ability and memory are impacted by depression!  One of the brain systems most affected by depression is working memory - your brain's ability to hold pieces of information and then use that information to do something (follow directions, solve a problem, implement strategies). What Is Working Memory, and Why Does It Matter? Working memory is like a scratchpad where your brain works with bits of information. It lets you juggle information while you're actively using it.  It helps with things like following a conversation—you have to hold on to the bits of information a pe...

  Clear Space, Clear Mind: Live with Intention Growing up, my family moved once a year it seemed.  I was born in San Francisco, but by the time I turned 5 we had also lived in Georgia, Tennessee, Iowa, and made it back across the country to California. In school, I was always the new kid; trying to fit in and make friends.  As a psychologist I've noticed that similar childhood circumstances can affect us as adults in very different ways.  Someone who experienced a transient upbringing might want to find stability and put down roots.  I went the other direction, and find myself somewhat of a nomad.  Throughout my young-adult life I started feeling the itch of adventure and needed some major change about once a year.  It took me a long time to connect the dots to my childhood pattern of moving at the same frequency.   Perhaps it was the frequent moves that set me up for a minimalist lifestyle.  It's a great time to purge "stuff" when you'r...

  We’ve all had those moments—standing in a messy room, feeling overwhelmed, distracted, maybe even defeated. What we often don’t realize is that clutter doesn’t just fill up our space; it also clutters our mind. In today’s fast-paced world, the connection between mental health and our physical environment is more important than ever. One of the simplest ways to reduce anxiety, boost focus, and reclaim emotional peace is to declutter . Here’s how clearing your space can also clear your mind: 1. 🧹 Clutter Overloads Your Brain When your home is full of stuff—piles of mail, crowded counters, overstuffed closets—your brain stays on high alert. According to research from the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, visual clutter competes for your attention , making it harder to focus and increasing stress. Every object in your line of sight is one more thing your brain has to process. By decluttering, you reduce that mental noise. 2. 🧘‍♀️ A Tidy Space Creates Emotional Calm Minima...

🧠 1. Addiction Hijacks the Brain’s Survival System The brain processes addictive substances as if they are essential to survival —like food or water. This is why cravings can feel so intense. The dopamine system , especially in the nucleus accumbens , misfires, creating a powerful compulsion to seek the substance, even when the person knows it’s harmful. 🧠 2. Addiction Can Shrink Key Brain Areas Long-term substance use can shrink the prefrontal cortex , the area responsible for decision-making, impulse control, and self-awareness. This contributes to executive dysfunction , making it even harder to stop using once addiction takes hold. 🧠 3. Dopamine Spikes Drop Below Normal Levels After repeated substance use, the brain becomes less sensitive to dopamine. Everyday pleasures (like a hug, music, or good food) no longer feel rewarding. This state is called anhedonia , and it often lingers in early recovery. 🧠 4. The Brain Remembers Addiction—Vividly Even after years of absti...

  Anxiety often creeps in when life feels chaotic — when you're overwhelmed, overstimulated, or simply out of control. While much of anxiety is internal, it’s deeply influenced by the external . The noise, the clutter, the lighting, even the size and layout of your space — it all matters. Our brains are constantly scanning our environment for cues of safety or threat. If your home feels chaotic, your brain stays on high alert. But if your environment communicates calm and control, your nervous system has a chance to breathe. Let’s explore how your living space shapes your emotional well-being — and how intentional design can actually reduce anxiety. 🧠 Your Brain Is Responding to Your Space You may not consciously notice it, but your brain is reacting to everything around you: piles of mail on the table, the overhead fluorescent lights, the background hum of appliances, or the lack of defined structure in your space. All of these stimuli feed into your nervous system, which d...

Pearl standing on a Tiny (dog) House Moving into a tiny home is an exciting adventure — a chance to simplify your life, reduce your environmental impact, and create a cozy, intentional space that truly reflects who you are. For many of us, it’s not just about downsizing square footage — it’s about upgrading our quality of life. But as much as tiny living promises freedom and peace, the transition isn’t without its challenges. What you see in glossy minimalist Pinterest boards or dreamy tiny house shows is only part of the picture. Looking back on my journey, there are several things I wish I had known before I made the leap — insights that would have made my experience smoother, more grounded , and ultimately more joyful. 1. Your Relationship With "Stuff" Will Be Tested — and Transformed I thought I had already decluttered enough before moving into my tiny home. Spoiler: I hadn’t. What I didn’t realize was that tiny living requires a completely different mindset when i...