A compassionate guide to make sense of hard days There’s a voice in my head that says, “Be perfect. Do enough. Don’t stand out. Definitely don’t have needs.” That’s the Chameleon* part of my brain. It’s the Downstairs Brain protector I know best—always trying to help me blend in, keep the peace, fly under the radar. Honestly? It’s […]

That Actually Help! It’s been a planes, trains, and automobiles start to the year here at BraveBrains. From Alaska to Michigan to Texas to New York, the teachers and school administrators we are working with are feeling fried.  It is incredibly stressful to teach students whose behavior is making learning difficult. Plus, co-regulating a large […]

A guide for parents, educators, and helping professionals I walked into my 11-year-old’s room to find him using an electronic device in a way that went against our family agreement. I can’t remember if he had been on it too long or downloaded an app he wasn’t supposed to, but I know I felt a […]

Stress is not bad. Life involves stress, and working from a brain-based or trauma-sensitive lens does not mean removing all stressors. In fact, our stress response gives us the cortisol and adrenaline we need for navigating daily life. The little bit of oomph provided by those get-stuff-done chemicals is much-needed! Living with chronic or toxic […]