What if the key to better leadership, emotional regulation, and resilience isn’t willpower but understanding how your brain actually works?

In this episode of Blind Spots, host Gayle MacDonald sits down with Dr. Lisa Riegel to explore how self-awareness, brain biology, and perception shape the way we think, feel, and behave, often without us realizing it. Using a powerful “brain as a corporation” analogy, Dr. Riegel explains why so many of our reactions happen below conscious awareness, and how learning to lead your own brain can change everything from stress and anxiety to leadership effectiveness and personal fulfillment.

This conversation bridges neuroscience, leadership, mental health, and everyday life, offering practical insight into why we react the way we do, how past experiences quietly influence the present, and what it really means to take control as the CEO of your own mind.

In this conversation, they discuss:

• Why most of our thoughts and reactions happen unconsciously
• The difference between reality and perception and how filters shape behavior
• How stress hijacks the brain and shuts down critical thinking
• Why self-awareness is the foundation of emotional regulation and resilience
• How understanding brain biology reduces shame and increases self-compassion
• What it means to lead yourself before leading others
• Practical ways to retrain the brain for calmer, healthier responses
• Why intention, not perfection, is the key to lasting change

This episode is a must-listen foranyone who wants to better understand their own patterns and learn how to work with their brain instead of fighting it.

About Lisa:

Dr. Lisa Riegel is deeply passionate about organizational reform across education, government, and the nonprofit sectors. She consults with organizations to strengthen human capital management, improve collaboration, and bring strategic plans to life. While many organizations have a strategy on paper, her work ensures those plans are implemented and monitored with genuine commitment rather than compliance.

In the education sector, Lisa is recognized for her expertise in social and emotional learning, differentiation, and student engagement. She is a strong advocate for partnerships among schools, families, businesses, and communities. Her consulting includes facilitating strategic planning for diverse stakeholder groups, supporting data visualization, and developing effective communication strategies.

Lisa is also the author of NeuroWell, a book that helps educators understand how academic and social behavior emerge from the interaction between biology and context. The book provides practical step-by-step guidance for creating a NeuroWell culture in schools.

Contact Lisa: lisariegel@epinstitute.net | www.lisariegel.com

Books & Resources:

NeuroWell — by Dr. Lisa Riegel

Aspirations to Operations — by Dr. Lisa Riegel

The Body Keeps the Score — Bessel van der Kolk

EP Institute

When the Body Says No — Gabor Maté

Gail McDonald sits down with Lisa Purcell to explore a career journey shaped by curiosity, courage, and a willingness to move forward without having everything figured out.

From leaving Canada at 23 with a suitcase and a backpack, to working as a nanny and English teacher in Spain, joining the United Nations Development Programme in Geneva, navigating international banking in London, and eventually returning to Canada to raise a family and build a career in education and public service, Lisa’s story challenges the idea that careers must follow a straight line.

Together, Gail and Lisa unpack the fears that stop people from making changes, the pressure to “pick one path,” and the freedom that comes from reframing uncertainty as possibility. They explore how values and priorities shift over time, how work-life balance looks different in each life stage, and why it’s never too late to return to school or change direction.

This Conversation Covers:

• Trusting curiosity when you don’t have a clear plan
• Leaving without burning bridges
• The hidden pressure to settle into one identity or career
• Why fear often shows up right before growth
• Reframing nonlinear paths as strength, not failure
• Navigating career change across different life stages
• Balancing ambition, family, and personal values

Lisa’s story is a powerful reminder that meaningful careers are often built through exploration, not certainty — and that sometimes the most important step is simply being willing to begin.

Books & Resources Referenced

• 17 Lies That Are Holding You Back & the Truth That Will Set You Free — Steve Chandler

In this special year-end episode of Blind Spots, host Gail McDonald offers an unscripted, reflective conversation about gratitude, boundaries, and easing the pressure we place on ourselves during the holidays.

Recorded just days before Christmas, this episode isn’t about doing more — it’s about letting go. Gail reflects on the power of gratitude, the gift of time, and why perfection is often the biggest source of holiday stress. From family traditions and emotional triggers to intentions (instead of resolutions) and the freedom that comes from releasing control, this episode invites listeners to pause, breathe, and choose what truly matters.

Gail also shares personal stories, practical mindset shifts, and gentle reminders that joy doesn’t require perfection — only presence. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, reflective, or simply in need of permission to slow down, this episode offers a grounding close to the year and a compassionate bridge into what comes next.

As Blind Spots looks ahead to the new year, Gail invites you to be part of the conversation. If there’s a topic you’d love to hear explored in 2026 — a blind spot you’re curious about, a challenge you’re navigating, or a question you’d like unpacked — send an email and share your ideas. Your input helps shape the conversations to come.