Jill Bolte Taylor, PhD, is a Harvard trained and published neuroanatomist. In 1996, she suffered a stroke and as a result, she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life. It took eight years for her to completely recover all function. In 2008, Dr. Taylor gave the first TED talk that ever went viral. Her memoir My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey spent 63 weeks on the NY Times bestseller list and is translated in over 30 languages. Dr. Taylor has written a new book that is coming out on May 11, 2021.

In this episode, Anat Baniel and Jill Bolte Taylor discuss:

• Jill’s new book Whole Brain Living: The Anatomy of Choice and the Four Characters That Drive Our Life; 
•  why Jill wrote this book, which she calls her “gift to the world”;
• if you want to improve your vitality, well-being, and freedom, it is ALL about differentiation;  
• the four characters of the brain, their purpose, and how to access them to make better choices in your life; 
• the importance of sleep for a healthy brain;  
• related questions from the audience.

A Conversation with Special Guest Donna Jackson Nakazawa
Donna Jackson Nakazawa is an award-winning science journalist, an author of six books, and an internationally recognized speaker. Her work explores the intersection of neuroscience, immunology, human emotion, and new opportunities and ways for healing. She is the bestselling author of The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine.

In this episode, Anat Baniel and Donna Jackson Nakazawa discuss:

• the smallest cell in the brain—microglia—how it works and its function as an immune system; 
• groundbreaking discoveries about the brain and how microglia link mental and physical health;
• how chronic stressors and trauma affect the brain and this microglia cell;  
• why safety is the number one factor for health and learning; 
• well-regulated adults can have an enormous positive impact on children with special needs;
• how writing can be used as a tool to reset the nervous system (“neural re-narrating”).

A Conversation with Special Guest Linda Graham
Linda Graham, MFT, is an experienced psychotherapist and Mindful Self-Compassion teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area. Linda integrates modern neuroscience, mindfulness, and relational psychology in her international trainings. She is the author of Resilience: Powerful Practices for Bouncing Back from Disappointment, Difficulty, and Even Disaster and the award-winning Bouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Maximum Resilience and Well-Being.

In this episode, Anat Baniel and Linda Graham discuss:

• resilience and how it can be used to deal with trauma and stress;
• five factors in using trauma as an opportunity for growth (post-traumatic growth);  
• mindfulness and compassion are the foundation for resilience;
• possibilities open up when upgrading the quality of the functioning of the brain;
• how Linda’s tools and NeuroMovement® can be used to develop resilience and create new possibilities.

A Conversation with Special Guest Linda Graham
Linda Graham, MFT, is an experienced psychotherapist and Mindful Self-Compassion teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area. Linda integrates modern neuroscience, mindfulness, and relational psychology in her international trainings. She is the author of Resilience: Powerful Practices for Bouncing Back from Disappointment, Difficulty, and Even Disaster and the award-winning Bouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Maximum Resilience and Well-Being.

 In this episode, Anat Baniel and Linda Graham discuss:

• trauma and how trauma therapy has changed;
• mind and body are not separate, and the body needs to be involved to heal;  
• how positive experiences can increase brain functioning; 
•  the importance of mindful self-compassion and compassion for your child;
•  how parents can use the Enthusiasm Essential to positively impact the brain of a child with special needs. 

Conversation with Special Guest Margaret Paul
Margaret Paul, PhD, is a co-creator of “Inner Bonding ®, a 6-step spiritually based therapeutic modality that heals shame, and the resulting self-abandonment, that is often the root cause of anxiety, stress, depression, low self-worth, addictions and relationship problems.” Dr. Paul is a relationship expert, noted public speaker, workshop leader, educator, chaplain, consultant, author, and artist. 

In this episode, Anat Baniel and Margaret Paul discuss:

• the Inner Bonding process and how it can positively change you and your relationships with your children, your spouse, and others;
• what it means to be present in heart and soul, and to love yourself;  
• how to uncover false beliefs and overcome parenting challenges of children with special needs; 
• the importance of learning to take responsibility for yourself;
• how to be open to feeling and learning in order to access higher levels of knowledge. 

At the end of the podcast, Margaret demonstrates the Inner Bonding process with a volunteer.  

A Conversation with Special Guest Shelly Lefkoe
Shelly Lefkoe is a co-founder and Vice President of Lefkoe Institute, a San Francisco Bay Area firm whose mission is “to significantly improve the quality of life on the planet by having people recreate their lives and live as the unlimited possibilities they are.” Shelly has had the privilege of helping thousands of people examine and eliminate limiting beliefs, and one of her passions is working with parents.

In this episode, Anat Baniel and Shelly Lefkoe discuss:

• the importance of acknowledging what is happening right now with your child;
• observing and asking yourself: what did your child conclude from your interaction?; 
• it is okay to not know; not knowing can open up new possibilities; 
• moving from fixing to connecting with your child;
• events don’t have meaning; the “meaning” you give something is in your mind; 
• related questions from the audience.

A Conversation with Special Guest Shelly Lefkoe
Shelly Lefkoe is a co-founder and Vice President of Lefkoe Institute, a San Francisco Bay Area firm whose mission is “to significantly improve the quality of life on the planet by having people recreate their lives and live as the unlimited possibilities they are.” Shelly has had the privilege of helping thousands of people examine and eliminate limiting beliefs, and one of her passions is working with parents.

In this episode, Anat Baniel and Shelly Lefkoe discuss:

• the definition of a “belief” and how your behaviors reflect your beliefs;
• the importance of looking at behaviors you are not happy with and uncovering your beliefs;
• how to observe and become aware of what your child's beliefs are; 
• a tool for examining your beliefs by looking at the “meaning” you are giving something; 
• related questions from the audience.

Whether home schooling or sending your teen to school under the Covid-19 requirements and restrictions, there are ways to calm yourself and your teen, reduce stress and anxiety, and create inspiring and effective learning processes for the teenager.

In this episode, Anat Baniel discusses:

• her passion for and approach in working with teenagers;
• the importance of being open and using the 9 Essentials to engage with teens;
• examples of how to create opportunities for your child’s brain to learn and evolve; 
• how the brain is built to learn and needs to learn in order to be healthy; 
• related questions from the audience.