Genius: Sciencing Our Human Potential

Thanks, Cisco Cotto and Nancy Harty of WBBM am 780 -- the largest news radio station in Chicago. Appreciate you sharing this potent moment on my journey and the messages Brain Dance offers on brain health. Aired during the Chicago morning commute this week, so grateful to be able to touch listeners this way. A book can change a life. I believe that.  Thank you.  

To our waiting list and everyone else, we are excited to share a sample of the new audiobook of Brain Dance: My Journey with Invisible Illness, Second Chances, and the Wonders of Applied Neuroscience. The audiobook is now sold on Audible through Amazon but will soon be available to listeners around the globe through 50 retail channels, library platforms, and music streaming services. 

Brain Dance is a medical memoir, an Amazon number one bestseller, and winner of multiple awards including "No. 1 Best Nonfiction Book of the Year" and "No. 1 Best True Drama." Since publication in May 2021, it's available in both print and Ebook formats. 

People describe Brain Dance as a book on "neuroscience that reads like a novel — one that’s hard to put down." It's for anyone who loves learning about the brain, has had even a bump on the head, or has felt totally lost in life, for any reason, and needs to start over.  #brainfog #longCOVID 

Narrated by the author, Diane Wilson shares her journey through random and sometimes humorous events of having an invisible illness, how her brain kept this injury even from herself, the loss of focus and sense of self, an obsession with day trading retirement funds, and the alternative therapies that helped heal her brain. These include a retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh, acupuncture, learning to sing, and, most centrally, neurofeedback.

Brain Dance is candid, intimate, and always a gentle teacher. You will laugh, cry, and learn your way through Diane's often-stumbling journey from moderate concussion to now working at the forefront of applied neuroscience.

She will challenge everything you know about the brain, what it can mean to be injured and how to help yourself become all you were meant to be. Drawing from deep threads of wisdom from her family of origin, Buddhism, music, and science, she advocates on behalf of brain health awareness for making the world a better place.

For more review comments see BrainDanceBook.com Cover Credit, art from Duy Huynh of Lark & Key. 

• What goes into making an audiobook? 
• How did audiobooks become so popular? 
• Should authors narrate their own books? 
• What makes a great listening experience?  
• What was it like for Kevin to help "give Brain Dance" her voice?

On June 9, 2022, the Brain Dance audiobook (BDA) becomes available to listeners around the globe thru over 50 retail channels, library platforms, and music streaming services. We are so proud and excited and hope you will listen, learn, laugh, and love it. Here is a sample. 

To purchase BDA, check your favorite bookseller. Here are links to Audible, Audiobooks, and Storytel. 

Background: Brain Dance, is a medical memoir on my journey of recovering from the invisible illness of a moderate concussion, finding second chances, and the wonders of applied neuroscience. Upon release, it became an Amazon bestseller and has since won several awards including "No. 1 Non-Fiction Book of the Year and No. 1 Best True Story/Drama," (IAN),  Gold Medal Awards in the Science books category for two separate competitions -- "IPPY" Book Awards and Readers View Literary Awards Program. In the Nautilus Books Awards ("better books for a better world), it earned a Silver Award in the Memoir category. The cover design has also received more than one award. It features the art of popular North Carolina artist Duy Huynh of Lark & Key 

This podcast was edited by Dan Schiffmacher. Kevin Theis is available at https://www.fortraphael.com/   Phone: 312.479.2378  Got to Brain Dance Book's website to learn more about this book and why it's imp

ortant. Music is "Ballet Mind" developed by composer and singer Abby Lyons for the project. Abby is on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=abby+lyons and Instagram @helloabbylyons

www.newmindmaps.com

New Mind Academy

www.newmindacademy.com

New Mind Youtube

https://youtu.be/QN0Fqhz-1Jg

Regardless of your career path, or lack thereof, you will enjoy this. Scientists aren’t taught how to be leaders. Dr. Jen Heemstra is a chemist, professor, and uncommon leader. Anyone in academia, as well as in business, could learn a great deal from her and her career path. Unpretentious, candid, and passionate about making the world a better place. A human for our times.  Join me, Genius Podcast Host and peak performance coach Diane Wilson for this last interview of 2021. Yes, our 2022 Reflections Planner is done and ready! 

Biography:

Jen Heemstra received her B.S. in Chemistry from the University of California, Irvine, in 2000. At Irvine, she performed undergraduate research investigating the folding of synthetic beta-sheet mimics, which instilled in her a love of supramolecular chemistry. She then moved to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where she completed her Ph.D. in 2005 studying the reactivity of pyridine-functionalized phenylene ethynylene cavitands. After a brief time in industry as a medicinal chemist, she moved to Harvard University to pursue postdoctoral research exploring mechanisms for templated nucleic acid synthesis. Jen began her independent career in 2010 and is currently a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Emory University. Research in the Heemstra lab is focused on harnessing the molecular recognition and self-assembly properties of nucleic acids and proteins for applications in biosensing and bioimaging. In addition to her research, Jen is also actively engaged in science communication, outreach, and advocacy via her social media presence, monthly column in Chemical & Engineering News, and professional development seminars and workshops. Outside of work, Jen enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, as well as rock climbing, cycling, and running.

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Jennifer M. Heemstra (she/her/hers)
Director of Faculty Recruiting and Development

Emory University 

www.heemstralab.com; @jenheemstra (Twitter)

Dr. Lise Deguire and I have one major thing in common — our relationship with our mother was, at best, troubled. Lise’s story goes beyond that to include an unfathomable accident, her body being 65% covered with third-degree burns, and finding and teaching uncommon resilience.  A therapist of 30 years, you will love hearing her story of overcoming tremendous adversity, and of writing her award-winning book called Flashback Girl.  

It’s a powerful conversation that will benefit writers, burn victims, anyone in the global pandemic, or those who have struggled with their relationship with their mother.

Biography:

Dr. Lise Deguire is a clinical psychologist.  After being severely burned in a fire, she spent most of her childhood in the hospital, undergoing countless surgical procedures. She is the multiple award-winning author of a debut book, Flashback Girl: Lessons on Resilience from a Burn Survivor.

Find Dr. Lise Deguire on:

Twitter:  @DrLiseDeguire

Website: https://www.lisedeguire.com

It's Diane Wilson, your host! So excited to share my conversation with Dr. Syed Hoda for The Genius Podcast. You'll love this. It's comforting, connecting, funny and fun. It will make you think and challenge yourself. Thanks, Dr. Hoda for joining me to reflect on life one year later in our global pandemic. 

A year ago, when we first met the distinguished pathologist and professor, Dr. Hoda, he had just finished a special project.  It was in a hospital when New York City was one of the first Covid-19 epicenters. He managed a team of pathologists and students who played a role in connecting families to the critical care team to relieve some pressure during this unimaginable time. It was a very novel role and a stretch for Dr. Hoda that opened up him up in some rather unique ways. 

We will cover many topics related and unrelated to that extraordinary experience. These include:

• The challenge of allowing ourselves to be uncomfortable. 
• How can we sustain our energy and spirit to grow into our best selves when the world is burning around us. 
• How stressful events can ground us to be open rather than fearful and hidden. 
• Pageant waves, social media, Syed's father and son, and Brain Dance.  

A pandemic changes people. The direction of that change can vary a lot. My hope is that this Genius Podcast episode will help inspire positive and authentic change for you.  

Notes:

Dr. Hoda's recurrent mantra for other physicians (or any professional) is "Person 1st, Physician 2nd, Specialist 3rd" as a reminder that the common denominator for any professional is being a person 1st.

Lauren Anders Brown's Documentary mentioned The Shifts Change

Follow Dr. Hoda on Twitter: @01sth02

Follow Dr. Hoda on LinkedIn: Syed T. Hoda, M.D.

Follow Dr. Tabatabai on Twitter: @TheRealDoctorT

It started with wanting to help the world during a crazy time, with being obsessed with people hearing the stories and insights of others, and with finding courage and connection. Reflections on the last year of starting the Genius Podcast, our guests, who is returning, and what else is ahead. Stay tuned for our fall episodes as we work away at them. Feel free to enjoy our previous episodes. Thanks for listening. 

Find Dr. Lagos at: https://drleahlagos.com/

Twitter: @DrLeahLagos

Her best-selling book is called: "Heart Breath Mind" and is available in hardback, softback, and audio. 

www.newmindmaps.com

New Mind Academy

www.newmindacademy.com

New Mind Youtube

https://youtu.be/QN0Fqhz-1Jg

Singer-songwriter Victoria Storm’s songs are an introspective commentary on the classic themes of joy and struggle, loss and success, resentment and release. Her songs always provide good melodies and heartfelt sentiments. She performs at local venues, festivals, and throughout the Midwest, including songs from her 2017 EP release “Hidden.”   Storm is also commissioned to write and record custom songs for special occasions.   As a board-certified music therapist, Storm develops and delivers music therapy services in hospital systems, in her own private practice, and contracts with additional music therapists and educators to further extend her mission of making music accessible. She loves performing “Caring Concerts” for sensitive audiences, giving inspirational keynote concerts, and educational presentations on music therapy.

She is currently creating a new collection of songs coming to streaming services and for purchase soon, and working on her first recoding project with her band Kettlestrings. She is also actively exploring house concerts if any listeners are interested in discussing the possibility of hosting an evening of music in their home/venue.

https://linktr.ee/VictoriaStormMusic www.VSMusicServices.com www.Kettlestrings.com

Misery

https://youtu.be/NdV8pqA7kZE

Nurses’ vigil

https://youtu.be/gGI0jI3srh8

You can check out his work at dimitriostsatiris.com. You can also find him @drdimitrios on Twitter, Instagram, and Clubhouse.

LinkedIn: Meeta Singh MD Twitter: @meetasinghmd Instagram: @athletesleepmd  www.meetasinghmd.com

Between sleep planning and coaching the US Women's National Soccer Team in their travel to the Olympics in Tokyo this week and so much more, I was able to chat with Dr. Meeta Singh for this fascinating episode. For convenience, it will be presented in two parts. With a balance of great stories and evidence-based practices, this podcast will teach and inspire you to make sleep your superpower.

Dr. Meeta Singh, a psychiatrist who coined the phrase “coaching the sleep muscle,” shares her philosophy and growing niche in sleep medicine for elite athletes, teams and C-suite executives. You will learn about the mystery of sleep, what it does for us, why we need to have adequate, deep, and restorative sleep, and what peak performers are doing to enhance it. This is part one of the two-part series. You don’t want to miss this!

Biography: 

Dr Meeta Singh is a sleep doctor whose work and research focuses on “coaching the sleep muscle” to help maximize performance in both individual athletes and sports teams. She also works with C-suite executives to help with jet-lag management and enhancing sleep.

She is the Service Chief of sleep medicine, and medical director at the Henry Ford sleep laboratory in Michigan. She did her training in psychiatry at the Mayo clinic and a sleep fellowship at the Henry Ford hospital. She is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (under the American Board of Medical Specialties) as a psychiatrist and sleep medicine sub-specialist. She is a member in good standing of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine the Sleep Research Society.

She has served as a consultant for multiple NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA teams. She has also worked with college sports teams. As part of this service, Dr. Singh performs athletic sleep assessments with personalized prescriptions for better sleep. She also helps sports teams and athletes with their travel management with a focus on addressing sleep deprivation and jet lag and maximizing athletic performance. Her passion is lecturing and educating teams and athletes about the benefits of sleep on performance. She is also a speaker at national conferences aimed at educating sports leaders and business organizations about this subject.

Linkdin: Meeta Singh MD Twitter: @meetasinghmd Instagram: @athletesleepmd  www.meetasinghmd.com

It’s uplifting to understand and find meaning in the last year. Part II with Kay Foran is a flow for listeners on art, grief, our purpose, and neuroscience. Join us for an easy dialogue as we address a buffet of juicy topics including how a person may grieve during the pandemic * how imposed social isolation may help some overcome loss * work as anesthesia * social awkwardness * how little control we have over life * how to hear and take responsibility for what we are meant to do in our lives * the spiritual aspect of writing and creating art * trusting our capacities versus our credentials for the work we are called to do * the role of gratitude in making sense of the world * what it means to be a true healer * what increasing our awareness of our brain will give us and society * the hope that Brain Dance foster a vocabulary for talking about our brain and lives.

Enjoy. Let it touch your heart, brain, and soul.

Katherine Foran, aka Kay, is a rather extraordinary person. She was a key midwife of the Brain Dance book, especially in its early stages. During that same time, she was also involved in advocating for treatment and caring for her soulmate and husband for many years. He suffered from a rare form of cancer and died just at the start of the pandemic in February 2020.

Kay is currently an editor at the University of Missouri.  A former journalist who worked in Tulsa, Kansas City, and New York City newsrooms moved to the more predictable schedule of the “other side” when her children were young. Since then, she has served in public relations and communication roles for public organizations and nonprofits in the Chicago area and Detroit before moving to Missouri in 2015.

She and her spouse Mark Hinojosa were married for 32 years; he lived seven and a half years fighting multiple myeloma. A beloved professor in the University of Missouri School of Journalism, he taught until just days before his death. They have three grown children whom they raised in Oak Park, Illinois. That’s where Kay first encountered me, her across-the-street neighbor and what she has called "the gifts of our warm friendship — and always actionable and inspiring writing."

I am so grateful for our friendship and all her gifts. I am excited about the next steps in her own life. 

Find her on LinkedIn. 

A long-awaited conversation with a leader in the field of health psychology from Boston, Dr. Sarah Gray. In this episode, you will gain her expertise on health psychology and brain health from the many roles she has in her career including program director, instructor at the Harvard Medical School, researcher, and psychotherapist. She was drawn to this field early on, having come from a family of healers. Dr. Gray collaborated on a team of other experts in a pivotal project called the "U.S. National Impact Report," which studied the emotional impact of COVID-19 and developed a reliable and valid instrument for other researchers to use.

Dr. Gray read Brain Dance in advance of the release, and shares her experience working with patients who have been diagnosed with, or might be experiencing traumatic brain injury or Post-Concussion Syndrome. She also shares her experience working with individuals who have long-lasting brain impairments from COVID-19, many resembling chronic brain injuries.

She also lets us into her more personal passions, sharing about her love for art, and how she sometimes uses art therapy as a means of exploration and reflection.

Biography:

Sarah Gray, Psy.D. is a Harvard Medical School Instructor, and a clinical health psychologist in Boston Area hospitals and at her private practice, Integrative Psychology, PC in Arlington, MA. She provides psychotherapy, behavioral medicine, and biofeedback and neurofeedback to her patients and has a particular area of specialty and interest in treating patients who have experienced the effects of a brain injury. 

Dr. Inna Khazan is a maven in mindfulness, an author of pivotal articles and books on it, and also an advance reader of Brain Dance -- a medical memoir. Mindfulness is a term many people use, but may not truly understand. You will learn from the best, what it is and how to use this superpowerful tool to cope with the stress of our lives today. You'll learn what her day-to-day life is like as a mindfulness expert and; how she even uses the tool with her own kids.  You’ll also hear her reflections on Brain Dance, what it’s like to read it, and what readers will take. away. Tune into this episode for an inspiring conversation.

Biography

Inna Khazan, Ph.D., BCB is a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, where she teaches and supervises trainees. She is a clinical psychologist specializing in health psychology and performance excellence training using biofeedback and mindfulness-based approaches. Dr. Khazan the Boston Center for Health Psychology and Biofeedback founder and works with clients on optimizing their health and performance.

Recognized as a pioneer in mindfulness-based biofeedback, Dr. Khazan is a popular speaker at national and international conferences on the topics of biofeedback and mindfulness. She has conducted biofeedback and mindfulness training for notable institutions in the US and abroad, including the US Navy Special Warfare, US Army Special Forces, and the Stuttgart Opera and Ballet Company.

Dr. Khazan serves as president of the board of directors for the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy (IMP), board member for the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB), and Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA), where she is currently chair-elect.

Dr. Khazan writes for Psychology Today, is the author of numerous journal articles and three books, including the highly-regarded Clinical Handbook of Biofeedback: A Step-by-Step Guide to Training and Practice with Mindfulness, and the popular Biofeedback and Mindfulness in Everyday Life: Practical Solutions for Improving Your Health and Performance.

That's the premise of Sara Connell's work as a writer and coach. She helps other writers who dream of changing the world. This Genius Podcast episode is a conversation between Sara and me, host Diane Wilson, that touches on many topics related to writing, Brain Dance, personal vision, the pandemic, neuroplasticity, and the demons that keep you from fulfilling your true purpose. 

It's filled with insights and tools for life, getting past unthinkable trauma, symptoms of PTSD, how neurofeedback can also save a life, daily routines of peak performers, and doing what you are truly meant to do. 

After getting a supportive response to my medical memoir at the Harvard Medical School Workshop on Writing and Publishing for Health Care Professionals in 2019, I knew I'd need some serious support to help polish the draft and get Brain Dance to a publisher. At the same time, Sara Connell started the Thought Leader Academy to support writers. That all felt like a huge dream. but I was motivated and signed on. Sara and her team have helped me develop the next steps and move my project along to its launch which is coming up on May 11. If you'd like to attend our Brain Dance Book launch event register here for free. 

Grateful for Sara's help and inspiration. Also, if you want to be my guest and attend her upcoming virtual writer's retreat on May 12-14 for free, just send me a note and I'll send more details. diane.g.wilson@gmail.com Enjoy!

Biography:

Sara Connell is a bestselling author and founder of Thought Leader Academy where she helps coaches, writers and entrepreneurs become successful, published authors and in-demand speakers. She has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, The View, FOX Chicago, TEDx, and Katie Couric. Her writing has appeared in: The New York Times, Forbes, Good Housekeeping, and Parenting. Her first book Bringing In Finn was nominated for ELLE magazine Book of the Year.

Gentle, unassuming, and direct, Dr. Linda Girgis was a delight to interview for the latest of our Genius podcasts.  Dr. Girgis, Editor-in-Chief for Physician's Weekly and a media influencer, provided her take on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected healthcare and her own patients, especially as her practice is in the greater New York City area. Topics include: What’s changed over time, what we’re learning, kids and school decisions, and how to use social media for coping, staying informed, and developing life-changing relationships.

While she knows how to speak truth to power, Dr. Linda is also a person who acts in terms of principles of kindness and inclusivity.  With over 104K followers on Twitter, @DrLindaMD, she is still looking out for those who need help and guidance, whether it’s medical students, the homeless, and even an aspiring author/podcast host.  She's concise with a great heart and the episode has lots of her good advice. And, you'll probably want Dr. Linda to be your family physician.  :)

Dr. Salles is a prolific researcher and writer, having had her work published in prominent medical journals such as JAMA Network Open and JAMA Surgery. She also writes for broad audiences through outlets such as USA Today, TIME Magazine, and Scientific American. She is passionate about helping women and under-represented minorities achieve their full potential at work.