The Brain Blown Podcast
Episodes
Neuroscience of Play
26 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us stopped playing long before we realized it — and it turns out, that might be costing us more than we know. In this episode, we're div...
Neuroscience of Movement
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve engineered a life that minimizes effort. Food arrives. Work happens from chairs. Entertainment comes to us. But the brain didn’t evolve for ...
Neuroscience of Sleep
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of us aren’t just tired—we’re worn down. In a world that keeps demanding more attention, more productivity, and more endurance, our nervou...
Neuroscience of Resilience
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Last episode, we dug into how people lose their sense of safety and control when something — or someone — hijacks it.This week, we’re picking up...
Neuroscience of Cults
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you think you’d never be pulled into a cult, that belief itself is part of the danger. In this episode, we explore why the brain is far more infl...
Neuroscience of Leadership
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does neuroscience reveal about great leadership—and why does it matter now more than ever?In this episode, we explore the brain science behind ...
Neuroscience of Teamwork
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Humans are born dependent, slow, and vulnerable—but we’ve survived by working together. In this episode, we explore the neuroscience that makes te...
Neuroscience of Rape
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Most people agree that rape is wrong. But far fewer understand what it actually is—and what it isn’t. In this episode, we confront the myths and m...
Live Training: Regulate and Manage Triggers
07 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a recording of Laine's live presentation - the third part in a multiple-part series on being functional in dysfunctional times. For more i...
Neuroscience of Sex
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As a tribute to this month's episode, we wanted to give a quick shoutout to a local store Laine & I know and love: Smitten Kitten in Minneapol...
Live Training: Managing Anger and Anxiety
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a recording of Laine's live presentation - the third part in a multiple-part series on being functional in dysfunctional times. For more i...
Neuroscience of Appeasement
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you have any topic suggestions for future episodes, don't hesitate to reach out! Send us an email at [email protected]'d love t...
Live Training: Collapse Part 2
27 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a recording of Laine's live presentation -- the second of a 6-part series on taking care of ourselves.For more information on The Brain Bl...
Live Training: Collapse Part 1
29 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a re-recording of Laine's live presentation -- the first of a 6-part series on taking care of ourselves.For more information on The Brain ...
Neuroscience of Love
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been in or been around someone in the "honeymoon phase" of a relationship? That crazy, passionate start where seeing their name pop up o...
Case Study: Distrust & Women's Pain
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why are women’s reports of pain so often dismissed?As it turns out, it’s not just oversight—it’s a failure of trust. In this case study mini-e...
Neuroscience of Hatred
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hate and distrust feel like opposites of love and trust—but they aren’t. At their core, they’re about fear. Fear of being wrong. Fear of being h...
Neuroscience of Trust
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Season 4 of The Brain Blown Podcast! This month's focus: relationships And starting with the root of any relationship: trust Trust sha...
Mini: How to make change, do something
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Closing out season 3, the BBP ends on an explicit note. The best way to move from a state of numbness or avoidance is to do something. Anything. And ...
Mini: How to make change, call-in culture
16 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do make social change feel feasible? Look to sway those who are already with you. In this mini-episode of Brain Blown, we explore the power of ma...
Neuroscience of Social Change
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever felt that knot in your stomach when faced with a new idea that challenges everything you’ve believed? Social change is inevitable, b...
Mini: Belonging beyond human relationships
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ever notice how easy it is to feel connected to someone if they're wearing your team's jersey or a t-shirt of your favorite band? You might t...
Neuroscience of Social Media & Belonging
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Your brain on social media: It's not just addictive, it's transformative. Here's why. In this episode of the Brain Blown Podcast, we'...
Mini: The Power of Influencers
10 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Around the pandemic we saw an explosion of social media influencers - You know, those ads of random internet people (maybe you've seen before) cas...
Mini: How Coca-Cola, Apple & Disney-Pixar Influence Us
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When you hear "Coca-Cola" what's the first thing that comes to mind? Is it their bright red logo? Their lively commercials that appeal t...
Neuroscience of Influence
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder how ads seem to know exactly what you want? Or wonder why you keep seeing the same ad over and over? Turns out, it's all in the game o...
Mini: When Pleasure Becomes Addictive
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Things start becoming addictive when we start chasing the want and not the like. Yes, you want something... but are you enjoying it for the sake of en...
Mini: Pleasure, Partners and Consent
17 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The balance of pleasure and pain is on an ever-swinging scale. (Cause they use the same receptors!) And encouraging others' pleasure enters us ont...
Mini: Dopamine isn't pleasure?
10 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If dopamine isn't pleasure (like we all think it is)... Then what is pleasure? Following our full episode, the Neuroscience of Pleasure, this mini...
Neuroscience of Pleasure
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Pleasure is what drives us to do anything and everything in life. So how does our brain decide what we enjoy? What does too much pleasure look like, a...
Mini: Long-term Decisions (How to Stick to your Goals)
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In January we learned about the Neuroscience of Decision Making, and in this episode, we're taking a closer look at long-term decisions. So... how...
Neuroscience of Decision Making
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From the everyday to the extraordinary, our decisions shape the course of our lives. So how exactly do the choices we make every day, and the people ...
The Green Zone
22 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In light of our focus this season on mental health, we leave you with this tool to help ground your mind, activate your whole brain, and ease your bod...
Neuroscience of Trauma, Part 2
22 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Let's celebrate the holiday season with TWO EXTRA episodes to round out Season 2 of The Brain Blown Podcast! Following Part 1, this last shorter ...
Neuroscience of Trauma, Part 1
25 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Introducing our capstone episode of the season, and arguably one of the most important topics we've discussed to date. As it turns out, trauma is ...
Neuroscience of Sight
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As humans, we prioritize sight more than all other senses. But how does it work? How does our brain take light (and the absence of it) and turn it in...
The Neuroscience of Eating Disorders
27 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you've never had, or never known someone with an eating disorder, you might not feel like this episode applies to you. We promise you, it does,...
Mini Episode: Neuroscience of Taste
13 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A little longer than usual, this mini-episode is a great follow-up to last month's topic on smell! (If you haven't given that one a listen, we...
Neuroscience of Schizophrenia
30 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's easy to assume that the brain functions differently for someone with schizophrenia... but you'll never guess why... And in this month'...
Mini Episode: Neuroscience of Smell
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Covid-19 has had wild effects on our sense of smell and taste... and for some, it completely blocked those senses altogether. So... how do we smell? ...
Neuroscience of Addiction
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes when we can't stop scrolling, we will joke that it's like we are addicted to our phones. Are we? Addiction is so prevalent both in ...
Mini Episode: Neuroscience of Pleasure from Pain
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Endorphins -- a naturally-produced drug your body (and brain) can't get enough of. Legally Blonde fans know what we're talking about. ;) Enjoy...
Neuroscience of Kink
28 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Throughout history, sexuality has been important to the continuation of our species. During this month of pride, we explore when we've turned sexu...
Mini Episode: Neuroscience of Pain
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We all know how it feels to be in pain. But WHERE you experience it may surprise you! In the Neuroscience of Pain, we'll explore how our brains pr...
Neuroscience of Mania
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bipolar Disorder has been listed as one of the leading disorders of the Global Burden of Diseases... Yet the amount of research and funding put toward...
Mini Episode: Neuroscience of Orgasm
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Fitting for this time of year, this mini-episode is all about the birds & the bees... kind of. In the Neuroscience of Orgasm, Laine walks us throu...
Neuroscience of Autism
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever noticed how many more cases of Autism there are in the world today? In 2023, the World Health Organization predicts 1 in 100 people will...
Mini Episode: Neuroscience of Brain Freezes
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We've all experienced it before: enjoying a delicious cold beverage or ice cream cone when suddenly... Gah! Brain freeze! Ever stopped to wonder w...
Neuroscience of ADHD
29 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
ADHD is one of the most common diagnoses for kids, and many adults today claim to have it. But what if we told you we don't know enough about it ...
Mini Episode - Neuroscience of Alcoholic Blackouts
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is a tribute to all who may be inclined to enjoy an extra drink or two this St. Patrick's day - Or for anyone who's enjoyed a night out b...
Neuroscience of Anxiety
22 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Humans can't survive without anxiety... but it's fair to say that living with it is no walk in the park. Whether it's a sudden feeling of unease, fear...
Mini Episode: Neuroscience of Motivation
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you're lacking motivation this time of year - or you're part of the 80% of people who've quit their New Year's Resolution by now - then this mini e...
Neuroscience of Depression
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Depression is the #1 most common mental illness… but why does it feel like there’s still so much we don’t know about it? With a rise in mental h...
Mini Episode: Neuroscience of Phantom Limbs
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As part of Season 2, we're introducing new "mini" episodes that will come out in between the meatier episodes each month. To learn more about what we ...
Neuroscience of Politics
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This season of the Brain Blown Podcast has been duly named "The Neuroscience of Human Connection." And in our final episode of the season, we decided...
Neuroscience of Music
28 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Music fascinates us because it doesn't work in our brains as we expect it to. It can trigger emotions, activate memories sometimes thought as long for...
Neuroscience of Mindfulness, Part 2
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Siegel writes, "We have the possibility of creating a world of compassion and well-being and we have the capacity for mindless violence and destructio...
Neuroscience of Mindfulness, Part 1
27 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mindfulness–is just an overused buzzword, or could it be the key to mastering our brains and living a more connected and fulfilling life? As told by...
Neuroscience of Relationships
29 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Nature versus Nurture… which one has a bigger impact on your brain? In past episodes, we’ve talked a lot about the nature of our brains and how th...
Neuroscience of Racism
25 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In our fifth episode of the Brain Blown Podcast, we introduce you to our most requested topic of the season: the neuroscience of racism. From the kitc...
Neuroscience of Safety
27 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been driving in a car and suddenly heard sirens coming up behind you? Did you notice how quickly your sense of safety changed at that mo...
Neurscience of Empathy, Part 2
30 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you haven't listened to last months' Part 1 we highly suggest you do that first. In Part 2, Laine dives deeper into how empathy and stress go hand ...
Neuroscience of Empathy, Part 1
23 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In an unexpected but well-deserved two-part series, Laine introduces us to the first deep-dive discussion topic of the season: empathy. Humans today a...
The Mappings of Our Brains
26 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re Laine and Cherys, two licensed clinicians here to talk about why our brains do the things they do and how to use our minds to become happier &...