In this episode of the TiLT Parenting Podcast, I’m bringing you an important conversation about social isolation and differently wired kids during the Covid-19 pandemic. My guest is Dr. Nicole Tetreault, a neuroscientist and author with a special interest in neurodiversity, neurodevelopment, creativity, mental health, and wellness. Through her blog Awesome Neuroscience, Nicole translates the best insights from neuroscience and positive psychology to help people live their best life. Her forthcoming book, Insight into a Bright Mind, explores groundbreaking research examining the experiences of unique, creative, and intense brains.
I wanted to bring Nicole on to the podcast because I’m hearing the concerns of so many parents about what this unprecedented and sudden onset of social distancing means for our kids. In our conversation, we talk about what happens to the brain as a result of prolonged stress and trauma, why trauma might manifest itself in different behaviors, how parents can help their children experience calm and connection during this time, and more.
About Dr. Tetreault: Nicole Tetreault, Ph. D., is a neuroscientist, author, meditation teacher, and international speaker on topics of neurodiversity, neurodevelopment, creativity, mental health, and wellness. Dr. Tetreault received her PhD from Caltech specializing in neurodevelopment and neurodegenerative disorders. As the founder of Awesome Neuroscience, she translates the most promising neuroscience and positive psychology for people to live their best life. Dr. Tetreault has authored numerous academic papers on intelligence, autism, brain evolution, neuroinflammation, and behavior. As a Milton Career Exploration Prize recipient from Caltech, Dr. Tetreault is creating Beyond the Cell, a transformative program to rehabilitate incarcerated women through teaching guided meditation, neuroscience, literature, and expressive writing. Her forthcoming book, Insight into a Bright Mind, explores groundbreaking research examining the experiences of unique, creative, and intense brains through interviews, storytelling, and literary science, while advocating for new directions of human and neurodiversity.
THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:
- Nicole’s personal story and her work’s focus
- The different reactions we might be seeing in our atypical kids to this pandemic
- How chronic stress and trauma can manifest in behaviors and actions
- How we can better identify when our child is experiencing stress
- What to know about situational depression
- How we can help calm their nervous system response
- What happens to the brain as a result of social isolation and how you can help your child foster social connection while staying safe at home
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
- Cultivating Calm Amidst a Storm (blog post)
Do you have an idea for an upcoming episode? We’d LOVE to hear from you. Please share your thoughts in our Suggestion Box!
And if you have any other feedback or thoughts you’d like to share, feel free to leave a comment below or send us a note directly through our Connect form.
If you liked this episode and know of others who would find value in the information, please use the social media share buttons below to help spread the word.
Lastly, if you are so willing, I encourage you to leave an honest review for the TiLT Parenting Podcast over on iTunes. Reviews are very important for helping podcasts find their audiences, and we would love your support in helping us find ours!
To subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode, you can do so on iTunes here and SoundCloud here.
