Writing to Find Ourselves & Each Other She helped with my first book and then we lost touch. She thought we were no longer friends since when she did see me, I seemed distant and disengaged. Years later, she read a draft of my new manuscript and realized what happened. Such began a journey of writing that revealed both secrets and truths and birthed a book called Brain Dance. So often we can make assumptions about what people are feeling or thinking but our assumptions may be wrong. This is especially true when that person has gone through a life-altering experience like brain trauma, an invisible injury. This is an episode about friendship, invisible injury, assumptions, art, creating, co-creating, and meeting life on life's terms. This conversation is the first in a two-part interview for the Genius Podcast series.  This one focuses on: What does it take to be truly helpful to another’s creative process? How do we help another dig into her own story and find the courage, structure, and words to tell it? Who gets to do this work of being a book editor or even midwife? And, who decides? What does it mean to help another writer when your own life is consumed by the unthinkable? How do we accept the gift of a brilliant friend's expertise given freely? Katherine Foran, aka Kay, is a rather extraordinary person. She was a key midwife of Brain Dance, 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, she 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. Be sure to also tune in for the second of this two-part series, it will focus on life grieving during the pandemic. Find her on LinkedIn.

A conversation for writers, women, men, and anyone going through a career/life transition. Dove Wilson interviews Dr. Djenane Nakhle on the writing and journey of her debut book called "Finding Home: From Cairo to New York." An inspiring story of Dr. Nakhle's life on four continents with struggles, resilence and achievement. Djenane Nakhle is an Egyptian-born, Lebanese-American psychologist. Due to a political and economic upheaval in her birth country, she lived in Switzerland, Lebanon, and France before immigrating to the United States, making Manhattan her home and professional address. A licensed psychologist in New York and Connecticut with nearly thirty years of experience, Dr. Nakhle has, in addition to her private practice, served as the Director of Therapeutics at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center (CPMC) for five years and taught a Graduate seminar, “Trauma: Theoretical and Clinical Perspectives,” at New York University. ​Dr. Nakhle’s clinical focus includes anxiety, interpersonal relationships, and learning differences. She strives to use her clinical expertise and broad experience in a supportive and collaborative approach to help others achieve their goals.

Join us for a return of the "Genius Podcast: Sciencing Your Human Potential" with a special interview between host Dove (Diane) Wilson and forensic pathologist, professor and leader Nicole Jackson, MD. This conversation will uniquely benefit a wide range of people -- developing leaders, minorities, people suffering career surprises, those struggling with sleep, social media users, medical students, residents, and adults in general. Learn about the life of a determined, talented young woman who had lost a parent as child, developed some fascinating sleep patterns -- some she is still making sense of -- and has pivoted to make contributions that truly matter.

It can happen to anyone. We can plan our lives so carefully some times and then the unthinkable happens. A teaser from an upcoming episode of "The Genius Podcast: Sciencing Our Human Potential." Join us! Dr. Jackson will be a featured guest in Episode 17 Called "Death, Life, Sleep and Dreams" to be released on Tuesday, May 14 on Youtube.com Spotify and all major podcast platforms. Interviewed by coach Dove Wilson of Great Sleep and Other Superpowers at www.Grimardwilson.com and www.greatsleep.life

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. 

You may recognize his voice. This is an informative, light, and sometimes humorous conversation between two people who just finished a big project together. Join me, host Diane Wilson, for this edition of the "Genius Podcast" with Kevin Theis. Kevin's a Chicago actor, and teacher who's narrated more than 300 audiobooks and helped dozens of authors record their own books.   It will give Brain Dance readers, authors, audiobook listeners, and those new to audiobooks insights on:   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

First, his friend asked him how relaxed he was.  “Very relaxed.” Famous words, now, in retrospect.    A classmate in graduate school asked Richard Soutar if he’d like to try out some new equipment he came across that could read his brain waves. Up for trying new things, Richard let him put the sensors on his scalp. The data revealed he was anything but relaxed. Well, he did have 3 young kids and a wife on a graduate student’s budget and was trying to finish his dissertation.  Okay, this made sense.  After a session to train his brain waves to reduce his overall anxiety, he experienced a life-changing shift. Thus began the career passion of applied neuroscientist, Dr. Richard Soutar. He is now considered a pioneer in the field of neurofeedback and inventor/producer of some of the leading software and hardware. Join us to learn about Dr. Soutar’s life and work and why giving up his clinical work in the last few years is helping him fulfill his passion even more. Biography: A pioneer in the field of neurofeedback, Dr. Richard Soutar has published Five books on the topic of neurofeedback as well as a number of invited chapters and research papers and conducted workshops at conferences and clinics in the U.S and Europe. As a former professor of psychology and sociology, he has taught at both the undergraduate and the graduate level as well as being a clinician, director, and business administrator of various clinics around the country. He developed the first internet training course for neurofeedback certified by the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA) and has been a BCIA mentor for over 15 years.  He has served as Secretary and President of the Neurofeedback Division of the Association of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB). He is Director of Research and Development for New Mind Technologies where he is developing equipment, brain mapping databases, and assessment instruments and software programs for neurofeedback clinicians. New Mind Database System www.newmindmaps.com New Mind Academy www.newmindacademy.com New Mind Youtube https://youtu.be/QN0Fqhz-1Jg

This is from an article for tomorrow on Valentines' Day. Many people struggle with it and I've got some ideas to help. This is also an audio clip from my production manager and me to see if I am the right person to narrate "Brain Dance." Would you like to listen to this person read a book to you? Please let us know. <3 

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. ------------------------------------------------ Jennifer M. Heemstra (she/her/hers) Director of Faculty Recruiting and Development Emory University  www.heemstralab.com; @jenheemstra (Twitter)