Posts

Have you ever wondered when creating distance from a parent becomes an act of protection rather than abandonment? Or why stepping back can bring both a deep sense of calm and a quiet ache that lingers beneath the surface? This emotional crossroads is not only psychological. It is profoundly neurological.

Have you ever walked into your family home for the holidays and felt yourself slipping back into old patterns—people-pleasing, shutting down, overreacting—even when you thought you’d grown past them? It’s not just psychological—it’s neurological.

Is return to office really about “culture”—or is it quietly draining families, energy, and trust?

Have you ever noticed that when things finally start going well, your brain hits the panic button? When life settles down, when rest becomes available, or when joy shows up—suddenly, you're waiting for the other shoe to drop.

You think you're staying together for the kids. But are they truly safe—or just absorbing tension they can't name?

Have you ever opened your phone "just to check something" and found yourself 45 minutes deep in a rage-scroll you never intended? You're not losing willpower—your brain is being hijacked.

In this week's episode of The Dr. Leaf Show, I break down the neuroscience behind parental mental load—and why your brain has been trained to expect pressure instead of peace.

Have you ever noticed how a single political post can send your heart racing? How you can't seem to stop scrolling through news feeds, even when it makes you feel worse? You're not losing your mind. Your brain is doing exactly what it's been trained to do.

In this episode, I sit down with entrepreneur and philanthropist Mark Pentecost, founder of It Works! and author of Life of Your Dreams. Mark went from high school teacher and coach to building a global business—and now teaches others how to “train” vision like a muscle.

We talk about breakups all the time—but rarely about the pain of losing a close friend. Yet, the grief can feel even heavier. Why? Because friendships are coded deep into your brain’s identity systems.

Brain fog, anxiety, and mental decline are often treated like inevitable parts of aging. But what if that narrative is wrong? In this episode, I’m joined by Harvard-trained physician and NAD expert Dr. Andrew Salzman to explore the science of brain aging—and why your brain’s “fuel supply” matters more than you think.

Parenting today feels like living in a state of constant alert—climate headlines, tech dangers, school safety, mental health worries. But what if your chronic fear is changing your brain and sabotaging your ability to parent with presence?