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thebraincoach, Vancouver, BC (2026)

03/12/2026

An emotion-driven thought often comes up quickly when we are hurt, afraid, or overwhelmed. In those moments, the brain tries to make sense of what happened using past experiences and protective habits. This can lead to patterns such as self-blame, assuming the worst, or believing that a situation says something negative about our worth. These reactions are the brain attempting to protect us from further pain. But when we take these thoughts as absolute truth, they can leave us feeling stuck and consumed by the emotion that triggered them

A helpful perspective emerges when we pause and look at the situation with a bit more distance. Instead of reacting only through the lens of the initial emotion, we consider alternative explanations, broader context, and what is actually within our control. A helpful perspective does not dismiss the emotion or pretend the situation is easy. Instead, it allows the feeling to exist while interpreting the experience in a way that is more balanced and grounded in reality.

Understanding this difference is important because it gives us a practical way to respond to difficult moments. When we recognize that a thought is being shaped strongly by emotion, we can step back and ask whether there might be another way to view the situation.

This process (often called cognitive reframing in psychology) helps us lessen the intensity of our automatic reactions. Over time, this builds self-trust and helps us respond to life’s challenges in ways that strengthen our mental health

Take care of your mind and body. Love, Nawal ♥️

03/08/2026

I am in awe of every single one of you. I am especially thinking of the women living through war, protecting their families and children while carrying more than anyone should have to. Your strength is extraordinary, and you deserve so much more from this world

Happy international women’s day ♥️

Love,
Nawal

03/03/2026

When you’re feeling down, it’s important to remember that your brain can play tricks on you ( also known as cognitive distortions)

During these times, the parts of your brain that handle emotions, such as the amygdala, can become more active and make your feelings seem much stronger and more negative. Meanwhile, the part of your brain that helps you think rationally and stay in control (the prefrontal cortex) might not be as effective in keeping those negative emotions in check. This can lead to a distorted view of yourself, making you see yourself in a harsher light than you deserve

The same also applies to how you see others and perceive situations. So, when you’re in a low mood, try not to trust those negative thoughts too much, because they might not be reflecting the true picture. Instead, challenge the thought by asking questions such as:

• “What evidence do I have that this thought is true?”
• “Am I catastrophizing?”
• “Is there an alternative explanation for what happened?”
• “What do I really want to happen here?”

Take care of your mind and body. Love, Nawal ♥️

03/01/2026

If you find yourself procrastinating often, I’ve created this guide for you. I’ve shared the some common ways we procrastinate, why we do it, and a way to overcome it

I hope you find it helpful! Also please consider any information I share as a guide. Sometimes the things I recommend may not work for you because of individual differences and circumstances.

Take care of your mind and body
Love, Nawal ♥️

02/26/2026

When you stay in your head, especially about something that feels important or scary, your brain thinks it’s being productive. It feels safer to analyze, plan, replay, prepare. But a lot of that thinking is rumination (aka repetitive, abstract problem-focused thinking that doesn’t move you forward. Research shows rumination is strongly linked to anxiety and depression because it keeps your nervous system in a low-grade threat state without resolving anything (Nolen-Hoeksema et al., 2008).

Overthinking often reduces anxiety in the short term. If starting feels risky (maybe you could fail, be judged, or not do it perfectly) staying in your head protects you from that discomfort. This is known as ‘experiential avoidance’. You avoid the feeling by avoiding the action. It works temporarily. But long term, nothing changes. And when nothing changes, your mood drops. Then you think more.

When you’re stuck in loops about yourself (your future, your mistakes, your “what ifs”) you’re activating the brain’s the default mode network (DMN) which is tied to self-referential thinking. In people who ruminate a lot, this network tends to be more active and less regulated (Hamilton et al., 2011). So your brain literally defaults to thinking about you and your problems instead of engaging with the world.

Taking action shifts these networks. When you take even a small step forward, you activate more goal-directed parts of your brain (especially the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) which helps with planning and ex*****on. This also updates your reward system because when you complete something, it releases dopamine and when you remain consistent with it, you start to build self-trust (self-efficacy). This is why behavioral activation works so well for depression - doing comes before feeling better, not after.

So yeah, just start. Take it step by step instead of magnifying the goal into this huge impossible task. You can do it 🫶🏽

Sending lots of love your way,
Nawal

02/23/2026

This is the psychology behind procrastination. Most of the time, you’re not avoiding the task. you’re avoiding how the task makes you feel (stress, overwhelm, boredom, fear of messing up). So regulating those emotions is key.

Here’s how to do that in simple terms:
• Make the task smaller: Your brain freaks out when something feels big or vague. Don’t tell yourself “I need to finish this.” Tell yourself “I’ll work on it for 5 minutes” or “I’ll open the document.” Small starts feel doable and reduce overwhelm

• Lower the pressure: you don’t need to do it perfectly. just start messy. Perfection creates anxiety. “Good enough for now” creates movement

• Change your body state: Take one slow breath. Drop your shoulders. Unclench your jaw. Even tiny physical shifts tell your brain you’re safe, which makes starting easier

• Pair it with something pleasant: Music, tea, sitting in a comfy spot. give your brain a small reward while you work so it doesn’t feel like punishment

Talk to yourself with compassion : Instead of “I’m so lazy,” try “This feels hard, but I can take one step.” Your inner tone matters more than you think

February is Psychology Month, and I’ve teamed up with (where I also work as a neuropsychologist) to share evidence-based tools around psychological wellness (including motivation and procrastination) with the hope of helping you build a happier, healthier life.

Take care of your mind and body. Love, Nawal ♥️

02/22/2026

A day well spent, for me, looks like mixing work with a little bit of everything else I care about: movement, self-care, cooking, time with loved ones, and ending the day with a movie that actually aligns with my values.

On WFH days, this feels much easier. On hospital days (Monday to Wednesday, 8–4), it’s harder to balance things out. Some evenings I order food. Some days I skip cardio. Sometimes the only thing I have energy for is changing into comfy clothes and sitting quietly for a few minutes. And I think that’s okay. Balance doesn’t have to look perfect every day. I’m learning to meet myself where I’m at instead of holding myself to unrealistic standards. Some days are productive and energized. Other days are slower and softer. Both count.

I just wanted to invite you into a small part of my life today. If you’re new here, hi :) my name is Nawal. I’m 32. I work as a neuropsychologist and content creator. I care deeply about self-care, living by our values, feeling confident in who we are, and building a life that actually feels good to live.

Wherever you are today, I hope you took some time to care for your mind and body (even if that just looked like taking a deep breath or giving yourself permission to rest)

Love,�Nawal♥️

02/19/2026

steady > rushed

♥️

02/17/2026

Hurry sickness is what happens when your mind acts like everything is urgent, all the time. You wake up already behind. Your thoughts move faster than your body. Rest feels uncomfortable. Small delays make you irritated. And somewhere along the way, your worth starts getting tied to how much you get done (PS. this isn’t a clinical diagnosis, it is just a term to describe a behavior)

There is no finish line. There will always be another task, another goal, another thing to handle. If you wait until everything is done to relax, you’ll be waiting forever

So your body and mind to slow down. Allow yourself to take breaks. Eat a meal without multitasking. Stop rushing everywhere

Love, Nawal ♥️

02/10/2026

Before you say ‘both sides are boundaries’, I invite you to hear me out. A boundary is about communicating your needs and limits in a way that prioritizes your well-being. On the other hand, statements that attempt to dictate what someone else should or shouldn’t do can be ineffective, as they shift the focus away from your own agency and onto controlling the other person’s actions “Stop asking me personal questions” or “Don’t call me when I’m at work” are framed as commands. While they may seem clear, they place the responsibility for change on the other person, which often leads to defensiveness

People don’t like feeling controlled, and these statements come across as attempts to dictate their behavior. This approach makes it harder to maintain a respectful relationship dynamic

In contrast, boundaries that focus on your actions and choices are far more effective. So, instead of saying,
“Stop asking me personal questions,” you could say, “I’m not ready to talk about this yet, it’s too personal.” This statement shifts the focus to your own feelings and needs. Similarly, “I can’t answer your calls during work hours because I lose focus” is much more effective than “Don’t call me when I’m at work.” These statements clarify what you will or won’t do, rather than telling the other person what they must do. This approach feels less like a demand and more like an expression of self-respect, which increases the likelihood that others will respect it too

If you’re not particularly concerned about the relationship, then sure, you might use statements like the ones on the left. Plus, some people take politeness for granted and need to be communicated with more harshly so these statements may be better. If you do care about the relationship or want to be mindful of the other person’s feelings, it doesn’t take much more effort to communicate your boundary in a kinder, more respectful tone. This approach still gets your message across, but it also lowers the chances of backlash or misunderstanding

Reposting this older post because we can all use a reminder on boundaries every now and then 😌

Take care of your mind and body. Love, Nawal ♥️

thebraincoach

03/12/2026

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