Smooth Brain Society

Smooth Brain Society
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In an attempt to change the way information is presented, we’ll be speaking to researchers, experts, and all round wrinkly brained individuals, making them simplify what they have to say and in turn, hopefully, improving our understanding of a broad range of topics rooted in psychology. Join us as we try to develop ourselves, one brain fold at a time.Instagram: @thesmoothbrainsociety TikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyYoutube: @thesmoothbrainsocietyFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyThreads: @thesmoothbrainsocietyX/twitter: @smoothbrainsochttps://linktr.ee/thesmoothbrainsociety

  1. Aug 26

    #94. The Stories That Make Us Who We Are - Dr Sean Marshall

    We all have a story about who we are. But where does that story come from? In this episode of the Smooth Brain Society, Sahir and Beth sit down with developmental psychologist Dr. Sean Marshall, of the University of Melbourne, to explore narrative identity, which are the stories we build around the experiences that shape our lives. We discuss how narrative identity develops from childhood, how our memories and interpretations of significant events can change over time, and why the meaning we give to our experiences may be linked to mental health and wellbeing. Sean also shares insights from the Growing Memories Project, a longitudinal study exploring how the ways parents talk with their children about the past can influence language, memory and later autobiographical storytelling. So, how much of who we are is contained in the stories we tell about ourselves? In this episode:  🧠 Narrative identity  💭 Autobiographical reasoning  🕰️ Memory and mental time travel  🔄 Turning points and redemption narratives  👨‍👩‍👧 Childhood, parenting and storytelling  ❤️ Narrative identity and mental health Listen now and start thinking about your own life story a little differently. Support the show Support us and reach out! https://smoothbrainsociety.com https://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSociety Instagram: @thesmoothbrainsociety TikTok: @thesmoothbrainsociety Twitter/X:  @SmoothBrainSoc Facebook: @thesmoothbrainsociety Merch and all other links: Linktree email: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

    #94. The Stories That Make Us Who We Are - Dr Sean Marshall

  2. Aug 12

    #93. Can Video Games Predict Cognitive Decline? - Dr. Emre Yavuz

    What if playing a mobile game could help scientists understand how our brains navigate? and potentially identify early signs of Alzhiemer's Disease? In this episode, we sit down with computational neuroscientist Dr Emre Yavuz to explore the fascinating science of spatial navigation and its links to cognitive health. Emre discusses how Sea Hero Quest, a mobile navigation game played by millions of people, has created an enormous dataset for researchers studying how humans find their way around the world. We explore what navigation performance can tell us about cognitive differences, including research looking at Alzheimer's-related risk factors, and why navigation may eventually become a useful behavioural marker for cognitive decline. We also dive into the everyday things that might shape our navigation abilities. How does video gaming relate to navigation? Does relying on GPS actually make us worse at finding our way? What can driving independently at a young age tell us? And why might sleep duration affect navigation differently across men and women? Then things get even more futuristic. Emre talks us through his research using mobile brain imaging to record two people's brains simultaneously while they collaborate in a virtual Minecraft environment. We discuss brain-to-brain synchrony, the role of the prefrontal cortex, social navigation, and what studying two brains at once could reveal about how we interact with other people. Support the show Support us and reach out! https://smoothbrainsociety.com https://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSociety Instagram: @thesmoothbrainsociety TikTok: @thesmoothbrainsociety Twitter/X:  @SmoothBrainSoc Facebook: @thesmoothbrainsociety Merch and all other links: Linktree email: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

    #93. Can Video Games Predict Cognitive Decline? - Dr. Emre Yavuz

  3. Jul 29 ·  Bonus

    Life Updates, Big News & What's Coming Next

    In this short episode, newly titled Dr. Bethany Facer shares insights from her PhD research on Parkinson's disease. Sahir and Bethany also discuss their upcoming podcast series on cross-cultural research funded by the International Association of Cross Cultural Psychology (IACCP). Support the show Support us and reach out! https://smoothbrainsociety.com https://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSociety Instagram: @thesmoothbrainsociety TikTok: @thesmoothbrainsociety Twitter/X:  @SmoothBrainSoc Facebook: @thesmoothbrainsociety Merch and all other links: Linktree email: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

    Life Updates, Big News & What's Coming Next

  4. Jul 15

    #92. The Historian Solving Health Inequities - Dr. Erin Beeston

    We sit down with Dr. Erin Beeston, a Research Associate at the University of Manchester, to discuss her uniquely winding career path. Erin takes us through her journey from history of science and industrial heritage, which includes her PhD on the world's oldest railway station, to her current, impactful work researching health inequalities for the autism community. We dive into what "autism-informed" care actually looks like, why sensory and executive function barriers in healthcare are so significant, and how lived experience shapes her collaborative research approach. Erin also shares insights into her work on Parkinson’s, the importance of co-production in research, and how we might bridge the gap between healthcare systems and the needs of neurodivergent patients. Dr: Erin Beeston: https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/erin-beeston/ Support the show Support us and reach out! https://smoothbrainsociety.com https://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSociety Instagram: @thesmoothbrainsociety TikTok: @thesmoothbrainsociety Twitter/X:  @SmoothBrainSoc Facebook: @thesmoothbrainsociety Merch and all other links: Linktree email: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

    #92. The Historian Solving Health Inequities - Dr. Erin Beeston

  5. Jun 25

    #91. Understanding Health Inequalitites: From Police & Veterans to Ethinic Minorities - Dr. Patsy Irizar

    Do police officers drink more than the general population? How does racial discrimination affect mental health? And what can large-scale data tell us about health inequalities? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Patsy Irizar from Liverpool John Moores University to explore two seemingly different but deeply connected areas of research: alcohol use and mental health in the police and military, and the impact of racial discrimination on psychological wellbeing. Dr. Irizar shares her journey, discussing her groundbreaking PhD work examining alcohol use among UK police officers and the culture surrounding drinking in policing. We unpack findings from a dataset of 40,000 officers, challenge stereotypes about the “hard-drinking cop,” and explore the complex relationship between alcohol and mental health. The conversation then turns to health inequalities, where Patsy explains how the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted long-standing racial disparities in health outcomes. We discuss how discrimination can become biologically and psychologically embedded, why social determinants matter, and what researchers are learning from the largest survey of minoritized ethnic groups conducted in the UK. Along the way, we talk about:  Why people use alcohol to cope with mental health difficulties  The changing drinking culture within UK policing  The “sick quitter” hypothesis  Trauma, occupational stress, and mental health  COVID-19 and ethnic health inequalities  Structural and institutional racism  How discrimination affects mental health over time  Improving mental health services and treatment pathways  The role of research in creating meaningful social change Whether you're interested in psychology, public health, policing, addiction research, or social inequality, this episode offers a fascinating look at how our environments shape mental health. Support the show Support us and reach out! https://smoothbrainsociety.com https://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSociety Instagram: @thesmoothbrainsociety TikTok: @thesmoothbrainsociety Twitter/X:  @SmoothBrainSoc Facebook: @thesmoothbrainsociety Merch and all other links: Linktree email: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

    #91. Understanding Health Inequalitites: From Police & Veterans to Ethinic Minorities - Dr. Patsy Irizar

  6. Jun 11

    #90. Why Toddlers Can't Help Themselves (Yet) - Dr. Abigail Fiske

    What happens inside a child's brain when they're told not to touch something… and immediately reach for it anyway? In this episode we sit down with developmental neuroscientist Dr. Abigail Fiske from Lancaster University to explore how self-control develops in infancy and early childhood. Dr. Fisk studies executive functions, which are the mental skills that help us focus, regulate behaviour, and resist impulses. Using child friendly brain-imaging technology (FNIRS) and longitudinal research, she follows children from infancy through early childhood to understand how these critical abilities emerge and develop. We discuss: Why toddlers struggle with self-controlWhat executive functions actually areHow inhibitory control develops in the brainMeasuring brain activity in babies using non-invasive neuroimagingThe role of the prefrontal cortex in early developmentLessons from the classroom that inspired Dr. Fisk's research careerWhy the first five years of life are so importantEarly intervention, education, and the future of child development researchWhether you're a parent, educator, psychology enthusiast, or simply curious about how the brain develops, this conversation offers fascinating insights into the science behind self-control and learning. Support the show Support us and reach out! https://smoothbrainsociety.com https://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSociety Instagram: @thesmoothbrainsociety TikTok: @thesmoothbrainsociety Twitter/X:  @SmoothBrainSoc Facebook: @thesmoothbrainsociety Merch and all other links: Linktree email: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

    #90. Why Toddlers Can't Help Themselves (Yet) - Dr. Abigail Fiske

  7. May 28

    #89. Neuroscientists Answer Your Questions: Trauma, AI, Alcohol, Hot Dogs & Dark Neuroscience

    In this special audience Q&A episode of The Smooth Brain Society, hosts Dr. Sahir Hussain and (soon to be Dr.) Beth Facer answer your most thoughtful, chaotic, philosophical, and occasionally cursed questions. From the darkest stories in neuroscience history to whether trauma is really “stored in the body,” Beth and Sahir dive into mental health, AI, addiction, academia, policy, stress, and the strange realities of working in science.  Plus: the podcast finally tackles one of humanity’s greatest debates… is a hot dog a sandwich? Topics discussed include: The darkest neuroscience experiments in historyTrauma, stress, and the bodyAI’s future impact on child development and human connectionAlcohol & mental healthCulture and public health policyThe realities of working in academic researchEpigenetics and family planningResearch papers Beth & Sahir wish they’d worked on themselvesAnd, of course, hot dog discourse.Thank you to everyone who sent in questions for this episode! we loved making this one. Follow The Smooth Brain Society  on our social media platforms for future Q&As, episode updates, and science content from Beth and Sahir. Support the show Support us and reach out! https://smoothbrainsociety.com https://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSociety Instagram: @thesmoothbrainsociety TikTok: @thesmoothbrainsociety Twitter/X:  @SmoothBrainSoc Facebook: @thesmoothbrainsociety Merch and all other links: Linktree email: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

    #89. Neuroscientists Answer Your Questions: Trauma, AI, Alcohol, Hot Dogs & Dark Neuroscience

  8. May 14

    #88. Eating Disorders Beyond Western Stereotypes - Dr Bailey Rose

    Dr. Bailey Rose (Ngāti Maniapoto), Clinical Psychologist at Ora Toa Mauriora, New Zealand, joins us for a conversation on eating disorders, culture, identity, and mental health care. We explore how eating disorders are often misunderstood through a narrow Western lens, and why that can leave Māori and other underserved communities unseen, misdiagnosed, or excluded from support systems. Bailey shares insights from both her clinical work and research, discussing the cultural meaning of food, barriers to care, stigma, social media pressures, and the limitations of relying too heavily on measures like BMI. The episode also dives into:  Māori perspectives on food, care, and wellbeing  How culture shapes experiences of eating disorders  Emotional regulation, shame, and relationships with food  Misconceptions around who “gets” eating disorders  The impact of beauty standards and social media  Ozempic and the growing conversation around weight-loss medications  Why culturally responsive mental health care matters  Support the show Support us and reach out! https://smoothbrainsociety.com https://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSociety Instagram: @thesmoothbrainsociety TikTok: @thesmoothbrainsociety Twitter/X:  @SmoothBrainSoc Facebook: @thesmoothbrainsociety Merch and all other links: Linktree email: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

    #88. Eating Disorders Beyond Western Stereotypes - Dr Bailey Rose
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About

In an attempt to change the way information is presented, we’ll be speaking to researchers, experts, and all round wrinkly brained individuals, making them simplify what they have to say and in turn, hopefully, improving our understanding of a broad range of topics rooted in psychology. Join us as we try to develop ourselves, one brain fold at a time.Instagram: @thesmoothbrainsociety TikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyYoutube: @thesmoothbrainsocietyFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyThreads: @thesmoothbrainsocietyX/twitter: @smoothbrainsochttps://linktr.ee/thesmoothbrainsociety

Information

  • Creator
    Smooth Brain Society
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    103
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Smooth Brain Society
  • Show Website
    Smooth Brain Society

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