Life Brain Training

Sometimes in life your path crosses with someone who you click with. A couple of months ago, I got talking (well emailing really) with Melbourne Psychologist Dean Smith about how he has been intergrating NeurOptimal® in his psychology practice for over 15 years. It confirmed with me, my belief that sometimes healing comes from more than talking.

I wrote an article about it, if you have time check it out. The link is below:
Sometimes in life your path crosses with someone who you click with. A couple of months ago, I got talking (well emailing really) with Dean Smith about how he has been intergrating NeurOptimal® in his psychology practice in Melbourne for over 15 years. It confirmed with me, my belief that sometimes healing comes from more than talking.

I wrote an article about it, I would love to know what you think? The link is below:

When Therapy Isn’t Enough: A Conversation About Neurofeedback, Trauma and the Nervous System With psychologist Dean Smith & Carlie ByromThere’s a growing conversation happening in mental health care — one that recognises healing isn’t always just about talking through problems.For many people living with stress, trauma, anxiety, overwhelm or nervous system dysregulation, insight alone...

I had such a wonderful time this week chatting with Madeleine Steel from EPIC – Empowering Parents in Crisis.

We explored why the nervous system is such an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to mental health, especially for our young people.

So often we focus on thoughts and behaviours, but underneath those can be a nervous system that's been working overtime just trying to keep someone safe. When we understand what's happening in the body, so much starts to make sense.

We talked about:
✨ Why understanding the nervous system can change the way we support mental health.
✨ How parents and carers can better understand what their child might be experiencing.
✨ Why feeling safe is often the foundation for lasting change.

I always enjoy conversations that leave me thinking, and this one certainly did. Thank you, Madeleine, for creating such a welcoming space and for the incredible work you're doing to support families.

I'd love to hear what resonated most with you after you've had a listen!

🎧Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/6tMIl1IQUX8H1Ion1qkobZ?si=N47SgPECQD-cNyxR41gWRw
🎧EPIC website - https://www.empoweringparentsincrisis.com/epic-conversations-podcast/carlie-byrom

EPIC Conversations Podcast with Carlie Byrom In this conversation, Madeleine talks with Carlie Byrom, founder of Life Brain Training, about her family's journey through emotional dysregulation, discovering neurofeedback as a tool for nervous system regulation, and why parents need to look beneath behaviour to understand what's really going on.

Behind the scenes...

Today I was updating some pages on my website and found myself writing this sentence:

"Life doesn't slow down just because your nervous system needs support."

And then I stopped.

Because the more I thought about it, the more I realised that for many of us, life doesn't just stay the same when our nervous system is struggling... it actually feels harder.

The dishwasher breaks.

The school calls.

The dog gets sick.

The bills arrive.

The traffic is terrible.

The kids are arguing.

None of those things are unusual.

But when our nervous system is already stretched, everyday life can suddenly feel overwhelming.

What I've come to believe is that it's not always about making life easier.

Sometimes it's about creating more capacity to meet life as it is.

The dishwasher may still break.

The traffic will probably still be terrible.

But with more capacity, those things don't have to take us down with them.

Anyway... back to website editing. 😊

I'd love to know...

Have you ever noticed a time in your life where the exact same circumstances felt easier simply because you were coping better?

Capability and capacity are not the same thing.

A Tupperware container can hold water.
A wine glass can too.

Both are capable.

But one creates a very different experience.

One is purely about getting through.
The other has space, steadiness and even a little elegance.

I think alot of people are functioning like Tupperware containers right now.

Still showing up.
Still carrying everything.
Still technically coping.

But without much room left to actually enjoy life while they’re holding it.

That’s why I talk so much about nervous system capacity.

Because sometimes the goal isn’t becoming *more capable*…
it’s creating enough internal space that life no longer feels like something you’re just trying to survive.

Life will still be life-y.

But maybe it can feel a little less like barely holding everything together.

In a 30 minute Nervous System Reset session today, I asked a client to think about one small thing she could add into her daily routine that was just for her.

Not for the kids.
Not for work.
Not for everyone else.

Just for her nervous system.

We came up with the idea of keeping a beautifully smelling hand cream in the car to use after finishing her shift - a tiny ritual to signal : “you matter too”

My version of this? Lip gloss😘 (see photo)

It sounds so simple, but little sensory cues like this can help create moments of pause, presence and care in the middle of our busy lives.

Do you have something in your car that feels like a little “this is for me” moment?

If not, what could you add?

Sometimes healing isn’t dramatic.
Sometimes it’s simply having more capacity for everyday life.

Many people living in survival mode don’t even realise it.

They just know they:
• feel constantly “on”
• struggle to truly relax
• feel exhausted but wired
• overreact to small things
• can’t switch their brain off
• feel emotionally flat or disconnected

One of the people who completely changed the conversation around this is Bessel van der Kolk and his work around trauma, stress and the body.

I wrote a new blog unpacking some of these ideas in a gentle, practical and relatable way because I think so many people silently carry this every day.

If you’ve ever wondered:
“Why do I react like this?”
this might resonate 💜

Link to Blog 👇

The Body Keeps the Score: What Bessle van der Kolk Teaches Us About Trauma, the Nervous System and Neurofeedback About a month ago, I attended the live Sydney workshop with trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score.It was a full day immersed in conversations about trauma, PTSD, the nervous system and healing.But one statement in particular has stayed with me ever since.Dr Bessel van...

Many people don’t realise they may be living in a constant state of nervous system overwhelm until exhaustion, emotional reactivity and feeling “switched on” become their normal.

We’ve shared a new blog exploring some common signs the nervous system may be stuck in survival mode and gentle approaches to support.

💜Read more here:

https://www.lifebraintraining.com.au/post/nervous-system-overwhlem-stuck-in-survival-mode