Episode #207 marks a moment of deep gratitude and reflection. In this special episode, I look back on the journey that shaped Thriving Minds from the early days of questioning how the brain works, through decades of neuroscience, to the new era we are stepping into together.

This episode explores how early life experiences shape the nervous system, why connection is a biological regulator, and how compassion, presence and daily habits drive real neuroplastic change and where AI and digital technologies will transform how we detect anxiety, personalise support, and understand the social brain, while reminding us that healing will always come from human connection.

We close the episode with the key takeaways from 2025—lessons to carry forward:

• Connection is medicine. Our brains regulate each other; synchrony is measurable and essential.
• Healing is relational. Being seen, understood and met with compassion changes the brain.
• Neuroplasticity is always possible. Small, consistent actions reshape circuits across the lifespan.
• ACEs matter, but they are not destiny. With awareness and support, resilience can be built at any age.
• Digital life must be redesigned for wellbeing. AI can enhance support—but human presence is irreplaceable.
• We are each other’s environment. The communities we build shape the next three generations.

A hopeful, science-grounded blueprint for anyone seeking resilience, clarity and a future built on seeing and supporting one another as we close out 2025.

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Subscribe and support the podcast at
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Learn more at www.profselenabartlett.com

2025 has felt like a turning point.

Across this year’s Thriving Minds conversations—from brain health and dementia, to stress, team flow, near-death experiences, and the “neuroscience of two”—one message keeps rising to the surface:

We are only just beginning to understand how powerful we are for each other’s brains.

In this special reflection episode, I explore what we learned in 2025 and where Thriving Minds is heading next, at the intersection of neuroscience, healing, neuroplasticity and community.

We dive into the major shifts reshaping neuroscience today:
• The move from snapshots to living, dynamic brains, made possible by new imaging and genomic tools.
• The neuroscience of two (and many) with insights from Dr Joy Hirsch on interbrain synchrony and why being in the same room matters.
• Bioelectricity, fields and consciousness, inspired by conversations with Dr Bruce Greyson on near-death experiences.
• A “middle way” that unites rigorous science with lived experience, trauma, recovery and human stories.

We discuss how healing is changing—from a symptom-focused view to a relational, systemic model—where early life experiences shape the nervous system, and being truly seen becomes a biological event that calms and connects the brain.

We revisit practical lessons in neuroplasticity and resilience: small daily actions that build new habits, strategies that strengthen the prefrontal cortex, and a shift from deficits to capacity—especially important in ageing, dementia and mental health.

And we explore the powerful truth revealed again and again this year:
Community is part of our neurobiology.
Humans regulate each other. Team flow, synchrony, compassion and presence activate brain networks that cannot be accessed alone or online.

Finally, we look ahead to the future of Thriving Minds:
bringing connection neuroscience into real-world settings, designing homes, schools and workplaces aligned with what we now know about the brain, and continuing to build a bridge between science and lived experience.

If these ideas resonate, subscribe to the Thriving Minds podcast and join the growing community working toward a more hopeful, brain-wise future.

We change our brains—and each other’s—every day.
The opportunity for the next decade is to do it consciously, together.

#ConnectionNeuroscience #ThrivingMinds #Neuroscience2026 #BrainHealth #HumanConnection #InterbrainSynchrony #Neuroplasticity #CollectiveIntelligence #CommunityHealing #RelationalNeuroscience

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Subscribe and support the podcast at
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Learn more at www.profselenabartlett.com

Thriving Minds Podcast Deep Dive: Building a Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Team Hosted by Professor Selena Bartlett
Expert: Feather Berkower, Author of Off Limits: A Parent’s Guide to Keeping Kids Safe from Sexual Abuse

The top 5 things to keep children safe in the digital age.

Feather challenges the outdated belief that children should be responsible for protecting themselves. Instead, she empowers adults to take charge by building what she calls a “Prevention Team.” This team includes everyone in your child’s world—teachers, coaches, grandparents, babysitters—and sets clear boundaries and safety rules that deter potential offenders before they ever gain access.

It is the small, brave conversations that can make a lifelong difference. From teaching kids the difference between secrets and surprises, to addressing online grooming and exposure to pornography, Feather shows how open, honest, and continuous dialogue is the most powerful protection tool we have.

Top 5 Takeaways for Parents

1. Adults are responsible, not children, for preventing abuse.
2. Talk, talk, talk—and don’t stop talking about body safety.
3. Build your Prevention Team by having explicit boundary conversations with anyone who cares for your child.
4. Discomfort is protective—feeling awkward now prevents trauma later.
5. Use practical tools like Off Limits and Feather’s Conversation Starter Cards to begin these vital discussions today.

This episode will leave you informed, empowered, and ready to create a safer world for children—one conversation at a time.

Support the show

Subscribe and support the podcast at
https://www.buzzsprout.com/367319/supporters/new
Learn more at www.profselenabartlett.com