1 With Marcia Reynolds, PsyD THE FEMALE BRAIN: How to Overcome Our Natural Roadblocks to Success

2 How the Brain Chooses to React 99% same for men and women Mammalian/Social Brain (limbic) Emotions Long-term memory Attention/Focus Movement Cognitive/Thinking Brain (cortical) Feeling Identification Short-Term Memory Reflection/Analysis Planning/Creativity Decisions/Motivation CHOICE Reptilian/Reactive Brain (autonomic) Protection Maintenance of body Survival of species

3 Being Emotionally Self-Alert Where in your body do you feel your emotions? 1.Where do you feel fear? 2.Where do you feel anger? 3.Where do you feel uncertainty? 4.Where do you feel sorrow? 5.Where do you feel eager? 6.Where do you feel inspired? Take your emotional inventory at

4 KEY EMOTIONAL TRIGGERS THAT AFFECT PERCEPTION Acceptance RespectBe Liked Achievement Feel ValuedBe Understood Appreciation AttentionFeel Needed Be Right AccuracyControl Comfort Feel SafePeace and Quiet Freedom NoveltyIndependence Order PredictabilityBalance Cleanliness LoveFun At what time in your life will these needs become more important to you than others? Choose the three most important to you now. Do you think these are based on history or biology? © Covisioning 602/

5 1.Step One: Be Alert To Your Reactions Know What You Are Feeling (practice the 6 second check-in) 2.Step Two: Discover Why Name the Source OUTSMART YOUR BRAIN If you are aware of what is going on biologically, you can choose to act instead of react. 3. Step Three: See Your Options Choose 1) Ask for what you need. 2) Let it go. 3) Do something to motivate yourself. Who do you want to be? How do you want to feel? What possibilities can you see? How do you want this story to end?

6 Heroine’s Journey Identity Exploration (Identification and Re-creation of self separate from work) Defining a Life Purpose Long-term Vision Communities of Support

7 Male vs Female Brain There are more than 100 structural differences between the male and female brain. Research has found: The connecting bundle of tissues that connect the two hemispheres of the brain are larger in females, on average, than in a male. There are more connections in the temporal lobe in the female brain, which contribute to better listening skills and more detailed memory, especially for sensorial and emotional subtleties. The hippocampus (a memory storage area of the brain) is larger in females than in males, contributing to the "multitasking" memory. The female prefrontal cortex is more active than a male's and it develops earlier, which helps women to be less impulsive physically. On the other hand: Male brains have more area devoted to spatial-graphic processing. One result: they often want to move things through physical space, and want to look at more pictures and less words. With fewer connections between hemispheres, males often compartmentalize learning. As a result, have more difficulty in multitasking. The male brain moves less serotonin and oxytocin (calming chemicals) through the frontal cortex than does the female brain, so is more inclined to be more impulsive. What do you think. Does this research help you in understanding or does it give support to stereotypes expressed as "you know how men are" or "you know how women are"?

8 PHASES IN THE FEMALE BRAIN PHASES IN THE FEMALE BRAIN FETALSocial circuitry,Lead to reading emotions, corpus collosum, intuition, seeing both sides, talking = pleasure frequent subject changes, better social memory GIRLSVerbal/emotionalInterest in playing, sharing,circuits enhanced acceptance (mostly with hormones paused other girls), need to be heard PUBERTYEstrogen up,Increased sensitivity, testosterone down,stress, attention to sexual early cognitive attractiveness, separate circuits enhanced from parents (own identity), possibly less competitive or concerned with technical. SEXUALHormone variation,Focus on mate, love, career MATURITYcognitive settlingfamily, life decisions, choices PREGNANTIncrease in estrogenFocus on nesting, security, and progesteroneself-comfort (brain/body) NURSINGOxytocin, estrogenConnection (addiction) to withdrawalbaby, suppression of energy PERI-FluctuatingErratic sleep, fatigue, MENOPAUSEhormonesirritable, worry about getting through the day MENOPAUSEEstrogen lowEmotional circuits decline, interested in health, new challenges, self over others, more calm, self-assured © Covisioning 602/

9 Being Emotionally Self-Alert Where in your body do you feel your hormones? 1.Estrogen: Feel good, even driven 2.Progesterone: Can cause storms or mellowing 3.Testosterone: Aggressive, forceful, seductive 4.Oxytocin: Fluffy, cuddly, nurturing 5.Cortisol: Frazzled, crabby 6.Androstenedione: Sassy, high-spirited, immortal (wanes at menopause) HORMONES CAN DETERMINE WHAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN DOING (social, sexual, worrying, combative, nurturing, busy, stressed- out or overly sensitive)

10 © 2007 Covisioning What Will You Do Tomorrow? Do you want more Brain Tips? For more information on the advances in neurosciences and emotional intelligence….. Marcia Reynolds