Neuroscience of Coaching

Dr. Irena and mind-shifting expert Mitch Weisburgh explore how scripts and stories shape our behavior and mindset, and how awareness and metacognition can lead to meaningful change. The episode offers practical tools for coaches to help clients reframe limiting narratives and develop new habits.
In each episode of Neuroscience of Coaching, host Dr. Irena O’Brien explains the science-based insights behind a particular concept and interviews a coach to discuss how these apply in the real world. Just as she does in her professional programs, Irena “un-complicates” neuroscience and teaches practical, evidence-based tools and strategies that listeners can use in their coaching practices.

“Pause to prevent knee-jerk reactions, and focus on one small change at a time.”  — Mitch Weisburgh
Guest Bio:
Mitch Weisburgh is an educator, author, and speaker who has spent decades helping people unlock their potential. After witnessing how individuals often get stuck in limiting mindsets—whether in education, leadership, or personal life—he developed a practice called MindShifting.
Drawing from cognitive science, lived experience, and real-world application, Mitch’s MindShifting framework teaches people to reframe their thinking, confront unproductive narratives, and replace them with clarity and action.
Today, through books, speaking engagements, and online learning, Mitch helps others shift their thinking—and their lives.
Host Bio:
Dr. Irena O'Brien teaches coaches and care professionals how to achieve better results for their clients through neuroscience.
She is the founder of Neuroscience School, which helps practitioners understand and apply insights from cutting-edge neuroscience research. She loves seeing her students gain confidence in their ability to evaluate neuroscience findings and use them successfully in their own practices. Her Certificate Program in Neuroscience is certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) for Continuing Coaching Education credit.
Dr. O'Brien has studied neuroscience for 25 years and holds a Ph.D. in the field from the Université du Quebec à Montréal (UQAM), where she did brain-imaging studies. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Centre for Language, Mind, and Brain at McGill University.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Mirasee
Dr. Irena O'Brien’s website: The Neuroscience School
Mitch Weisburgh’s website: MindShiftingWithMitch.com
Credits:
Host: Dr. Irena O’Brien
Producer: Andrew Chapman
Audio Editor: Marvin del Rosario
Executive Producer: Danny Iny
Music Soundscape: Chad Michael Snavely
Making our hosts sound great: Home Brew Audio
Music credits:
Track Title: Sneaker Smeaker
Artist: Avocado Junkie
Writer: Sander Kalmeijer
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Track Title: Coo Coos
Artist: Dresden, The Flamingo
Writer: Matthew Wigton
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Track Title: In This Light
Artist: Sounds Like Sander
Writer: Sander Kalmeijer
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Special effects credits:
24990513_birds-chirping_by_promission used with permission of the author and under license by AudioJungle/Envato Market.
To catch the great episodes coming up on Neuroscience of Coaching, please follow us on Mirasee FM's YouTube channelor your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It’s the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.
Episode transcript: Rewriting Your Brain: How Scripts and Stories Shape Behavior (Mitch Weisburgh) coming soon.

Victoria Rennoldson explores cultural intelligence (also known as CQ) as an active process rooted in self-awareness, strategy, and action. She shares how coaches can develop CQ to build trust, navigate communication differences, and support leaders working across diverse cultures.
In each episode of Neuroscience of Coaching, host Dr. Irena O’Brien explains the science-based insights behind a particular concept and interviews a coach to discuss how these apply in the real world. Just as she does in her professional programs, Irena “un-complicates” neuroscience and teaches practical, evidence-based tools and strategies that listeners can use in their coaching practices.
             

“Cultural intelligence is strategy and action. It’s doing rather than knowing.”— Victoria Rennoldson
Guest Bio:
Victoria Rennoldson is an award-winning cultural intelligence and communication coach and the founder of Culture Cuppa. She is a born native of London, one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, with more than 300 languages spoken.
In her previous career working in international teams within global multinational organizations, Victoria observed that many talented professionals did not always contribute their full expertise to the team or the business. This was often because they did not feel confident speaking up and sharing their voice. As a result, they did not fully shine, became less visible than their colleagues, and their teams missed out on the benefit of their knowledge and skills.
Victoria believes that this communication and cultural gap represents a significant waste of talent and valuable ideas for teams and organizations. This belief fuels her passion for helping create an equal share of voice for everyone in multicultural and multilingual teams.
Today, she works with talented and ambitious individuals and teams around the world who need support with leadership communication skills, communicating with confidence, and navigating the cultural challenges of collaborating successfully and building trust with global teams, international customers, and partners.
Host Bio:
Dr. Irena O’Brien teaches coaches and care professionals how to achieve better results for their clients through neuroscience.
She is the founder of Neuroscience School, which helps practitioners understand and apply insights from cutting-edge neuroscience research. She loves seeing her students gain confidence in their ability to evaluate neuroscience findings and use them successfully in their own practices. Her Certificate Program in Neuroscience is certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) for Continuing Coaching Education credit.
Dr. O’Brien has studied neuroscience for 25 years and holds a Ph.D. in the field from the Université du Quebec à Montréal (UQAM), where she did brain-imaging studies. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Centre for Language, Mind, and Brain at McGill University.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Mirasee
Dr. Irena O'Brien’s website: The Neuroscience School
Victoria’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-rennoldson
Victoria’s website: https://culturecuppa.com/
Credits:
Host: Dr. Irena O’Brien
Producer: Andrew Chapman
Audio Editor: Marvin del Rosario
Executive Producer: Danny Iny
Music Soundscape: Chad Michael Snavely
Making our hosts sound great: Home Brew Audio
Music credits:
Track Title: Sneaker Smeaker
Artist: Avocado Junkie
Writer: Sander Kalmeijer
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Track Title: Coo Coos
Artist: Dresden, The Flamingo
Writer: Matthew Wigton
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Track Title: In This Light
Artist: Sounds Like Sander
Writer: Sander Kalmeijer
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Special effects credits:
24990513_birds-chirping_by_promission used with permission of the author and under license by AudioJungle/Envato Market.
To catch the great episodes coming up on Neuroscience of Coaching, please follow us on Mirasee FM's YouTube channelor your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It’s the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.
Episode transcript: Cultural Intelligence and the Predictive Brain: What Coaches Need to Know (Victoria Rennoldson) coming soon.

Equine coaching offers a powerful lens on nervous system regulation, authenticity, and relational intelligence. In this episode, we explore how horses provide real-time, nonverbal feedback that helps clients move from insight to embodied change—revealing what it truly means to coach the whole person.
In each episode of Neuroscience of Coaching, host Dr. Irena O’Brien explains the science-based insights behind a particular concept and interviews a coach to discuss how these apply in the real world. Just as she does in her professional programs, Irena “un-complicates” neuroscience and teaches practical, evidence-based tools and strategies that listeners can use in their coaching practices.
            
“I have learned from being around horses... be in the moment and stop worrying about what happened or what might happen.”  — Jocelyn Hastie
Guest Bio:
Jocelyn Hastie is trained in the equine Gestalt coaching method, which blends Gestalt coaching principles, somatic awareness, and the horse-human relationship. This work invites clients to notice what's happening in their bodies, their emotions, and their patterns in real time, and to experiment with ways of being, not just new ways of thinking. You can learn more about her work at TheCowGirlsCode.com.
Host Bio:
Dr. Irena O'Brien teaches coaches and care professionals how to achieve better results for their clients through neuroscience.
She is the founder of Neuroscience School, which helps practitioners understand and apply insights from cutting-edge neuroscience research. She loves seeing her students gain confidence in their ability to evaluate neuroscience findings and use them successfully in their own practices. Her Certificate Program in Neuroscience is certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) for Continuing Coaching Education credit.
Dr. O'Brien has studied neuroscience for 25 years and holds a Ph.D. in the field from the Université du Quebec à Montréal (UQAM), where she did brain-imaging studies. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Centre for Language, Mind, and Brain at McGill University.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Mirasee
Dr. Irena O'Brien’s website: The Neuroscience School
Jocelyn Hastie's website: TheCowGirlsCode.com
Credits:
Host: Dr. Irena O’Brien
Producer: Andrew Chapman
Audio Editor: Marvin del Rosario
Executive Producer: Danny Iny
Music Soundscape: Chad Michael Snavely
Making our hosts sound great: Home Brew Audio
Music credits:
Track Title: Sneaker Smeaker
Artist: Avocado Junkie
Writer: Sander Kalmeijer
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Track Title: Coo Coos
Artist: Dresden, The Flamingo
Writer: Matthew Wigton
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Track Title: In This Light
Artist: Sounds Like Sander
Writer: Sander Kalmeijer
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Special effects credits:
24990513_birds-chirping_by_promission used with permission of the author and under license by AudioJungle/Envato Market.
To catch the great episodes coming up on Neuroscience of Coaching, please follow us on Mirasee FM's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It’s the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.
Episode transcript: Coaching Beyond Words: How Equine Coaching Builds Regulation and Authentic Leadership (Jocelyn Hastie) coming soon.

Dive into the science behind flow with Dr. Eugene Choi as we explore the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. Learn how stress impacts decision-making, debunk hustle culture, and uncover the secrets to attaining flow for enhanced productivity, better creativity, and overall well-being.
In each episode of Neuroscience of Coaching, host Dr. Irena O’Brien explains the science-based insights behind a particular concept and interviews a coach to discuss how these apply in the real world. Just as she does in her professional programs, Irena “un-complicates” neuroscience and teaches practical, evidence-based tools and strategies that listeners can use in their coaching practices.
            
“Your subconscious brain processes information so much faster than your conscious brain.”  — Eugene Choi
Guest Bio:
Leading in today’s business environment is hard. Technologies change, priorities change, and leaders change. Expectations are to be at your best day in and day out, in unpredictable and unclear circumstances.
Dr. Eugene K. Choi teaches executive leaders how to achieve and sustain peak performance in high-stress, high-stakes and high-change environments. He created a unique, science-backed process that teaches leaders how to activate their executive brain to dramatically improve results and increase clarity and focus in challenging and unpredictable situations. He has a background in clinical pharmacy, neuroscience, and business coaching and has helped thousands of entrepreneurs and executives optimize their mindset, reduce toxic stress, and lead with more impact.
Dr. Eugene's written articles have impacted over 11 million people and counting. His work has also been featured on platforms like Entrepreneur, Lifehack, and Success Magazine. His experience and expertise in both strategy and psychology have proven critical in helping clients produce tangible results in both business and in life.
Host Bio:
Dr. Irena O'Brien teaches coaches and care professionals how to achieve better results for their clients through neuroscience.
She is the founder of Neuroscience School, which helps practitioners understand and apply insights from cutting-edge neuroscience research. She loves seeing her students gain confidence in their ability to evaluate neuroscience findings and use them successfully in their own practices. Her Certificate Program in Neuroscience is certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) for Continuing Coaching Education credit.
Dr. O'Brien has studied neuroscience for 25 years and holds a Ph.D. in the field from the Université du Quebec à Montréal (UQAM), where she did brain-imaging studies. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Centre for Language, Mind, and Brain at McGill University.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Mirasee
Dr. Irena O'Brien’s website: The Neuroscience School
Dr. Eugene K. Choi’s online community and membership site: Neurohacking School
Dr. Eugene K. Choi’s Podcast: The Neurohacking Podcast
Dr. Eugene K. Choi’s LinkedIn Page: eugenekchoi
Dr. Eugene K. Choi’s Instagram Page: eugenekchoi
Credits:
Host: Dr. Irena O’Brien
Producer: Andrew Chapman
Audio Editor: Marvin del Rosario
Executive Producer: Danny Iny
Music Soundscape: Chad Michael Snavely
Making our hosts sound great: Home Brew Audio
Music credits:
Track Title: Sneaker Smeaker
Artist: Avocado Junkie
Writer: Sander Kalmeijer
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Track Title: Coo Coos
Artist: Dresden, The Flamingo
Writer: Matthew Wigton
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Track Title: In This Light
Artist: Sounds Like Sander
Writer: Sander Kalmeijer
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Special effects credits:
24990513_birds-chirping_by_promission used with permission of the author and under license by AudioJungle/Envato Market.
To catch the great episodes coming up on Neuroscience of Coaching, please follow us on Mirasee FM's YouTube channelor your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It’s the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.
Episode transcript: Special Replay: The Role of Nervous System Regulation in Peak Performance (Eugene Choi) coming soon.

Dave and Suze Kenney share a neuroscience-based view of addiction as a nervous system survival response, not a moral failing. They and Dr. Irena explore brain function and discuss how chronic stress, trauma, and dysregulation drive behavior — and what coaches can do to support real, lasting change.
In each episode of Neuroscience of Coaching, host Dr. Irena O’Brien explains the science-based insights behind a particular concept and interviews a coach to discuss how these apply in the real world. Just as she does in her professional programs, Irena “un-complicates” neuroscience and teaches practical, evidence-based tools and strategies that listeners can use in their coaching practices.

“Addiction is not the problem. It’s a solution the brain found to survive.”  — Dave Kenney
Guest Bio:
Dave Kenney and Suze Kenney are Co-Founders of Emergo Academy. Since 2011 they have operated a private residential recovery program helping more than two thousand people overcome addictions and mental struggles to live a life of wellbeing. In addition, Dave and Suze have pioneered Actualized Recovery®, the Brain-First Approach to Lasting Recovery.
Host Bio:
Dr. Irena O’Brien teaches coaches and care professionals how to achieve better results for their clients through neuroscience.
She is the founder of Neuroscience School, which helps practitioners understand and apply insights from cutting-edge neuroscience research. She loves seeing her students gain confidence in their ability to evaluate neuroscience findings and use them successfully in their own practices. Her Certificate Program in Neuroscience is certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) for Continuing Coaching Education credit.
Dr. O’Brien has studied neuroscience for 25 years and holds a Ph.D. in the field from the Université du Quebec à Montréal (UQAM), where she did brain-imaging studies. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Centre for Language, Mind, and Brain at McGill University.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Mirasee
Dr. Irena O'Brien’s website: The Neuroscience School
Dave and Suze’s website: Emergo Academy
Credits:
Host: Dr. Irena O’Brien
Producer: Andrew Chapman
Audio Editor: Marvin del Rosario
Executive Producer: Danny Iny
Music Soundscape: Chad Michael Snavely
Making our hosts sound great: Home Brew Audio
Music credits:
Track Title: Sneaker Smeaker
Artist: Avocado Junkie
Writer: Sander Kalmeijer
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Track Title: Coo Coos
Artist: Dresden, The Flamingo
Writer: Matthew Wigton
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Track Title: In This Light
Artist: Sounds Like Sander
Writer: Sander Kalmeijer
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Special effects credits:
24990513_birds-chirping_by_promission used with permission of the author and under license by AudioJungle/Envato Market.
To catch the great episodes coming up on Neuroscience of Coaching, please follow us on Mirasee FM's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It’s the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.
Episode transcript: The Neuroscience of Addiction and Compassionate Recovery (Dave & Suze Kenney) coming soon.