What if the key to better leadership, emotional regulation, and resilience isn’t willpower but understanding how your brain actually works?

In this episode of Blind Spots, host Gayle MacDonald sits down with Dr. Lisa Riegel to explore how self-awareness, brain biology, and perception shape the way we think, feel, and behave, often without us realizing it. Using a powerful “brain as a corporation” analogy, Dr. Riegel explains why so many of our reactions happen below conscious awareness, and how learning to lead your own brain can change everything from stress and anxiety to leadership effectiveness and personal fulfillment.

This conversation bridges neuroscience, leadership, mental health, and everyday life, offering practical insight into why we react the way we do, how past experiences quietly influence the present, and what it really means to take control as the CEO of your own mind.

In this conversation, they discuss:

Why most of our thoughts and reactions happen unconsciously
The difference between reality and perception and how filters shape behavior
How stress hijacks the brain and shuts down critical thinking
Why self-awareness is the foundation of emotional regulation and resilience
How understanding brain biology reduces shame and increases self-compassion
What it means to lead yourself before leading others
Practical ways to retrain the brain for calmer, healthier responses
Why intention, not perfection, is the key to lasting change

This episode is a must-listen foranyone who wants to better understand their own patterns and learn how to work with their brain instead of fighting it.

About Lisa:

Dr. Lisa Riegel is deeply passionate about organizational reform across education, government, and the nonprofit sectors. She consults with organizations to strengthen human capital management, improve collaboration, and bring strategic plans to life. While many organizations have a strategy on paper, her work ensures those plans are implemented and monitored with genuine commitment rather than compliance.

In the education sector, Lisa is recognized for her expertise in social and emotional learning, differentiation, and student engagement. She is a strong advocate for partnerships among schools, families, businesses, and communities. Her consulting includes facilitating strategic planning for diverse stakeholder groups, supporting data visualization, and developing effective communication strategies.

Lisa is also the author of NeuroWell, a book that helps educators understand how academic and social behavior emerge from the interaction between biology and context. The book provides practical step-by-step guidance for creating a NeuroWell culture in schools.

Contact Lisa: lisariegel@epinstitute.net | www.lisariegel.com

Books & Resources:

NeuroWell — by Dr. Lisa Riegel

Aspirations to Operations — by Dr. Lisa Riegel

The Body Keeps the Score — Bessel van der Kolk

EP Institute

When the Body Says No — Gabor Maté