MMP068: Take Personal Responsibility for Brain-Body Healing with Santiago Brand

This episode focuses on the power of brain-body healing using the powerful techniques of Biofeedback, Neurofeedback, and Brainspotting. With our guest, Santiago Brand, we talk about how individuals can become the best versions of themselves by committing to a healing process and confirming their own belief that they can improve their brain/body wellness.

The mantras from the episode are as follows:

Mantra #1: Stress is primarily psychological and anticipatory; it then manifests physiologically.

Mantra #2: Biofeedback is a preventative modality. It provides a mirror to the mind and body so that we can fix things that are out of order/not serving us before they show up as serious physical conditions.

Mantra #3: The metaphor of “sweaty palms” has a much deeper meaning than we might think at first glance. (We discuss GSR, or Galvanic Skin Response). The sweat glands are connected to the brain, which is connected to the gut. Our mind-body system is inter-related. Which leads us to…

Mantra #4: “What is in the brain is in the body, and what is in the body is in the brain” (a quote by Dr. David Grand, the founder of Brainspotting). www.brainspotting.com

Mantra #5: It is okay to not be okay. We need to accept our humanity (which means that life, and indeed trauma, happens to us as human beings). Trauma can range from a difficult dentist visit to a car accident to financial difficulties to relationship challenges and many things in between. Brainspotting is an excellent modality to address trauma in a gentle and healing way.

Mantra #6: The goal is to commit to brain/body healing in order to increase flexibility and resilience. Santiago talks about his work with a case example combining breathing techniques/biofeedback, neurofeedback, Brainspotting and functional medicine (diet, supplements, etc.), all supported by a firm client belief that positive change is possible, to realize extraordinary results in body/brain healing.

More about Santiago Brand

Santiago Brand is a licensed psychologist in Bogotá Colombia. He has 12 years of experience in clinical psychology and 14 years working in sports psychology. He also has 7 years of experience in QEEG (brain mapping) and is board certified in neurofeedback, biofeedback and Heart Rate Variability biofeedback, which he has practiced for 11 years. Santiago has worked training the brains of athletes, CEOS, musicians, TV presenters and has worked with conditions such as ADHD, epilepsy, anxiety, depression, and TBI. Santiago has also been working in the field of Brainspotting and trauma for 3 years and authored a chapter on the EEG and Brainspotting in the Book, “The power of Brainspotting: An International Anthology”.

Santiago´s main interests are in the field of peak performance, exercise and mental health, as well as the Neuropsychophysiology of trauma using EEG and psychophysiological measures such as EMG, HRV, GSR, Temperature, and Respiration. Currently, he is a consultant for the Guatemalan Olympic Committee and the Bolivian Football (Soccer) Federation.