Dr Lila Landowski – Neuroscientist, Speaker and Thought Leader

Stress is more than just a feeling it’s a hardwired, physical response. It is almost impossible to escape stress under the pressures of modern society. This can be problematic, especially at work and in our private lives, because long term stress turns us into more volatile and irrational versions of ourselves; altering our behaviour and emotions through its physical effects on brain size and structure, how brain cells connect, and how they function, right down to the level of our genes.

The good news is, we can help reverse (or protect ourselves) from the effects of long term stress, using a range of cost-free behavioural interventions. This is particularly important because we often can’t control the source of stress in our daily lives. Dr Landowski will explore the neuroscience of stress and take the audience through evidence-based approaches for stress reduction.

Our brains change as we age, making it significantly harder to learn – but it doesn’t mean an old dog can’t learn new tricks! There’s smarter ways to learn than whatever it is you’re doing right now. Dr Landowski will take you on a journey through the brain, examining some of the existing research on learning, and empower you with tools that help you learn faster and more effectively. This talk takes you on a journey through the brain, examining some of the existing research on learning, and empowers you with tools that help you learn faster and more effectively.

In a world where change is the only constant, understanding the impact of our environment on our brain and behaviour is more critical than ever. Dr Landowski’s talk will explore the brain’s remarkable plasticity, demonstrating how age does not necessarily hinder our ability to acquire new knowledge and skills. Through examining cutting-edge research, she will introduce effective, science-backed methods to enhance learning and adaptability in the workplace and at home. Dr. Landowski will also shed light on the physical and psychological ramifications of stress – from its origins as a survival mechanism, to how it can impair our decision making and turn us into angry, irrational versions of ourselves. By weaving together these interconnected topics, attendees will leave equipped with actionable neuroscience-based tools to thrive in the midst of transition, improve team dynamics, and safeguard their mental health against the challenges of life.

Decision making is a process that takes in all the information around us, compares it with all the things we’ve learnt – the brain processes that information, and decides what option is the most rewarding to you, and brings you to a decision. Sounds straightforward, doesn’t it? Yet for some reason, we often find ourselves making bad decisions especially when it matters the most.

Dr Landowski takes you through the neuroscience of why we aren’t so great at making decisions in uncertain times and what we can do about it. She examines how our ability to make decisions changes as we grow and develop, and what happens when factors like sleep deprivation and stress are thrown into the mix.

When the sun goes down, our urge to sleep goes up. But why should we care? Well, for starters, inadequate sleep is the reason why doing shift work is considered a probable carcinogen according to the World Health Organisation. Yikes! Join Dr Landowski and learn about the neuroscience of sleep, and what goes wrong when we don’t get enough, and how to improve it. And on the topic of sleep do you think that dreams are a mystical window into your future? Well, join us and find out what your dreams really mean.