Emanuela Brun Psychologist Msc

How many opportunities have you postponed because you were waiting to feel ready? Maybe it was applying for a new job, starting therapy, ending a relationship, launching a business, moving to a different country, or simply having a difficult conversation. Many of us believe that confidence comes first and action follows. Psychology suggests that the opposite is often true. Why Do We Wait? Our brains are designed to keep us alive, not to make us feel confident. From an evoluti

Have you ever felt exhausted before the day has even begun? Has work that once excited you started to feel emotionally draining? Do you find yourself constantly pushing through, yet feeling like you have nothing left to give? If so, it may be more than just stress or fatigue. It could be burnout. Although the term is used frequently, burnout does not simply mean being tired after a busy week. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), burnout is an occupational phenome

Noradrenaline, also known as norepinephrine, is one of the brain's most important neurotransmitters. It plays a central role in attention, alertness, stress, mood, and the body's "fight-or-flight" response. Although it is often discussed alongside adrenaline, the two chemicals are not exactly the same. While adrenaline primarily prepares the body for immediate physical action, noradrenaline has a stronger role in regulating brain function, helping us stay focused, respond to

Few figures have influenced psychology as profoundly as Sigmund Freud. Often referred to as the father of psychoanalysis, Freud transformed the way we think about the human mind by proposing that much of our behaviour is shaped by unconscious processes rather than conscious choice. Although many of his theories remain controversial today, his ideas continue to influence psychology, psychiatry, literature, philosophy, and popular culture. Early Life Sigmund Freud was born on M

Consciousness is one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in science. Despite decades of research, we still do not fully understand how the brain gives rise to subjective experience. Neuroscience has taught us a great deal about how the brain processes information, but explaining why we have an inner experience of the world remains a challenge. What Is Consciousness? In simple terms, consciousness refers to our awareness of ourselves and our surroundings. It includes our though

Many of us know someone who seems to avoid responsibility, struggles with commitment, or always chases the next exciting experience while resisting the realities of adulthood. This pattern is often described as Peter Pan Syndrome, a term inspired by J.M. Barrie's fictional character who never wanted to grow up. It is important to clarify one thing from the start. Peter Pan Syndrome is not an official mental health diagnosis. It is not included in the Diagnostic and Statistica

The terms psychoanalysis and psychotherapy are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Psychotherapy is a broad term that encompasses many different therapeutic approaches, whereas psychoanalysis is one specific form of psychotherapy with its own theoretical foundation, philosophy, and methods. What Is Psychotherapy? Psychotherapy is an evidence-based process in which a trained mental health professional helps individuals better understand themselves, cope with

In recent years, the term NPC has become increasingly popular across social media platforms such as TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and Instagram. While it originated in the gaming world, it is now often used to describe people's behaviour in everyday life. But what does NPC actually mean, and is there any psychological truth behind the concept? What does NPC stand for? NPC stands for Non-Player Character. In video games, NPCs are characters controlled by the game's pro

Mobbing (Workplace Bullying): Understanding Its Impact on Mental Health Many people associate bullying exclusively with school. However, bullying does not end in childhood. It can also occur in professional settings, where it is commonly referred to as mobbing or workplace bullying, significantly affecting employees' mental health, work performance, and overall quality of life. What is mobbing? Mobbing (workplace bullying) refers to the systematic and repeated psychological h

Understanding the Part of the Mind We Don't Always See Have you ever found yourself reacting in a way that surprised you? Perhaps you became anxious before an important conversation, pulled away from someone who genuinely cared about you, or found yourself repeating the same relationship pattern despite promising yourself things would be different this time. Many of our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours are influenced by processes that occur outside of our conscious awarenes

Child abuse is any act or omission by a parent, caregiver, or other adult that causes harm, potential harm, or a threat to a child’s health or development. It can take many forms, and not all are visible. When a child is mistreated by someone they depend on, the wound reaches far beyond the moment of harm. Abuse affects not only the body but also the mind’s developing structure, shaping how the child learns to relate, to trust, and to see themselves. From a psychodynamic pers

Misogyny isn’t “just” a social or cultural problem, but also a neuropsychological pattern, one that reflects how the brain encodes fear, bias, and dominance. Here’s what happens beneath the surface: Fear circuitry & threat perception When people hold sexist beliefs, studies show increased amygdala activation when confronted with women who defy traditional gender roles. The brain interprets equality or female authority as a threat to status or identity , triggering defensive

In psychology and neuroscience, we often describe mood as something influenced by thoughts , experiences , or external events. At a deeper level, however, mood is one of the most direct expressions of our physiological balance, what we call homeostasis. Homeostasis is the brain’s constant effort to maintain internal stability. It regulates temperature, hormones, hunger, sleep, and energy while continuously scanning for any sign that something is off. This regulation is no

Social media brought psychology closer to people, but it also created a distorted , not real version of it.Because what goes viral isn’t always what’s true. “Regulate your nervous system” It’s not a button. You don’t “regulate” your nervous system by taking a bath or drinking coffee with a friend.Your nervous system isn’t a switch but a complex network shaped by trauma, relationships, environment, and history. “Toxic people: cut them off” “ Toxic” isn’t a diagnosis. It’s a d

We often see failure as a sign that something went wrong, but in truth, it’s one of the most powerful signs that we’re growing. Every athlete who breaks a record, every entrepreneur who builds something meaningful, every artist who moves us, they all have one thing in common: they’ve failed more times than they’ve succeeded . Behind every moment of success lies a thousand invisible attempts, corrections, and lessons. Each “failure” trained their brain to adapt, adjust, and tr

We live in a culture that often treats emotions as problems to fix rather than experiences to understand. Feeling sad, anxious, frustrated, or even jealous doesn’t automatically mean there’s something wrong with you. Emotions are signals, they tell you about your needs, boundaries, and experiences, not diagnoses. The issue arises when normal emotional experiences are pathologized. You’re stressed because of a tight deadline? That’s life. You feel frustrated when someone disap

We often exercise to improve our physical appearance, increase strength, or boost endurance. Yet, one of the most profound impacts of...

Let’s talk about a word that has haunted women for decades: bitch . For many, it’s loaded with negativity, a label used to shame women...

Deja vu is that strange, fleeting feeling that you’ve already lived this moment , walking into a new café, hearing a sentence, meeting...

Have you ever walked into a room where everyone was anxious, and within minutes, you felt your chest tighten and your thoughts spiral? Or...