Emanuela Brun Psychologist Msc

When something makes us anxious, uncomfortable, or afraid, the brain naturally wants to move away from it. And from a survival perspective, this makes perfect sense. Our brain is constantly trying to predict what is safe and what might represent a threat. When something has previously been associated with fear, pain, rejection, or uncertainty, threat-related neural systems can become activated before we have consciously decided how we want to respond. So we avoid. We avoid th

Forensic psychology is the field where psychology and the legal system intersect. It applies psychological knowledge, research, and assessment to questions that arise within criminal and civil law. And despite what movies and crime series often suggest, forensic psychology is not simply about “getting inside the mind of a criminal.” It is a much broader field. A forensic psychologist may work with offenders, victims, witnesses, lawyers, courts, correctional institutions, or l

The Troxler effect is a fascinating example of just how selective our brain is with the information it processes. If you stare at one specific point for long enough, without moving your eyes much, you may notice that some elements in your peripheral vision gradually begin to fade or even disappear. Of course, they haven’t actually disappeared. Your brain has simply started paying less attention to them. This phenomenon is known as Troxler fading, and it is associated with neu

“How you do anything is how you do everything” means that the way you approach the small things in life often reflects the behavioral patterns you bring into the bigger ones. If you constantly postpone something small because “it doesn’t really matter,” procrastination will probably not exist only in that one area of your life. If you tend to quit the moment something becomes uncomfortable, you may have learned to respond to discomfort with avoidance. If, on the other hand, y

Some people wake up at 6 a.m. and somehow already have energy, motivation, and the ability to hold a conversation. Others need several hours before their brain feels fully online, but can work, think, and create effortlessly late at night. We tend to treat this difference as a matter of discipline. Morning people are often described as productive and organised, while people who stay up late are assumed to simply have bad habits. But our sleep timing is not entirely a choice.

When we love someone, it’s natural to want to see them happy. We want to support them, reassure them, and be there for them when they’re struggling. But there is an important difference between supporting someone and constantly trying to keep them happy with us. This is where the difference between tough love and people-pleasing love comes in. What is people-pleasing love? People pleasing in relationships happens when our need to avoid disappointing someone begins to influenc

We like to think of ourselves as highly rational beings. We build cities, develop artificial intelligence, study the universe and spend hours analyzing our own behavior. And yet, underneath all of this complexity, the human brain is still deeply shaped by its evolutionary past. The phrase “monkey brain” is not a scientific term for a specific part of the brain. It is often used informally to describe the older, evolutionarily conserved systems that influence our impulses, emo

What if you could understand your body and brain well enough to make small, intentional changes that improve the way you think, feel, perform, and recover? That is essentially the idea behind biohacking. Biohacking is a broad term used to describe the practice of modifying aspects of our lifestyle, environment, or biology with the goal of improving physical or cognitive performance. Despite the futuristic name, many forms of biohacking are surprisingly simple. Sleep optimizat

Have you ever thought about a decision so much that, in the end, you did absolutely nothing? You go through every possible scenario. You compare your options. You ask people what they think. You search for more information. You think you have finally made a decision and then, five minutes later, you start questioning it again. This is what we often call analysis paralysis. Analysis paralysis happens when we spend so much time analysing a situation that thinking actually start

Why do some people approach challenges thinking, “I’ll find a way,” while others assume they will fail before they even begin? One important psychological concept behind this difference is self-efficacy. The term self-efficacy, introduced by psychologist Albert Bandura, refers to a person’s belief in their ability to successfully perform the actions necessary to deal with a particular situation, challenge, or goal. In simple terms, it is the internal belief: “I am capable of

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