Today we’re speaking with Jessica Sharp, a nonprofit professional, working on fundraising, working directly with teenagers during the day, as well as the Owner of Sharp Brain Consulting, working with organizations who are interested in leveling up. Focusing on thinking about things from a brain perspective. Her work is centered around diversity, equity and inclusion, working with organizations to support them on their journey to being a more equitable organization. She also does work with women. She is a lover of learning, and a student of psychology, leadership, and organizational development. Jess is an expert on the brain. She is passionate about studying the effects of poverty and trauma on the brain, for those who work with people in poverty or trauma, so that we can better understand them and work with them.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we would love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Leave us a review on iTunes, and/or take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories and tag us, https://www.instagram.com/happyhumansproject/

To stay connected with Jessica, you can find her at https://www.sharpbrainconsulting.com and https://www.instagram.com/sharpbrainconsulting/

In this episode you’ll learn about:

- How to rewire your reactions with meditation

- How our amygdala keeps us safe, keeps our body functioning, and helps us categorize and filter through stimuli

- How to discern between perceived and real threats and react accordingly

- How our amygdala sometimes causes us to regret things we say or do

- Reprogramming our amygdala reactions with trauma informed inner child work

- Redefining self care as doing the deep work, being present with our wounds and traumas, and rewriting our stories

- How poverty and childhood trauma affects the developing prefrontal cortex

- Why the tools for mindfulness are the same but the starting point is different

- The dangers of “manifestation” and why “good vibes only” prevents us from healing

- Why white women have to do the work with equity justice and inclusion in order to make large scale change in the world

The links we’ve mentioned in the show:

- The recording of our work-life balance panel with General Assembly (Password: 1K^92!B9): https://generalassembly.zoom.us/rec/share/_5BkPqzU_EZJRc_r6U3Bf40lE7_Zaaa81CdN-qFcyU27rXfLgkrLb12EcSP37BZm

- Jessica’s TED Talk - “The Brain on Poverty”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=2s&v=6HVsjpu4vQw

- Jess’s equity resources and services: https://www.sharpbrainconsulting.com

- Jess’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharpbrainconsulting/