PODCAST · health
Super Brain
by Sabina Brennan
Super Brain explores what really happens inside your head when you do the things you do - and how to use that knowledge to get the best out of your brain and yourself. From Season Six, neuroscientist and author Dr. Sabina Brennan dives into one everyday human experience per episode - from procrastination to crying, curiosity to trust - to reveal the science behind it and the practical tools that help you navigate life with greater clarity and intention. Curious, warm and wonderfully human, this is neuroscience you can use: one behaviour, one big insight, three tools for your Super Brain kit to help you think, feel and live better. Because understanding your brain is the first step to unlocking its power. New format, same mission — grounded in science, powered by compassion, designed to help you thrive. Seasons 1 to 5 - Dr Sabina Brennan talks to an eclectic mix of inspiring guests a
Episodes
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S6:E12 Meet your self
Modern life can estrange us from what truly matters. We chase goals that look like success but feel hollow – and before we know it, we’re overwhelmed, reactive and disconnected from our own internal compass. In this episode of Super Brain, Sabina Brennan explores meaning and purpose through a...
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S6E11 THe Science of Serendipity
Episode Summary: Why do some people seem to attract good fortune? In this episode, I explore the neuroscience of serendipity – those chance discoveries and happy accidents that change everything. From Alexander Fleming’s mouldy petri dish to the role of the brain’s default mode network in...
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S6E10 - The great unlearning - AI's hidden cost
In this episode, Dr Sabina Brennan explores how generative AI changes learning. She looks at why effortful thinking is the engine of mastery, how AI can create an illusion of competence and practical ways to use AI as a tutor rather than a crutch. Key takeaway: Learning sticks when it’s hard – AI...
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S6:E9 New Moment - New Choice
If New Year’s resolutions leave you inspired one day and flattened the next, it’s not a willpower problem – it’s a nervous system problem. In this episode, Sabina shares three tiny, science-backed “micromoment” resets that help your brain feel safe enough to begin, plus a menu of quick...
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S6:E8 Visualisation
Episode summary What happens when you close your eyes and try to “see” something in your mind? For some people it’s a full-colour mental movie. For others it’s hazy, fleeting or completely blank. In this episode, Dr Sabina Brennan explores the neuroscience of mental imagery, including eigengrau...
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S6:E7 Imposter Phenomenon
Have you ever walked into a room and thought, “Any minute now they’re going to realise I’ve no idea what I’m doing”? In this episode of Super Brain, psychologist and neuroscientist Sabina Brennan unpacks what’s often called imposter syndrome – and why the original researchers actually called it…
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S6:E6 Brain Rot
Episode summary: “Brain rot” was named the Oxford Word of the Year 2024 – a tongue-in-cheek term for that fried feeling after too much scrolling or streaming. But what’s really going on in the brain when constant digital stimulation leaves us feeling empty and unfocused? In this episode, Dr…
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S6:E5 Puppy Love
pisodic-like memory • How dog ageing helps us understand human dementia • Why your dog is a genuine co-regulator of your nervous system Tools in Three Micro-moments matter — a glance, a rub, a kind word Stress buffer — swap doom-scrolling for a dog cuddle Shared routines — walk, play, repeat...
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S6:E4 Sunshine and SAD
Summary (short version): Why does winter feel heavier for some of us? In this episode, we explore the neuroscience of Seasonal Affective Disorder — from circadian rhythms and serotonin pathways to evolutionary quirks and the strange possibility that humans may still carry traces of ancient...
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S6:E3 Self-criticism is self-harm
Why are we so much harsher on ourselves than we are on others? In this episode of Super Brain, I explore the neuroscience of self-compassion — what it is, what it isn’t, and why it’s the antidote to self-criticism. Drawing on the work of Dr Kristin Neff and Buddhist philosophy, we’ll look at...
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S6:E2 Magic Mushrooms and the Human Brain
Psilocybin — the psychedelic compound in so-called “magic mushrooms” — has exploded into headlines and social media feeds. Some call it a miracle cure for depression, others dismiss it as hype. In this episode, I take a clear-eyed look at what the science really says. I’ll start with Sarah’s…
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S6:E1 Tomorrow Brain
Why do we put off the very things that matter most? In this episode of Super Brain, I explore procrastination — the irrational gap between what we want to do and what we actually do. From ancient Greek philosophy to modern neuroscience, we’ll unpack why our brains resist long-term goals in favour...
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Season 6 Promo: 'Super Brain is Back!'
If you’ve ever wondered why you do the things you do, you’re going to love Season Six of Super Brain. In each episode, psychologist and neuroscientist Dr Sabina Brennan takes you inside your brain to explore what’s really going on when you laugh, cry, procrastinate, or connect. You’ll discover…
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S5:E7 Mood, Food and the Gut Brain Connection with Prof John Cryan
Dr Sabina Brennan has a fascinating conversation with Prof John Cryan stress neurobiologist and co-author of the Psychobiotic Revolution about the gut and the brain and how bacteria and the food we eat contribute to and are influenced by stress, anxiety, depression and more. The Psychobiotic...
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S5:E6 Help Me with Marianne Power
Dr Sabina Brennan chats to journalist Marianne Power about the year she spent following the advice of one self-help book per month. -The book is like reading a Bridget Jones script only better, you'll laugh and cry and thanks to Marianne's no hold's barred honesty you will recognise yourself on...
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S5:E5 Bird girl with Mya-Rose Craig
Dr Sabina Brennan chats to 20 year old Dr Mya-Rose Craig about her memoir Birdgirl. Already a woman if substance this young woman who has achieved so much in such a short period of time describes herself as a British-Bangladeshi birder, environmentalist, diversity activist, writer, speaker and...
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S5:E4 Secrets
Dr Sabina Brennan takes a look into secret research. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/superbrain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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S5:E3 Control
Dr Sabina Brennan explores the psychology and neuroscience of control, impulsivity, self-control, taking control and relinquishing control. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/superbrain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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S5:E2 Headspace for healthy eating with Dr Rupi Aujla
Dr Sabina Brennan chats to NHS doctor, Sunday Times best-selling author and host of the The Doctor's Kitchen podcast about how he overcame a life-changing diagnosis and avoided heart surgery by adjusting his lifestyle and changing his diet. In this frank interview Rupi admits that it can be tough...
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S5:E1 Imaginers
The Super Brain podcast returns with this audio documentary produced and presented by Super Brain host Dr Sabina Brennan Dr Edward O'Sullivan, Director of the Migraine Clinic at Cork University Hospital takes us inside the migraine brain offering a medical and scientific perspective and Dr Sabina...
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Super Brain is back
Super Brain is back. Season 5 kicks off March 21st 2022 with the audio documentary produced and presented by Dr Sabina Brennan. Super Brain Episodes will drop every third Monday in the Month Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/superbrain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...
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Booster 48 - Stranger Danger
In this, the final episode of Season 4 Dr Sabina Brennan talks about the benefits of talking to strangers Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/superbrain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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S4:E12 Strength with Mark O'Halloran
Dr Sabina Brennan and multi-award-winning script writer and actor Mark O'Halloran discuss strength and weakness through the lens of his amazing films, Viva and Adam and Paul. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/superbrain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Booster 47 - Tasty train stations - Synaesthesia
Dr Sabina Brennan takes a look at synaesthesia a fascinating neurological phenomenon where certain sensory inputs such as words, letters, numbers or music automatically trigger the additional senses like colour, sound, taste and smell. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/superbrain.…
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S4:E11 It's only a penis with artist and sex worker Kate McGrew
Dr Sabina Brennan chats to performing artist, activist and sex worker Kate McGrew about her passion for performing, sex work, and the need to make sex work safe. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/superbrain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Booster 46 - Supercharge your creativity
Eureka moments are a specific form of creativity. They don't just materialise from the ether – it’s simply the work of the human brain. In this booster Dr Sabina Brennan shares some scientific insights into this kind of creativity and offers some tips on how to super charge your own creativity....
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S4:E10 That Knocking Sound with Barnaby Walter
BP Walter's Sunday Times best seller, The Dinner Guest is one of the best books I've read in quite some time. As soon as I finished it I felt compelled to contact the author to see if he would be a guest on Super Brain because I wanted to get inside the head of such a fabulous author. I must…
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Booster 45 Golden Guide to Great Sex
Dr Sabina Brennan hands the mic for this booster to sex therapist and self-confessed sez geek Emily Power Smith who shares her top 4 tips for great sex Emily is a professional member of the World Association of sexual health. Emily is absolutely passionate about providing current and factual...
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S4:E9 Sexual pleasure with sexologist Emily Power Smith
I've had a clitoris all of my life and never knew that what we refer to as the clitoris is actually only the sensitive tip of an extensive internal organ that is capable of erection. The clitoris was removed from anatomy manuals in the beginning of the 20th century because its only purpose is...
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Booster 44 - Savant Syndrome
Dr Sabina Brennan explores savant syndrome and the circumstances in which humans can demonstrate extraordinary capabilities, usually in art, music and mathematics. As promised within the episode this the Scientific article on Sudden Savant syndrome Support this show...
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S4:E8 Making new dreams with Lauren White Murphy
Lauren White-Murphy, aka @lolopopworld was a successful ghost writer signed with Warner Bros whose music had featured on hit shows like American Horror Story when her own horror story struck just weeks before her 30th birthday, Multiple sclerosis not only had her falling down at work but failing…
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Booster 43 - Where am I?
In this booster shot Sabina Brennan explains how specialised brain cells that only fire in certain places help us to navigate the world around us Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/superbrain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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S4:E7 Life is not a sentence with Amanda Smyth
Dr Sabina Brennan speaks to Irish Trinidadian author Amanda Smyth about her new book Fortune, about being rootless and untethered, about chance meetings and living life in technicolour rather than in black and white. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/superbrain. Hosted on Acast. See...
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Booster 42 - I have two sons I love them both equally but....
Dr Sabina Brennan makes a surprising discovery about Monday's guest Norma Sheahan Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/superbrain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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S4: E6 Heal your Hole with Norma Sheahan
Sabina Brennan shoots the breeze with multi-talented actor, writer, voiceover artist, Norma Sheahan Her weekly podcast is Heal Your Hole with Norma Sheahan - which is also the name of this episode. Norma is currently in Gaiety performing “Shirley Valentine” - Unlike COVID you'll want to catch it…
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S4:E5 Football: A Concussion Delivery System With Michael Kaplen
Dr Sabina Brennan speaks with Michael Kaplen, a personal injury lawyer, who specialises in representing individuals who have sustained a traumatic brain injury. We speak at length about the often debilitating, long-lasting and often misunderstood consequences of one of the most common forms of...
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Booster 40 - Liar, Liar
Dr Sabina Brennan shares some recent research that shines a light on how the brain detects untruths and why we shouldn't always trust our gut. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/superbrain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Booster 41 - London Calling
A brief update from my hotel room in London plus some tips on how to protect your most precious organ - your brain Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/superbrain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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S4:E4 Selfie-taking and Self-Esteem
Dr Sabina Brennan and Dr Mary McGill continue their conversation about social media with a particular focus on distortion, dehumananisation, selfie-taking, self-esteem, censorship and cancel culture. Mary also makes a case for stoicism. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/superbrain....
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Booster 39 - Poor Sleep and Pandemic Weight Gain
Sleep loss can lead to weight gain. Did you gain weight during the pandemic? Have you been struggling to lose it? Have you tried and failed at dieting? Perhaps poor sleep or insomnia are at the root of your weight gain and the reason you are struggling to shift the excess. In this episode Dr…
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S4: E3 The Visibility Trap with Dr Mary McGill
Super Brain host Dr Sabina Brennan chats to Dr Mary McGill author of The Visibility Trap about gender-based online abuse, the need to ethical checks, surveillance, self-monitoring, visibility and exposure. Check out the Super Brain blog for full transcripts, links and videos. Get Super Brain...
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Booster 38 - Juggling multiple identities builds resilience
Continuing on from the themes of identity and motherhood discussed in Monday's interview with Melissa Hogenboom, Dr Sabina Brennan looks for silver linings and explains how the identity challenges faced by women and mothers more particularly can actually bestow an advantage because they make us...
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S4:E2 Happy Mum, Happy Baby with Melissa Hogenboom
Dr Sabina Brennan chats to award-winning BBC science journalist Melissa Hogenboom about her new book The Motherhood Complex and the science behind mothering. Melissa and Sabina chat openly and honestly about how challenged they felt as mothers of two young children. There's a good dose of science...
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Booster 37 - It's all in your head
Building on Monday's fascinating episode on psychosomatic illness with Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan, Dr Sabina Brennan shares her own experiences and more of Suzanne's insights about the physical manifestations of psychological factors. #psychosomaticillness #hypochondria #malingering #mentalhealth...
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S4: E1 The Brain Detective with Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan
Dr Sabina Brennan chats to neurologist Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan in this fascinating episode about psychosomatic illness, psychogenic disorders and mass hysteria. My favourite books, films and TV shows are mysteries, detective stories and psychological thrillers. As a psychologist I’ve learned not to...
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Sneak Peak - Super Brain - Season 4
Season 4 of Super Brain kicks off Monday September 6th, I chat to an impressive group of inspiring and fascinating guests this season This trailer gives you a little taster of whats in store with short clips from: S4E1 - The Brain Detective with Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan 🕵️♂️ 🧠🕵️♂️ 🧠🕵️♂️...
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Booster 36 - Rescue Dogs
National Rescue Dog Day which aims to encourage people to adopt dogs from shelters and rescues, as well as educating children about animals and their benefits. As mother to 4 rescue dogs Dr Sabina Brennan shares her personal positive experience and presents some of the science that backs up what…
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S3:E12 The stabilisers are off with PJ Gallagher
Dr Sabina Brennan talks to comedian, actor and broadcaster PJ Gallagher about loving motorbiking racing and his weekly courtship with death, hating standup and embracing honesty. For bonus materials, transcripts and more check out the Super Brain podcast blog. Support this show...
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Booster 35 Nature and Mental Health
This week is Mental Health Week and the theme for 2021 is nature, Dr Sabina Brennan explores the neuroscience underlying the mental health benefits of nature T Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/superbrain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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S3:E11 Your body is an instrument not an ornament with Anna Geary
Dr Sabina Brennan chats to Anna Geary about her career choices, her goals, her hopes for the future and body image, particularly the importance of looking after your body for functionality rather than for aesthetics, Watch out for Anna's upcoming RTE documentary which explores the reasons teenage...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Super Brain explores what really happens inside your head when you do the things you do - and how to use that knowledge to get the best out of your brain and yourself.
From Season Six, neuroscientist and author Dr. Sabina Brennan dives into one everyday human experience per episode - from procrastination to crying, curiosity to trust - to reveal the science behind it and the practical tools that help you navigate life with greater clarity and intention.
Curious, warm and wonderfully human, this is neuroscience you can use: one behaviour, one big insight, three tools for your Super Brain kit to help you think, feel and live better.
Because understanding your brain is the first step to unlocking its power.
New format, same mission — grounded in science, powered by compassion, designed to help you thrive.
Seasons 1 to 5 - Dr Sabina Brennan talks to an eclectic mix of inspiring guests a
HOSTED BY
Sabina Brennan
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Super Brain have?
Super Brain currently has 150 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Super Brain about?
Super Brain explores what really happens inside your head when you do the things you do - and how to use that knowledge to get the best out of your brain and yourself. From Season Six, neuroscientist and author Dr. Sabina Brennan dives into one everyday human experience per episode - from...
How often does Super Brain release new episodes?
Super Brain publishes regularly with 150 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Super Brain?
You can listen to Super Brain on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Super Brain?
Super Brain is created and hosted by Sabina Brennan.
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