Pain is one of the biggest thieves of our attention and can lead to significant stress. Mindfulness is a way to train our attention and manage stress. This talk will combine the neural mechanisms behind stress and mindfulness to provide some real world tools for dealing with pain. We will always have stressors in our lives, what we can work on is our relationship with them. Understanding the brain and mindfulness is a powerful way to gain our attention back and manage stress.

Andra Smith has been a Full Professor with the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa for 21 years. Her research uses MRI/fMRI to understand how the brain works and sometimes is vulnerable. Providing interventions, like mindfulness and exercise, are her go to for this vulnerability. From children to retirees, empowering people, with knowledge about the brain, including managing stress, is her passion.