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Heather Collins, Ph.D.
Cognitive Neuroscientist | Keynote Speaker
Heather Collins, Ph.D. is a cognitive neuroscientist and keynote speaker based in Charleston, South Carolina.1 She specializes in transforming neuroscience findings into actionable insights for professional and personal development.1
Professional Background
Dr. Collins holds a Ph.D. in Psychological and Brain Sciences from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Washington.1 Her career spans both academia and public speaking:
Academic Roles::
- Senior Research Scientist & Biostatistician at the Medical University of South Carolina (2012-present)
- Chair of the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences at Trident Technical College (2012-2017)
- Professor of Psychology at Trident Technical College (2012-2017)
- Research Scientist at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine (2007-2010)
- Cognitive Psychology Research Scientist & Instructor at UC Santa Barbara (2001-2007)1
Public Speaking:: Dr. Collins has been working as a keynote speaker since January 2018.1 She has delivered three TEDx talks and speaks to diverse audiences across various industries.1
Expertise and Focus
Dr. Collins's work focuses on:
- Boosting confidence
- Managing change
- Improving memory
- Igniting innovation
- Sparking creative thinking1
She aims to help professionals and organizations leverage brain science to transform leadership, inspire teams, and create "power thinkers".1 Her approach involves translating complex neuroscience concepts into practical, actionable strategies for personal and professional growth.2
Dr. Collins describes herself as an energetic speaker who enjoys engaging with professionals from various fields, including business, finance, marketing, law, education, healthcare, and technology.1 Her goal is to help individuals and organizations tap into their brain's potential to solve problems and drive success.12
Highlights
🧠 What is holding you back? 🧠
Take a moment and reflect on what is keeping you from moving forward. What are your barriers?
Are you afraid of something? Are you stuck in your ways? Are you feeling sluggish? It’s hard to admit that we feel any of these things. These feelings are uncomfortable and admitting that we experience these feelings can feel vulnerable. You’re not alone. From time to time, we all experience these feelings. The good news is that you can tackle them head-on and not let them hold you back. Fear, reluctance, stubbornness, and avoidance can keep us from moving forward and reaching our goals.
🧠 Your brain has two opposing action systems: a response inhibition system (in your pre-supplementary motor areas and prefrontal cortex) and a response initiation system (in your right inferior frontal cortex).
🧠 You can think of these as your brain’s stop and go systems that are responsible for inhibiting action or initiating action.
The problem is that when you want to be bold and make a move you feel apprehensive, and your brain can lock into the stop system and prevent you from acting.
🧠 Flip the switch by saying yes.🧠
Verbally say yes to yourself, identify the first step, and move forward to take action. Better yet, share your “yes” with another person for accountability. Even a small action as a first step sets you on that path. Your first step could be responding to an email, drafting a project outline, calling a contact person, scheduling a meeting, or writing that first sentence on a blank page.
When you say yes, commit to the experience, and jump in, that ignites inertia and activates your brain’s response initiation system. Like a ball in motion, you will open your brain to forward motion and keep the momentum going.
Say yes and move forward.
#BrainBytes
New situations are filled with unknowns that can cause stress, anxiety, damage critical thinking, and prevent us from being our best. This could lead to lost opportunities to shine and even cause damage to your career.
🧠 Focusing on the unknown paralyzes you and prevents you from being bold and taking logical action.
The stress hormone, cortisol, races through your system and prevents your brain’s hippocampus from doing its job: Making new memories and remembering important information.
Your brain’s emotional, limbic system hijacks your frontal lobes, seizing your ability to make decisions, solve problems, speak intelligently, and think critically.
When you walk into a meeting, are introduced to a new person, attend a networking event, or give a presentation, you do not know how that situation will play out. Your brain is uncomfortable with the unknown. Focusing on the unknown will sabotage your efforts.
🧠 The key is to leverage your knowledge and think about what you DO know instead of what you DON'T know. What do you have to offer? What are your assets and strengths? What do you know about the situation or who will be there?
🧠 When you leverage your knowledge, you tap into your brain’s semantic memory network. This network of neurons represents your knowledge about the world, and tapping into it induces a sense of familiarity. Research shows that familiarity cues positivity and focusing on what you know is a simple way to make your brain feel comfortable and positive about an unknown situation.
Now you can be bold and tackle the unknown with confidence!
To learn more about how to use your brain to be bold, watch my TEDx talk, linked below.
#BrainBytes
