What are the opening hours?

Monday 8am - 5pm Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 5pm Thursday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 5pm

The Brain and Behavior Clinic, 2523 Broadway #200, Boulder, CO (2025)

07/17/2025

🧠💨 Struggling with anxiety? Your breath might be a powerful (and overlooked) tool for relief.

A 2023 review of 16 clinical studies found that breathwork interventions—especially slow diaphragmatic breathing—significantly reduced anxiety symptoms in adults with clinically diagnosed anxiety disorders, including:

🔹 Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Chronic worry and tension? Slow, deep belly breaths helped calm the nervous system and promote emotional regulation.
🔹 Panic Disorder (PD): Sudden panic attacks? CART (Capnometry-Assisted Respiratory Training) helped restore healthy CO₂ levels and reduce frequency and intensity.
🔹 Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD): Fear of judgment? Slow breathing techniques lowered physical symptoms like heart rate and tension.
🔹 Phobias and Agoraphobia: Paired with panic, paced breathing and CART showed real promise.

🫁 Why it works:
Slow diaphragmatic breathing—6 to 10 deep breaths per minute—engages the parasympathetic nervous system, quiets the stress response, and improves vagal tone. The result? Less tension, more calm.

✨ Breathwork is accessible, low-cost, and rooted in science. It’s not a one-size-fits-all fix, but when tailored to your diagnosis, it can offer a meaningful path to healing—one breath at a time.

📖 Banushi et al. (2023), Brain Sciences

07/08/2025

Join me this Friday, July 11th from 12–1pm MDT for my Monthly Vagus Nerve Practice Group 🌿

Together, we’ll explore gentle, powerful practices to care for your “wonder nerve”—the vagus nerve—and deepen your emotional resilience, presence, and connection. 💗

This is a space to befriend your nervous system, tap into community, and anchor into safety and self-awareness. I’ll share a poem, some juicy teachings, and experiential exercises to help you ground, restore, and reconnect.

I’d love to see you there 💫
Register here: https://www.ilenenaomirusk.com/vagal-toning

06/26/2025

Join me on Friday, July 11th from 12:00–1:00pm MDT for an online Nervous System & Vagus Nerve Practice Group—a restorative hour of shared learning, somatic practice, and community connection.

I’ll open our time together with a poem and some rich, accessible teachings on the vagus nerve. We’ll explore gentle vagal toning exercises, embodiment practices, and space to clarify your intentions and personalize your nervous system care.

The vagus nerve is a powerful pathway of brain-body-soul regulation—supporting resilience, emotional steadiness, and overall health. Deepening in practice together helps us build both inner and collective strength. I hope you’ll join me.

🌀 More info and registration: ilenenaomirusk.com/vagal-toning

06/20/2025

🧠 Brain Health Roadmap for Optimal Longevity

I’m honored to invite you to an upcoming talk where I’ll be sharing my integrative, data-driven approach to cognitive aging. We’ll explore the history of Alzheimer’s research, the limitations of pharmaceutical interventions, and the science behind six foundational lifestyle pillars that support brain and emotional health:
• Nutrition
• Movement
• Sleep
• Stress management
• Cognitive stimulation
• Social connection

Together, we’ll look at how stress impacts memory, what contributes to cognitive decline, and how building nervous system flexibility can promote resilience and long-term well-being.

📅 Monday, June 30, 2025
🕠 5:30–7:00 PM
📍 6007 Oreg Ave, Boulder, CO 80303
🔗 Register at boulderjcc.org/events

I hope to see you there!

05/30/2025

📣 Join me ONLINE for a special Mini Vagus Nerve Q&A and Nervous System Exercises for Growth and Resilience 🌿💫

In this shorter, interactive session, we’ll revisit and refine the “Recipe for Regulation” exercises we’ve been practicing in Polyvagal Toning. Whether you’re new or returning, this is a chance to reconnect, ask questions, and deepen your practice for nervous system health and emotional resilience.

🧠 Friday, June 13th
🕛 12:00–12:45pm MDT
💻 Register at: ilenaomirusk.com/vagal-toning

05/25/2025

Dr. Rick Hanson uses the acronym HEAL to describe a powerful process for internalizing beneficial experiences and building lasting inner resources.

HEAL involves noticing a positive thought, sensation, or experience, holding it in awareness, expanding it, and lingering with it for at least 20 to 30 seconds, allowing it to become encoded in the brain through neuroplasticity.

Here’s how the HEAL method works:
🔸H — HAVE a positive experience (either in the moment or by recalling something good).
🔸E — ENRICH it by noticing the details—what you saw, heard, felt, or who you were with.
🔸A — ABSORB the feeling: let it wash over you and really sink in.
🔸L — LINK it to other experiences, even hard ones, to gently reshape old emotional patterns.

💫 HEAL helps shift positive moments from fleeting to lasting—supporting nervous system regulation, resilience, and a more integrated sense of well-being.

05/06/2025

🧠🌿 I’m excited to invite you to a special Aging at Altitude online Q&A session:

“Roadmap to BrainSpan” — a conversation dedicated to helping you understand how to protect and personalize your brain health journey.

Let’s explore what it means to age with clarity, connection, and vitality.

📅 May 9th | 🕛 11:00–11:45 AM
📍 ONLINE

Copy this link to register today! 🎟️
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/jAR3a7iyRpCwkrj1cQnf_A?_kx=CiaaPbFu_dUquML8mBC8_FnKKXKb4qKjusIFZQ_mHN1tFo6GQk-OOrbZl1kfTHTr.RsbdFm #/registration

Bring your questions and curiosity—this live session is your chance to explore how to stay mentally sharp and thrive at any age!

05/02/2025

At The Brain & Behavior Clinic, we honor Mental Health Awareness Month by recognizing the deep connection between trauma, brain function, and emotional well-being🧠🫂

If you or someone you know is struggling, professional support is available. Please explore the following trusted mental health resources:

🔹 Immediate Crisis Support
• 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988 for 24/7 confidential support
• Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741

🔹 Community & National Organizations
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) – Education, support groups, and helpline (1-800-950-6264)
• Mental Health America – Screening tools, advocacy, education
• The Trevor Project – Support for LGBTQIA+ youth (1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678678)
• The Body Keeps the Score – Trauma resources from Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
• Open Path Collective – Affordable therapy nationwide

🔹 Local to Colorado
• Mental Health Partners – Boulder County – Therapy, crisis services, and community support
• Colorado Crisis Services – 1-844-493-TALK (8255) or text TALK to 38255

Let’s continue working together toward a future where healing is possible, help is accessible, and no one walks this journey alone.

04/24/2025

Intermittent Fasting and Cognitive Health ⏳🧠🍽️

Intermittent fasting (12–48 hour cycles) is gaining recognition not just in wellness circles, but in neuroscience research for its potential to support brain health.

Animal studies show strong evidence for enhanced memory, learning, and stress resilience, while emerging human data suggests improvements in mood, attention, and cognitive performance.

IF activates pathways like AMPK, SIRT1, and ketone signaling—reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and supporting mitochondrial function and neurological resilience.

✨ Small lifestyle shifts can create powerful changes—your brain will thank you. Start with what feels sustainable and build from there.

04/16/2025

Could low cortisol be less about dysfunction—and more about adaptation?

📉 Low Cortisol as a Marker  Some studies suggest that lower-than-expected cortisol levels may be a consistent feature in individuals with early-life trauma exposure, possibly reflecting a long-term physiological shift.

🧠 Not Organ Failure, But System Sensitivity  Current research points away from adrenal or pituitary dysfunction as the cause. Instead, low cortisol may reflect enhanced glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity and stronger negative feedback within the HPA axis.

🧬 Epigenetic Influence  Evidence is building that early adversity can epigenetically alter the expression of glucocorticoid receptors, shaping stress response systems over time.

⚙️ Altered Cortisol Metabolism  Emerging findings indicate that trauma may slow cortisol breakdown in the liver and kidneys—prolonging its local effects even when overall circulating levels appear low.

🧭 A Lasting Trait?  These cortisol-related changes are being explored as stable, potentially heritable markers, which may one day support earlier identification and more tailored interventions—such as low-dose cortisol therapy.

All of this is pointing to a paradigm shift: what we’ve labeled as “dysregulation” may, in part, be an efficient early-life adaptation in tough environments.

04/13/2025

Stress isn’t a flaw—it’s a function. 🧠↔️🫀

In functional and integrative medicine, we understand that stress is not the enemy. It’s a communication system between your brain and body—a signal, not a problem.

As Dr. Elissa Epel explains in The Stress Prescription, short-term stress can enhance resilience—if the body is given the right tools to recover.

🧬 Here’s what the science shows:
1️⃣ Stress initiates a survival response at the cellular level
2️⃣ If supported, the body follows with repair and restoration
3️⃣ This cycle can strengthen long-term resilience

⚡️ Recovery after stress is a powerful marker of health—just like post-workout recovery.

🌿 Evidence-based strategies to support recovery:
• Time in nature
• Breathwork + restorative practices
• Quality sleep + nutrition
• Social connection (vagal tone)
• Mindful movement
• Creative expression
• Cold exposure (for some)

Dr. Russ Harris offers a helpful metaphor: thoughts and emotions are like sushi on a conveyor belt—you can observe them without reacting to every piece.

Instead of fighting your body’s signals, learn to listen:
✨ “What is my body asking for?”
✨ “What would help me feel safe right now?”

Your body isn’t criticizing—it’s communicating. When we respond with awareness and compassion, regulation becomes possible from the inside out.

Learn more!
https://www.ilenenaomirusk.com/post/the-daily-habits-of-a-stress-resilient-mind

04/10/2025

“What if I start to lose my memory?”

It’s a common fear as we age—and a deeply personal, often painful journey for those with Alzheimer’s or dementia, along with their loved ones and caregivers.

But there’s hope. 🧠

Contrary to popular belief, our brains are malleable for life—we can grow new pathways and support cognitive health even in the early stages of dementia.

Two essential tools?
✨ Cultivating inner peace
✨ Practicing moment-to-moment grounding

According to research (Lancet Commission, Dr. Bredesen), many risk factors for Alzheimer’s and dementia are modifiable—meaning you can take action now to help prevent or slow memory loss.

Some modifiable factors:
- Reduce alcohol & smoking
- Address stress, trauma, and sleep issues
- Strengthen muscles & heart health
- Manage blood sugar, weight, and hypertension
- Avoid head injuries, support hearing
- Stay mentally and socially engaged

💡Aging doesn’t have to be feared.
We can embrace it—emotionally, cognitively, and wisely.

At The Brain and Behavior Clinic, we call that a healthspan: A life that’s not just long but truly well lived. 💛

Learn more!
https://www.ilenenaomirusk.com/post/12-simple-ways-to-prevent-memory-loss-as-you-age-a-functional-medicine-approach

The Brain and Behavior Clinic

07/17/2025

07/08/2025

06/26/2025

06/20/2025

05/30/2025

05/25/2025

05/06/2025

05/02/2025

04/24/2025

04/16/2025

04/13/2025

04/10/2025

Address

Opening Hours

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm