The BrainCore Podcast

In this episode, Tolu sits down with Dr. Margaret Steele - psychiatrist, certified physician executive, and former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Dr. Steele's path to psychiatry wasn't a straight line: she studied microbiology, considered actuarial sciences, even explored interior design before finding her way to medicine. Today she holds one of the...

Can AI actually be empathetic? In this episode of BrainCore, host Tolu Faromika is joined by researchers Dariya Ovsyannikova, Leif Anderson, and Zachary Grey to explore one of the biggest questions at the intersection of psychology and technology: can artificial intelligence (AI) provide empathy, and what happens when it does? The conversation is inspired by Dariya's recent article examining h...

Most of us don't think about dementia until it affects someone we love. But the research says we should have started much earlier. In this episode of BrainCore, Tolu sits down with Dr. Saskia Sivananthan - neuroscientist, dementia policy leader, and one of Canada's foremost voices on brain health — to unpack what dementia really is, how it differs from Alzheimer's, and what the science...

A conversation about mental health in Accra sounds different from one in Mumbai. The words are different, the stigma is different, the meaning is different. And for treatment to actually work, it has to start there. That's the work Dr. Benedict Weobong has dedicated his career to. In this episode of BrainCore, Tolu sits down with the global mental health epidemiologist and York University prof...

What does psychotherapy actually look like beyond diagnoses and coping strategies? In this episode of The BrainCore Podcast, host Tolu Faromika sits down with psychotherapist [Guest Name] for an in-depth conversation about therapy, mental health, healing, culture, faith, and representation in mental health care. Together, they discuss: • What psychotherapy is and how therapy helps people heal • Co...

Kayla Lewis didn't receive her ADHD diagnosis until her 30s — and it changed how she understood her entire life. In this episode of BrainCore, Tolu sits down with Kayla to unpack what late diagnosis really feels like, how she navigates motherhood with ADHD (including supporting her son through his own assessment), and what it means to be a Black woman balancing home, work, and mental health. K...

You’ve probably heard these before: “Autistic people lack empathy.” “You can outgrow autism.” But how many of them are actually true? In this episode of BrainCore, Tolu is joined by Dr. Iris Rose to challenge some of the most persistent myths about autism spectrum disorder. Together, they explore what gets lost when autism is framed only in terms of deficits, and what shifts when we begin to cente...

What do you do when you want help… but your family says no? In this episode of BrainCore, Tolu sits down with mental health advocate Jessie Sidhu to talk about navigating mental health in cultures where it’s often misunderstood or dismissed. From late ADHD and autism diagnoses to building platforms that support others, Jessie shares how she turned her experiences into impact. If you’ve ever felt t...

Did you know that two-thirds of Alzheimer’s disease patients are women? In this episode, Tolu sits down with neuroscientist Dr. Natasha Rajah to discuss why women are disproportionately affected and what researchers are beginning to learn about the connection between menopause and brain health. We talk about the Canadian Brain Health at Midlife and Menopause (BHAMM) study, why this topic has histo...

In this episode of BrainCore, Tolu sits down with behavioural scientist and professor Tosen Nwadei for a wide-ranging conversation about identity, academia, and the science of human behaviour. As a first-generation Nigerian American, Tosen reflects on the concept of double consciousness and how it shapes his experience navigating academic and professional spaces. Together, they explore how behavio...

In this episode of BrainCore, host Tolu Faromika sits down with social psychologist and relationship researcher Dr. Amy Muise to talk about love, sex, and the advice we’ve all heard but rarely question. Do love languages actually predict relationship success? Is scheduling sex romantic… or the opposite? And what are we really saying when we repeat phrases like “happy wife, happy life”? Amy brings...

In this episode of BrainCore, host Tolu Faromika sits down with clinical psychology graduate student and lecturer, Melanie Mascarenhas for an honest and wide-ranging conversation about what clinical psychology really looks like and how she found her way into the field. From once dreaming of becoming a chef on a cruise ship to navigating the realities of traumatic brain injury in her family, Melani...

What is psychology, really? In our RELAUNCH episode, Tolu takes you on a fast, thoughtful tour through the key moments in psychological history that shaped how we understand the mind today. She takes you from early philosophical roots to modern scientific thinking! This episode really sets the foundation for what BrainCore is and where it’s going - are you excited?! This is also the start of a new...

Is it okay if you don’t get into graduate school for psychology the first time? Should you take a gap year? What kinds of experiences should you aim to get before applying? How do I narrow down my research interests? Tolu is joined by 3 amazing graduate school friends - Amanda Nkeramihigo, Sabrina Valenzano, and Zachary Grey. Together, they discuss their own personal experiences, share the hurdles...

What is psychology? What does it mean to be a psychologist? Can psychological research really have applications in our daily lives? In this episode, Tolu and Regan break down misconceptions about psychology as a science. Regan shares the evolution of his answer to the question: “So, can you read minds?” Tolu shares some updates on her academic journey. Together, they discuss real-life applications...

How does psychedelic-assisted therapy give people perspective? How does ketamine help with diagnoses like depression and anxiety? Sabina Pillai, from Field Trip Health, enlightens Tolu and Kristina on the healing potential of psychedelics and ketamine. They discuss what a typical session looks like for clients who come to Field Trip Health. Sabina explains how psychedelics target the mental, physi...

What is it good for? Tolu and Kristina discuss how genetic testing may provide individuals with an opportunity to know more about themselves with Dr. Robyn Murphy (Scientific Advisor at DNALabs) and Dr. Aaron Goldman (Chief Science Officer at DNALabs). What is DNA? What can one do when they have risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases? How can lifestyle changes decrease one's chances of having...

Tolu and Kristina bring back student-entrepreneur Chloe Duckworth to discuss an exciting update! How can we improve one's ability to communicate with others? What if that one is not especially good at interpreting subtle verbal or social cues? This short episode gives us insight into what Chloe and her team have been up to! The term of the episode or TOTE is Emotional Perception.  Chloe’s web...

Our reality is starting to look interestingly similar to that of a Black Mirror episode. In this episode, Kristina and Tolu talk about the potential benefits and drawbacks of a metaverse, particularly how virtual reality (VR) may affect mental health. Tolu brings up the research she did on Facebook, and how the metaverse is not a newly realized goal. They talk about how VR is starting to be implem...

Tolu and Kristina are joined by Dr. Andrea Halpern, a Professor of Psychology at Bucknell University, to discuss memory and music! In their last episode of the year, they delve into how we remember non-verbal music. Dr. Halpern enlightens the two on certain myths in the field, as well as some of her interesting findings over the years. What is auditory imagery and does everyone engage in it? Is ou...

Kristina and Tolu investigate attachment styles as it relates to their relationships with others. In this episode, they discuss their attachment style reports and its implications on their upbringing, friendships, and romantic relationships! How does one get a secure attachment style? What does it mean to be anxiously attached to romantic partners? The term of the episode is Attachment Theory! Art...

Congratulations to Rishik and Ashmita for winning the Brainstorm Jeopardy game! In this episode, Kristina and Tolu are joined by Nigerian Neuroscience researchers Dr. Ibukun Akinrinade and Dr. Mahmoud Maina. They discuss the issues that create barriers for neuroscience research in Nigeria. The issues include funding, lack of internal collaboration, outdated equipment, lack of graduate school oppor...

Tolu and Kristina are in two different countries!! They talk about the new chapters they're starting in their lives, new updates for the podcast, and what they see themselves doing in the future. They also briefly talk about elections, the water supply in Cyprus, and language barriers! The concept discussed is one of new beginnings. Don't forget to fill out our subscriber form!! Email : thebrainco...

What does your brain look like when you're praying? Meditating? Conducting a ritual? These are the questions Dr. Andrew Newberg investigates with his research. On this episode, Kristina and Tolu discuss the field of Neurotheology and the implications of it. They talk about the difficulties that may arise from mixing the two, very different disciplines together (i.e., neuroscience and theology) and...

Perhaps the majority of those embedded in philosophy have heard of the "Ghost in the Machine" analogy, introduced initially by Gilbert Ryle. It is one piece of the puzzle that is the conversation on consciousness. In this episode, Tolu and Kristina are joined by Peter Hampson from Blackfriars in Oxford, UK. Peter has a unique take on the subject because he has acquired degrees in both psychology a...