The Little Brain Campaign

Emily Levy is a dentist at Billings Family Dentistry, and she joins us for a third, deeper conversation on TMJ, this time focusing on sleep and sleep-breathing disorders. We dig into why so many symptoms are dismissed as “normal” simply because they’re common, and how sleep issues are frequently missed in both medical and dental care. Emily breaks down how airway obstruction, neurologic regulation...

Eleanor McAuliffe is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Eating Disorders Specialist-Consultant based in New Orleans, and she joins us to break down what eating disorders actually are and what most people misunderstand about them. We talk through the full spectrum of eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, and ARFID, and why focusing on symptoms and lived...

Eileen Devine is a clinical social worker, parent coach, consultant, trainer, and mom to a teenager with neurobehavioral differences. We sit down with Eileen to talk honestly about what parenting neurodivergent kids really looks like, especially when behaviors are misunderstood as “won’t” instead of “can’t.” We unpack the shift from blame to skill-building, why compassion matters so much for paren...

This week, Lauren is breaking down one of the most pressing issues we see in our community: the impact of smartphones, social media, and screen time on kids and teens . We are covering how social media companies actually make money, why these platforms are designed to be addictive, and how technology has far outpaced research and public policy. We also dig into the major studies shaping what we kn...

Emily Levy is a dentist at Billings Family Dentistry, and she’s back with us for a follow-up conversation diving even deeper into the world of TMD, jaw pain, and how breathing dysfunction shows up as headaches, neck pain, posture issues, and chronic inflammation. We get right into how forward head posture, micro-traumas from daily jaw function, and sleep-related clenching create a cycle of pain th...

Kristin Wolfe is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New Orleans who specializes in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). We sit down with her to unpack what DBT actually is, how it differs from traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and why it’s so effective for issues involving emotional dysregulation, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts—especially among teens. Kristin explains how DBT comb...

Sarah Litt is the co-founder of Livi Beauty, and today we sit down with her to talk honestly about raising strong-willed kids—the kind who challenge every boundary, test every limit, and keep us laughing even in the chaos. We unpack what it’s really like to parent children wired this way, why trendy parenting approaches often go up in flames, and how discovering parenting expert Kirk Martin comple...

Dr. James Moises is a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician and the owner of Dr. Moises Medical & Marijuana Center. We sit down with him again to talk openly about why so many doctors are stepping away from the conventional medical system. Dr. Moises shares what he witnessed over his 30-year career—from the corporate takeover of hospitals to unethical billing practices, dangerous Covid-...

Dr. Emily Levy is a dentist at Billings Family Dentistry who specializes in TMJ disorders, craniofacial pain, and pediatric and adult sleep-breathing issues. We sit down with her to break down how airway problems, jaw development, tongue ties, and sleep quality impact kids and adults in ways most families never realize. Dr. Levy explains how she uses detailed diagnostics, functional therapy, and o...

Jourdan Generes is the CEO of NeuroJust, an interventional mental health clinic offering transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy. We talk about what TMS actually is, how it targets the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to calm an overactive fight-or-flight system, and why NeuroJust focuses solely on this noninvasive therapy. Jourdan breaks down who benefits most (depression and anxiety, with...

Dr. James Moises is a board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician and the owner of Dr. Moises Medical & Marijuana Center in New Orleans. We sit down with him to talk about how medical marijuana works in the brain, which conditions it can help treat, and when it might not be the right fit. Dr. Moises breaks down the science behind cannabis, the process of obtaining it legally in Louisiana, and...

Gillian Goddard is a physician at Park Avenue Endocrinology and Nutrition, author of Hot Flash from ParentData, and writer of the forthcoming book The Hormone Loop . She joins Lauren to unpack the often-misunderstood stages of perimenopause, from the late reproductive years through menopause. We dive into how hormonal shifts impact mood, fertility, and overall health, and why understanding these s...

Hey Little Brain Campaign listeners! We are excited to share some exciting news about what's next for the podcast. Each week our host, Dr. Lauren LaRose, will be talking with experts to explore ideas outside the traditional medical model and make physical and mental health more accessible, especially for parents and caregivers today. Whether you've been with us since the beginning, or just...

Welcome to The Little Brain Campaign! Join Dr. Lauren LaRose, psychiatrist and mom of three, as she brings on experts in mental health, physical health and education and explores ideas outside the traditional medical model. The Little Brain Campaign aims to make issues kids and caregivers face easier to understand, while always keeping in mind that we need to look beyond the usual answers to find...

Dave Hagedorn is the CEO of Evoke Neuroscience. He joins us to break down how EEG and evoked potentials give us a real-time window into brain function, helping us understand conditions like MS, dementia, and traumatic brain injury. We explore how these tools provide objective, functional data that traditional imaging often misses, and why combining EEG with heart rate variability offers a fuller p...

Marianna Boyd is the Director of Internal Communications at Ochsner Health. She joins Lauren to share her journey from years in social media and higher education to her current role in healthcare communications. We talk about the shift away from social media, ethical concerns with digital platforms, and how her work now focuses on communication that supports and informs people more directly. Toget...

Caroline Robichaux is an SLP, Board Certified Cognitive Specialist, and Owner of Basics Plus: Communication and Learning. She joins us to break down the current understanding of learning disabilities, including how they’re categorized, what they look like in everyday life, and why early, thorough evaluations matter. We dive into reading, math, and written expression challenges, including dyslexia...

With the MAHA Movement growing in popularity, it's important to open conversations and share different perspectives around it. Erin Romney is the founder and owner of Romney Studios and a former Division I swimmer with a background in biology. We sat down with Erin to unpack the movement to Make America Healthy Again—why she cares so deeply about it, and what she thinks it gets right and overlooks...

Shelby Latino is a meteorologist and TV host at FOX 8—and a mom of five girls, including a set of triplets. We sat down with Shelby to talk about the chaos, comedy, and complexity of modern motherhood. From screen time guilt and parenting advice overload to generational clashes and the pressure of curated social media, Shelby shares what it’s like to raise five very different kids while navigating...

Insufficient sleep is more than just a tired kid—it’s a public health issue. We dig into why so many children and teens aren’t getting enough sleep, how it affects their mental and physical health, and what we as parents and providers can do about it. From bedtime battles to blue light overload, we break down the science behind sleep stages, melatonin, REM cycles, and what’s really going on in tho...

Tara Clark is the founder of Modern Mom Probs and the host of the Modern Mom Probs podcast. We sat down with Tara to talk about how she turned a funny Instagram account into a powerful platform for modern motherhood, mental health advocacy, and honest storytelling. She shares how writing her book during the pandemic shaped her perspective on parenting, how her content evolved with her life, and wh...

Dr. Devan Szepanski is a family medicine physician from NuWell Health, and she joins us to break down everything you need to know about hormones, puberty, periods, PMS, and PMDD. We unpack what happens hormonally during puberty in girls, define what puberty actually is, and explore the roles of key hormones like testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone in shaping mood and menstrual cycles. Dr. Sze...

We're back with Dr. Benton Marino for part two of our conversation on PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) and PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections)! We unpack what causes these sudden-onset conditions, from strep and other infections to mold and environmental toxins, and how they lead to OCD-like behaviors, eating r...

Self-harm and suicidal ideation are more complex than many realize, and we break it all down in this conversation. We explore why people self-harm, the difference between self-harm and suicidal behavior, and how fear of litigation often keeps professionals from addressing these issues effectively. We discuss common misconceptions, the motivations behind self-harm behaviors, and why open, judgment-...

Dr. Lauren Hernandez is a pediatrician at NuWell Health specializing in genetic testing and brain mapping for children and adults. We dive into how DNA Mind testing reveals genetic strengths and weaknesses in neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and GABA, guiding personalized care with diet, supplements, and medication. We also explore Evoke, a QEEG brain mapping tool that visually shows br...