Showing results by publisher "The Great Courses" in Health & Wellness

In Understanding and Overcoming Fear, sociologist Margee Kerr, PhD, explains the physiological and contextual aspects of fear, revealing the complexities of this powerful emotion and explaining why you can never experience the exact same fear twice. In 24 episodes, illustrated with fascinating graphics, Professor Kerr takes you on a journey similar to the one she has taken in her own work - from considering fear as a toxic, destructive force that needs to be defeated to an emotion with tremendous upsides in the right circumstances.

In Understanding Cognitive Biases, you will learn how to recognize biases for what they are, counteract them when necessary, and even use them to your advantage in some instances. In 24 fascinating lectures, Dr. Alexander B. Swan uses examples from psychology experiments, history, politics, movies, TV, comics, social media, and more to illustrate dozens of cognitive biases that affect us all.

What explains the brain-body connection? How is it that something intangible like stress can really kill? How about the fact that we can and often do worry ourselves sick? And how can we take advantage of the mind’s connection to the body to reduce pain, boost physical performance, and even treat disease? Answer these questions and more in The Power of Mind over Body, a 12-lecture course that will change the way you think about physical health and the brain.

“Who are you?” Chances are you’d answer this question by describing the highlights of your personality and life experiences. But if you’d been asked this same question yesterday, you might have responded with a slightly different description. Does that mean you are a particular person today but were a different person yesterday? And what about tomorrow? Welcome to the slippery, shape-shifting nature of memory. As Professor Gabrielle Principe reveals, “you” are the conglomeration of the often-unreliable information your brain decides to feed you at any given moment.

Sex. The word makes some people giggle or blush, while others may draw back in discomfort. So, why do we find it so difficult to talk openly about sex? Much of our reticence in discussing and acknowledging the realities of sex comes, at least in part, from a unique time and place: medieval Europe. In the 12 episodes of Sex in the Middle Ages, Professor Jennifer McNabb and a panel of experts in medieval history and literature will take you back to the period between the fall of Rome and the rise of the Renaissance to explore the ideals and realities of sex and sexuality.

In Understanding Nonverbal Communication, you'll discover that nonverbal communication is less intentional and harder to control than the words you choose to speak. Because you are less aware of it than you are of your words, it provides better clues to what you are feeling and thinking.

In Understanding Your Inner Genius, presenter Laura Helmuth reveals the latest scientific thinking on genius and intelligence - from the making of a genius, to the increase of worldwide IQ scores, and the mysteries of acquired savantism. With Dr. Helmuth as your guide, you’ll explore the groundbreaking work conducted by distinguished psychologists, psychiatrists, neuroscientists, and educators. With myth-busting exhilaration and more than a bit of controversy, scientific studies point the way to increasing the intellect.

With its up to 500 trillion synaptic connections, your brain is easily the most powerful machine in the world. Even more incredibly: This amazing machine is constantly changing through a process known as brain plasticity. And you can take advantage of this process to improve and enhance your brain’s jaw-dropping powers - at any age.

The 12 half-hour lectures of Yoga for a Healthy Mind and Body, taught by acclaimed yoga teacher Dr. Heidi Sormaz, are the ideal first step for a newcomer and a fascinating journey of discovery for those who already practice. If you think, "I'm not flexible enough to do yoga," you should try this course. Dr. Sormaz reveals that there is a practice that will work for you and help you on your road to a healthier mind and body.