S2E17: How the Brain Regulates Emotion with Professor Bryan Denny

Join me for an enlightening conversation with Professor Bryan Denny, Associate Professor of Psychological Sciences at Rice University and Director of the T-SCAN Lab. A leading researcher in affective neuroscience, his groundbreaking work uses neuroimaging and behavioral methods to understand how the brain and body shape our emotional experiences. His translational research focuses on developing emotional regulation interventions for clinical populations, family caregivers, and bereaved spouses.

We explore cognitive reappraisal and psychological distancing, why emotion regulation strategies work differently across people and situations, and what happens when these skills are trained. Professor Denny discusses applications in bereavement, borderline personality disorder, and Alzheimer's caregiving, along with research on emotion regulation during COVID-19 and healthy eating. We also examine how distancing can help manage overwhelming emotions, why reappraisal is not appropriate in every situation, and his advice for students pursuing psychology and neuroscience.