It's Brain Surgery

Finding Joy in the Grind with LadySpineDoc

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2541721/open_sms] What does it really look like to build a meaningful life in one of the most demanding professions in the world? In this episode of It’s Brain Surgery, Andrew Brunswick sits down with Dr. Betsy Grunch, board-certified neurosurgeon, researcher, mother, and globally recognized creator known as @LadySpineDoc. Dr. Grunch shares her personal journey into neurosurgery, inspired by her mother’s spinal cord injury, and how that early experience shaped the way she treats patients, delivers difficult news, and leads with empathy in a high-stakes field. Together, they explore what neurosurgical training is actually like, how surgeons learn to carry responsibility without losing their humanity, and why communication matters just as much as technical skill. The conversation also dives into how Dr. Grunch built a powerful educational platform on social media, why evidence-based medical voices matter online, and how she balances medicine, family life, creativity, and leadership in a traditionally male-dominated specialty. This episode is an honest, thoughtful look at purpose, resilience, and redefining what a neurosurgeon can look like in the modern world. In this episode, you’ll hear about: What inspired Dr. Betsy Grunch to become a neurosurgeon How empathy shapes patient care and family communication The realities of neurosurgical training and life after residency Balancing surgery, motherhood, marriage, and leadership Building trust and education through social media Redefining success in medicine and beyond 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of neuroscience, medicine, mindset, and life. 📩 Join the Mind Gym community for weekly insights on performance, presence, and purpose. Follow Dr. Betsy Grunch: Instagram & TikTok: @LadySpineDoc

How a Neurosurgeon Stays Human with Dr. Howard Weiner

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2541721/open_sms] Dr. Howard Weiner is one of the most respected pediatric neurosurgeons in the country — Chief of Neurosurgery and Endowed Chair at Texas Children’s Hospital, and Professor at Baylor College of Medicine. But titles barely scratch the surface of who he is. In this deeply personal conversation, Andrew talks with his former mentor about the part of medicine most people never hear about: how you stay human while doing the hardest job in the hospital. They get into: • How a childhood shaped by empathy led him to neurosurgery • Why “hospitality” in medicine matters more than people think • Leading teams through trust, warmth, and integrity • How he navigates complications and the mental toll of surgery • The role of spirituality, Sabbath, family, and giving in avoiding burnout • The surprising tools that help surgeons build long, meaningful careers • What it means to build a life you’re proud of — not just a career If you’re in medicine, leadership, or just trying to build a meaningful life without burning out, this episode will hit home.

The REAL Sauna Experience: What Finland Knows That We Don’t

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2541721/open_sms] Most of us think of a sauna as just “a hot room.” In Finland, it’s a way of life, a ritual, a community practice, and surprisingly a powerful tool for training the mind. In this episode of It’s Brain Surgery, Dr. Andrew Brunswick sits down with Lassi Liikkanen, one of the world’s leading experts on Finnish sauna design, tradition, and research. His books The Secrets of Finnish Sauna Design and Finnish Sauna: Steam, Wood, Stone, and How to Build Your Own have reshaped how the world understands authentic sauna culture. We dive into: • Why Finnish sauna culture is nothing like the “sauna” trend in the U.S. • How heat trains the mind like surgery: presence, discomfort, clarity • The true purpose of steam (löyly) and why humidity matters • Sauna as meditation, community, and digital detox • Why infrared is not a Finnish sauna—and what the research says • What Americans consistently get wrong about sauna design • How sauna shapes honesty, connection, and vulnerability • Why even infants in Finland go to the sauna • The right way to think about temperature, cycles, and cooling • How to build a sauna that actually works (and why most don’t) If you’ve ever wondered what a sauna really is or if you’re trying to deepen your own practicethis episode will change how you think about heat forever.  Guest Information Lassi Liikkanen Author, researcher, and one of the leading authorities on Finnish sauna design. Books: • The Secrets of Finnish Sauna Design • Finnish Sauna: Steam, Wood, Stone, and How to Build Your Own

The Only Neurosurgeon in Sierra Leone: Dr. Alieu Kamara’s Fight to Save Lives

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2541721/open_sms] Imagine being the only neurosurgeon in a country of over 8 million people. No backup. Limited equipment. Families raising money before life-saving surgery can begin. That is Dr. Alieu Kamara’s daily reality in Sierra Leone. In this episode, Dr. Kamara shares how growing up during the civil war shaped him, why he left a secure post abroad to return home, and what it takes to make life-or-death decisions when resources are thin. We talk trauma care, CT access, weekends in the OR, training the next generation, and what kind of help would actually move the needle. This conversation is not about outrage. It is about responsibility, courage, and practical ways to support care where it is most needed. What we cover: Being the only neurosurgeon in the country Childhood during the civil war and the path to medicine Training in China and the decision to return home Daily workload, burnout risk, and mindset under pressure Trauma, tumors, and what happens when patients cannot pay Imaging, blood, and the long list of missing tools Building capacity: CT installation, future C-arm, training plans How international colleagues and organizations can help Chapters (add timestamps after upload) Intro Civil war childhood Training abroad and coming home Life as the only neurosurgeon Trauma care, imaging, and costs Building a service and training others How to help About Dr. Allieu Kamara Neurosurgeon, Connaught Hospital, Freetown, Sierra Leone. Focused on neurotrauma and building sustainable neurosurgical care in a low-resource setting. How to support Interested clinicians: short volunteer stints, case discussion, remote consults Donors and partners: consumables, imaging support, instruments, C-arm, training funds

How Boredom Shapes the Brain with Dr. James Danckert

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2541721/open_sms] Cognitive neuroscientist Dr. James Danckert joins me to unpack what boredom really is, why the brain evolved it, and how to respond to it in a healthy, purposeful way. We dig into trait boredom proneness, addiction-like phone use, kids and screens, the default mode network, interoception, endurance sports, and what clinicians see after traumatic brain injury. If you’ve ever wondered whether to “embrace boredom,” or how to help your kid handle it without an iPad, this one’s for you. In this episode you’ll learn: • A clear definition of boredom and why it’s a call to action, not apathy • How chronic boredom links to anxiety, depression, gambling, and problematic smartphone use • Practical responses: agency, reframing tasks, intentional screen use, gratitude practices • Why “downtime” is not the same as boredom • What happens in the brain during boredom, including the default mode network and salience systems • Boredom in athletes, free-throw practice, and endurance training • Considerations for boredom after TBI and stroke, and why motivation circuits matter Guest: Dr. James Danckert, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Waterloo. Coauthor of Out of My Skull: The Psychology of Boredom. Subscribe for more brain-smart conversations. Rate and share if this helped you rethink boredom.