"I wish I knew more
about the brain so I could
help my clients even better"
Certificate in Applied Neuroscience
AS a coach or helping professional
you're good at what you do
And you know that neuroscience is one
of the biggest game changers
in the industry
You spend so much time
searching the internet
for videos and articles
to get the neuroscience knowledge
that you need
... But the information you find often contradicts each other so you're not even sure what's credible and what's not
You're tired of the countless hours of internet searches that are constantly eating away at your time when you want to be working with clients
You feel like you've only acquired bits of information here and there
When what you want is an understanding of how the brain works
And you wonder how you can turn the information you have learned into action
The next cohort of the Certificate Program in Applied Neuroscience is scheduled to start in January 2024. To be the first to learn when enrolment opens, please join the waitlist here.
You honestly don't know if
it's even possible to learn
enough brain science for you
to make a difference for your clients
It feels like a jungle out there
Even though you've been reading books and articles, and following people who use some version of "neuro" in their writings or bios
You wonder who you can trust
Or whether the article or video you found is even the right one
And you go down a rabbit hole of endless searching and it's exhausting
You feel like you're just duct taping stuff together, pulling from this writer and that video, without understanding the big picture
You want to do better by your clients
And, the thing is, your clients want more from you too
Random videos and articles only give you piecemeal knowledge. That's not how you can get an understanding of how the brain works.
How do you get the knowledge
about brain science you need
to become the outstanding coach
or helping professional
you know you can be?
Do you need to spend years? No
Do you need to go back to university? No
The truth is:
Neuroscientists spend decades learning
how the brain works
Decades? I don't have that kind of time.
You need to be able to start using your knowledge about brain science
Not next year
But right now
Your clients are waiting ...
INTRODUCING
CERTIFICATE IN APPLIED NEUROSCIENCE
FOR COACHES AND HELPING PROFESSIONALS
This fourteen-module professional development course in applied neuroscience taught by a neuroscientist over fifteen weeks
Where you will get the knowledge you need to use brain science in your work with clients
That you can use right away
This program takes you by the hand, module by module, to
explain how the brain works and how it fits into your work with clients.
You'll:
Understand how neuroscience can impact and provide insights into your work with clients.
Enhance your confidence and credibility as a coach or helping professional and stand out in a crowded market.
Be able to turn the neuroscience you learn into action.
Be able to explain brain processes in a simple way so that clients understand themselves at a deeper level ...
... and when clients understand the brain processes involved, they're able to apply it to themselves, and use it with their team.
Fill in the gaps from coach training, by knowing the brain processes behind behaviour.
Have the assurance that what you are doing is valid, because it's based on science ...
... and it will reassure your clients to know that your approach is based on science.
Because people no longer buy into “I don’t know”. They want to know how their brain is involved in what they're thinking, feeling, and doing.
This is what the Certificate in Applied Neuroscience from The Neuroscience School offers you
MEET YOUR TEACHER
Dr. Irena O'Brien, PhD
Dr. Irena O’Brien is a cognitive neuroscientist and has been studying psychology and neuroscience for over 25 years. After working as a chartered accountant for 15 years, she went back to university and obtained her PhD in Psychology from the Université du Québec à Montréal. While there, she conducted brain imaging and electrophysiological studies and went on to do a postdoctoral fellowship at the Centre for Language, Mind and Brain at McGill University.
She is the founder of The Neuroscience School, a neuroscience training and information programme for coaches and health and wellness professionals, where she un-complicates neuroscience and teaches practical evidence-based tools and strategies her students can use in their work with their clients.
She uses what she learns from neuroscience to better her own life and that of her family.
Dr. Irena O'Brien has created one of the most efficient and effective neuroscience education programs in North America
Russ Riendeau, PhD
Mayo Clinic Certified Wellness Coach
If you are interested in understanding why human beings do/say/think and live the way they do, Dr. Irena O'Brien has created one of the most efficient and effective neuroscience education programs in North America. From the depth of research and relevant scientific information that is delivered--and remains accessible for a year or more--as well as the weekly class review over 16 weeks, I learned more about neuroscience in 16 weeks than I'd learned in 16 years--and I'm even a behavioral scientist! Well worth the time, investment and commitment if you are in a profession that requires you to interface with humans to coach/treat/counsel/parent/co-exist, etc. And, the research will be personally beneficial to you as well, in navigating your own challenges around health, nutrition, sleep hygiene and general daily life.
Who you learn from matters
When you learn from a neuroscientist, like Dr. Irena, you can trust the training in brain science you're getting.
HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
1: Meet Your Brain
We'll take a quick tour through the brain and nervous system. I say quick, because we’ll only be scratching the surface of everything there is to know about the anatomy of the nervous system, but it will give you what you need to know about how neurons speak to each other, how the brain is divided, and how the nervous system is organized. This is an important course because it is the basis for understanding all brain function.
2. Neuroplasticity
The brain develops through experience, starting in the womb, and continues throughout our lifetime into old age. You'll learn what it takes to change the structure and function of our brain, how stress affects neuroplasticity, whether learnings are transferable to other skills, how our genes influence learning. And more...
3. Focus and Decision-making
You'll learn about the prefrontal cortex and its role in cognition and thinking, how the brain chooses where we place our focus, how multi-tasking is just fast task switching and carries a heavy cost, and how decision-making, thinking and emotion are related.
4. Willpower and Motivation
We all have goals. Yet often, our motivation fails. In this module, you'll learn how to structure goals so that we increase our chances of achieving them, the role of dopamine in motivation, how we train ourselves for failure, the right way to visualize (visualizing success can lead to worse performance), how to overcome procrastination, how we can ensure a constant supply of willpower. And more...
5. Making Progress Every Day
Habits are sometimes considered a dirty word, but they are absolutely the best way to win at your resolutions and achieve more in life and work. A habit is a more or less fixed way of thinking, acting, or feeling that we’ve acquired through repetition. And part of being a powerful coach or helping professional is to help your clients create successful habits, whether it's around their health, their relationships, or their business, that will serve them year round. You'll learn about what it takes to create strong habits and what gets in the way.
6. Creativity and Problem Solving
Insight is the sudden solution to a long-vexing problem, a sudden recognition of a new idea, or a sudden understanding of a complex situation and it is available to everyone. You'll learn about the five stages of insight, and the conditions for insight to appear.
7. The Science of Flow
Csikszentmihalyi has characterized flow as “The state in which people are so intensely involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it”. In this course, you'll learn:
- How flow appears in our lives and how it benefits us
- The key elements of flow and the conditions for its creation
- What recent neuroscience has discovered about what is happening in our brains during flow experiences
- What can happen if we take flow too far
- What it means to live a life of flow and how we can create it
8. The New Neuroscience of Emotion
You'll learn about the new theory of constructed emotion and how it debunks the old triune brain theory of emotion which emphasized the amygdala and limbic system as the seat of emotion. We look at the importance of the body budget, how emotion is a whole brain thing, how the brain constructs emotion from incoming sensations and past experience, and how it can be wrong. And more...
9. The Neuroscience of Stress
You'll learn how the brain responds to different kinds of stress, the role of the amygdala in the stress response, neurotransmitters and neurohormones, how our beliefs about stress can mitigate the stress response and prolong our lives, how reframing stress can actually help us use stress to our advantage, and we also look at little-known ways to relieve stress. We also look at cardiac coherence and how it can propel us into a more positive emotional state and prolong our lives.
10. The Neuroscience of Resilience
You'll learn that, when we're resilient, we're able to bounce back and even thrive following adverse events. Research has shown that resilience is ordinary, not extraordinary. You'll learn the behaviours, thoughts and actions that can be learned and developed in anyone to create resilience.
11. Neuroscience of Relationships
Our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. In this course, we look at how our neurobiology is involved in perceiving, thinking about, and behaving towards others.
12. The Gut-Brain Connection
You'll learn how the gut communicates with the brain; how much of the body's neurotransmitters are produced by the gut; the long-term effect of childhood trauma on the gut microbiome, behaviour, and the brain; the benefits of a healthy diet for depression and cognitive functioning, and on brain structure; and the components of a healthy diet.
13. Exercise and Brain Health
Exercise, along with a healthy diet and getting adequate sleep is a simple way to improve cognitive functioning, psychological wellbeing, and protect against cognitive decline. You'll learn how exercise can improve children's attention and executive control. You'll also learn how important exercise is for healthy aging, how it can have immediate effects on cognitive functioning, and how it's a proven method for improving psychological wellbeing.
14. Sleep and Brain Health
Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout our life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect our mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety. You'll learn how sleep is important for learning and memory, alertness, sustained attention and cognitive flexibility, how chronic short sleep reduces alertness and cognitive flexibility and how this is cumulative, and how attempting to recover our sleep debt on weekends still leaves us with attention deficits. And more...
JOIN
As a student of The Neuroscience School
The Certificate Program
starts in January 2024
All 14 video modules, plus their updates and upgrades
New video modules, as and when they are added
Weekly live, group Q & A Calls over video (during the 15-week long Certificate programme)
Private Facebook group where I am active (Certificate programmes)
Certificate in Applied Neuroscience (Certificate Programs, upon completion of an assessment)
24 CCE units upon certification (15 Core Competencies and 9 Resource Development)
HERE'S WHAT'S INCLUDED, AT A GLANCE
INCLUDED | Self-Study | Certificate | Certificate + |
---|---|---|---|
Access to all 14 video modules, including transcripts and summary notes, together with updates and upgrades | |||
Accessible online from anywhere in the world | |||
group Q & A Calls | Cell | ||
Private Facebook Group | Cell | ||
Certificate in Applied Neuroscience | Cell | ||
24 CCEs Units (15 CC and 9 RD) | Cell | ||
Two Private One-To-One calls with Dr. Irena | Cell | Cell |
Check out with confidence
All payments are processed securely via Stripe
Guarantee
If you're not satisfied with the program after viewing Modules 1 and 2, please email us before Module 3 is released for a complete refund.
Need help ordering or have questions?
Please contact me at irena@neuroscienceschool.com
Questions our best students ask before enroling
How much time will it take per week?
On average, students generally set aside 2 - 3 hours per week. This includes the approximately 1 hr of video modules each week.
One video module is released each week to prevent student overwhelm.
What time are the live Q & A calls?
Live calls will be held weekly on Wednesdays, alternating each week between 8 am, 12 noon and 6 pm EST (Montreal).
The call times are varied to accommodate students from different time zones.
If you can’t attend a call, you can submit your questions in advance.
All calls are recorded and uploaded to the members’ area.
Do I need a background in science?
You don’t need a background in science for this course although you do need to be willing to learn. I do refer extensively to scientific research. However, the modules are designed for professionals working in the coaching and helping industries.
I‘m committed to making neuroscience accessible and relevant to your life and the work you do. Which is why I keep the number of students small, so that you’re able to ask your questions during the Q & A calls. We also have a private Facebook group where you can ask questions, share, and learn from each other. And where I’m active. And I’m also available by email.
Is there anyone who shouldn't enrol in this program?
I've designed this program as a professional development programme for certified coaches and helping professionals. It’s not a coaching programme and I don't teach coaching or offer a coaching certification. I don't offer advice on developing a coaching or health or wellness practice.
I’m not a medical professional and I don’t offer medical advice or make claims about health outcomes.
What if I sign up and decide the program isn't right for me?
If you’re not satisfied with the program, you can request a refund before the 4th module is released. That’s about three weeks into the start of the programme.
But I want you to know that we’re in this together: Your success is my success. And I’m committed to your learning.
If you are seeking to understand the scientific reasons driving behaviour, and how to help your clients understand and manage their own . . .
Gisèle Aubin
President
ICF Quebec
Irena is as passionate as knowledgeable on the topic on Neuroscience. She is a reference in our coaching community here in Montreal. Her program is well presented, thoroughly documented and enhanced by Q&A calls which all go for a deep dive on topics requiring more discussions. If you are seeking to understand the scientific reasons driving behaviours, and how to help your clients understand and manage their own, this is the course you want to take. As a bonus, you will join a community of practicing coaches. I totally recommend it.
I loved this course and learned so many things that I am able to use with my coaching clients
Debbie Collard
Executive & Leadership Development Coach
My initial reason for enrolling in the Neuroscience Certificate course with Dr. Irena O’Brien was to get additional continuing coach education credits (CCEU’s). Several of my colleagues had taken neuroscience courses and I was very interested in what they were learning but I didn’t expect to find so many relevant topics and tools in one course. The course is presented in an easy to understand format for any level - beginner to advanced, provides tools and concepts that can be used immediately, and provides a wealth of neuroscience information in a relatively short period of time. I loved this course and learned so many things that I am able to use with my coaching clients. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in learning more about neuroscience!
I am very pleased with the course content and highly recommend it to executive coaches, organizational psychologists, and others wanting to gain a better understanding of how to engage others in a way that helps bring out the best in them.
Deb Mohesky
CEO/Founder
HealthStar Partners
I had the opportunity to take Dr. O’Brien’s course on Neuroscience and was just delighted with the course! Each module naturally built upon the prior one which made the learning seamless. I appreciated the manner in which the neuroscience concepts were discussed as they accommodated a wide range of experience levels in the class. The concepts were nicely aligned and very practical with how the information could be used in a coaching practice as well as your personal life. The course also brought together a wide variety of students from around the United States, Canada and other countries. I very much appreciated a more global perspective on how these concepts could be applied. The international class fellowship made for a rich experience. I am very pleased with the course content and highly recommend it to executive coaches, organizational psychologists, and others wanting to gain a better understanding of how to engage others in a way that helps bring out the best in them.
I have been able to incorporate my deeper understanding of neuroscience into my coaching practice resulting in a more informed and rich experience for my coachees.
Matt Kersey
President, Transition States Coaching & Training
I highly encourage coaches interested in delving into neuroscience to participate in Dr. Irena O'Brien's Neuroscience School program. Irena has developed a 14 module program that I found was up to date with current neuroscience concepts, was comprehensive and easy to digest. The modules were very easy to apply to my coaching. Irena is a researcher and she continually shared new articles and insights into the field of neuroscience. Her lectures were clear and very informative. They were backed up by easily downloadable handouts. She also provides a list of references for the referenced research, many with direct links to the source documents. I also appreciated the group calls where we could ask questions and hear Irena's thoughts about the various neuroscience topics. Finally, I have been able to incorporate my deeper understanding of neuroscience into my coaching practice resulting in a more informed and rich experience for my coachees.
I feel I am a much more capable executive coach for having taken her certificate program, and best of all, my clients have really appreciated what I have been able to share.
Linda (Lynn) Saboe
Chair, BCC Community Practice
I was delighted to be in Dr. O’Brien’s second certificate program held during the COVID 19 pandemic. She used the very latest neuroscience research as the foundation of her course. I enjoyed the module method she used to apply that neuroscience data to explain a wide variety of themes...from creating emotions and reducing stress, to increasing one’s resilience capability to improving one’s personal habits...all of which I then “translated” to share with my clients. Our weekly Zoom calls allowed me to bounce those ideas of how to do that with the peer group also taking the course. I feel I am a much more capable executive coach for having taken her certificate program, and best of all, my clients have really appreciated what I have been able to share. That is my measure of the benefit of this program.
The program itself is dynamic, incorporating new research in real time. The benefit to me and my clients is significant.
Donna Schumell
CDO
The Disruptive Element
Dr. Irena is thoughtful, current, accurate and practical. The program itself is dynamic, incorporating new research in real time. Cohort work provides professional dialogue to amplify and reinforce both concept and application. This is an incredible value for the investment. The work is beneficial regardless of current levels of expertise, from the novice to experienced. My cohort was diverse, including therapists, coaches, consultants, specialized practitioners, students and more. The professional collaboration and tool sharing experienced during cohort calls is invigorating and interesting. I find myself watching recordings to reinforce ideas I may have missed, a first for me. The benefit to me and my clients is significant. Thank you!
Le fait de connaître les dernières recherches en neurosciences et de mieux comprendre les mécanismes de fonctionnement du cerveau nous permet d’aiguillonner plus rapidement la démarche de nos clients.
Line Blackbrun
CRHA, Coach PCC
Montréal, Canada
Lyne Beausoleil
CRHA, Coach certifiée
Montréal, Canada
Rachel Fournier
CRHA, Coach PCC
Montréal, Canada
Le cours de neurosciences de la Dr. O’Brien s’avère pertinent pour les coachs et les professionnels qui accompagnent leurs clients dans leur cheminement. En outre, le fait de connaître les dernières recherches en neurosciences et de mieux comprendre les mécanismes de fonctionnement du cerveau nous permet d’aiguillonner plus rapidement la démarche de nos clients. L’accès aux travaux scientifiques et la découverte de différents outils fiables nous amènent à guider plus efficacement ces derniers. En fait, il y a de belles perles à découvrir dans cet océan de savoir…
Parmi les différentes notions apprises en neurosciences, certaines ont été facilement transférables suite à notre accompagnement en coaching et se sont révélées très efficaces pour apporter des changements dans les différentes sphères de vie. Elles ont facilité notamment :
-l’aménagement d’un budget d’énergie quotidien grâce au traceur de budget corporel : par exemple, le fait de découvrir la source de leurs baisses d’énergie a permis d’éclairer plusieurs de nos clients;
-l’expérimentation d’une méthode de visualisation éprouvée, dans le but de guider et d’accompagner nos clients et qui donne de très bons résultats.
I highly recommend it.
Jill Cruz
Certified Nutritionist
Dr Irena O'Brien has a gift for making the complexities of Neuroscience both interesting and practical!
Jean LaCour, PhD
President, CEO
NET Training Institute
Dr Irena O'Brien has a gift for making the complexities of Neuroscience both interesting and practical! On the weekly calls she has created an environment that encourages us to ask clarifying questions and discuss articles she posts in the closed group. If you've wanted to understand the mysteries of Neuroscience, this is a great opportunity!
Potentially life changing for some clients.
Wendy Taylor
Taylored Consulting, Australia
Valuable information provided within a blended and well-supported program. For coaches, trainers and HR professionals seeking to add value to their clients and their own understanding of what and how the brain's wiring can be a help or a hindrance to personal growth and change. Potentially life changing for some clients. Also an enjoyable program professionally and Irena seeks to constantly improve and meet her 'students' needs. Interesting also to be part of a global student cohort in Q & A sessions and online group chat.
It's important for me to know that what I practice and tell my clients, participants in workshops and trainees is evidence-based.
Dirk Nieuwoudt
Associate Coach
Metaco
That’s what I get from The Neuroscience School: The confidence that my approach is based on science.
I used to follow a number of neuroscience sites, but now mostly rely on your site because of the links you make to coaching and training and development.
The Neuroscience School greatly assists in translating reputable research into how it can be applied in coaching, training, mentoring. This saves me time; there’s so much neuroscience research that is not necessarily relevant. You do the scouting work and we benefit!
Thanks to her insights, I’ve become a better coach...
Germaine Rediger
Executive coach
indialogue.eu
Irena O’Brien is a wonderful women who is humble and bright at the same time. These qualities give her the ability to do great work. She is a researcher and works thoroughly in her area of expertise “Neuro-Sciences”. Thanks to her insights, I’ve become a better coach who can explain more about the functions that neuroscientists have discovered about the brain.
Irena O’Brien can bring all this down in very simple but profound words. Simplicity is the most difficult skill she has mastered. That’s one of the reasons why Irena O’Brien is the perfect match for everyone who wants to know more about the new sciences of the brain and who want to implement it in his or her Business.
If you want to deepen your knowledge by relying on a scientific based approach which will help you support your clients in their endeavour: I recommend it.
KN
Organizational Psychologist and Coach
Toronto, Canada
The neuroscience program developed by Irena is well structured and touches on various relevant subjects that I can integrated in my interventions with my clients. The different learning modes - listening to online content, testing our knowledge, creating a Facebook group, weekly meeting to answer our questions, questions developed to transfer our learning into practice, integrative project, section " Digest ”to stay up to date on new research in the field - facilitate the retention of information, despite the sometimes heavy content (neuroscience is all about the brain, a complex organ!). If you want to deepen your knowledge by relying on a scientific based approach which will help you support your clients in their endeavour: I recommend it.
The course offers practical strategies designed to help move our coachees forward in such areas as changing behaviours and habits, improving focus and leadership skills. A+
Karen Lukanovich
MBA/PCC
Olympian
As a coach of both athletes and entrepreneurs I have found Dr. Irena O'Brien's course on Applied Neuroscience to be indispensable. Dr. O'Brien has been able to boil down complex and cutting edge neuroscience concepts and research into a fascinating series of modules from neuroplasticity to motivation and resilience to name a few. Most importantly the course offers practical strategies designed to help move our coachees forward in such areas as changing behaviours and habits, improving focus and leadership skills. A+ !
She breaks down the information into modules that are digestible and uses practical examples for application.
Melinda Horton
Principal & Director
Elite Evolve Pty Ltd
Dr Irena’s passion and commitment shines through every aspect of this program. She breaks down the information into modules that are digestible and uses practical examples for application. The weekly Q&A discussions are a great way to connect with Dr Irena directly and other participants to share thoughts and hear how others are interpreting the content. Dr Irena goes above and beyond providing additional resources and research to respond to queries. Thanks for the opportunity to be part of the Certificate Program.
There are many tools that I have been already implementing with the people I work in my practice.
Guillermina Fernandez Pezzano, PCC
Coach/Psycho Bio Therapist
Miami, FL
I truly enjoyed this course that Irena created and teaches. The material is very interesting and well presented making it very easy to follow it and learn. Everything is well explained with calm and a flow that helps you as a student. There are many tools that I have been already implementing with the people I work in my practice. I'm very happy with all the knowledge I got from this and with all the work Irena does.
The more I know about the brain, the better I can guide my clients ...
Eva Jenkins
Executive coach
vipinnovations.com
I highly recommend The Neuroscience School created and led by Irena O’Brien, Ph.D. As a professional coach, the benefit to me understanding Neuroscience is simple - everyone has a brain and it is the source of our thoughts, decision-making abilities, emotions and creativity.
The Neuroscience School provides complete & comprehensive suite of resources and information to draw and learn from. The knowledge I have accumulated this past year, has helped me to train, connect and lead at higher levels of human ability.
To me, the more I know how the brain operates, the more I can guide my clients in all life areas to reach their full potential within their own personal and professional lives.
I am much more mindful about what I want to feed my brain...
Steven Kiges
Co-founder /Director
TheCoachTraining Academy.com
Being the founder of a coach training school and a Neuro Linguistic Programming Trainer I have taken many courses on behavioral science. Dr. O'Brien's course provided much more incite into how our brain machinery works. I am much more mindful about what I want to feed my brain. In addition she pulled the covers back on many of the so called online brain enhancement tools and how they don't work because our brains do not work that way. They seem logical but they are not. Excellent information and great to have the backup research to explain your points. Another great course Irena! Thank you!
I wish the course would be open to the public or schools...
Dominique Pirolo
SAP Senior Talent Advisor - North America
I thoroughly enjoyed the habits course. The scientific explanation followed with personal examples of your journey and interesting tips and researched information for creating stronger habits. The information captured about small steps and envisioning smalls goals, were helpful, as opposed to focusing on the larger goal and losing motivation, which many of us do.
It became clear to me, little steps make a difference, and sometimes we just lose sight of this.
I wish the course would be open to the public or schools, it would be a such a beautiful reminder to humanity, to just start and focus on your habits, every day. One step at a time. Well done- much appreciated.
For me, it is a great help for my work because it gives me more security when using criteria that I use from my own experience, intuition or work philosophy . . .
Lino Pazó Pampillón
xherpa Director
l.pazo@xherpatothegenius.com
I love the course, I love how you raise the issues, with scientific investigations, in a transparent way, with conclusive, less conclusive essays and even essays that propose contradictory theories. You explain very well and closely how to interpret scientific research and what conclusions can be drawn.
For me it is a great help for my work because it gives me more security when using criteria that I use from my own experience, intuition or work philosophy, such as creating an adequate work environment, the weight of the environment on the will, the balance mind body spirit, dividing a big goal into small steps etc.
At the same time, being able to explain what happens in our brain during those moments is very important and helps a lot professionally.
On a personal level, it helps me more to deepen my self-knowledge and learning.
I think it is very important for parents and leaders in general to know themselves and generate contexts in which people can give the best of themselves.
With the aim of deepening the videos, presentations and integrating the knowledge even more, I am teaching my family (Children, Nephews, Brothers) a small program every Saturday (1.5 hours) in which we go through and debate each chapter .
It allows me to integrate and deepen the concepts and help them in their development.