Author and Inner Mammal Institute founder Dr. Loretta Breuning joins Angela to demystify our “animal brain”—why cortisol makes small triggers feel huge, how dopamine drives relief-seeking, and what it actually takes to build new emotional pathways. You’ll learn the 20-minute half-life rule for stress, how to spot social-comparison loops, and practical ways to design healthy, fun rewards so change sticks.

Takeaways:

• Your brain saves relief pathways early; adulthood feels “stuck” because electricity follows the biggest, fastest old routes.
• Cortisol ≠ truth. It’s a threat signal, often from past associations. Treat it as data, not a directive.
• Wait 20 minutes before big decisions or responses. Problem-solving inside the first spike just hun ...