🧠 Brain Development, Stress & Emotion Coaching - with Dr Sanchita Chowdhury

Understanding how children’s brains develop can transform the way we respond to their emotions and behaviour. Early brain development involves the interaction between the instinctive “downstairs brain,” responsible for survival responses such as fight-or-flight, and the “upstairs brain,” the prefrontal cortex that supports reasoning, decision-making, and emotional regulation. When stress becomes overwhelming, children can temporarily lose access to these higher thinking skills — a process often described as “flipping the lid.” Featuring Sanchita Chowdhury, this Reel explores how stress regulation develops in childhood and why supportive relationships are central to healthy emotional growth. The discussion highlights the role of the vagus nerve in calming the body’s stress response, and how empathy, soothing, and compassionate caregiving help strengthen a child’s ability to regulate emotions. Dr Chowdhury also introduces the concept of emotion coaching, a parenting approach identified by psychologist John Gottman. Emotion coaching encourages parents to acknowledge and validate children’s feelings while also guiding their behaviour. By helping children name, understand, and manage their emotions, caregivers can support stronger emotional resilience, problem-solving skills, and long-term wellbeing. #mindfriend #mindfriendtalk #mindfriendmedia #podcast #DrSanchitaChowdhury